This study represents an internship, as a requirement of the Professional Science Masters program at Oregon State University, performed with Western Ag Innovations Inc. The study consisted of two aspects -- one business and one science oriented. The two objectives of this internship were to: 1) qualitatively evaluate how two...
Non-toxic species of desiccated blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, may offer potential for use as a fertilizer on irrigated crops. Here, the non-toxic cyanobacteria species Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA), collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, was evaluated for use as a biofertilizer in a controlled experiment on Swiss chard “Bright Lights” (Beta...
A scaling analysis of the Oregon State University (OSU) - Multi-Application Small Light Water Reactor (MASLWR) system has been developed, and an existing RELAP5-3D model of the facility was improved. The purpose of this study is to support the research of hybrid energy systems, being led by Idaho National Laboratory...
Many important application problems can be formalized as constrained non-linear optimization tasks. However, numerical methods for solving such problems are brittle and do not scale well. Furthermore, they do not provide much insight into the structure of the problem space. This paper describes a method for discovering efficient rules that...
Aerobic organisms have evolved many sensory mechanisms that allow
response to oxidants in the environment. One area of interest is the relationship
between the activity of the tumor suppressor protein p53 and the redox state of
thioredoxin. Human p53 activity is severely compromised in budding yeast lacking
thioredoxin reductase. Evidence...
Wave energy conversion devices are a rapidly growing interest worldwide for the potential to harness a sustainable and renewable energy source. Due to the oscillatory nature of ocean waves, the power generated from a permanent magnet linear generator (PMLG) for ocean wave energy conversion is pulsed. Focusing on direct drive...
The coverage of a learning algorithm is the number of concepts that can be learned by that algorithm from samples of a given size for given accuracy and confidence parameters. This thesis begins by asking whether good learning algorithms can be designed by maximizing their coverage. There are three questions...
The development of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panel technology has opened up new opportunities for wood in tall buildings. Several characteristics including seismic performance and speed of construction have raised interest among designers. As CLT gains acceptance in the industry, alternative structural solutions need to be investigated to improve performance of...
The research presented in this dissertation addresses the Multi-Mode Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (MMRCPSP) in the presence of resource unavailability. This research is motivated by the scheduling of engineering design tasks in automotive product development to minimize the project completion time, but addresses a general scheduling situation that is applicable...
This research addresses sample process variance estimation on continuous domains and for non-probability samples in particular. The motivation for the research is a scenario in which a program has collected non-probability samples for which there is interest in characterizing how much an extrapolation to the domain would vary given similarly...
This study examined features of deep pool (>0.8 m mean depth) used by
adult summer steelhead in Steamboat Creek (1991-1992). Steamboat Creek had
a heterogenous thermal profile, with some segments exceeding preferred
temperature of steelhead. Deep pools were scarce (4% of the total habitat units)
and 39% of them were...
The distribution of total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, monomeric anthocyanin, and ascorbic acid contents in the peel and flesh of Red Delicious, Granny Smith, and Fuji apples during a six-month storage period were determined. In addition, the effect of 1-MCP (1-Methyl cyclopropene) on these parameters of the edible portion of apples...
Nest counts from the largest subpopulation of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Atlantic, peninsular Florida, have been declining since 1998. Analyzing trends of nests and adult females is insufficient to determine the overall status of a sea turtle population, due to variation in nesting frequency and a...
The sea offers a wide variety of potentially useful resources. Marine algae have been a rich source of structurally unique natural products showing diverse biological properties. The current need to develop new antifungal, antibiotic, anticancer and antiviral drugs has prompted intense research efforts into the discovery, isolation and structure determination...
High data rate transmission has become an important challenge in today digital communication systems. One of the most difficult problems faced by engineers is to transmit data at sufficiently high rates through fading channels. This is the main motivation for the research presented herein. In this thesis, we investigate a...
Antagonistic effects of Epicoccum purpurascens,
Aureobasidium pullulans, Trichoderma spp., and Botrytis
cinerea on establishment of Monilinia fructicola infections
in cherry and peach blossoms were assessed in field and mist
chamber studies. Conidia of each fungus were applied to
blossoms that were subsequently inoculated with conidia of
M fructicola. Mist chamber...
This study was designed to measure the results on public
school teachers of training in three teaching systems. The results
of the study were intended to provide evidence that might be used
for designing a single system which would bring together the most
effective aspects of each of the systems...
The distribution of herring (Clupea harengus pallasi) in
the Northeast Pacific extends from southern California to
northern Alaska. Studies on variation in herring life-history
are limited to local
characteristics and recruitment
populations or relatively restricted regions of the Northeast
Pacific. In this study I assessed herring life-history
patterns and recruitment...
To investigate the responses of healthy adult women to two
levels of vitamin B-6, a seven week two-part experiment was conducted
with five young adults and eight middle-aged subjects. During the
four unsupplemented weeks, dietary vitamin B-6 was 2.3-2.4 mg/day.
In the final three weeks, the same diet was supplemented...
The spermiogenesis of Mytilus edulis (a marine mussel) has
been studied, employing techniques of light and electron microscopy
and cytochemical preparations. The observations trace the development
of the acrosomal complex, the nucleus, the mitochondrial
middle-piece, and the flagellum.
In early spermatids numerous membrane-bounded proacrosomal
vesicles arise from several Golgi complexes...
Agrobacterium rhizogenes has been shown to cause root
proliferation and increased water use efficiency in
certain woody dicots. Root proliferation may be desirable
in herbaceous legumes as a means of increasing potential
sites for infection by Rhizobium species and subsequent
nodulation and nitrogen fixation. Thus, A. rhizogenes was
used to...
Fair value accounting has become a very popular and controversial topic in light of the 2008-2009 liquidity crisis in the United States. Fair value, also called mark-to-market, implies that assets and liabilities get measured and reported in firms‘ financial statements at market value as opposed to historical value. This study...
Swash zone processes are of significant importance to foreshore morphologic change. This thesis addresses the importance of the uprush and backwash fluid motions and flow duration effects to the resulting sediment transport. The analysis relates the field observations to well known sediment transport formulations as well as investigates the importance...
The increased US domestic production of surimi from the US Pacific Coast after 1977 is a major consequence of the US's extended fisheries jurisdiction to 200 nautical miles. It is only one consequence, however, whose nature can best be understood by examining the surimi market in the context of what...
This thesis will cover work that I have completed relating to the field of terahertz (THz) science. My work has consisted of generating tunable, narrowband THz pulses in a table-top optical setup and using both narrow- and broadband THz pulses to study various material systems. Broadband THz pulses were used...
In many geotechnical design situations involving tight right-of-way constraints, Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls are often the most cost-effective and reliable earth retention technology among available alternatives. However, few well-documented case histories with detailed material testing, instrumentation programs and construction observation of performance are available in the literature. Despite the...
My work has focused on using density functional theory to elucidate mechanisms of organocatalytic and transition metal catalyzed reactions by considering competing mechanisms. In each of the three presented studies computational investigation complemented experimental work by predicting stereoselectivity or revealing origins of stereo, regio, or chemoselectivity.
A study on the...
Recombinant human macrophage colony stimulating factor beta (rhm-CSFβ) is a glycoprotein that stimulates the proliferation, differentiation and survival of cells belonging to the monocyte-macrophage lineage. It contains nine inter-subunit and intra-subunit disulfide bonds and represents an excellent model system for studying disulfide bond formation during protein folding because the assembly...
The last five decades of research in arid land ecology cites Invasive species as a source of imbalances in biodiversity through habitat destruction and reductions of native species through ecosystem alterations in favor of non-native species. Invasive species are known to damage not only the surrounding ecosystem but also cause...
Species are one of the foundational units upon which entire fields of scientific inquiry are built. Discovering and documenting the planet’s biodiversity remains one of the grand challenges of science. A proper conceptualization of species provides a critical framework for diverse fields such as biophysics, biochemistry, agriculture and pharmacology, and...
An Invasive Plant Management Plan developed for Big Sur Land Trust, a non-profit conservation organization located on California's Central Coast, to guide its vegetation management activities and serve as a decision-support tool. The effort included the creation of a digital field data collection tool through Survey123 Connect, survey and data...
In early 2000, the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) was created to perform research and development for the next generation nuclear systems. Among the selected nuclear systems was the Very High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (VHTR). Then in 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) decided that the Next Generation Nuclear...
A control program restricting the use of second generation
cephalosporins was evaluated.
A retrospective cephalosporin use review was conducted at two
large teaching hospitals; the Veterans' Administration Medical
Center (VAMC) and the Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU). A
control program restricting the use of second generation cephalosporins
was in operation...
Marine mammals are top predators that are essential for the health and function of our oceans. These top predators are often affected by various factors that can be detrimental to their populations. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate undetermined causes of deaths and to better understand known diseases in...
White mold, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, results in severe losses in the production of common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, especially snap bean varieties. Advanced backcross QTL analysis was used to identify quantitative trait loci for resistance to white mold in an interspecific cross of P. vulgaris and P....
The sinuous flight behavior of male Douglas-fir tussock
moths, Orgyia pseudotsugata, (McD.), is characterized by
positive anemotaxis and positive chemoklinotaxis and varies
depending on distance from the pheromone source, population
density, and time of day. Visual cues play a minor role
in close-range orientation to a pheromone source, but
males...
A prototype deep ocean nuclear moisture meter was developed
based on the detection of epithermal neutrons backscattered from
marine sediment molecules. Development consisted of choosing a
source, a detector, containment materials, and associated counting
equipment, followed by the construction and calibration of the probe.
Thermal neutron response of the probe...
Twentieth century commercial whaling drastically reduced the abundance of great whale populations in the Southern Ocean. Exploitation began on the south Atlantic island of South Georgia, where catch records account for over 175,000 whales killed. Modern whaling within the Southern Ocean depleted populations rapidly, and by 1966, hunting blue whales...
The dynamic response of an offshore structure to measured and simulated
stochastic wave forces is investigated. The theoretical nondeterministic
analysis is performed in the frequency domain for a two-dimensional
model. The ocean wave system is assumed to be a zero mean, stationary,
ergodic Gaussian process described by a one-dimensional wave...
The objective of the thesis is to present data upon which the management of the Oregon otter-trawl fishery can be based. In addition, a history of the Oregon trawl fishery is presented. A summary of gear development by many of the vessels in the Oregon fleet is presented in table...
The Queen Charlotte Fault system is a segment of the North America - Pacific
plate boundary. From 45 Ma - 5 Ma, plate motion has been primarily translational.
Since 5 Ma, transpression has been the dominant mode of interaction. The plate
boundary west of the Queen Charlotte Islands is characterized...
The fouling characteristics of simulated cooling tower water flowing over a heated metallic surface has been studied. The bulk temperature of the water was maintained around 95°F. Mainly three different water qualities with respect to calcium hardness level were investigated. The pH was controlled by the addition of hydrochloric acid....
This study was to investigate effects of growth rate
and cambial age on properties of wood from two increasingly
used hardwood species, red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) and
Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana Dougl.), for better
understanding factors affecting wood quality in hardwoods.
Thirty 7-year-old trees grown at widely varying...
The increasing move to citizen participation in policy formulation is being witnessed in European fisheries. The emergence of the Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) and other processes via the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is sparking hope and interest in more regionally relevant, holistic, and hopefully workable fisheries management measures. In...
Oregon ocean shrimp annual harvest relies on the successful recruitment and growth of age one shrimp. Changes in oceanic conditions appear to have major impacts on recruitment, spatial abundance and growth rates. Successful recruitment has been identified with the timing and strength of the spring transition generating oceanic conditions favorable...
Reforesting harvested lands in southwestern Oregon has been
difficult because of low rainfall, high evaporative demand, and
competitive understory vegetation. Herbicides have been a preferred
method to control competing vegetation but herbicide use on federal
lands was curtailed in 1984. As a result, interest in livestock
grazing as a vegetation...
A method for isolating the salt gland (SG) from the larval brine
shrimp has been developed. This extra-renal organ is removed from 5-10%
of Stage Inauplii by vortexing after incubating the animals at 37°C for
8 hours in a saline solution buffered with 100 mM sodium phosphate at pH
7.6....
Substations are a crucial element at the transmission and distribution level of electric power systems. The primary substation equipment (power transformers and high voltage switching equipment) is used to transfer and transform electric energy by stepping up or down the voltage in transmission substations. Secondary equipment (such as IEDs, Intelligent...
Novel mucosal vaccines (LL-M2e, LL-HAe, SG-HAe) were constructed from live, non-pathogenic Lactococcus lactis or Streptococcus gordonii that express conserved regions of HA or M2 antigens from avian influenza virus (AIV) A. All three vaccines evoked antigen-specific serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses in vaccinated chickens. The addition of the adjuvant cholera...
In rodent models as well as in fish models there are significant
species differences in the susceptibility toward aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁)
carcinogenesis. Mouse is less susceptible toward AFB₁ carcinogenesis
than rat. Researchers have come to the conclusion that the lower
susceptibility of mice is not a result of less effective...
Reflux condensation tests examining steam condensation in a PWR steam
generator (SG) were conducted at the Oregon State University (OSU) Advanced
Plant Experiment (APEX) Test Facility from 2005 through 2007. The
experimental data collected will provide a basis to assess TRACE steam generator
modeling techniques and assist in development of...
Full Text:
examining steam condensation in a PWR steam
generator (SG) were conducted at the Oregon State University
Birth and pupping season records of Pacific harbor seals
(Phoca vitulina richardsi) were used in an analysis of
photoperiod effect on the timing of birth in this species. Dates
and latitudes of births were converted into photoperiods using a
photoperiod equation. Sequential dates from parturition were
converted into photoperiods and...
The metabolism of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and other
drugs was studied with regard to nutritional status and
species differences. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are biotransformed
to severely toxic metabolites were isolated
from tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea). Semi-purified alkaloid
crystals containing five alkaloids (senecionine, seneciophylline,
jacobine, jacoline, and jacozine) were prepared
and found...
California brome and blue wildrye are important native grass species in the Pacific Northwest. However, both species have been reported to have low emergence under less than favorable field conditions. Seed coating is used to improve emergence and stand establishment of various crops. Three studies were carried out to determine...
The fermentation of honey-based musts has been a feature of civilization for millennia. Typically comprised of 75-90% (w/w) simple (i.e. fermentable) sugars, the glucose and fructose present are readily fermented by either pitched or adventitious micro-organisms. Nevertheless, despite its venerable heritage, honey-based fermentations are prone to inconsistency, and it is...
The Willamette River, one of only 14 American Heritage Rivers, flows through the most densely populated and agriculturally productive region of Oregon. Previous biological monitoring of Willamette River fish detected elevated frequencies of skeletal deformities in fish from certain areas of the lower (NP [NP], rivermile [RM] 26-55) and middle...
Crops were grown using accepted cultural practices within the limits of experimentation or trials were conducted on growers' fields, Most experiments were designed as randomized complete blocks with two to five replications. Herbicide treatments were applied uniformly with equipment ranging from precision plot sprayers to quart jars (granular applications). Unless...
The design and construction of two new sample injection systems or nozzles, for use with the Oregon State electron diffraction apparatus are discussed. One of these nozzles was intended for use with volatile samples the vapors of which were to be heated or cooled over the range -196 to 540°C;...
Seismic refraction data collected in 1985 by the USGS were used in
this study to derive the P and S velocity structure of the crust beneath the
Gulf of Maine. The data quality differs among instruments and is affected
by surficial lateral heterogeneities, a ringy source signature and
reverberations. Velocity...
Sediments from Yaquina Bay and the Yaquina River from the river mouth to river mile 14, and from Depoe Slough at river mile .25 and 1.5 were tested. While sediments near the river mouth were "extremely clean," and main-channel sediments were relatively clean, Depoe Slough sediments were more polluted. Alternatives...
Crops were grown at the experimental farms using accepted cultural practices within the limits of experimentation or trials were conducted on growers' fields. Most experiments were designed as randomized complete blocks with two to five replications. H8rbicide treatments were applied uniformly with equipment ranging from precision plot sprayers to quart...
This research examines the response from the National Rifle Association (NRA) to the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. Specifically, the research seeks to conclude whether the NRA engaged in propaganda, and if so, what the ethical implications of such use are. Using literature from...
Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and
zymography were used in two separate experiments to determine the tissue
source and type of plasminogen activator (PA) produced by bovine
blastocysts. Twelve-14 d blastocysts were collected at slaughter from
estrous synchronized, superovulated and artificially inseminated Holstein
cows. In Experiment I, blastocysts were...
The torsion test was evaluated as a method for determining the shear
strength of full-size structural lumber. The evaluation involved an experimental
length study, an experimental depth study, and a finite element study.
The length study consisted of fifty nominal 2x4 specimens, ten specimens
for each length, and ten American...
Twelve differential agars have been studied in the development
of media to presumptively identify the Salmonella Subgenera
I-IV. Medium No. 7B/A (or Medium No. 7-H₂S Strip) combined
the malonate, dulcitol, lysine decarboxylase and hydrogen sulfide
reactions in one tube. It was designed to be used at the TSI stage
of...
The purpose of this study was to determine if amount and kind of thinning had an effect on wood specific gravity, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, growth rate, or pulp yield and kappa number. The study involved 24 1/5-acre plots, three plots in each of eight thinning treatments. The...
For the enrichment and enumeration of Vibrio fluvialis, a
broth medium was designed by modifying alkaline peptone (AP)
medium. This new V. fluvialis enrichment medium (FEM) was shown to
be more effective than AP medium in field samplings where a total
of 177 samples (estuarine waters and sediment, sewage, and...
Fifty-seven stranded marine mammals representing seven species
were examined over a period of three years. The primary cause of
death along with contributing factors, incidental pathology and
parasites is reported for each animal examined.
Gunshot wounds directly or indirectly caused the death of 14
of 44 seals and sea lions...
Background: Premenopausal black women have a 2-3 fold greater rate of coronary heart
disease (CHD) than premenopausal white women. The purpose of this study was to
provide insight into the reasons for this difference.
Methods and Results: We compared CHD risk factors in 100 black and 100 white, healthy
premenopausal...
Twenty-three red clover cultivars and accessions were grown in Boyd, KY, and Philomath, OR to evaluate their tolerance of northern anthracnose [NA; Kabatiella caulivora (Kirch.) Karak.] and drought, dry matter (DM) production, and their agro-morphological characteristics. The key research questions of this study were the influence of NA on yield...
Of the 14 strains of Chondrococcus columnaris examined, 4
produced antagonistic substances that inhibited the growth of other
strains of this species. The antagonistic substance produced by
strain 3-P63-12 was examined in greater detail. Since the inhibitory
substance had an extremely narrow spectrum of activity, and
was not transmissible in...
Oregon's estuaries are important ecosystems for scientific study. Consequently, knowledge of what research has been conducted helps us identify benchmarks and plan new projects. A comprehensive bibliography of published research, technical reports, local documents, and data sets is one means of recording this knowledge. For these reasons, the Guin Library...
The overall goal of this project was to design a wood frame shear wall that could withstand greater displacement before damage occurred to the Gypsum Wall Board (GWB). More specifically, the objectives of the study were: (1) to evaluate damage to the GWB in alternative shear wall designs at 1%,...
The Panamint Valley fault zone (PVFZ) is an active, dextral-oblique normal fault that partially accommodates dextral shear across the Eastern California Shear Zone (ECSZ). The fault system has a complex geometry, characterized by a relatively high-angle dextral oblique normal fault in the south and a low-angle detachment system that accommodates...
Rhabdocoels of the genus Paravortex are parasites of marine
molluscs. The bent-nosed clams, Macoma nasuta(Conrad, 1837) of
Yaquina Bay, Lincoln County, Oregon are commonly infected with a new
species of Paravortex. The morphology of the adult worm has been
described and it has been compared to the other three species...
The Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics (NE/RHP) at Oregon State University (OSU) has been developing an innovative modular reactor plant concept since being initiated with a Department of Energy (DoE) grant in 1999.
This concept, the Multi-Application Small Light Water Reactor (MASLWR), is an integral pressurized water...
Eight adolescent males (14 to 18 years old) were evaluated
before and after 50 minutes of exercise on a bicycle ergometer
at 60 percent of their maximal heart rate to investigate the
relationship between blood magnesium status and the derangement
of other serum electrolytes in the etiology of "sports anemia."...
Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the oldest known domesticated crops. Originally cultivated for human consumption, other end-uses have gained importance over the millennia. Barley is the fourth most important cereal crop in the world (FAO-STAT, 2011), and today it is mainly used as animal feed or malted for...
Giant chinquapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla) is an evergreen hardwood often found as a shrubby understory component of coniferous forests in the Pacific Northwest United States. Due to its ability to sprout quickly after disturbances such as fire and logging it is often viewed as a pest by forest managers. Like its...
Lymphoma (LSA) is one of the most common canine malignancies, and is almost invariably a terminal disease. Epigenetic changes in canine and human lymphomas have been linked to disease progression and poor prognosis, leading to the development of epigenetic-targeted therapies which have shown promise in treating various forms of human...