An Economic Analysis of a Dairy Anaerobic Digestion (A.D.) System: Will Dairy Producers Invest in A.D. Technology to Reduce Potential Litigation Suits?

In many areas of the United States, dairy and livestock farmers are facing lawsuits due to a variety of externalities, such as odor and other forms of non-point source pollution, caused by Confined animal feeding operations (CAFO's). Complaints include: general illness, unpleasant odor, headaches, and property devaluation. However, state and national law requires all CAFO's to have some form of waste storage facility. These facilities, mainly lagoons, increase the potential of pollution and run-off into streams and other water sources. As a result, large producers are beginning to install anaerobic digestive (A.D.) systems, which are a new form of waste management practices that reduces negative environmental effects. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the future value of an ordinary annuity of an anaerobic digestive system by analyzing the joint probability of being sued and losing a litigation case. The analysis will also factor in potential policy incentives such as 100% grants with guaranteed electric buy-back premiums to determine a producer's joint probability of losing a litigation case.Anaerobic Digestion, Dairy Litigation suits, Dairy production, Livestock Production/Industries,

Effects of weaning age on body composition and growth of ex situ California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) pups

Pinnipeds exhibit a wide range of lactation strategies that vary from just a few days to nearly three years in duration. Phocids have a relatively short, intense nursing period culminating with weaning after just a few days or weeks, while dependent otariids generally take several months of consuming a combined milk and solid food diet before being completely independent. The transition to nutritional independence can be particularly challenging for newly weaned pups, which must adjust to behavioral, physiological and nutritional changes as a milk diet is replaced with solid food. An interruption in energy resources during this formative stage could result in a prioritization away from growth, maintenance, or activity resulting in suboptimal development. Three groups of ex situ California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) pups were examined during the initial period of independence after they were weaned at approximately five, seven, and nine months of age. Absolute growth rates of pups were calculated and changes in body composition were estimated using blubber depth measurements and deuterium oxide dilution to determine if weaning age had an effect on subsequent pup development and growth. Blood urea nitrogen and blood glucose levels were observed for their response to changes in body condition, while thyroid hormone levels in the blood were examined as a possible nutritional stress indicator during the pup\u27s transition to solid food. When compared to in situ pups, the 5 month old pups in the present study had significantly greater body mass (39.6 ± 1.6 kg, p \u3c 0.01), axillary girth (85.3 ± 2.9 cm, p \u3c 0.01), and axillary blubber depth (2.3 ± 0.1 cm, p \u3c 0.01) compared to 5 month old in situ pups (26.6 ± 5.2 kg / 70.6 ± 5.34 cm / 1.5 ± 0.2 cm). Nine month old ex situ pups had significantly greater axillary blubber depth (3.7 ± 0.9 cm, p \u3c 0.01) and total body lipid percentage (24.9 ± 4.7%, p= 0.01) than in situ pups (1.5 ± 0.2 cm / 17.1 ± 4.9%). Although all pups in the present study survived the transition to solid food, there were apparent differences in how the different age groups responded physiologically. The five month old pups began the switch to solid food with the lowest overall blubber depth (2.6 ± 0.9 cm) and experienced the greatest change in body mass (-8.5 ± 1.6 kg) and composition while taking the longest to begin physiological recovery (31.7 ± 1.2 d). In contrast, the 9 month old pups entered the transition with more energy reserves (24.9 ± 4.7% TBL), began consuming solid food sooner (16.3 ± 0.6 d), and were able to utilize reserves more efficiently to minimize loss and promote faster growth

Suitability of salvaged timber in structural design

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2012.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 41-42).Increased demand for timber construction in the United States has placed a strain on the American timber reserve. At the same time, the annual demolition of thousands of buildings and wood structures results in thousands of tons of waste earmarked for incineration or landfill disposal. There exists a great potential to reuse most of the wood already standing in today's structures for tomorrow's construction. Identifying alternatives for virgin timber can create economic opportunity and help to mitigate an expensive and environmentally sensitive landfill problem. This thesis describes the opportunities, barriers, and benefits of using reclaimed lumber and timbers in new construction. Factors affecting the mechanical properties of wood are examined and changes in strength over time are quantified. Utilizing current research, various sources of reclaimed timber are studied and recommendations are made as to their potential for reuse in structural design.by James Brandon Davis.M.Eng

Analog Violin Audio Synthesizer

Abstract In the past decade, music electronics have almost completely shifted from analog to digital technology. Digital keyboards and effects provide more sound capabilities than their analog predecessors, while also reducing size and cost. However, many musicians still prefer analog instruments due to the perception that they produce superior sound quality. Many musicians spend extra money and accommodate the extra space required for analog technologies instead of digital. Furthermore, audio synthesizers are commonly controlled with the standard piano keyboard interface. Many musicians can perform sufficiently on a keyboard, but requiring a specific skill set limits the size of the market for a product. Also, when reproducing instruments such as a violin, a keyboard will not suffice in simulating a controllable vibrato from a fretless fingerboard. There is a need for an interface that allows the user to successfully reproduce the sound of the desired instrument. The violin is just one example of instruments that cannot be completely reproduced on a keyboard. For example, cellos, trombones and slide guitars all have features that a keyboard cannot simulate in real time. The Analog Violin Synthesizer uses oscillators and analog technology to reproduce the sound of a violin. The user controls the synthesizer with a continuous touch sensor, representing the fretless violin fingerboard. The continuous interface allows for a violin sound played as a standard note, or a warmer sound with adjustable vibrato, based on how the user moves his or her hand. This product provides an innovation and next step to the use of analog technology in sound synthesis. However, as digital technology continues to improve, this product could potentially cross over into digital, with the continued use of the touch interface. Currently, there are products that utilize touch input, however they are often used for sound effects, and atmospheric sounds. Rarely are they used to allow for the digital playability of a synthesized acoustic instrument

Preprocessing Techniques to Support Event Detection Data Fusion on Social Media Data

This thesis focuses on collection and preprocessing of streaming social media feeds for metadata as well as the visual and textual information. Today, news media has been the main source of immediate news events, large and small. However, the information conveyed on these news sources is delayed due to the lack of proximity and general knowledge of the event. Such news have started relying on social media sources for initial knowledge of these events. Previous works focused on captured textual data from social media as a data source to detect events. This preprocessing framework postures to facilitate the data fusion of images and text for event detection. Results from the preprocessing techniques explained in this work show the textual and visual data collected are able to be proceeded into a workable format for further processing. Moreover, the textual and visual data collected are transformed into bag-of-words vectors for future data fusion and event detection

Self-Care in BSN Students: Developing a Self-Care Plan

Stress is an issue of concern in nursing practice and nursing education. Stress leads to burn out and compassion fatigue in the nurse and student nurse. To combat stress, professional organizations advocate for self-care practices. Research indicates self-care practice can reduce stress levels and increase health and wellness. An evidenced-based DNP project was conducted over a seven-week time frame during a mental health nursing course to educate senior BSN students on different dimensions of self-care to reduce stress levels and increase use of self-care practices

Death and the Process: Addressing a Spatial Problematic

Death is the lone certainty of animate existence. How and where it occurs remains the only variable. It is the where that serves as the spatial problematic this thesis serves to investigate. For many, death is not an event but a process. It is a process where the space serves as the fi nal sensorial effect on the body. In Western society, one is typically born in a hospital. Does it mean that one should also die there? Is a space appropriate for birth also appropriate for death? Should they not differ greatly? There are typologies that address the conditions of the deceased in a reverent and dignifi ed way. Why does architectural absolve itself from assuming its responsibilities in the death process? Death, both tragic and arresting, is frequently arranged. Where do you go to die? Where do you send someone to die? It is the contention of this thesis that spaces that specifi cally address the process of dying for patients, families, and caregivers are absent from the architectural landscape. Facilities occupied and operating as ‘nursing homes’ for the terminally ill are dismissive of the somatosensory capabilities of its patients, families, and caregivers. Spaces that incorporate the full compliment of somatosensory events are required to fully accentuate the process of dying. This thesis explores the qualities of space that can serve the conditions of the dying body. I will present fi rst the argument of the body’s ability to experience space through a multitude of sensory means followed by an analysis of the psychological, ideological, material, and natural components of the cell, home, and place. The vehicle for these explorations will be the design of a palliative care + hospice care facility in the North Atlanta suburb of Buford, Georgia