Managing Water Quantity and Quality with Subsurface Drainage in Eastern South Dakota

Moisture extremes (excess and deficit) impact crop loss and water quality. Due to excessively wet springs and dry summers, crop damage can occur within the same county or field within the same year. To determine the magnitude of this problem in eastern South Dakota, indemnified crop insurance data for drought and excessive moisture claims were assessed for the years 1991-2020 for the occurrence of both excess moisture and drought in four counties in eastern South Dakota. Results show that there is greater than a 70% chance of the moisture extremes happening in the same year, making subsurface drainage, controlled drainage, and irrigation viable options for mitigating the damages. To determine the number of times controlled drainage could have had an impact on soil moisture, a DRAINMOD simulation was analyzed for the years 1950-2012. The results showed on dry and average years, when controlled drainage has potential for the greatest impact on soil moisture, 20 of 47 years had potential to retain soil moisture in the soil profile. In addition to challenges related to water quantity, water quality can be impacted by tile drainage systems. To assess the amount of nitrate-nitrogen entering surface water, 23 tile outlets were monitored weekly for nitrate concentration and flow depth in the tile outlet pipe. The results showed of 352 samples taken (mean 12.4 mg L-1 nitrate-N), 195 samples were above and 157 were below the drinking water standard of 10 mg L-1, with the majority of samples taken at a depth less than 0.15 of the tile diameter, indicating a low flow year

Effects of 3D Printing on Clay Permeability

Advances in additive manufacturing create unique opportunities for the investigation of permeability of fine-grained soils. The permeability of fine-grained soils, such as clay, play an important role in various design considerations in the geotechnical, environmental, and stormwater management systems. Additionally, the investigations of flow through fractured clayey soils would benefit the empirical correlations that do not consider flow through macropores. This thesis investigates the feasibility of investigating permeability of 3D printed cylindrical clay specimens for the eventual application for flow through fractured clays. The effect of 3D printing, specifically direct binder jet printing, on the permeability, and other physical properties of clay was investigated. Cylindrical clay specimens were prepared using the advanced 3D printing method, direct binder jet printing, and tested in a flexible wall permeameter at effective confining stresses representing clay at very shallow depths. The results of this study show that the 3D printing process not only affects the permeability of clay, but also the specific surface area, and potentially the stiffness of the material. However, printing can provide consistent and repeatable specimens with very low disturbance and efficient controlled geometry

Doxorubicin Cytotoxicity in a Human Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cell Line was Attenuated by the Natural Product Resveratrol

The cancer chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX), Adriamycin, is part of the treatment regimen for breast, ovarian, small cell lung cancer and acute/chronic lymphoid leukemia. Adverse effects associated with DOX are cardiotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Interventions are needed to reduce DOX nephrotoxicity. Resveratrol (RES) is a phytochemical contained in grapes, berries and nuts, which possesses antioxidant and anticancer properties. This study tested the hypothesis that RES will attenuate DOX renal cytotoxicity in human noncancerous renal proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells and that RES will reduce DOX mediated changes in mitochondrial function. HK-2 cells were plated and grown for 48 hours (h). Cells were next preincubated for 1h with 0 (DMSO), 5 or 7.5 µM RES followed by a 24 h co-incubation with 0-5 µM DOX. RES did not alter cell growth or viability at the concentrations tested as indicated by comparable MTT values between DMSO and RES groups (p\u3e0.05). Cell viability was further assessed by cell count using Trypan blue exclusion. DOX produced a concentration dependent decline in viability within a 24 h exposure. Pretreatment for 1 h with RES was sufficient to reduce DOX loss of cell viability. Studies were initiated to investigate the cellular mechanism of RES attenuation of DOX cytotoxicity. Western blot of cells following 24 h exposure examined increased protein carbonylation as an indicator of oxidative stress. Initial studies were begun to examine the DOX effects on mitochondrial oxygen consumption using a Seahorse platform. In summary, RES did not diminish cell viability at the concentrations tested in our HK-2 cells. DOX diminished cell viability within 24 h relative to vehicle control. A 1 h pretreatment with RES reduced DOX cytotoxicity in HK-2 cells. Prevention of mitochondrial impairment and oxidative stress by DOX are potential mechanisms for RES protection in HK-2 cells

Habitat for Humanity Global Village: Trinidad and Tobago

For my senior project I chose to help build a home for Habitat for Humanity Global Village in Trinidad and Tobago. Habitat’s mission is to provide shelter for those in need, and they do so in many countries around the world. I experienced working in another country with a lack of building codes and equipment. The experience challenged me and taught me many lessons in working with teams and in foreign places. Our team was set out to construct the foundation of a home, but due to weather impacts and lack of equipment, our group did not completely finish the task. Unfortunately, after we left our project came to a halt. This report outlines my experience, the organization, my recommendations, and lessons learned

Energy Efficient Machine Learning-Based Classification of ECG Heartbeat Types

To meet the accuracy, latency and energy efficiency requirements during real-time collection and analysis of health data, a distributed edge computing environment is the answer, combined with 5G speeds and modern computing techniques. Using the state-of-the-art machine learning based classification techniques plays a crucial role in creating the optimal healthcare system on the edge. This thesis first provides a background on the current and emerging edge computing classification techniques for healthcare applications, specifically for electrocardiogram (ECG) beat classification. We then present key findings from an extensive survey of over hundred studies on the topic while taxonomizing the literature with respect to key architectural differences, application areas and requirements. Leveraging the insights drawn from the extensive analysis of the pertinent literature we select a set of most promising machine learning based classification techniques for ECG beats, based on their suitability for implementation on a small edge device called a Raspberry Pi. After implementing these classification techniques on a Raspberry Pi based platform we perform a comparison of the performance of these classification techniques with respect to three key performance indicators (KPI) of interest for health care applications namely accuracy, energy efficiency, and latency. ECG measures the electrical activity of the heart and help healthcare professionals to evaluate heart conditions of a patient, sometimes diagnosing life-threatening conditions. The features of ECG signals are pre-processed and fed into the classification algorithms to detect and classify abnormal beat types. ECG classification requires low complexity but still high level of performance in terms of aforementioned three KPIs. The classification algorithms chosen, namely Naïve Bayes, Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), and distilled deep neural network (DNN) are all energy efficient methods hence suitable for implementation for small edge devices. The comparative multi-faceted evaluation presented in this thesis is a new contribution to research that exists on edge based classification as it offers comparison of selected classification algorithms in terms three KPIs instead of one while using real edge device based implementation. The performance of analyzed machine learning classification techniques is ranked according to each KPI. Benefiting from the results of the comparative analysis presented in this thesis a particular classification algorithm can be selected for optimal deployment in given scenario in healthcare system depending on the specific requirements of the given scenario. Edge computing paves the way for a new generation of health devices that can offer a higher quality of life for users if low-latency, low-energy, and high- performance requirements are addressed

Determination of Clinical Efficacy of Ultrasound Stimulation on Piezoelectric Composites for Power Generation Applications

Each year in the United States there are over one million fractures that occur [1]. When a bone breaks, regardless of the severity, it is referred to as a fracture. Individuals suffering from a fracture typically undergo some form of clinical intervention ranging from a splint to orthopedic surgery to increase the body’s natural ability to fuse the bone. This does not always occur, and some fractures never fuse resulting in a non-union. Bone stimulating adjunct therapies are available, to aid in bone healing, but often require patient compliance or battery packs, but these therapies have restrictions too such as the limited lifespan of batteries. Self-powered generators comprised of piezoelectric composite materials have shown promising results in bone stimulation applications under physiological loading conditions. To increase the effectiveness of these materials in clinical applications the use of ultrasound loading was investigated for use when physiological loading is not possible. Twelve piezoelectric composite specimens (n=6 for both 0.0 mm and 0.8 mm CLACS groups) were manufactured using three stacked, lead zirconate titanate (PZT) discs, wired with the intent to be connected in parallel, encapsulated with medical grade epoxy. The effect of ultrasound intensity (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 W/cm2 ), compliant layer thickness (0.0 mm and 0.8 mm), and ultrasound application angle (0°, 45°, and 90°) on power generation was investigated for all specimens. An increase in ultrasound intensity resulted in an increase in power production for all specimens. At an application angle of 0° the 0.8 mm CLACS group produced more power than the 0.0 mm group, but a reversed trend was observed at angles of 45° and 90°. Lastly, when compared to 0°, the power output of both specimen groups decreased significantly in the 45° and 90° conditions at all intensities. This study demonstrations that ultrasound is a viable option for stimulating PZT composites intended for power generating applications where physiological loading is not applicable

Can Birth Weight Influence the Development of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome?

Background: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), a manifestation of the widespread opioid epidemic, has plagued our country, and particularly the region of Northeast Tennessee, for quite some time now. One question among many that seems to baffle almost everyone involved in research on the topic at hand is that why do only 35-40% of opioid exposed pregnancies result in NAS requiring medication while sparing the rest. Is there some discriminatory factor other than in utero opioid exposure involved? Thus, in light of this knowledge, we wanted to investigate whether birth weight at the time of delivery can influence the development of NAS; that is, are neonates of a low birth weight or high birth weight (with respect to gestational age thresholds) more likely to develop NAS. Methods: Therefore, we conducted a retrospective chart analysis of all deliveries within the Mountain States Health Alliance System over a 5 years period between July 1, 2011- June 30, 2016 at all 5 delivery sites in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia (N=18,728). Out of this sample size, we identified 2,392 at-term newborns as positive for prenatal opioid exposure, and then we stratified them into 2 categories: birth weight ≤3.5kg (proxy for low or average birth weight with respect to gestational age thresholds) and birth weight ≥3.5kg (proxy for high birth weight with respect to gestational age thresholds). Thereafter, we ran SPSS statistical analyses involving chi square, t tests, and logistic regression to assess whether one birth weight group was more likely to have a higher incidence rate of NAS compared to the other birth weight group. Results: We found that even after controlling for significant confounders such as marital status, race, and pregnancy smoking, benzodiazepine, and marijuana use, infants who were in the low to average birth weight group (≤3.5kg in this study) were almost twice as likely (statistically significant adjusted odds ratio of 1.95) to develop NAS compared to infants who were in the high birth weight group (≥3.5kg in this study). Our study helps shed some important light on the discriminatory factors for NAS development, with birth weight being a significantly associated clinical factor as we now know. Discussion & Implications: Unfortunately, the mechanism for the transport of opioids across the placenta is complicated, and poorly understood. There may be more ‘unbound or free opioids’ available in infants of low to average birth weight (with respect to gestational age thresholds) compared to infants of high birth weight (with respect to gestational age thresholds) resulting in a higher incidence of NAS in the former population. It is more of a speculation rather than a conclusion to explain the results of our study. However, being equipped with this knowledge that opioid exposed neonates of low to average birth weight (with respect to gestational age thresholds) have a higher risk of developing NAS will allow physicians to identify infants with a higher risk for NAS early, and this will subsequently lead to better outcomes and reduced severity in cases of NAS

Uric Acid-Induced Adipocyte Dysfunction Is Attenuated by HO-1 Upregulation: Potential Role of Antioxidant Therapy to Target Obesity

Increased uric acid levels have been implicated in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. To examine the mechanisms by which this occurs, we hypothesized that an increase in heme oxygenase 1, a potent antioxidant gene, will decrease uric acid levels and adipocyte dysfunction via suppression of ROS and xanthine oxidase (XO) levels. We examined the effect of uric acid on adipogenesis in human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the presence and absence of cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP), an HO-1 inducer, and tin mesoporphyrin (SnMP), an HO activity inhibitor. Uric acid increased adipogenesis by increasing NADPH oxidase expression and elevation in the adipogenesis markers C/EBPα, PPARγ, and Mest, while decreasing small lipid droplets and Wnt10b levels. We treated MSCs with fructose, a fuel source that increases uric acid levels. Our results showed that fructose increased XO expression as compared to the control and concomitant treatment with CoPP significantly decreased XO expression and uric acid levels. These beneficial effects of CoPP were reversed by SnMP, supporting a role for HO activity in mediating these effects. These findings demonstrate that increased levels of HO-1 appear crucial in modulating the phenotype of adipocytes exposed to uric acid and in downregulating XO and NADPH oxidase levels

Intravital imaging reveals new ancillary mechanisms co-opted by cancer cells to drive tumor progression [version 1; referees: 2 approved]

Intravital imaging is providing new insights into the dynamics of tumor progression in native tissues and has started to reveal the layers of complexity found in cancer. Recent advances in intravital imaging have allowed us to look deeper into cancer behavior and to dissect the interactions between tumor cells and the ancillary host niche that promote cancer development. In this review, we provide an insight into the latest advances in cancer biology achieved by intravital imaging, focusing on recently discovered mechanisms by which tumor cells manipulate normal tissue to facilitate disease progression