Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Predicting Location And Training Effectiveness (Plate), Erik Rolf Bruenner

Master's Theses

Abstract Predicting Location and Training Effectiveness (PLATE)
Erik Bruenner

Physical activity and exercise have been shown to have an enormous impact on many areas of human health and can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. In order to better understand how exercise may affect the body, current kinesiology studies are designed to track human movements over large intervals of time. Procedures used in these studies provide a way for researchers to quantify an individual’s activity level over time, along with tracking various types of activities that individuals may engage in. Movement data of research subjects is often collected through …

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Exceptional Point Based Lattice Gyroscopes, Masoumeh Izadparast, Gururaj V. Naik, Henry O. Everitt, Hamidreza Ramezani

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Ring laser gyroscopes (RLGs) based on non-Hermitian exceptional points (EPs) have garnered much recent interest due to their exceptional sensitivity. Such gyroscopes typically consist of two-ring laser resonators, one with loss and one with an equal amount of optical gain. The coupling strength between these ring resonators is a key parameter determining the sensitivity of EP-based RLGs. Here we explore how the exceptional sensitivity demonstrated in this coupled dimer may be further enhanced by adding more dimers in an array. Specifically, we propose two types of ring laser gyroscope lattice arrays, each composed of N coupled dimers arrayed serially or …

Representations From Group Actions On Words And Matrices, Joel T. Anderson

Master's Theses

We provide a combinatorial interpretation of the frequency of any irreducible representation of Sn in representations of Sn arising from group actions on words. Recognizing that representations arising from group actions naturally split across orbits yields combinatorial interpretations of the irreducible decompositions of representations from similar group actions. The generalization from group actions on words to group actions on matrices gives rise to representations that prove to be much less transparent. We share the progress made thus far on the open problem of determining the irreducible decomposition of certain representations of Sm × Sn arising from group actions on matrices.

Learning The Game: Implementations Of Convolutional Networks In Automated Strategy Identification, Cameron Klig

Master's Theses

Games can be used to represent a wide variety of real world problems, giving rise to many applications of game theory. Various computational methods have been proposed for identifying game strategies, including optimized tree search algorithms, game-specific heuristics, and artificial intelligence. In the last decade, systems like AlphaGo and AlphaZero have significantly exceeded the performance of the best human players in Chess, Go, and other games. The most effective game engines to date employ convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to evaluate game boards, extract features, and predict the optimal next move. These engines are trained on billions of simulated games, wherein …

Distributed Control Of Servicing Satellite Fleet Using Horizon Simulation Framework, Scott Plantenga

Master's Theses

On-orbit satellite servicing is critical to maximizing space utilization and sustainability and is of growing interest for commercial, civil, and defense applications. Reliance on astronauts or anchored robotic arms for the servicing of next-generation large, complex space structures operating beyond Low Earth Orbit is impractical. Substantial literature has investigated the mission design and analysis of robotic servicing missions that utilize a single servicing satellite to approach and service a single target satellite. This motivates the present research to investigate a fleet of servicing satellites performing several operations for a large, central space structure.

This research leverages a distributed control approach, …

Wasm-Pbchunk: Incrementally Developing A Racket-To-Wasm Compiler Using Partial Bytecode Compilation, Adam C. Perlin

Master's Theses

Racket is a modern, general-purpose programming language with a language-oriented focus. To date, Racket has found notable uses in research and education, among other applications. To expand the reach of the language, there has been a desire to develop an efficient platform for running Racket in a web-based environment. WebAssembly (Wasm) is a binary executable format for a stack-based virtual machine designed to provide a fast, efficient, and secure execution environment for code on the web. Wasm is primarily intended to be a compiler target for higher-level languages. Providing Wasm support for the Racket project may be a promising way …

Western Kentucky University Stormwater Utility Survey 2023, Warren Campbell, Emily G. Davis

SEAS Faculty Publications

The main goal of this survey is to identify as many U.S. Stormwater Utilities (SWUs) as possible. Because many stormwater professionals do not have the time to respond to questionnaires, our primary method of identification was Internet searches. We searched key terms such as “stormwater utility”, “stormwater fee”, and “drainage fee”. We scoured online municipal codes such as Municode, AmLegal, Sterling, LexisNexis, General Code, and others. We searched through many city web websitesing to find utilities. We have also had many people contact me to update fees and identify new utilities. However, the data primarily comes from Internet sources and …

What’S Scope 3 Good For?, Madison Condon

Faculty Scholarship

Opposition to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) new rule on updated climate risk reporting has focused on one category of disclosures as particularly objectionable: Scope 3 emissions.⁷ Otherwise known as “supply chain emissions,” Scope 3 emissions have been voluntarily reported by a growing number of companies since the term was invented as part of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol in 2001.⁸ They include all the emissions both up and downstream of a corporations’ own activities: the emissions of the privately-owned factory that produced the shoes Target sells, as well as the emissions you burn while driving to the …

Effect Of Condensed Tannins In Sainfoin On In Vitro Protein Solubility Of Lucerne, J. Aufrère, M. Dudilieu, C. Poncet, R. Baumont

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Proteins of fresh legume forages such as lucerne are highly degraded in the rumen, resulting in their inefficient use by the animal. The condensed tannins (CT) present in some forages can improve the nutritional value of these forages and of associated feeds in the diet. Previous in vitro work (Waghorn & Shelton, 1997) showed that CT from Lotus corniculatus are able to bind with and precipitate protein from a ryegrass/clover pasture, but when these forages were fed to sheep, the CT effects on digestion and animal performance were weak. This revealed a need for a better understanding of the mechanism …

Herbage Production, Nitrogen Fixation And Condensed Tannin Concentrations In Lotus Glaber Mill. Germplasm, H. Acuña, M. Figueroa, P. Hellman, A. Concha

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Lotus glaber (Lg) grows on clay, sandy and medium textured soils in central Chile (32º to 38º S). The diversity of environments where the species grows naturally supports the hypothesis that genetic variability would be found. The objectives of the experiment were to characterise accessions of Lg collected in the region for dry matter (DM) production, comparative capacity to fix atmospheric N and condensed tannins (CT) in Lg grown on clay soils used for cropping rice.

Condensed Tannins In Different Varieties Of Lotus Corniculatus, Christina L. Marley, Rhun Fychan, R. Jones

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Research has shown that Lotus corniculatus may provide benefits as a grazing forage for ruminants, because of improved efficiency of protein utilisation in part due to the presence of condensed tannins (CT) in the forage. Lotus species have been found to contain different CT (Aerts et al., 1999). The aim of this experiment was to determine if differences exist in CT concentration among L. corniculatus varieties.

Ariation In Tannin Content And Morphological Traits In Lotus Corniculatus L. (Bird’S-Foot Trefoil), A. H. Marshall, F. Ribaimont, R. P. Collins, D. Bryant, M. T. Abberton

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Lotus corniculatus L. (bird's-foot trefoil) is a potentially valuable species for UK grassland agriculture. The herbage contains proanthocyanidins, or condensed tannins (CT's), which help to reduce bloat, have anthelmintic properties, can protect protein in the rumen, and thus potentially reduce N losses to the environment. It is currently a relatively minor species within UK grassland, as available varieties lack persistence in mixed swards (Hopkins et al., 1996). The seed used is of foreign bred varieties with no varieties bred specifically for the UK environment. To explore the feasibility of breeding L. corniculatus for the UK, variation in morphological traits, …

Light Intensity Is Positively Correlated With The Synthesis Of Condensed Tannins In Lotus Corniculatus, Sergio Arcioni, T. Bovone, F. Damiani, F. Paolocci

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The importance of Condensed Tannins (CT) in forage legumes has been well documented in several studies. The role of plant genetics in this field is the acquisition of competences in order to be able to modulate CT synthesis in leaves of these species. The role of light has been investigated in this work on the increase of condensed tannin levels in leaves of two contrasting genotypes of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus).

Condensed Tannin Concentration And Herbage Accumulation Of A White Clover Bred For Increased Floral Condensed Tannin, V. T. Burggraaf, S. L. Woodward, D. R. Woodfield, E. R. Thom, G. C. Waghorn, P. D. Kemp

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

White clover is a high quality feed for ruminants, however, its high protein content results in excessive urea excretion in urine and can cause bloat, reducing its potential value for animal production. The condensed tannins (CT) in some forages can reduce these problems, but plants may have poor agronomic performance. White clover produces CT in its flower heads, but herbage CT concentrations are normally too low to benefit animals. This paper reports CT concentrations and herbage accumulation over 2 years of an experimental line of white clover (HT) selected for increased flowering and floral CT concentrations.

Effects Of Simulated High-Sugar Forages On Grazing Behaviour Of Sheep, Gerald P. Cosgrove, A. J. Parsons

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Sustaining an optimum composition in mixed-species pasture and in the diet of grazing animals is constrained by many factors. Altering the concentration of water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) of one species to improve its nutritional value for animals may not deliver the benefits in the assumed manner if it also affects preference and the balance of species in the pasture. Furthermore, associated changes in other constituents (e.g. fibre, protein) make it difficult to attribute animal responses solely to the manipulated trait (e.g. Lee et al. 2000). The objective of this study was to simulate changes in the concentration of water soluble …

High Floral Tannin White Clover Reduces Rumen Ammonia Concentrations In Dairy Cows, V. T. Burggraaf, G. C. Waghorn, S. L. Woodward, D. R. Woodfield, E. R. Thom, P. D. Kemp

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

White clover produces high quality forage for ruminant production, but it results in high rumen ammonia concentrations, indicating extensive protein degradation. The excess ammonia is absorbed through the rumen and excreted as urea in urine, at a cost to the animal and the environment. Condensed tannins (CT) contained in some forages reduce proteolysis in the rumen, which can lead to increased amino acid absorption and therefore improved animal performance. White clover produces CT in its flower heads, but concentrations are normally too low to benefit animals. This paper reports on comparisons of rumen ammonia concentrations in dairy cows grazing HT …

Substrate-Dependent Activation Of Polyphenol Oxidase In Red Clover, Ana L. Winters, F. R. Minchin, P. Morris

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Polyphenol oxidases (PPO) are copper metaloproteins that catalyse the oxidation of o-diphenols to quinones, highly reactive molecules which readily bind to nucleophilic sites on cellular components and proteins. Red clover protein, due to this enzyme is resistant to protease degradation during. Theses enzymes (circa. 60-65 kDa) are located in the thylakoid lumen and can be converted to a 40-45 kDa form by proteolysis both in vitro and in vivo (Gelder et al., 1997). Conversion to the smaller form has been demonstrated to confer activity at neutral pH. Other treatments, such as the presence of lipids or detergents …

Variation In Protein Quality Of Forage Legumes During Spring Growth, M. Gierus, J. Kleen, F. Taube

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The utilisation of forage legumes in combination with reduced N inputs as fertilisers is an alternative for the production of high quality forage. Although white clover (WC) is widely used in grassland and has a high content of crude protein (CP), a combination of this high CP content with a high proportion of rapidly-available proteins and fast degradation rate in the rumen may reduce the efficiency of N use by ruminants in comparison with other forage legumes. The objective of the present study was to investigate the variation in content of CP fractions A, B and C in different forage …

Effects Of Particle Size In Forage Samples For Protein Breakdown Studies, G. Pichard, C. Tapia

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Coupling ruminal processes of hydrolysis and synthesis continues to be a research issue where more progress is needed. This requires the development of good protein assessment methods, particularly when representing the breakdown processes that occur in fresh pastures eaten by herbivores. Laboratory analyses need to deal with small and homogeneous samples, but the mechanical reduction of particle size may not reflect the actual digestion kinetics occurring when the original fresh forage is consumed. Such physical traits may alter the release of non-structural compounds and the penetration of microbial enzymes (Boudon et al., 2002). The objective of this work was …

Ruminal Disappearance And Passage Rates In Fresh Nezasa Dwarf Bamboo Growing In Japanese Native Pasture, Masato Yayota, J. Karashima, T. Kokestu, M. Nakano, Shigeru Ohtani

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Nezasa dwarf bamboo (Pleioblastus chino makino) is one of major native forages for grazing in Japan. However its nutritional utilisation in the rumen has been little studied. The object of this research was to measure ruminal disappearance and passage rates in fresh Nezasa dwarf bamboo compared with improved grass.

Ruminal Dry Matter, Neutral Detergent Fibre And Acid Detergent Fiber Degradation Kinetics Of Dominant Pasture Forages In Kurdestan Province Of Iran, A. A. Sadeghi, P. Shawrang, A. Nikkhah

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) is a major chemical component of forages and its degradability (dNDF) is an essential parameter in predicting their energetic value. Moreover, dNDF has been used in models to estimate the physical fill of fibrous feeds in the rumen and, therefore, the intake capacity of animals. As the available information on the nutritive value of pastoral forages is limited a study was undertaken to measure chemical composition and cell wall degradation kinetics of eight pasture forages in the rumen.

The Effects Of Urease Source And Moisture Content On The Nutritive Value Of Brachiaria BrizantHa Hay Treated With Urea, Ricardo A. Reis, L. M. A. Bertipaglia, G. M. P. Melo, A. P. Oliveira, S. Luca

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Ammoniation has a high potential to increase the nutritive value (NV) of mature tropical grasses hays. Urea utilisation, like ammonia, seems to be a promising alternative for on-farm treatment of low quality forage in Brazil. Urea has the advantages over anhydrous ammonia of being widely available, easier to handle and, in some countries, less expensive. The aim of this work was to study the effects on the efficiency of urea treatment of palisade grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) hay of the moisture level, and the urease source.

Herbage Mass And In Situ Dry Matter Ruminal Degradation Kinetics Of Brachiaria Spp, E. Valencia-Chin, A. A. Rodríguez-Carías, R. Ramos-Santana, S. Pagán-Riestra

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In Puerto Rico, Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk has been promoted as a potential forage for acid soils and humid areas, but with limited success. Recently, B. brizantha cv. Marandú and a hybrid (B. brizantha x B. Ruziziensis) cv. Mulato were introduced for evaluation on acid soils and as a potential replacement for cv. Basilisk, but little information is available on yield performance under grazing or nutritive value. The objective of this study was to assess herbage mass and nutritive value of grazed pastures consisting of Basilisk, Marandú, and Mulato and determine the rate of in situ dry matter …

Physical Impediment Towards Digestive Breakdown In Leaf Blades Of Brachiaria Brizantha, B. Lempp, Cacilda B. Do Valle, M. Das G. Morais, R. A. Borges, E. Detmann

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Consumption of grasses is influenced by the physical properties of forages which confer resistance to digestive breakdown. Such barriers may be the proportion of indigestible tissues, girder structure and epidermal cell arrangements. Anatomical factors, if identified early are invaluable tools in breeding and selection programmes for forages of high quality. The objective of this study was to verify which anatomical attributes might be interfering in the physical resistance to rumen breakdown in Brachiaria brizantha ecotypes.

Effects Of Forage Species And Stage Of Maturity On In Situ Disappearance Of Organic Matter And Fibre Fractions, H. S. Hussein

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Nutrient utilisation by ruminants is altered by the forage species and its maturity. Maturity is the major factor affecting forage morphology and quality. Forage quality is reduced with maturity due to a decrease in the leaf:stem ratio and an increase in fibre components (Ugherughe, 1986). Improving forage utilisation by ruminants depends on accurate measurements of their nutritive value by using in vitro and in situ methods. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritive value (i.e., extent of in situ disappearance of organic matter [OM], neutral detergent fibre [NDF], and acid detergent fibre [ADF]) of four grass species …

The Effect Of Nitrogen Fertiliser And Season On The In Situ Degradability Of Irish Perennial Ryegrass In Cattle, V. Olsson, J. J. Murphy, F. P. O'Mara, K. O'Connell, J. Humphreys, F. J. Mulligan

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In light of increasing environmental and economic pressure on agriculture to utilise resources more efficiently, protein feeding and its effects are fundamentally important. As grazed grass is the predominant feed in Irish dairy and beef cattle production systems, it is necessary to establish protein values for different grass varieties and cultivars fed. It is also important to investigate the extent of ruminal nitrogen (N) degradability for these grasses since this characteristic greatly influences environmentally damaging urinary N excretion.

The Effect Of Cow-Diet On The Fermentation Of Forages, J. L. Burke, G. C. Waghorn, S. L. Woodward, I. M. Brookes

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In vitro fermentation of fresh forages minced to resemble chewed material have enabled net proteolysis and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production to be measured using rumen inocula from a cow fed lucerne hay (Burke et al., 2000). However both cow and diet affect the rumen cellulolytic bacterial populations (Weimer et al., 1999) and are able to influence in vitro digestion kinetics (Mertens et al., 1998). The objective of this study was to measure cow-diet effects on in vitro digestion and fermentation of perennial ryegrass (P; Lolium perenne), sulla (S; Hedysarum coronarium), maize (M; Zea maize …

Fibre Degradation Rate Of Perennial Ryegrass Varieties Measured Using Three Techniques: In Situ Nylon Bag, In Vivo Rumen Evacuation And In Vitro Gas Production, H. Z. Taweel, B. M. Tas, B. A. Williams, A. Elgersma, J. Dijkstra, S. Tamminga

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In Western Europe, perennial ryegrass is the most widely used grass species for grazing cattle, because of its high productivity, palatability and nutritive value. However, the low dry matter intake (DMI) of perennial ryegrass pasture has been identified as a major factor limiting milk production of high producing dairy cows. Altering the chemical, physical and mechanical characteristics that contribute to its low DMI through grass breeding and the choice of variety may be a way forward in trying to maximise its DMI. This study aimed to examine whether perennial ryegrass varieties differ in their NDF degradation rates (kd_NDF).

Perennial Ryegrass Variety Differences In Nutritive Value Characteristics, T. J. Gilliland, R. E. Agnew, A. M. Fearon, F. E. A. Wilson

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Animal grazing performance at grass is predominately determined by herbage intake rates, with high yielding dairy cows requiring up to 20 kg/d DM within a limited grazing time (Gibb, 1998). Grass nutritional factors such as seasonal patterns in digestibility and water-soluble carbohydrate levels have been linked to animal productivity (Davies et al., 1991), while sward surface height, herbage mass, bulk density and green leaf mass have been shown to promote high grazing intake (Barrett et al., 2001). Furthermore, fatty acid profiles have been shown to improve the unsaturated fatty acid composition of milk, with potential human health benefits …