Thesis(M.S.)--Auburn University, 2006. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references.

The pressing needs for cost effective electric power that provides both high reliability and high quality is creating an opportunity for alternative energy distributed generation (DG). To determine the economic and technical feasibility of such alternative energy distributed generation facilities, electric power customers must understand their electric usage patterns, economic considerations, local alternative fuel supplies and available DG technologies. This thesis discusses the economic and technical feasibility of establishing a distributed generation installation. As a part of technical feasibility, an evaluation has been done to compare DG size and location impact on the operation of the I 13 node test distribution systems. This evaluation was carried out by performing the distribution power flow that provides the information about voltage profile, losses in the system and feeder power factor. This information was used to determine the optimal location of DG in the test distribution system. Additionally, this part focuses on the importance of power utilization assessment in distributed generation planning. It also discussed the load utilization assessment that focus on step-by-step analysis of load profiles of different facilities such as Choctaw Laundromat, Choctaw Geyser Falls (water park) and Golden Moon Casino. The second part of this thesis?s work resulted in an informative and useful economic analysis tool, DG-ECON with which the user can document the study results and analyze them for economic feasibility with minimal effort. The economic feasibility of a biomass-based renewable energy installation is clearly shown by developing a user interface spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel. The spreadsheet calculates project-screening information in the form of a 20-year life cycle cost analysis. This cost analysis that enables users to define projects that are most energy efficient and offer the greatest financial benefit. The emphasis is on the user interface features of the application to make the application as user friendly as possible. The application has both numerical and graphical data representation using some of the features of Microsoft Visual Basic.

Submitted by Jaqueline Silva (jtas29@gmail.com) on 2014-12-29T19:04:42Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertação-Fernando Augusto Fernades Corrêa-2013.pdf: 1051896 bytes, checksum: ce6c70a518ef78aa9fec8f6e948033cd (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Jaqueline Silva (jtas29@gmail.com) on 2014-12-29T19:06:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertação-Fernando Augusto Fernades Corrêa-2013.pdf: 1051896 bytes, checksum: ce6c70a518ef78aa9fec8f6e948033cd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-29T19:06:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertação-Fernando Augusto Fernades Corrêa-2013.pdf: 1051896 bytes, checksum: ce6c70a518ef78aa9fec8f6e948033cd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-11-26 / Therefore the study aimed to investigate the presence of these bacteria in edible offal, feathers and poultry litter. Relate the presence of these bacteria in different scores macroscopic changes and determine the sensitivity of E. coli and Staphylococcus antimicrobials of importance in veterinary medicine. For it was collected 13 samples of manure directly in the sheds, abattoir were collected in 12 lots of feathers, plucking directly into 12 lots of heart and liver, the inspection line, totaling 740 samples 740 samples of heart and liver. We established three scores for injuries to the heart and six for the liver. From these samples was carried out the isolation of the bacteria E. coli, coagulase positive Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas spp. and Salmonella sp.. Positive for E. coli and Staphylococcus co were tested for sensitivity to the following antibiotics: ciprofloxacin (5 mg), ceftiofur (25 mg), chloramphenicol (30 mg), erythromycin (15 mg) , tetracycline (30 mg) , trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (25 mg) , enrofloxacin (5 mg), oxacillin (1 mg) and gentamycin (10 mg). In addition to those for E. coli was also used colistin (20 mg) and Staphylococcus coagulase positive bacitracin (10 mg). In any sample analyzed was identified Salmonella sp. were found in hearts, 33.1%, 6.6% and 28.2% of E. coli, coagulase positive Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas spp. respectively. In livers 45.4%, 8.0% and 23.1% of E. coli, coagulase positive Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas spp. respectively. To feather the results were 29.2%, 16.7% and 35.8% of E. coli, coagulase positive Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas spp. respectively. In the samples of poultry litter was not isolating Staphylococcus isolates of E. coli and Pseudomonas spp. were 92.3% and 7.7% respectively. In antimicrobial susceptibility testing on samples of E. coli and Staphylococcus coagulase positive bacteria showed the following percentage of antimicrobial susceptibility respectively: ciprofloxacin (36.7% and 58.8%), ceftiofur (8.1% and 64.7%), chloramphenicol (81.0% and 76.5%), erythromycin (2.9% and 41.2%), tetracycline (30.9% and 41.2%), Trimethoprim -sulfamethoxazole (43.8% and 82.3%), enrofloxacin (18.6% and 47.1%), oxacillin (3.8% and 47.1%) and gentamicin (37.1% and 64.7%). For isolates of E. coli tested for sensitivity to colistin 96.7% were sensitive. And for Staphylococcus tested for sensitivity to bacitracin, no specimens were susceptible to this antimicrobial agent. / O trabalho teve como objetivo investigar a presença de bactérias (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus coagulase positiva, Pseudomonas spp. e Salmonella sp.) em vísceras comestíveis, penas e cama de frango. Bem como relacionar a presença destas bactérias em diferentes escores de alterações macroscópicas e determinar o perfil de sensibilidade de E. coli e Staphylococcus a antimicrobianos de importância em medicina veterinária. Para isso foram coletados 13 amostras de cama de aviário diretamente nos galpões. No abatedouro frigorífico foram coletados 12 lotes de penas, diretamente na depenadeira, 12 lotes de coração e fígado, na linha de inspeção, totalizando 740 amostras de coração e 740 amostras de fígado. Foram estabelecidos três escores de lesões para o coração e seis para o fígado. A partir destas amostras foi realizado o isolamento das bactérias E. coli, Staphylococcus coagulase positiva, Pseudomonas spp e Salmonela sp.. Os positivos para E. coli e Staphylococcus foram submetidos ao teste de sensibilidade aos seguintes antimicrobianos: ciprofloxacina (5 mg), ceftiofur (25 mg), clorafenicol (30 mg), eritromicina (15 mg), tetraciclina (30 mg), Sulfametoxazol-Trimetroprim (25 mg), enrofloxacina (5 μg), oxacilina (1 mg) e gentamicina (10 mg). Além destes para E. coli também foi utilizado colistina (20 mg) e para Staphylococcus coagulase positiva bacitracina (10 μg). Em nenhuma amostra analisada foi identificado Salmonella sp.. Foram encontrados em corações, 33,1%, 6,6% e 28,2% de E. coli, Staphylococcus coagulase positiva e Pseudomonas spp. respectivamente. Em fígados 45,4%, 8,0% e 23,1% de E. coli, Staphylococcus coagulase positiva e Pseudomonas spp. respectivamente. Para penas os resultados encontrados foram de 29,2%, 16,7% e 35,8% de E. coli, Staphylococcus coagulase positiva e Pseudomonas spp. respectivamente. Nas amostras de cama de frango não ocorreu isolamento de Staphylococcus, os isolados de E. coli e Pseudomonas spp. foram 92,3% e 7,7% respectivamente. No teste de sensibilidade a antimicrobianos nas amostras de E. coli e Staphylococcus coagulase positiva, as bactérias apresentaram a seguinte porcentagem de suscetibilidade aos antimicrobianos respectivamente: ciprofloxacina (36,7% e 58,8%), ceftiofur (8,1% e 64,7%), clorafenicol (81,0% e 76,5%), eritromicina (2,9% e 41,2%), tetraciclina (30,9% e 41,2%), Sulfametoxazol-Trimetroprim (43,8% e 82,3%), enrofloxacina (18,6% e 47,1%), oxacilina (3,8% e 47,1%) e gentamicina (37,1% e 64,7%). Para os isolados de E. coli submetidos ao teste de sensibilidade à colistina 96,7% foram sensíveis. E para os isolados de Staphylococcus submetidos ao teste de sensibilidade a bacitracina, nenhuma amostra foi suscetível a este antimicrobiano.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:37:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Loana Bergamo dos Santos.pdf: 1109658 bytes, checksum: 86a9ba08470cd16b7befaff7cd272ca6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-03-30 / The constant search for sustainability of production systems have driven research to find alternatives to the problems arising from the intensification of production systems. In this context the present work was to study the effects of substitution of mineral nitrogen by chicken litter in oat and corn in succession and chemical characteristics of soil. Two experiments were conducted during the period from May 2009 to March 2010 in Oxisol area located at the experimental farm of the State University of Paraná, municipality of Rondon. The first test was conducted under a randomized complete blocks with eight treatments obtained from different combinations of chicken manure (applied in oat) and mineral N fertilization (applied in corn) and four replications. We studied the production of dry matter and nutrient accumulation in the straw of the oat crop, and yield components and yield of corn. In the second trial, after the corn harvest, we studied the chemical properties of soil under the design of randomized blocks in factorial scheme 8x3, with the eight combinations of fertilizer used in the first trial related to three depths of soil sampling (0 -5, 5-10 and 10-15 cm). Larger quantities of poultry litter in oat provided higher dry matter production and accumulation of N. All fertilization studied provided satisfactory average productivity for corn (8569 kg ha-1). The soil properties were changed with the use of poultry litter associated with mineral N fertilization. There was a decrease in pH, Ca, Mg, and increased the P, potential acidity, the cation exchange capacity and exchangeable Al with increasing proportions of poultry litter in relation to mineral N fertilization / A busca constante pela sustentabilidade dos sistemas de produção têm direcionado as pesquisas à buscar alternativas aos problemas oriundos da intensificação dos sistemas produtivos. Nesse contexto o presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar os efeitos da substituição da adubação nitrogenada mineral pela cama de frango na cultura da aveia e do milho em sucessão e nos atributos químicos do solo. Foram conduzidos dois ensaios durante o período de maio de 2009 à março de 2010 em área de Latossolo Vermelho eutroférrico localizada na fazenda experimental da Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, município de Marechal Cândido Rondon. O primeiro ensaio foi conduzido sob o delineamento em blocos ao acaso com seis tratamentos obtidos a partir de combinações de quantidades crescentes de cama de frango aplicadas na aveia combinadas com a adubação nitrogenada mineral de cobertura aplicada no milho e quatro repetições. Estudou-se a produção de massa seca e acúmulo de nitrogênio pela cultura da aveia, e os componentes de produção e produtividade da cultura do milho. No segundo ensaio, após a colheita do milho, estudou-se os atributos químicos do solo sob o delineamento em blocos ao acaso em esquema fatorial 6X3, com as seis combinações de adubação utilizadas no primeiro ensaio associadas a três profundidades de amostragem do solo (0-5; 5-10 e 10-15 cm). A aplicação de cama de frango na cultura da aveia propiciou aumento da produção de massa seca e acúmulo de maior quantidade de N, enquanto a substituição de parte da adubação nitrogenada mineral pela cama de frango elevou os índices de produtividade da cultura do milho. Os atributos químicos do solo foram alterados pelos fatores estudados, ocorrendo a elevação dos teores de P, MO, Al trocável e acidez potencial, e redução do pH, K, Ca, Mg, soma de bases e saturação por bases.

Soil microbial communities are affected extensively by addition of amendments to their environment. Of particular concern is the addition of poultry litter, which contains a substantial C, energy, and nutrient supply, but also antibiotic resistance genes (ARG), antimicrobials, and a multitude of microbial species. This project seeks to primarily assess if there is a change in bacterial community structure in response to poultry litter amendments to pasture land across geographically independent land across northern Georgia. It may be that changes in the relative abundance of bacterial communities also result in alteration in ARGs, and the community resistance to antibiotics (“resistome”) which in turn increases the potential threat of antibiotic resistance genes. While another part of this study will determine changes in integrons and specific ARGs, this project will focus on changes in bacterial communities and the potential functional changes in the community, which in turn have consequences for ARG levels and its horizontal transfer to various members of the soil community. Addition of waste from livestock is a historical method for increasing nutrients needed in the soil for the cultivation of crops, and in turn causes pronounced shifts in soil microbial communities due to the addition of large amounts of carbon, nutrients, foreign microbes, and other material. This study is unique because it utilizes a novel and relatively large landscape-scale to determine if there are discernable and repeatable patterns of bacterial community structure change in response to amendment regardless of exact soil type or source of chicken litter amendment. In the future, these data can also provide insight into the changes in the relative abundance antibiotic related genes associated with community change. / M.S. / Soil is complicated, both in terms of its physical makeup and the organisms that live inside of it. Predicting changes in soil based on the addition of foreign material such as chemicals or biological waste is not an easy process, and whether or not it is even possible to reliably predict those changes is a matter of some dispute. This study is designed to illustrate that such changes can in fact be reliably and consistently predicted even with regard to the addition of complicated materials to the soil. In this study, specifically, the material in question is chicken litter. A mix of the bedding and waste produced by chickens, litter is commonly handled by composting and is added to soil in farms as a fertilizer rich in organic matter. It is possible to point at specific elements of the soil such as the chemistry and bacteria and see how it is changed with the addition of chicken litter, which allows us to determine the nature and extent of the change that chicken litter has on soil. This study is conducted on a larger scale than similar experiments conducted in the past, making it apparent that these relationships exist on a repeated basis. It is the object of this study to pave the way and make it easier for scientists in the future to determine these relationships in other unique contexts.