Digital Commons Network^™

Welding Fume Exposure And Lung Cancer: Evidence Of Lung Toxicity And Tumor Promotion From In Vivo Studies In Aj Mice, Lauryn Falcone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Welding fumes were recently reclassified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) based on sufficient epidemiological evidence and limited evidence in animals. It is estimated that 11 million workers worldwide weld full-time, and an additional 110 million have had some type of welding-related exposure. Welding exposures are complex because of the diversity of welding modalities used in the workplace; these modalities include exposures to non-carcinogenic and/or carcinogenic metal containing fumes.;The objective of this dissertation was to determine which welding fumes and their component metals are the most toxic and have the greatest …

Assessment Of Surgical Guide Accuracy Utilizing A Digital Workflow, Nicole Irene Andreini

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objectives: To determine the accuracy of placing implants using a digital workflow. Variables were compared to see if there was an effect on implant position accuracy. These included bone level (BL) versus bone level tapered (BLT) implants, positioning of implants adjacent to tooth support versus further across an edentulous ridge, and impact of the surgical guide requiring adjustment to fully seat. Furthermore, two methods of post-operative assessment were compared to evaluate consistency of each approach.;Methods: A typical work up for digital implant planning was performed on a sectioned pig jaw. The DICOM CBCT file and IOS STL file were imported …

Walking Upright: An Actor's Blueprint Of Process And Character Development In Exit, Pursued By A Bear By Lauren Gunderson, Imani R. Berry

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There has been an increased emphasis for college instruction to incorporate more active and collaborative involvement of students in the learning process. These views have been asserted by The Association of American Colleges (AAC), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and The National Research Counsel (NRC), which are advocating for the modification of traditional instructional techniques to allow students the opportunity to be more cooperative (Task Group on General Education, 1988). This has guided educators and facilitators into shifting teaching paradigms from a teacher centered to a more student-centered curriculum. The present study investigated achievement outcomes and attitudes of learners in …

Arl2bp, A Novel Ciliopathy Protein, Is Required For Cilia Microtubule Formation, Abigail Ruth Moye

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cilia are specialized organelles essential for cellular function. Not surprisingly, mutations in cilia- related genes are linked to multi-syndromic diseases termed ciliopathies. These include blinding diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP). One such novel gene is ARL2BP (ARL2-binding protein) and is linked to RP and situs inversus (organ reversal) in humans, a phenotype produced by defects in the nodal cilia of developing embryos. Defects in photoreceptor cilia, as well as situs inversus in human patients, suggest that ARL2BP plays an invaluable role in the structure and function of cilia. However little is known about the role for this protein in …

Characteristics Of Activated Carbons Produced From Herbaceous Biomass Feedstock, Oluwatosin Jerry Oginni

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Energy security and environmental protection are at the forefront of research due to the forecasted depletion of fossil fuel reserves and the growing concern of its adverse environmental impacts. The use of renewable sources for energy applications has centered on the use of biomass feedstocks and this include from herbaceous, woody, agricultural waste, forest residues and municipal wastes. The thermochemical conversion (pyrolysis) of these biomass feedstocks has potential to produce liquid fuel, a solid residue (biochar) and non-condensable gas. The biochar is primarily composed of renewable porous carbon and other inorganic compounds. The biochar is used for soil amendment, adsorption …

Wintering American Black Duck Ecology Of Central Appalachia, Sara E. Yannuzzi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The American black duck (Anas rubripes) is a species of dabbling duck found only in the northeastern part of North America, and widely hunted until its decline. Since the 1950s, the total population has decreased by 53%. Habitat degradation and decline of wintering and breeding wetlands, historic overharvest, and interactions with the mallard (A. platyrhynchos) are attributed as some of the main causes of the black duck population’s decrease. Many policies and taxa- and habitat-specific joint ventures have since been created to aid in studying and improving North American wetlands and black duck populations throughout both their breeding and wintering …

Characterization Of Kndy Neuronal Activity In Gilts: Distribution And Effect Of A Progestin, Ashley Nicollette Lindo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Puberty is a process that incorporates a large array of both external factors and internal signals. The endocrinology of puberty has been studied in a number of mammalian species and typically depends upon an increase in hypothalamic secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). Neural inputs regulating GnRH secretion during the pubertal process are not completely understood. In the past decade, attention has focused on the role for a particular set of neurons located in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus. They have been named KNDy neurons because they coexpress kisspeptin, neurokinin B (NKB) and dynorphin and have been shown …

Laser And 3-Dimensional Printers: Characterizing Emissions And Occupational Exposures, Alyson R. Johnson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Toxicology and epidemiology studies have observed an association between ultrafine particles (UFPs) and respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological health effects. While there is a paucity of data in the literature on the potential toxicity and health effects from indoor UFP exposure, more exposure assessment studies and research evaluating the efficacy of controls is merited. An increased demand for efficiency, productivity, and manufacturing has led to conception of laser and 3- dimmensional (3-D) printers in various indoor workplaces. The indoor environment is one of the most important determinants of personal exposure. Introducing laser and 3-D printers to indoor workplaces, introduces a …

Analysis Of Membrane Transporter Systems Expressed During Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation In The Model Legume Medicago Truncatula, Christina Laureen Wyman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Machine Learning Approaches To Human Body Shape Analysis, Marco Piccirilli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Soft biometrics, biomedical sciences, and many other fields of study pay particular attention to the study of the geometric description of the human body, and its variations. Although multiple contributions, the interest is particularly high given the non-rigid nature of the human body, capable of assuming different poses, and numerous shapes due to variable body composition. Unfortunately, a well-known costly requirement in data-driven machine learning, and particularly in the human-based analysis, is the availability of data, in the form of geometric information (body measurements) with related vision information (natural images, 3D mesh, etc.). We introduce a computer graphics framework able …

Response Of Ovine Neutrophils To Different Life Stages Of Haemonchus Contortus, Denzel Deshawn Middleton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Characterizing Red Spruce (Picea Rubens Sarg.) Advanced Reproduction In An High Elevation Stand In West Virginia, Aaron Lutz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Affected Behavior: Deceptive Unities In Eighteenth Century Conduct Books, Dominique Angela Bruno

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Development Of Resonating Tubular Oscillating Linear Alternator And Engine; System Design And Modeling, Gregory Heiskell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Know What Is, And Know What Ain't An Actor's Exploration Into Developing The Topdogunderdog Character Lincoln, Lonnie Devaughan Simmons

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The playwright Suzan Lori-Parks is known for writing intense, psychological plays featuring mostly characters of color who have depth and emotional richness. Topdog/Underdog is a prime example of this. The play features two brothers who live in a cramped apartment and deal with issues of their past and their relationship with each other. I would like to argue that portraying Lincoln in the West Virginia University production of Topdog/Underdog was an intense and rewarding process where I had to consider race and what it means to be performing this play with the state of our country at the time, utilize …

A Low-Cost Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (Ndvi) Payload For Cubesats And Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Uavs), Steven Hard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The focus of this research has been the design and fabrication of a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) payload configuration. This unique payload employs low-cost commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and equipment to assess photosynthetic activity and vegetation health through remote sensing on Cubesat or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms. The proposed NDVI imaging payload is comprised of three main subsystems: an electrical system, a software system, and a hardware system. The electrical system includes a custom designed printed circuit board (PCB), a single cell 3.7 V lithium-polymer battery, voltage regulator circuitry components, and wiring harnesses and connectors. The software system …

Model Matching Theory: A Framework For Examining The Alignment Between Game Mechanics And Mental Models, Rory Mcgloin, Joe A. Wasserman, Andy Boyan

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The primary aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review and elaboration of model matching and its theo- retical propositions. Model matching explains and predicts individuals’ outcomes related to gameplay by focusing on the interrelationships among games’ systems of mechanics, relevant situations external to the game, and players’ mental mod- els. Formalizing model matching theory in this way provides researchers a unified explanation for game-based learning, game performance, and related gameplay outcomes while also providing a theory-based direction for advancing the study of games more broadly. The propositions explicated in this article are intended to serve as the …

Apple Pomace Consumption Favorably Alters Hepatic Lipid Metabolism In Young Female Sprague-Dawley Rats Fed A Western Diet, Roy Chris Skinner, Derek C. Warren, Soofie N. Lateef, Vagner A. Benedito, Janet C. Tou

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Apple pomace, which is a waste byproduct of processing, is rich in several nutrients, particularly dietary fiber, indicating potential benefits for diseases that are attributed to poor diets, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD affects over 25% of United States population and is increasing in children. Increasing fruit consumption can influence NAFLD. The study objective was to replace calories in standard or Western diets with apple pomace to determine the effects on genes regulating hepatic lipid metabolism and on risk of NAFLD. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned (n = 8 rats/group) to isocaloric diets of AIN-93G and …

Cavitons And Spontaneous Hot Flow Anomalies In A Hybrid-Vlasov Global Magnetospheric Simulation, Xochitl Blanco-Cano, Markus Battarbee, Lucile Turc, Andrew P. Dimmock, Emilia K.J. Kilpua, Sanni Hoilijoki, Urs Ganse, David G. Sibeck, Paul A. Cassak, Robert C. Fear, Riku Jarvinen, Liisa Juusola, Yann Pfau-Kempf, Rami Vainio, Minna Palmroth

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Abstract. In this paper we present the first identification of foreshock cavitons and the formation of spontaneous hot flow anomalies (SHFAs) with the Vlasiator global magne- tospheric hybrid-Vlasov simulation code. In agreement with previous studies we show that cavitons evolve into SHFAs. In the presented run, this occurs very near the bow shock. We report on SHFAs surviving the shock crossing into the down- stream region and show that the interaction of SHFAs with the bow shock can lead to the formation of a magnetosheath cavity, previously identified in observations and simulations. We report on the first identification of long-term …

An Examination Of Cyanotoxins And Environmental Estrogens In The Middle And Upper Potomac River Watershed, Usa, Ryan Patrick Braham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Potomac River is a large tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. Large fish die-offs were reported in the Potomac watershed (specifically the South Branch of the Potomac) in 2002 and 2005, as well as smaller episodic events in recent years which have no clear correlation to any one pathogen or contaminant. Although a variety of pathogens have been identified (such as trematodes, myxozoans, Aeromonas hydrophila, A. salmonicida, Flavobacterium columnare , and largemouth bass virus) in recent die-offs of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu, no clear cause has been derived. Additionally, reproductive endpoints were reported in smallmouth bass and likely associated with …

Regulatory And Financial Influence Of Federal Government Activities On Local Economies: A Three Essay Approach, Brianne Renee Firth

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examines the effects of federal government activities on local economies. Three research questions are addressed: How do federal environmental regulations influence local economic growth?, What regional factors influence the spatial distribution of federal conservation programs?, and How does location-based federal funding effect economic resilience within the targeted region? Regional economic analysis, spatial analysis, and spatial econometric techniques are implemented to answer these questions.

The first essay examines the effects of the air pollution standards on county level economic growth. The results illustrate, in the long run, the impacted regions have adapted to the changes in the pollution standards. …

The Integration Of Extrinsic And Intrinsic Neuromodulators In The Olfactory System, Kristyn M. Lizbinski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neuromodulation is a ubiquitous feature of neural systems, allowing flexible, context specific control over network dynamics by adjusting the biophysical and synaptic properties of neurons. Neuromodulation was first described in invertebrate motor systems and early work established a basic dichotomy for neuromodulation as having either an intrinsic origin (i.e. neurons that participate in network coding) or an extrinsic origin (i.e. neurons from independent networks). Although this dichotomy has been thoroughly considered in motor systems, it has received far less attention in sensory systems. Furthermore, nervous systems are continually subject to a dynamic cocktail of both intrinsic and extrinsic modulators. However, …

Effects Of Pre-Breeding Management On Ewe Lamb Fertility, Sarah Nancy Carr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ewe lambs comprise 30% of the breeding flock; however, fertility is 20-30% lower than that of an adult ewe. Lower fertility has been correlated with lower ADG, liveweight, and body composition prior to breeding and research suggests that it can be improved with proper nutritional management. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of pre-breeding management practices on ewe lamb fertility.;In replicate 1, 313 Dorset X Texel (DT) and 74 Katahdin (KT) ewe lambs were assigned to a high (0.68 kg/head/day) or low (0.23 kg/head/day) grain supplementation for two months prior to breeding. Liveweights were recorded bi-weekly …

Urban Exile: City Poetry By Modern American Women, Hatley Clifford

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Urban Exile: City Poetry by Modern American Women examines women's experience of urbanism in the early twentieth century, as depicted in the poetry of four modernist American women writers: Edna St. Vincent Millay, Amy Lowell, Evelyn Scott, and Lola Ridge. I bring to light a common experience of urban exile: a persistent state of insecurity, displacement, damage, and marginalization of women in cities. My work brings women and American women's poetry into the critical conversation about city literature, a conversation that has mostly focused on the experience of men in cities told by male writers. Recuperating the theme of urban …

Real-Time Energy Visualization Solutions For Light Commercial Businesses., Nathaniel Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent years, several real-time Energy Visualization (EV) systems have emerged in the market with specific applications for large industrial and commercial facilities and residential buildings. However, light commercial businesses have been neglected with only a few attempts for EV solutions. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a system that could provide a cost effective and flexible EV solution for light commercial businesses. The system consisted of monitoring hardware and three energy visualization dashboards. Testing and validation of the system was conducted using a focused group of participants consisting of energy managers, engineers, and other typical …

Canal Transportation After Instrumentation Utilizing Different Endodontic Access Design; A Comparative Study With Micro-Ct., Travis Moore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction Access cavity design is known to affect theefficiency of instrumentation. Canal transportation occurs primarily in the apical region and to the outside of curvature when dentin is removed in a single direction. The goal of all cleaning and shaping procedures is to preserve the original root canal anatomy while removing sufficient amounts of injured pulp tissue, microorganisms, toxins and instrumentation byproducts. It is understood that the desired shape of the finished root canal is a continuous tapering funnel from the coronal to the apex. The aim of this study is to construct detailed three-dimensional images of root canal systems …

Ecology And Management Of Golden-Winged Warblers (Vermivora Chrysoptera) And Associated Avian Species In The Allegheny Mountains Of West Virginia, Kyle R. Aldinger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

The Impacts Of Energy Development On Agricultural Land Values In North-Central West Virginia, Adama Sileye Warr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study presents an empirical model that explains the impact of energy development activities on agricultural land values in north-central West Virginia. Based on the methodology and the data description, seven different models (linear and logs) are estimated and the results are analyzed to understand the contributions of each energy variable used in the models to the overall values of farmlands. We have examined 311 parcel-level sales of farmlands in 16 counties in the north-central of the state of West Virginia from January 2013 to July 2016. The results suggest that the selected model is statistically different from zero (prob …

Patch And Pact Writing: Engaging Students With The Acrl Framework, Research As Inquiry, Kelly Diamond, Laura Brady

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Student Integration Into Stem Careers And Culture: A Longitudinal Examination Of Summer Faculty Mentors And Project Ownership, Michelle Richards-Babb

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

It is widely recognized that the United States needs to attract and retain more people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. Intensive undergraduate research experiences (UREs) are one of the few strategies shown to improve longitudinal student interest and persistence in STEM-related career pathways; however, less is known about the underlying process linking activities to positive outcomes. The tripartite integration model of social influences (TIMSI) provides a framework for understanding the social influence processes by which students integrate into STEM careers and culture. The current study used a longitudinal design and latent growth curve modeling to examine and …