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Ecological Factors Influencing Incidence And Severity Of Beech Bark Disease, David P. Mccann Jan 2016

Ecological Factors Influencing Incidence And Severity Of Beech Bark Disease, David P. Mccann

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

American beech have long been observed to escape both signs and symptoms of beech bark disease (BBD). Some may be resistant to Cryptococcus fagisuga (beech scale), a primary component of the BBD complex; research indicates about 1-2% of American beech inherit resistance to beech scale. At the landscape level a variety of environmental factors may induce ecological resistance, a transient condition allowing potentially susceptible individuals to remain disease-free. This project investigated factors that may contribute to ecological resistance, focusing on biotic and abiotic stand characteristics and their relation to BBD incidence and severity. Plots were established at fifteen sites in …


Autism Educators In Morgantown, W.Va. A Multimedia Story On Their Trials And Triumphs, Shishira Nanjangud Sreenivas Jan 2016

Autism Educators In Morgantown, W.Va. A Multimedia Story On Their Trials And Triumphs, Shishira Nanjangud Sreenivas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This professional project consists of an external website with four audiovisual multimedia projects. The projects are photos and audio sound bites of four educators who possess different areas of specialty in teaching and assisting children with autism. Each of the educators showcased in this project address the realities of teaching children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and reveal particular issues that affect autistic children seeking special education in Morgantown, West Virginia. Additionally, the project discusses social responsibility, previous media coverage on autism, and also examines where West Virginia stands social-economically compared to some its neighboring states.


The Impact Of Location And Proximity On Consumers' Willingness To Pay For Green Electricity: The Case Of West Virginia, Kofi Nkansah Jan 2016

The Impact Of Location And Proximity On Consumers' Willingness To Pay For Green Electricity: The Case Of West Virginia, Kofi Nkansah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

During the 2015 legislative session, West Virginia lawmakers passed a bill to repeal the Renewable and Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act of 2009 (ARPS). Legislators stated concerns about ARPS's impacts on coal industry related jobs in the state as the major factor driving this repeal. However, no comprehensive study on public acceptance, opinions, or willingness to pay (WTP) for renewable/and or alternative sources of electricity within West Virginia was used to inform this repeal decision. As the state of West Virginia struggles to find the right path to expand its renewable energy portfolio, public acceptance of renewable electricity is crucial …


Comprehensive Analysis Of The Atlantic Coast Natural Gas Transmission Line, William David Young Jan 2016

Comprehensive Analysis Of The Atlantic Coast Natural Gas Transmission Line, William David Young

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

New energy sources are needed to sustain our constant need for energy as well as the development of the next generation. The Atlantic Coast Pipeline is over 600 miles in length and will provide consistent, clean energy to the energy consumers in Virginia and North Carolina from natural gas production in the states of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. A detailed analysis was performed looking at modern pipeline construction as well as multiple studies to determine the economic, social, and environmental impacts of this transmission line. A theoretical study was also performed comparing how this transmission line would impact the …


Streptococcal Collagen-Like Protein 1, Scl1, Modulates Group A Streptococcus Adhesion, Biofilm Formation And Virulence, Beth Alexandra Bachert Jan 2016

Streptococcal Collagen-Like Protein 1, Scl1, Modulates Group A Streptococcus Adhesion, Biofilm Formation And Virulence, Beth Alexandra Bachert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: The collagens comprise a large family of versatile proteins found in all three domains of life. The streptococcal collagen-like protein 1, scl1, of group A Streptococcus (GAS) binds extracellular matrix components (ECM), cellular fibronectin and laminin, via the surface-exposed globular domain. GAS strains express scl1 and form biofilm in vitro, except for M3-type strains that are particularly invasive to humans. Hypothesis: Lack of scl1 adhesin in M3 GAS results in decreased adherence and biofilm formation, and increased virulence. Results and Discussion : First crystal structure of the globular domain revealed a unique six-helical bundle fold, consisting of three pairs …


Synergistic Modeling Of In-Vitro And In-Vivo Data Via Stochastic Kriging With Qualitative Factors (Skq), Behnam Dehghan Jan 2016

Synergistic Modeling Of In-Vitro And In-Vivo Data Via Stochastic Kriging With Qualitative Factors (Skq), Behnam Dehghan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this study is to model in-vivo propranolol plasma concentration after administrating oral propranolol extended-release (ER) tablets. In-vivo data are typically expensive and scarce. To save time and cost needed to achieve high-quality in- vivo profile, this work utilizes both in-vitro and in-vivo data.;The ensemble of in-vitro and in-vivo data is modeled by stochastic kriging with qualitative factors (SKQ). It treats in-vivo and in-vitro as the two distinct levels of a qualitative factor. By synergistically modeling both types of data, SKQ is able to provide fitted in-vivo profiles whose quality is much higher than those obtained from modeling …


Phenotypic And Genotypic Characterization Of Lumbosacral Stenosis In Labrador Retrievers, Meenakshi Mukherjee Jan 2016

Phenotypic And Genotypic Characterization Of Lumbosacral Stenosis In Labrador Retrievers, Meenakshi Mukherjee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Lumbosacral stenosis (LS) is a structural narrowing of the spinal canal in the canine lumbosacral spine. Large-sized working and sporting dog breeds such as Labrador retrievers are predisposed for reasons that are incompletely understood. Early diagnosis is essential for maximizing the quality of life, and minimizing the likelihood of early retirement in working dogs. Lumbosacral stenosis is usually considered to be a condition associated with degenerative changes observed with normal aging, however presence of the disease in young and middle aged working dogs has also been reported. This leads to the probable theory that some dogs in large breeds like …


A Description Of The Sound System Of Misiones Mbya, Matias N. De Paula Jan 2016

A Description Of The Sound System Of Misiones Mbya, Matias N. De Paula

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Misiones Mbya is an indigenous language of South America spoken by the Mbya people in the Province of Misiones, Argentina. Although there are several studies in the literature about the Brazilian variety of this language, the linguistic information available about Misiones Mbya is extremely scarce. In this thesis I present a segmental analysis of the language (individual vowels and consonants) and a prosodic analysis of nasal harmony based on field data collected in three different communities in Misiones. The segmental analysis shows that this variety is very similar to the Brazilian variety of the language with only a few exceptions. …


Identification And Functional Predication Of Long Non-Coding Rnas In Rainbow Trout And Cattle, Jian Wang Jan 2016

Identification And Functional Predication Of Long Non-Coding Rnas In Rainbow Trout And Cattle, Jian Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The simplest definition of a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is an RNA transcript larger than 200 nucleotides that does not encode for a functional protein product. This definition distinguishes lncRNAs from small regulatory RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs), short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and other short RNAs. They have emerged as a new class of regulatory transcripts in recent years. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have opened a new horizon for the identification and annotation of this class of RNAs in many species. With the increasing evidence supporting important roles of lincRNAs in diverse processes, a systematic catalog …


The Effect Of Chemotherapy On Stromal Components Of The Bone Marrow, Ian Woodrow Hare Jan 2016

The Effect Of Chemotherapy On Stromal Components Of The Bone Marrow, Ian Woodrow Hare

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The cells comprising the stromal compartment of the bone marrow microenvironment are critical to the maintenance of several homeostatic processes of the body. For example, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and osteoblasts are vital to the regulation of differentiation and quiescence of hematopoietic cells, maintaining the skeletal system, and regulating tumor microenvironments. In addition to contributing to these processes, MSCs display several properties that make them favorable for the use in transplantation therapies. The work described herein summarizes the means by which chemotherapy damages these cells, and potential consequences of such damage with regard to their function.;Previously, our laboratory has investigated …


The Role Of Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, And Emotion Regulation As Protective Factors Against Disordered Eating In A Sample Of University Students, Lisa Paylo Meyer Jan 2016

The Role Of Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, And Emotion Regulation As Protective Factors Against Disordered Eating In A Sample Of University Students, Lisa Paylo Meyer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although eating disorders and related interventions have been heavily researched, less is known about potentially protective variables, including self-compassion, mindfulness, and emotion regulation. It is important to understand these constructs and their relationship to eating disorder symptoms because such factors may prevent these disorders in at-risk individuals and aid in more successful psychotherapeutic outcomes. Independent theories related to these variables and their relationship to disordered eating have been postulated, but not yet combined into a single model. In this study, 100 university students completed self-report surveys that were analyzed using a Path Analysis (PA) method. This method tested an integrated …


Perceptions Of The Curriculum For Agricultural Science Education (Case) As Perceived By Agricultural Educators., Lauren Irene Devine Jan 2016

Perceptions Of The Curriculum For Agricultural Science Education (Case) As Perceived By Agricultural Educators., Lauren Irene Devine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of educators using the CASE curriculum related to the lesson plans, materials and overall courses in the curriculum. The research was also aimed to determine the perceptions of educators on the CASE curriculum as it relates to the total agricultural education model and the attitudes of students' views of the CASE curriculum as perceived by their teachers. The population for this study was 1,021 agricultural educators across the United States who have been trained in CASE and are currently teaching in a high school classroom. The researcher conducted a descriptive …


Microbial Dynamics Within Shed Mucosal Secretions Of Hirudo Verbana, The European Medicinal Leech, Brittany Maree Ott Jan 2016

Microbial Dynamics Within Shed Mucosal Secretions Of Hirudo Verbana, The European Medicinal Leech, Brittany Maree Ott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microbes are widespread throughout our planet, residing in soils, oceans, and even beneath the arctic glaciers. Most interact with each other and other life forms, and there is no known complex organism that lacks an associated microbiome. These microbial symbionts are critical to the survival and proliferation of their host by assisting in nutrient provisioning, physiological development, immunological priming, providing protection from pathogens, contributing to predator evasion, etc. As such, the transmission of these symbionts is a crucial aspect of host biology. Despite a growing appreciation for the prevalence of mixed transmission (incorporating vertical, or from a parental route, and …


A Qualitative Investigation Of Completed And Averted School Shootings: Deciphering The Characteristics That Prevent School Shootings, Jonathan Page Jan 2016

A Qualitative Investigation Of Completed And Averted School Shootings: Deciphering The Characteristics That Prevent School Shootings, Jonathan Page

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to explore the differences between completed school shootings and averted school shootings in order to gain a better understanding of ways to prevent school shootings. The following research question guided this study: What are the similarities and differences between schools in which a shooting occurred and schools in which a shooting was averted? To answer this question, this study compared school shootings and averted school shootings in K-12 schools between January 2007 and December 2013, searching for general themes to analyze in order to add to the literature on averted school shootings. This study …


Hollow Men: Colonial Forms, Irish Subjects, And The Great Famine In Modernist Literature, 1890-1930, Aaron Matthew Percich Jan 2016

Hollow Men: Colonial Forms, Irish Subjects, And The Great Famine In Modernist Literature, 1890-1930, Aaron Matthew Percich

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation traces the impact and influence of Ireland's Great Famine (145-1852) on the formal developments of Irish and British modernism. The Famine is arguably the founding event for colonial Ireland's entry into modernity. This forceful event and forced legacy allows us to rethink modernism's developmental trajectory; rather than a movement deriving out of metropolitan experimentation, I argue for modernism's colonial roots. Colonial events like the Famine or what I term colonial atrocities are marked by mass death and cultural degradation, and further facilitated by the technological, ideological, and exploitative practices deriving from modernity. Representative practices that arise in response …


Immunological Response To Haemonchus Contortus Antigen In Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Of Parasite Resistant And Susceptible Sheep, Jesica Rae Jacobs Jan 2016

Immunological Response To Haemonchus Contortus Antigen In Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Of Parasite Resistant And Susceptible Sheep, Jesica Rae Jacobs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Parasitism by Haemonchus contortus is the greatest concern of sheep producers and results in billions of dollars in economic loss each year. St. Croix hair sheep are naturally resistant to H. contortus infection, but have body characteristics which are unfavorable for production. Resistance to H. contortus is immune mediated; characterized by a T helper type 2 (Th2) response, however the mechanism of the development of immune response is not known. In these studies, immunological responses of parasite resistant St. Croix sheep and Suffolk sheep peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) are evaluated in response to H. contortus antigens. Three uninfected H. …


Potential Biomarkers To Predict Fertility In Dairy Cattle, Melissa Jill Wise Jan 2016

Potential Biomarkers To Predict Fertility In Dairy Cattle, Melissa Jill Wise

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The aim of this study was to use leukocyte counts and haptoglobin concentrations in blood, milk, and uterine luminal secretion as biomarkers of health status and to associate those biomarkers and milk yield with reproductive success in dairy cattle. The study used a commercial dairy milking three times daily. One hundred and twenty six (25 primiparous and 101 multiparous) Holstein dairy cows were used. Reproductive success was evaluated with variables measured at three time points: [20-26 (prebreeding), 54-60 (breeding), and 90-96 (pregnancy diagnosis) days in milk (DIM)]. Variables included concentrations of leukocytes from blood, milk [measured by QScout Farm Lab …


Geologic Time, John J. Renton, Thomas Repine Jan 2016

Geologic Time, John J. Renton, Thomas Repine

Readings and Notes

It is not surprising that humans have wondered how long Earth has existed. At one extreme, there were the Brahmans of India who believe that Earth never had a beginning and will never have an end. Others were of the opinion that Earth was old, but perhaps not eternally old. In 450 BC, for example, a Greek historian named Herodotus (484 - 425 BC) expressed the opinion that Earth was very old, basing his estimate on the results of his studies of the Nile Delta. He observed that the delta was growing layer by layer as a result of the …


Earthquakes, John J. Renton, Thomas Repine Jan 2016

Earthquakes, John J. Renton, Thomas Repine

Readings and Notes

For centuries, earth scientists have known where the major earthquakes occurred. They also knew they occurred in the same locales as the most violent volcanoes, a fact that led to centuries of arguments as to which was the cause of the other. Now we know that they are not cause and effect; they are both associated with the convergent plate margins. During the mid-1900s, another major zone of both volcanic and earthquake activity was discovered, namely the divergent margins, the most important site being the oceanic ridges. Since then, we have also come to understand the occurrence of volcanic activity …


The Triassic Period And The Beginning Of The Mesozoic Era, John J. Renton, Thomas Repine Jan 2016

The Triassic Period And The Beginning Of The Mesozoic Era, John J. Renton, Thomas Repine

Readings and Notes

The Triassic Period is the first period of the Mesozoic Era, a span of time from 245 million years ago to 66 million years ago. Although the Mesozoic era commonly known as the "Age of the Dinosaurs,', it should be pointed out that there were other important evolutionary developments taking place such as the appearance of the first mammal birds and flowering plans. The onset of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic Period, was also a time of profound tectonic activity affecting the entire North American craton. In the east, the primary event was the breakup of Pangea and the formation …


Mapping Forest Health Using Spectral And Textural Information Extracted From Spot-5 Satellite Images, Jinghui Meng, Shiming Li, Wei Wang, Qingwang Liu, Shiqin Xie, Wu Ma Jan 2016

Mapping Forest Health Using Spectral And Textural Information Extracted From Spot-5 Satellite Images, Jinghui Meng, Shiming Li, Wei Wang, Qingwang Liu, Shiqin Xie, Wu Ma

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Forest health is an important variable that we need to monitor for forest management decision making. However, forest health is difficult to assess and monitor based merely on forest field surveys. In the present study, we first derived a comprehensive forest health indicator using 15 forest stand attributes extracted from forest inventory plots. Second, Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between the forest health indicator and the spectral and textural measures extracted from SPOT-5 images. Third, all-subsets regression was performed to build the predictive model by including the statistically significant image-derived measures as independent variables. Finally, the …


Northern Long-Eared Bat Day-Roosting And Prescribed Fire In The Central Appalachians, Usa, W. Mark Ford, Alexander Silvis, Joshua B. Johnson, John W. Edwards, Milu Karp Jan 2016

Northern Long-Eared Bat Day-Roosting And Prescribed Fire In The Central Appalachians, Usa, W. Mark Ford, Alexander Silvis, Joshua B. Johnson, John W. Edwards, Milu Karp

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis Trovessart) is a cavity-roosting species that forages in cluttered upland and riparian forests throughout the oak-dominated Appalachian and Central Hardwoods regions. Common prior to white-nose syndrome, the population of this bat species has declined to functional extirpation in some regions in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, including portions of the central Appalachians. Our long-term research in the central Appalachians has shown that maternity colonies of this species form non-random assorting networks in patches of suitable trees that result from longand short-term forest disturbance processes, and that roost loss can occur with these disturbances. Following two …


Synergistic Effects Of Climate Change And Grazing On Net Primary Production Of Mongolian Grasslands, Shree R. S. Dangal, Hanqin Tian, Chaoqun Lu, Shufen Pan, Neil Pederson, Amy Hessl Jan 2016

Synergistic Effects Of Climate Change And Grazing On Net Primary Production Of Mongolian Grasslands, Shree R. S. Dangal, Hanqin Tian, Chaoqun Lu, Shufen Pan, Neil Pederson, Amy Hessl

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

In arid and semi-arid regions, grassland degradation has become a major environmental and economic problem, but little information is available on the response of grassland productivity to both climate change and grazing intensity. By developing a grazing module in a process-based ecosystem model, the dynamic land ecosystem model (DLEM), we explore the roles of climate change, elevated CO2, and varying grazing intensities in affecting aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) across different grassland sites in Mongolia. Our results show that both growing season precipitation totals and average temperature exert important controls on annual ANPP across six sites over a precipitation gradient, …


Light Interception By Pasture Canopies As Affected By Height And Botanical Composition, Edward Barrow Rayburn Jan 2016

Light Interception By Pasture Canopies As Affected By Height And Botanical Composition, Edward Barrow Rayburn

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.


Bringing Active Learning Into High School Economics: Some Examples From The Simpsons, Joshua C. Hall, Alex Peck, Marta Podemska-Mikluch Jan 2016

Bringing Active Learning Into High School Economics: Some Examples From The Simpsons, Joshua C. Hall, Alex Peck, Marta Podemska-Mikluch

Economics Faculty Working Papers Series

In this brief educational note, we provide several examples of directed classroom activities for the high school economics classroom using the long-running television show The Simpsons. In doing so, we provide an overview of the scholarly literature on using popular culture to teach economics. Our examples highlight how popular culture can be successfully employed at the secondary level to engage and teach students through active learning. We conclude with some thoughts for secondary social studies teachers looking to enhance economic instruction.


Assessing The Match Performance Of Non-Ideal Operational Facial Images Using 3d Image Data., Rupindrani Aila Jan 2016

Assessing The Match Performance Of Non-Ideal Operational Facial Images Using 3d Image Data., Rupindrani Aila

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Biometric attributes are unique characteristics specific to an individual, which can be used in automated identification schemes. There have been considerable advancements in the field of face recognition recently, but challenges still exist. One of these challenges is pose-variation, specifically, roll, pitch, and yaw variations away from a frontal image. The goal of this problem report is to assess the improvement of facial recognition performance obtainable by commercial pose-correction software. This was done using pose-corrected images obtained in two ways: 1) non-frontal images generated and corrected using 3D facial scans (pseudo-pose-correction) and 2) the same non-frontal images corrected using FaceVACs …


Grainyhead-Like 2 Reverses The Metabolic Changes Induced By The Oncogenic Epithelialmesenchymal Transition: Effects On Anoikis, Joshua C. Farris Jan 2016

Grainyhead-Like 2 Reverses The Metabolic Changes Induced By The Oncogenic Epithelialmesenchymal Transition: Effects On Anoikis, Joshua C. Farris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

When deprived of connections to their extracellular matrix, normal epithelial cells trigger a process of programmed cell death referred to as anoikis. The transcriptional reprogramming event known as Epithelial-Mesenchymal transition (EMT) confers anoikis resistance and ultimately, increased metastatic potential. Distant metastatic disease contributes to the majority of deaths occurring in many cancer types, especially those originating in breast tissue. The ability to metastasize depends critically upon a cancer cell's ability to evade anoikis. Heterogeneity of tumors containing anoikis, therapy resistant populations likely explains the tendency of disease to reappear in distant locations after a period of apparent remission. The wound …


Nutritional Consequences Of Various Ingredients In Broilers, Turkeys, And Swine, Kolby L. Foltz Jan 2016

Nutritional Consequences Of Various Ingredients In Broilers, Turkeys, And Swine, Kolby L. Foltz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Experiments were conducted to evaluate various ingredients' effects on broiler, turkey, and porcine performance, as well as feed mill efficacy. In chapter 2, the effects of zinc (Zn) supplement source and corn particle size on broiler performance, breast yield, and tibia ash were assessed from d 1-40. Zinc treatments included a basal diet (no added Zn), 80 mg/kg Zn sulfate, and three diets with 40 mg/kg Zn sulfate + 40 mg/kg of varying Zn amino acid chelates, and corn particle size was either 550 mum or 1,050 mum. Broilers fed diets containing 550 ?m corn had higher feed intake (FI) …


Molecular Characterization Of Lhx8, An Oocyte-Specific Transcription Factor, And Its Interacting Proteins In Rainbow Trout And Cattle, Liyuan Fu Jan 2016

Molecular Characterization Of Lhx8, An Oocyte-Specific Transcription Factor, And Its Interacting Proteins In Rainbow Trout And Cattle, Liyuan Fu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

LIM homeobox 8 (Lhx8) is an important transcription factor that is preferentially expressed in germ cells. Lhx8 null mice are infertile due to lack of oocytes and impairment of the transition from primordial follicles to primary follicles. Lhx8 deficiency also affects the expression of many important oocyte-specific genes. To date, no attempts have been made to investigate the existence of any cellular factors that might interact with Lhx8 protein in oocytes and early embryos. In this study, we report the characterization of rainbow trout and bovine Lhx8 genes and identification of important germ cell-specific nuclear factors that interact with Lhx8 …


Homeplace, Megan Leigh Gainer Jan 2016

Homeplace, Megan Leigh Gainer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The sculptural work presented in this thesis and the accompanying exhibition showcase the ideas of memory, its fallacy, and why certain objects become tied to the idea of a specific time, place, and culture. Using my own personal experiences growing up in rural West Virginia, I call upon traditional crafting techniques to relay a sense of nostalgia commonly found throughout Appalachia. The expression of the hand present throughout the work highlights the importance placed on these seemingly mundane objects, which hold a special place in my history.