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Effects Of Morrow's Honeysuckle Control And The Impact Of The Shrub On Invertebrates At Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Pennsylvania, Jason Patrick Love

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Lonicera morrowii (Morrow's honeysuckle) dominates a degraded meadow at Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. We tested four removal methods of Morrow's honeysuckle during spring and autumn 2004. Cut, stump application of 20% glyphosate, and mechanical removal in autumn were not successful (<47% reduction), while mechanical removal in spring and foliar application of 2% glyphosate were somewhat successful (>66% reduction). We used a modified leaf blower to sample invertebrates at our site. Invertebrate biomass was lowest within the native shrub, Viburnum recognitum (southern arrowwood) (p<0.05). Biomass of larval leaf chewers was highest in the native shrub. Invertebrate abundance, biomass, and richness were reduced under dense thickets of Morrow's honeysuckle (p<0.05), due to low amount of herbaceous cover beneath the shrubs. The amount of leaf area consumed by herbivores was 10 times more on the native shrub. Overall, our findings reveal that the exotic shrubs negatively impact invertebrate communities.

Mechanisms Of Environmental Carcinogenesis And Metal -Induced Cellular Signaling, Jacquelyn Jo Bower

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Low dose chronic exposure to environmental carcinogens is a major cause of human cancers. More than 375 known or suspected environmental carcinogens have been identified, many of which are transition metals or metal containing compounds (IARC, updated to 2004, http://www-cie.iarc.fr/monoeval/crthall.html). Although much research has focused on the ability of these metals to induce reactive oxygen species formation (ROS), DNA damage, and apoptosis, less effort has been put forth to examine the cellular signaling mechanisms responsible for these effects. Our experimental research has focused on the signaling pathways induced in response to arsenic exposure. Arsenic is a highly interesting transition metal …

A Cross-Cultural Design Pattern: Chinese Modern Design, Feifei Fan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chinese graphic designers are gaining more visibility and earn awards in various international poster competitions, shaping a new visual frontier in Chinese graphic design. These successes are based on their special cross-cultural design principle, which combines Chinese traditional culture with the imported Western modern design theory. In this paper, Modern Chinese design history, development and characteristics are reviewed. Meanwhile, some existing principles are demonstrated and something new is experimented through the series posters design.

The Mythical Speech Of Janine Antoni, Patrick L. Jones

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The confrontation of societal myths has been a major concern of many female artists since the 1960s. However, confronting the ideological construction of myth is not enough to discredit it. The semiology of myth, according to Roland Barthes (1915-1980), simply absorbs this confrontation by placing the artist in the position of a signifier of the myth itself. Paradoxically, in order to discredit myth the artist must "speak the myth," in order to empty the ideological content of the myth through the adoption of mythical speech. This produces a counter-myth. Language as a vehicle of feminist expression has been a permeating …

A Delphi Study To Identify Teaching Competencies Of Teacher Education Faculty In 2015, Sonhwa Na

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to reach consensus on future course delivery modes and recommended teaching competencies that would be required for teacher education faculty in future course delivery environments. A three-round, online modified Delphi study was used to answer the following research questions (RQs): (a) RQ1: What course delivery modes will teacher education faculty of traditional colleges and universities be using in 2015?, and (b) RQ2: What competencies will teacher education faculty of traditional colleges and universities need to teach using these delivery modes? Course delivery modes and general teaching competencies were determined as a result of consensus …

The Reggio Emilia Approach To Education And Its Relationship To Art Education, Debra N. Hart

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project deals with the concept of the Reggio Emilia approach to education. This open-ended, child-centered method of teaching is coming into light as a methodology used to educate children in a positive and nurturing manner. From its basic philosophy and its guiding principles, the Reggio Emilia approach to education has a strong foundation. Its background, historical context, and existing literature on educational psychology support the use of this method. Current practices in art education and national and state standards make it difficult to envision the implementation of the Reggio Emilia approach to education, since it would require a dramatic …

Creating Virginia: The Role Of John Lederer In The Transition Of Western Virginia From A Wilderness Into A Colony, Richard Jason Burns

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis seeks to explore and explain the role of John Lederer, a German physician and expedition leader, in the creation of the colony of Virginia. Lederer led three expeditions into the western mountains of Virginia in the years 1670-71, and was the first European to document his expeditions in writing. Sir William Berkeley, Governor of Virginia, commissioned him to explore the western frontier of Virginia in hopes of finding a short route to the East India Sea. The immense commodities, trade, and settlement possibilities within the western Virginia region eventually overshadowed this initial goal.;Following the three expeditions, Lederer's expedition …

Livestock And Dairy Producers' Knowledge Of Quality Assurance Issues, Andrea L. Flanagan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of knowledge and use of quality assurance practices by dairy and beef producers in West Virginia and to determine if differences in the level of use existed between D/BQA certified producers and non-certified producers. The population consisted of 125 West Virginia dairy producers identified on a Health Department list of regulated dairy farms within the state and 2,720 West Virginia beef producers from a database comprised of WV BQA certified producers and the South Branch and Buckhannon Stockyards mailing lists. A random sample of 92 dairy producers and 340 beef …

Oxidative Stress In Skin Induced By Chemical And Physical Agents, Ashley Rebecca Murray

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Free radicals threaten various tissues and are involved in the development and progression of many pathological states and diseases. More than other tissues, the skin is exposed to a variety of chemical, environmental, and physical agents which are capable of inducing radical formation resulting in the development of oxidative stress. The skin possesses an elaborate antioxidant network to deal with reactive oxygen species (ROS); however, excessive exposure and/or radical production can overwhelm the antioxidant capabilities of the skin causing oxidative damage to proteins, DNA, and lipids. The central hypothesis of these studies is that exposure to oxidizible chemicals and/or environmental …

Intestinal And Systemic Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte And Humoral Immune Responses To Oral And Parenteral Reovirus Infection, Jonathan Reid Fulton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This work was undertaken to determine effects of routes of infection with reovirus induction of responder cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Further, this work concerns differential effects of age on humoral and CTL responses following oral and parenteral reovirus infection. Despite considerable knowledge about non-intestinal systemic viral immunity, intestinal immune response to viral infection is less understood, and it remains unknown what differences, may occur in CTL populations induced by local viral infections in the intestine or systemic periphery.;We infected mice orally or in hind footpads with reovirus, serotype 1, strain Lang (TIL), and utilized flow cytometry to assess T cell …

Effects Of Environmental Factors On The Paternal Brood Pouch And Sound Production In Two Sympatric Pipefish Species From The Chincoteague Bay, Virginia, Jennifer L. Ripley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pipefishes and seahorses of the family Syngnathidae are important inhabitants of diminishing grass beds threatened by excessive nutrient loads, sedimentation, and chemical contaminants. This research examined the influence of these environmental factors on two sympatric pipefishes from the Chincoteague Bay, Virginia. Syngnathids are characterized by a unique mode of reproduction in which the male carries developing embryos in a placenta-like ventral brood pouch until the fry are free-swimming. Interspecific comparisons revealed differences in parental nutrient allocation to embryos. In Syngnathus fuscus, females produce nutritionally poor eggs and males implant developing embryos adjacent to blood vessels. The loose connection between eggs …

Teaching Leadership Development At The Secondary Level: A National Study, Nathan Taylor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of different leadership skills taught to agriculture students and FFA members at the chapter level, where students and members receive leadership training, the frequency of training, and identify the instructors that provide leadership training. This study was a descriptive survey research conducted with agricultural science instructors who serve as FFA advisors of chapters recognized in the National Chapter Awards Program at the 78th National FFA Convention. The 10 most important skills identified by agriculture science teachers were (in order of importance); teamwork, opportunities in FFA, being responsible, setting personal or …

An Assessment Of Impacts Of Mute Swans (Cygnus Olor) On Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (Sav) In Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, Ketan Shrikant Tatu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) contribute to the localized decline in Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) through foraging in the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. I assessed intensity of feeding activity of 868 Mute Swans in non-breeding flocks and breeding pairs through focal sampling during 2003 and 2004. I also assessed SAV reduction due to Mute Swan herbivory by measuring difference in percent cover, shoot density, and canopy height among 2 year controls (n = 54), 2 year exclosures (n = 54), and 1 year exclosures (n = 54) at 18 sites on the eastern shore during the same time period. Analyses of the …

Summer Home Range, Habitat Use, Movements, And Activity Patterns Of River Otters (Lontra Canadensis) In The Killbuck Watershed, Northeastern Ohio, David A. Helon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

River otters (Lontra canadensis), one of the most aquatic Mustelids, are important components of riparian systems and are an important fur-bearing species. Several studies evaluating post-release survival and movements have been conducted; however, there have been deficient long-term studies to determine the status of these river otter populations once established. During 2002 and 2003m 16 river otters (7 female, 9 male) were trapped and radio-tagged. Overall, mean female home range size was 802.4 ha and mean male home range size was 1,101.7 ha. Mean home range size was similar between genders in 2002, but was greater for males than females …

High School Football Player's Nutritional Knowledge And Application, Kimberly A. Molnar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objective. The purpose of this study is to determine the nutritional knowledge of high school football players and to determine the application of this knowledge through their food choices. A total of 56.1% participants (n=32) answered 17 or more questions correctly on the nutritional knowledge questionnaire. There was a significant difference between the number correct on the nutritional knowledge questionnaire and year in school between freshman and sophomores. A significant difference was found between year in school and responses for question number seven on the diet recall between freshman and seniors, and juniors and seniors. High School football players lack …

Cerulean Warbler Selection Of Forest Canopy Gaps, Kelly A. Perkins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Forest canopy gaps are through to be an important component in Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) habitat. This study examined the selection of forest canopy gaps within Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) territories and in core areas of territories on the Lewis Wetzel Wildlife Management Area and surrounding properties in Wetzel County, West Virginia in 2004 and 2005. The study objectives were to (1) determine the use and selection of gaps according to type, size, and structure, (2) determine if gap size was related to gap density, total gap area (%), or perimeter amount, and (3) determine if distances of territories to …

High Frequencies Of Hiv-1 Recombination And The Evolutionary Potential Of A Hybrid Retrovirus, Terence D. Rhodes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Retroviruses have a great capacity to evolve in order to over come selection pressures in the environment. Such evolutional power comes from the high mutation rate and the high viral titers that can ensue during an infection. Mutation generates variation in the viral genome. In addition, previous reports found that retroviruses recombine at a relatively high rate. These sources of variation can then be exploited by the population to ensure the presence of advantageous mutations, which become amplified during virus propagation. Because the adaptability is based on the evolutionary potential of the virus, it is essential to study the mechanisms …

Nesting Ecology, Chick Survival, And Juvenile Dispersal Of Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa Umbellus) In The Appalachian Mountains, Brian W. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) populations have been declining throughout the Appalachian Mountains for several decades. From 1996--2002, state natural resources agencies in the region initiated the Appalachian Cooperative Grouse Research Project (ACGRP) to investigate potential factors limiting Ruffed Grouse populations. At the onset, nest success, nest predation, and brood survival were identified as potential limiting factors, and numerous other aspects of grouse ecology (e.g., dispersal) in the Appalachians were poorly understood. Therefore, I designed my ACGRP project to examine (1) nest predation and factors that influence nest success, (2) cause-specific mortality and survival rates for chicks 2--4 days posthatch to …

Soluble Metals Of Residual Oil Fly Ash Alter Pulmonary Host Defense In Rats, Jenny Renee Roberts

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Incidences of high levels of air pollution have been correlated with increased morbidity and mortality in susceptible populations. Inhalation of the combustion-derived pollutant, residual oil fly ash (ROFA), has been shown to impair lung defense mechanisms in laboratory animals and susceptible populations. The hypothesis of these studies was that the soluble metals in ROFA would increase susceptibility to pulmonary infection in rats, and that the primary metal responsible for the increase is soluble Ni. To investigate the hypothesis, three specific aims were established: (1) determine if soluble metals in ROFA cause a decrease in bacterial clearance from the lungs of …

Chemotherapy Disrupts Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Function, Suzanne Davis Clutter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A variety of bone marrow microenvironment derived signals influence steady state hematopoiesis as well as hematopoietic recovery following bone marrow transplantation. Bone marrow stromal cells found in this unique anatomical niche influence hematopoiesis, in pail, through production of soluble cytokines and chemokines. Developmental signals are also initiated by physical interaction of hematopoietic progenitor cells with stromal cells which are mediated by binding of their integrins to receptors on the stromal cell surface. Finally, the extracellular matrix, including many components produced by stromal cells, provides structure as well as a scaffold on which hematopoietic growth factors can be concentrated and stabilized …

Object-Oriented Shipboard Electric Power System Library, Ram Praveen Saladi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this thesis is to explore the powerful capabilities of using an object-oriented modeling language to model and simulate an all electric Naval Shipboard Power System. Modelica has been used to model and simulate the shipboard power system which acts as an alternative simulation tool. The shipboard system is developed using the concept of packages. Different components like the buck converter, inverter, and AC machines have been modeled as a part of the library to develop the power system. The shipboard system has been simulated as two decoupled systems, the AC and DC systems. This research further focuses …

Rights, Rules, And Raich, Alex Kreit

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Freedom Of The Press Box: Classifying High School Athletes Under The Gertz Public Figure Doctrine, Jonathan Deem

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Cooperation Of The Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase And Cytochrome P450 1a1 In Mediating Lung Inflammation And Mutagenicity Induced By Diesel Exhaust Particles, Hongwen Zhao, Mark W. Barger, Joseph K H Ma, Vincent Castranova, Jane Y C Ma

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) have been shown to activate oxidant generation by alveolar macrophages (AMs), alter xenobiotic metabolic pathways, and modify the balance of pro-antiinflammatory cytokines. In this study we investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) in DEP-mediated and DEP organic extract (DEPE)-mediated inflammatory responses and evaluated the interaction of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were intratracheally (IT) instilled with saline, DEPs (35 mg/kg), or DEPEs (equivalent to 35 mg DEP/kg), with or without further treatment with an iNOS inhibitor, aminoguanidine (AG; 100 mg/kg), by intraperitoneal injection 30 min before and 3, …

Propanil Exposure Induces Delayed But Sustained Abrogation Of Cell-Mediated Immunity Through Direct Interference With Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Effectors, James M. Sheil, Marc A. Frankenberry, Todd D. Schell, Kathleen M. Brundage, John B. Barnett

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The postemergent herbicide propanil (PRN; also known as 3,4-dichloropropionanilide) is used on rice and wheat crops and has well-known immunotoxic effects on various compartments of the immune system, including T-helper lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and macrophages. It is unclear, however, whether PRN also adversely affects cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), the primary (1°) effectors of cell-mediated immunity. In this study we examined both the direct and indirect effects of PRN exposure on CTL activation and effector cell function to gauge its likely impact on cell-mediated immunity. Initial experiments addressed whether PRN alters the class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) pathway for antigen …

Systemic Microvascular Dysfunction And Inflammation After Pulmonary Particulate Matter Exposure, Timothy R. Nurkiewicz, Dale W. Porter, Mark Barger, Lyndell Millecchia, K Murali K Rao, Paul J. Marvar, Ann F. Hubbs, Vincent Castranova, Matthew A. Boegehold

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The epidemiologic association between pulmonary exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) and cardiovascular dysfunction is well known, but the systemic mechanisms that drive this effect remain unclear. We have previously shown that acute pulmonary exposure to PM impairs or abolishes endothelium-dependent arteriolar dilation in the rat spinotrapezius muscle. The purpose of this study was to further characterize the effect of pulmonary PM exposure on systemic microvascular function and to identify local inflammatory events that may contribute to these effects. Rats were intratracheally instilled with residual oil fly ash (ROFA) or titanium dioxide at 0.1 or 0.25 mg/rat 24 hr before …

Genomic Structure And Expression Of Uncoupling Protein 2 Genes In Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), Issa Coulibaly, Scott A. Gahr, Yniv Palti, Jianbo Yao, Caird E. Rexroad Iii

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) belongs to the superfamily of mitochondrial anion carriers that dissociate the respiratory chain from ATP synthesis. It has been determined that UCP2 plays a role in several physiological processes such as energy expenditure, body weight control and fatty acid metabolism in several vertebrate species. We report the first characterization of UCP2 s in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Results

Two UCP2 genes were identified in the rainbow trout genome, UCP2A and UCP2B. These genes are 93% similar in their predicted amino acid sequences and display the same genomic structure as other vertebrates (8 …

How Exposures To Biologics Influence The Induction And Incidence Of Asthma, Darryl C. Zeldin, Peyton Eggleston, Martin Chapman, Giovanni Piedimonte, Harard Renz, David Peden

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

A number of environmental factors can affect the development and severity of allergy and asthma; however, it can be argued that the most significant inhaled agents that modulate the development of these conditions are biologics. Sensitization to environmental allergens is an important risk factor for the development of asthma. Innate immune responses are often mediated by receptors on mononuclear cells whose primary ligands arise from microorganisms. Many pathogens, especially viruses, target epithelial cells and affect the host immune response to those pathogens. The acquired immune response to an allergen is influenced by the nature of the innate immune system. Products …

A Novel Role For 3, 4-Dichloropropionanilide (Dcpa) In The Inhibition Of Prostate Cancer Cell Migration, Proliferation, And Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1alpha Expression, Bing-Hua Jiang, Ling-Zhi Liu, Rosana Schafer, Daniel C. Flynn, John B. Barnett

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

The amide class compound, 3, 4-dichloropropionanilide (DCPA) is known to affect multiple signaling pathways in lymphocyte and macrophage including the inhibition of NF-κB ability. However, little is known about the effect of DCPA in cancer cells. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) regulates the expression of many genes including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), heme oxygenase 1, inducible nitric oxide synthase, aldolase, enolase, and lactate dehydrogenase A. HIF-1 expression is associated with tumorigenesis and angiogenesis.

Methods

We used Transwell assay to study cell migration, and used immunoblotting to study specific protein expression in the cells.

Results

In this report, we demonstrate …

Nucleolin Links To Arsenic-Induced Stabilization Of Gadd45Α Mrna, Yadong Zhang, Deepak Bhatia, Hongfeng Xia, Vince Castranova, Xianglin Shi, Fei Chen

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The present study shows that arsenic induces GADD45α (growth arrest and DNA damage inducible gene 45α) mainly through post-transcriptional mechanism. Treatment of the human bronchial epithelial cell line, BEAS-2B, with arsenic(III) chloride (As 3+ ) resulted in a significant increase in GADD45α protein and mRNA. However, As 3+ only exhibited a marginal effect on the transcription of the GADD45α gene. The accumulation of GADD45α mRNA is largely achieved by the stabilization of GADD45α mRNA in the cellular response to As 3+ . As 3+ is able to induce binding of mRNA stabilizing proteins, nucleolin and less potently, HuR, to the …