Digital Commons Network^™

Autonomous And Non-Autonomous Requirements For The C-Jun N-Terminal Kinase Signaling Pathway In Early Forebrain Development, Jessica G. Cunningham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The cerebral cortex is responsible for a wide variety of high-level functions including cognition, sensory perception, fine motor control, and the orchestration of body movements. The cortex is comprised of cortical excitatory neurons and inhibitory interneurons, which are arranged in a highly organized fashion into different layers and regions. These two types of cells operate in a delicate balance between excitation and inhibition, which is critical for proper cortical circuitry. In order for the cortex to execute its numerous functions, it must both send and receive input to other brain regions through axonal connections. The organization within the cortex and …

The Impacts Of Maple Syrup Production On The Herbaceous Layer In Appalachian Hardwood Forests, Logan Scott Ferguson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Vegetation data were collected from eight maple syrup farms (sugarbushes) and eight undeveloped maple-dominated sites to examine potential differences in understory plant communities due to disturbance effects. Understory plants were identified to the species level and percent cover of aboveground leaf-area for each species was estimated within 600 total quadrats. Overstory data and environmental data were collected to help determine if they had any effect on herbaceous-layer plant communities. Species richness, Shannon diversity, and Pielou’s evenness were calculated, with the analysis showing no significant differences between the site types. The absolute cover of plant functional groups was also compared between …

Replication Of A Nonsequential Renewal Model And Investigation Of Extinction Cues For Attenuating Renewal, Brianna G. Sarno

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Laboratory models of renewal are critical to inform clinical practice to reduce the occurrence of relapse and facilitate the maintenance of treatment gains. Nonsequential renewal is a modified procedure developed by Sullivan et al. (2018) that provides an alternative arrangement to study operant renewal in a manner more consistent with clinical experience. Experiment 1 replicated the procedure of Craig et al. (2019) to compare renewal of target responding in rats that were exposed to the nonsequential or sequential renewal procedure. Experiment 2 investigated the use of an olfactory extinction cue in mitigating renewal. In Experiment 1, the Nonsequential Group displayed …

Aging, A Pathological Factor In Neurological Injury, Aruvi Vijikumar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One of the main reasons for CNS drugs to fail in clinical development is not considering age as a risk factor while studying chronic age-related neurological/neurodegenerative diseases in preclinical studies. We first set out to gain a comprehensive understanding of the impact of age on various aspects (anatomical, immunological, and biochemical) in rodents that play a key role in determining the onset, progression, and evolution of disease severity. With advancing age, the vascular structure and function are compromised which is hypothesized to accelerate cognitive decline. The initial step toward developing novel therapeutics is to characterize the age-related vascular modifications. Utilizing …

The Right To Counsel: Criminal Prosecution In 19th Century London, Bryan Mccannon, Zachary Porreca

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Exploiting a novel data set of criminal trials in 19th century London, we evaluate the impact of an accused’s right to counsel on convictions. While lower-level crimes had an established history of professional representation prior to 1836, individuals accused of committing a felony did not, even though the prosecution was conducted by professional attorneys. The Prisoners’ Counsel At of 1836 remedied this and first introduced the right to counsel in common law systems. Using a difference-in-difference estimation strategy we identify the causal effect of defense counsel. We find the surprising result that the professionalization of the courtroom lead to an …

Three Golden Balls: Pawn Shops And Crime, Bryan Mccannon, Zachary Rodriguez, Zachary Porreca

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

We ask what the relationship is between pawn shops and crime. The dominant narrative is that pawn shops reduce the transaction costs of crime and, consequently, promote it. We explore the alternative where pawn shops address the financial distress of those in need, which reduces the incentive to engage in crime. We exploit two distinct policies affecting access to pawn shops − severe licensing fees implemented in London in the early 1800s and state variation in the classification of pawn shops as essential businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic in spring 2020. For each, employing a difference-in-difference identification strategy, we provide …

Comparison Of Crop Yield Estimates Obtained From An Historic Expert System To The Physical Characteristics Of The Soil Components, Edward Barrow Rayburn, Tom Basden

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Population And Migratory Ecology Of Canada Warblers (Cardellina Canadensis) In The Central Appalachian Mountains, West Virginia, Usa, Stephanie H. Augustine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nearctic-Neotropical migrant birds experience a wide range of environmental conditions throughout their annual cycle; thus, it is particularly challenging to evaluate the spatial factors that may influence population growth. The Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) faces substantial range-wide population declines, but little study has been conducted regarding elements occurring across the entire year that drive demographic rates. The aims of this research are (1) determine the relationship between Canada Warbler population demographic rates and environmental conditions along an elevation gradient in the central Appalachian Mountains and (2) ascertain the nonbreeding season location and migratory routes used by the central …

Low- And High-Wattage Vaping During Pregnancy Influence Aortic Structure And Function In Rat Offspring, James Ian Frazier

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are being marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, yet the health consequences of e-cig usage (also called vaping) are still being investigated. E-cigs are easily customized for user preferences. For example, the choice of flavors, nicotine concentration, and/or the temperature (i.e., wattage) used to heat the e-liquid can be selected in many devices. Emerging evidence suggests that vaping during pregnancy impairs cerebral vascular function in rodent offspring. In this study, we sought to investigate the potential effects of changes to e-cig device wattage (i.e., 5W vs. 30W) with maternal vaping during pregnancy on vascular …

Using Drones To Evaluate Revegetation Success On Natural Gas Pipelines, Anthony Nelson Mesa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Appalachian region of the United States has significant growth in the production of natural gas. Developing the infrastructure required for this resource creates significant disturbances across the landscape, as both well pads and transportation pipelines must be created in this mountainous terrain. Midstream infrastructure, which includes pipeline rights-of-way and associated infrastructure, can cause significant environmental degradation, especially in the form of sedimentation. The introduction of this non-point source pollutant can be detrimental to freshwater ecosystems found throughout this region. This ecological risk has necessitated the enactment of regulations related to midstream infrastructure development. Weekly, inspectors travel afoot along pipeline …

The Contribution Of Artists Sydney Laurence, Belmore Browne, And Olaus Murie To The Preservation Of Public Land In The Northwest United States, Madelyn Brodie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis analyzes the impact of artists Sydney Laurence (1856- 1940), Belmore Browne (1880- 1954), and Olaus Murie (1889- 1963) and the contribution that their artwork had to the conservation of United States public lands. This thesis examines the conservation initiatives that were brought into effect during the early 1900s, the personal motivations of these artists to preserve the land, and the interactions between these artists and the United States government which demonstrates their involvement in land preservation. The impact that the artists had on tourism which extended the conservation movement is also addressed. Artworks created by Laurence, Browne, and …

Face Representation Learning And Its Applications: From Image Editing To 3d Avatar Animation, Xudong Liu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Face representation learning is one of the most popular research topics in the computer vision community, as it is the foundation of face recognition and face image generation. Numerous representation learning frameworks have been integrated into applications in daily life, such as face recognition, image editing, and face tracking. Researchers have developed advanced algorithms for face recognition with successful commercial productions, for example, FaceID on the smartphone. The performance record on face recognition is constantly updated and becoming saturated with the help of large-scale datasets and advanced computational resources. Thanks to the robust representation in face recognition, in this dissertation, …

The Musashi Rna Binding Proteins Are Regulators Of Alternative Splicing And Protein Expression In Photoreceptor Cells, Fatimah Kh. Matalkah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Musashi (Msi) family of RNA binding proteins consists of two paralogs, Msi1 and Msi2, that are highly conserved across species. The two paralogs have emerged as factors that promote stem cell proliferation by post-transcriptionally regulating translation. In addition to their expression in stem cells, the Musashi proteins are also expressed in postmitotic neurons, including the photoreceptor cells. The Musashi proteins have been observed to maintain high expression levels in the postmitotic photoreceptors within the eye of both invertebrates and vertebrates. These observations suggest an additional role in the maintenance of terminally differentiated neurons.

Building upon these observations, we investigated …

Phenomic And Genetic Controls Of The Drought Stress Response In Sorghum, Melissa A. Lehrer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Drought, one of the most common abiotic stressors, is a result of the precipitation and temperature fluctuations influenced by climate change. As consistent weather patterns are crucial for the maintenance of crop yield, drought threatens food security through its impact on plant growth and development. It is essential to ensure the quality, availability, and affordability of grain-based products in the face of climate change due to expectations of population growth. Therefore, shedding light on the mechanisms associated with drought tolerance is integral to maintaining agricultural production under water-limited conditions. My dissertation work aimed to uncover the morphological, physiological, and genetic …

Assessment Of User Environmental Perceptions Associated With Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, Marieke Johanna Lemmen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Resource management in marine protected areas is confronted with the challenging conflict of use and conservation of resources. Increased visitation in marine environments has led to the need of management due to negative ecological and social impacts. Understanding environmental values, attitudes, and perceptions is important to the success of environmental protection. Using online surveys sent via Qualtrics asking questions regarding the users’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of ocean resources, goods and services, this research is focusing on identifying user profiles and understanding their environmental perception associated with Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, an offshore marine protected area, and surrounding coastal …

Microvascular Consequences Of Engineered Nanomaterial Inhalation Exposure And Subsequent Reproductive Outcomes, Krista Lee Garner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO₂) is a commonly utilized engineered nanomaterial found ubiquitously in consumer products. While benefits of ENM utilization in are undeniable, nanoparticle inhalation has been linked to cardiovascular consequences and altered microvascular responses. Given these outcomes, it is important to explore vulnerable timepoints, such as gestation, as robust vascular adaptations are essential for maternofetal health.

The first aim of this dissertation was to assess myogenic responsiveness following maternal nano-TiO₂ inhalation. Fetal aortic responses were evaluated on gestational day (GD) 20 to assess how exposure may impact the F1 generation. Myogenic responsiveness within the uterine radial arteries …

Tetramerization Of Stat5 Has Opposing Roles In Governing Autoimmune Pathogenesis, Kelly Lynn Monaghan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Signal transducers and activators of transcription 5 (STAT5A and STAT5B) are members of the STAT protein family. STAT5 plays a critical role in mediating cellular responses following cytokine stimulation. Critical STAT5 signaling is achieved following functional dimerization, which occurs via SH2 domain interactions. The binding of two STAT5 dimers to tandemly linked TTCN₃GAA γ-interferon-activated sequence (GAS) motifs and N-terminal domain interactions, facilitates functional tetramerization. The biological role of STAT5 tetramers has been investigated using the Stat5a-Stat5b N-domain double knock-in (DKI) mouse strain, in which STAT5 tetramers cannot be formed due to substitutions in critical amino acid …

Cytotoxic Effects Of Potential Irrigants For Endodontic Surgery, Kaiying Haggard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate if hypochlorous acid (Vashe and Endocyn), Ozone, sodium hypochlorite (0.5% NaOCl), chlorhexidine (0.12% CHX), and MTAD can be used as a disinfectant for endodontic surgery without causing bone tissue toxicity by comparing their cytotoxic effects to saline on osteoblasts in vitro.

Methods: Human Fetal Osteoblast Cells (hFOB 1.19, ATCC CRL-11372) were used. The cells viability after 10-minute exposure of Vashe, Endocyn, Ozone, NaOCl (0.5%), CHX (0.12%), MTAD, and saline at concentrations of 10, 30, 60, 90 % volume ratio were measured using CCK8 analysis and the absorbance were measured at 450 …

Food Safety In The Us: Regulation, Liability, And Tracing, Marziyeh Bahalou Horeh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation addresses three issues related to food safety. First, it examines the economic efficiency of irrigation water quality guidelines of Food Safety Modernization Act. Second, it estimates the value of traceability in the U.S. lettuce supply chain. Third, it uses state-level data and panel regression models to examine the relationship between product liability laws and reported foodborne illnesses in the U.S.

The second chapter develops a theoretical framework and a corresponding empirical analysis to analyze the Food and Drug Administration's irrigation water quality regulatory standard pursuant to the Food Safety Modernization Act. We develop a stochastic, price endogenous partial …

Ecology Of Black-Legged Ticks (Ixodes Scapularis) At Fort Drum Military Installation, New York, Lucas Eli Price

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease in the United States of America has risen from 12,801 cases reported in 1997, which is the earliest year these data are available, to 23,453 confirmed cases in 2019. In the eastern United States, black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are the primary vector of Lyme disease, which is caused by the spirochete bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. Tick abundance tends to be highest in dense forest habitats and where wildlife diversity is low. Because wildlife species have varying levels of competency as reservoir hosts, sources of tick bloodmeals influence Lyme disease ecology. …

Survival Rate Of Dental Implants Placed In Alveolar Ridge Preservation Sites - Systematic Review, Sravanthi Papisetti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: It is not known so far performing Alveolar Ridge Preservation (ARP) in a freshly extracted socket with intact walls would improve clinical outcomes of implants placed in these sites. It is not known whether different biomaterials and techniques would affect the survival of dental implants.

Aim: The current systematic review is undertaken to assess the survival rate of dental implants placed in these sockets and to assess different socket graft materials as well as techniques of ridge preservation with regard to the survival of implants.

Material methods: Search for relevant articles was done in Medline (PubMed). No …

Factors Influencing Brook Trout Population Dynamics And Resilience In Central Appalachian Headwater Streams, Christopher W. Schwinghamer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Central Appalachia has a unique history of human perturbation due largely to its historical economic reliance on extractive industry and timber harvest. Legacy impacts from these historic disturbances along with contemporary stressors in the form of continued industry, changing climates, altered land use, habitat fragmentation, and introduced species can present great threats to the region’s aquatic ecosystems. Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis are a species that has recreational and economic importance to the communities of central Appalachia but declines in size and abundance have been observed. Given the disturbances that threaten Brook Trout populations, understanding how their populations will respond to …

Framing Fashion Sustainability In Fashion Magazines, Kristen Ann Mohammadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study explores the framing, dominant frame, story focus, and tone of sustainable fashion coverage in prominent fashion magazines, Vogue and Refinery29, seeking to understand if the publications frame their coverage differently and if the framing changes after the emergence of COVID-19. To do so, this study uses a sample consisting of articles from summer months (May-August) spanning three years (2019, 2020, and 2021), as COVID-19 was first discovered in the United States in 2020. This study uses content analysis methodology to analyze a total of 206 articles. This kind of research is important, as environmental and social issues stemming …

Effects Of Depression And Stress On Oral Self-Care Among Perinatal Women In Appalachia: A Longitudinal Study, Jeongwi An

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Oral health during the perinatal period has an impact on the health of women and their offspring. Oral self-care behaviors are preventive methods that can be employed to maintain or improve oral health but may be compromised during the perinatal period. Identifying factors affecting oral self-care behaviors might provide direction on how to intervene in oral health during and after pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate independent and interactive effects of depression and stress on oral self-care behaviors of perinatal women in Appalachia, given the burden of oral disease in this region. A total of 1,172 women …

Feed Conditioning Effects On Enzymes, Amino Acids, And Subsequent Broiler Performance, Elizabeth Ann Lynch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There are many things that can be done to improve broiler performance including, but not limited to, pelleting, proper Lys inclusion, and exogenous enzyme supplementation. Pelleting has the ability to improve feed form, reduce wastage, improve bird performance metrics, and decrease pathogens within the feed. Pathogen reduction can be further reduced by hygienic pelleting practices which include an increase in temperature or retention time within a conditioner or hygieniser. However, hygienic pelleting can degrade valuable AA and enzymes (more specifically for the current thesis research Lys and phytase) and make them unavailable to the animal. Supplementing Lys to account for …

Exploring Cyberterrorism, Topic Models And Social Networks Of Jihadists Dark Web Forums: A Computational Social Science Approach, Vivian Fiona Guetler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This three-article dissertation focuses on cyber-related topics on terrorist groups, specifically Jihadists’ use of technology, the application of natural language processing, and social networks in analyzing text data derived from terrorists' Dark Web forums. The first article explores cybercrime and cyberterrorism. As technology progresses, it facilitates new forms of behavior, including tech-related crimes known as cybercrime and cyberterrorism. In this article, I provide an analysis of the problems of cybercrime and cyberterrorism within the field of criminology by reviewing existing literature focusing on (a) the issues in defining terrorism, cybercrime, and cyberterrorism, (b) ways that cybercriminals commit a crime in …

The Effects Of Feed Additives And The Use Of A Novel Wood Boiler Heat Exchanger On Litter Quality, Broiler Performance, And Immune Status, Victoria Ayres

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of varying feed ingredients and heating systems on boiler performance metrics. Chapter Two investigated the effects of two corn-expressed phytases, differing in enzyme concentration within the grain (3,000 or 9,677 FTU/g), on broiler performance and tibia mineralization, when used as a component in pelleted feed. Dietary treatments included a positive control (PC), with industry-recommended levels of calcium and phosphorous, and a negative control (NC), lower in calcium and non-phytate phosphorous. Six diets containing corn-expressed phytase at high or low grain concentrations, formulated to 3,000, 6,000, or 9,000 FTU/kg, were …

Investigation Of A Novel Throughput Agent On Production Rate And Pellet Quality And The Development Of A Lab-Based Method To Predict Salmonella Reduction In Poultry Feed, Utilizing Varying Feed Manufacture Parameters, Timothy Paul Boltz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate a novel throughput agent and its mechanisms on production rate and pellet quality. An additional experiment using lab-based methods and models was conducted to predict Salmonella reduction in mash broiler feed. Feed mill pellet production rate is of great importance to integrated meat bird production. Feed hygienics are also of increasing concern for poultry producers.

In chapter 2, the effect of AZOMITE® (AZM) and varying inorganic phosphate sources (IPS) on pellet mill production rate and pellet quality was assessed. It is documented that the naturally abrasive properties of inorganic phosphate sources may scour the …

Characterization Of Two Krab-Containing Zinc Finger Transcription Factors In Bovine Preimplantation Embryonic Development, Mingxiang Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Oocyte developmental competence or oocyte intrinsic quality describes the capability of oocytes to resume meiosis, cleave and develop to blastocyst stage after fertilization, implant and develop to term in a good health. A growing number of evidences indicate that the majority of embryonic mortality occurs during early embryonic development in different species, including human, horse and cattle primarily due to poor oocyte quality. Maternal effect genes are key aspects of oocyte quality, which are transcribed during the process of oogenesis and folliculogenesis. The maternal factors are accumulated in oocytes, orchestrating various early developmental events including fertilization, epigenetic reprogramming and zygotic …

Anthropogenic Disturbance Regimes Impact The Microbial And Chemical Composition Of Soils And Sediments Across Ecosystems, Gregory D. Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Human activities have led to profound changes in the climate and environment, fundamentally changing global carbon and nitrogen cycles. Ongoing conversion of wildland for human use and the intensification of agricultural systems have dire consequences for biodiversity and the ecosystem services that support society. While natural disturbance regimes are important for the long-term maintenance of native biodiversity and ecosystem function, many disturbances are becoming increasingly frequent due to anthropogenic activities. Increasing the frequency, intensity, or duration of disturbances can prevent ecosystems from returning to their previous equilibria. Disturbance-induced changes to the local environment shape microbial communities, which in turn govern …