Digital Commons Network^™

Similitude, Scaling, And Prediction Of Stream Dissolved Oxygen Across The Contiguous U.S., Aron Gebreslase

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a general indicator of stream water quality and ecosystem health. However, the concentration of in-stream DO is controlled by various climatic, land use/cover, hydrologic, biochemical, and ecological drivers. Observational data for stream DO are often unavailable at the desired temporal and spatial scales. Accurate and reliable prediction of stream DO concentration based on a small set of environmental drivers is important to guide the water managers and policymakers to achieve and maintain healthy streams. This dissertation focused on identifying the dominant controls of stream DO and understanding the mechanisms and environmental regimes by employing machine learning, …

Novel Modes Of Synchronization And Extreme Events In Coupled Chemical Oscillators, David Allen Mersing

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

We experimentally and computationally investigate dynamical behaviors in coupled chemical oscillators. These networks of chemical oscillators are created using catalytic Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ loaded cation exchange beads submerged in catalyst-free Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) solutions. Various network structures are created by utilizing the photosensitive nature of the Ru(bpy) ₃²⁺ catalyst. The response of the oscillators due to light stimuli can be characterized by constructing a phase response curve (PRC). The PRC quantifies the excitatory and inhibitory responses of BZ oscillators due to applied light perturbations as a function of the oscillators' phase. Different initial concentrations of reactants in the BZ reaction …

Genetic Analysis And Telemetry Study Of Migration Habits Of The Endangered Atlantic Sturgeon, Cassia Marie Busch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Atlantic sturgeon are a long-lived anadromous fish that ranged from Labrador, Canada to Florida, US. Due to overharvest in the late 1800’s and 1900’s, Atlantic sturgeon populations across the coast experienced a dramatic population crash. Recovery of this species has faced challenges due to anthropogenic threats, such as vessel strikes, bycatch, and habitat degradation. In 2012, Atlantic sturgeon were added to the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA). Under the ESA, populations were listed as five distinct population segments (DPS), reflecting their geographic arrangement and genetic structure: Gulf of Maine DPS (threatened), New York Bight DPS (endangered), Chesapeake DPS (endangered), …

Evaluating The Validity And Reliability Of Textile And Paper Fracture Characteristics In Forensic Comparative Analysis, Zachary Bailey Andrews

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In a comparative forensic analysis, an examiner can report that a physical fit exists between two torn or separated items when they realign in a manner unlikely to be replicated. Due to the common belief that it is unlikely that two unrelated fractured objects would match with distinctive characteristics, a physical fit represents the highest degree of association between two items. Nonetheless, despite the probative value that this evidence could have to a trier of fact, few studies have demonstrated such assumptions' scientific validity and reliability. Moreover, there is a lack of consensus-based standard protocols for physical fit comparisons, making …

Healing Gardens For Assisted Living Facility At Cortland Acres, Thomas, Wv, Pooja Keshav Pawar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The affection humans feel for nature is called biophilia. Connecting with nature helps in healing. The connection with nature can be established by incorporating biophilic elements like air, water, plants, and views of nature into the design. (Kellert,2018). According to Kaplan’s Attention Restoration theory, exposure to nature improves focus and the ability to concentrate. (Kaplan,1989)

Connecting with nature provides to be helpful in health care facilities for frail elderly, people with Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias, Hospice care facilities, Mental and Behavioral Health Facilities, and Assisted living facilities. (Marcus,2013)

The aim of this project is to create comfortable, safe, and accessible …

A Combinatorial 5-Htr Expression Pattern Within The Ventral Projection Neurons Of The D. Melanogaster Olfactory Circuit., Mohd Freezely Ezzani Bin Mazri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neuromodulation allows neurons within a circuit to respond to stimuli from the environment according to the correct ecological value, context, and internal state of the animal. Serotonin (5-HT) is a neuromodulator that can generate different outcomes based on its target’s serotonin receptor (5-HTR) expression by affecting secondary messenger cascades. Within the Drosophila olfactory system, ventral projections neurons (vPN) express all five insect 5-HTR that project into two olfactory processing regions, the antennal lobe (AL) and the lateral horn (LH). The significance of this 5-HTR expression is unknown. In this study, I theorized the patterns of 5-HTR expression of vPNs. I …

The Process And Case Study Approach To Implementing A Nutrition-Specific Dissemination And Implementation Science Training In Appalachia, Ayron E. Walker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Nutrition professionals face implementation challenges due to their lack of knowledge to incorporate D&I science into intervention design. To improve intervention outcomes, nutrition professionals must be trained in D&I science, which are currently absent in the field.

Aims: To identify and assess nutrition educators and practitioners perceived motivations, self-efficacy, and attitudes in using D&I science to inform the educational design and strategies of a nutrition-specific D&I curriculum for nutrition educators. Then to test feasibility of the nutrition-specific curriculum in increasing knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitudes by a case study approach, pre/post intervention design.

Methods: First, scoping review methodology involved the …

Human Welfare & Emergencies: Education, Natality, And Violence, Erika Antolin Davies

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

I identify changes in human action during emergencies such as heavy precipitation and shelter-in-place orders. In two chapters I explore the effects of precipitation on educational attainment and birth rates as residential broadband access increases. In my third chapter I identify the movement of pets in and out of the home as a trigger for domestic violence during the COVID-19 lockdown. I estimate difference-in-difference regressions with panel data, coming to three conclusions. First: educational attainment in Appalachia is stunted by precipitation, as students have difficulty getting to school in bad weather. As this historically under-educated region of the US gains …

Nano-, Encapsulated Manganese Oxide (Nemo) Particles For Mri Enhancement In Microfluidic Tumor Models, Kasey Alexis Freshwater

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Breast cancer is among the deadliest cancers in women, with approximately 2.3 million new cases and 685,000 deaths reported globally in 2020 alone. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is commonly used to diagnose, stage, and develop treatment plans for patients predisposed to breast cancer. However, current MRI-based screening of breast cancer has high false-positive rates up to 25%, leading to unnecessary invasive follow-up screening and testing. The gold-standard intravenous gadolinium (Gd)-based contrast agents (GBCAs) account for false-positive rates because they are always “ON”, providing a constant MRI signal that highlights both benign and malignant tumors. The work detailed in this thesis …

Multisided Quality Inspection In Smart Manufacturing Systems, Milica Babic

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As technology advances so does its adoption in industry and our everyday lives. We use technology to better our daily tasks whether at home or in the workplace. In the workplace there are many benefits of implementing new technologies to improve processes and products while at the same time being cautious about associated costs. Costs associated with incorporating new digital technologies include but are not limited to hardware and software, system integration, testing, and employee training. Now that we have entered the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, there are many opportunities for improvements in manufacturing that involve Smart Digital …

Examining Evolutionary Rate In Xiphosura, Samantha B. Ocon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Horseshoe crabs, a group of aquatic chelicerate arthropods of the class Xiphosura, are strongly linked with the concept of “living fossils” – a term colloquially used to refer to clades that display a consistently low rate of morphological evolution through time. The concept of living fossils has been hotly debated, as it is considered to simplify or obscure millennia of evolutionary change. Recent methodological and computational advances in the paleobiological sciences have allowed for the investigation of these claims. Xiphosura are a model taxon for this type of investigative study because they exhibit a complex evolutionary history, despite their reputation …

Freeze! The Impact Of A Guided Imagery Intervention On Looming Vulnerability And Subclinical Contamination-Ocd Symptoms, Amber Lynn Billingsley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Looming vulnerability (LV) refers to the tendency to appraise and perceive potential threats as dynamic and increasing in risk. Research suggests that contamination-fearful individuals may have an increased tendency to interpret contamination as growing or spreading (i.e., “looming”), which may hinder habituation to contamination and play a role in the maintenance of contamination-OCD symptoms. Studies have shown that engaging in imagery in which one mentally freezes contamination in place decreases state levels of fear, though little is known about its longer-term effects (e.g., after one week). The present study aimed to experimentally manipulate LV using freeze imagery in a subclinical …

Embodied Energy Geographies: An Exploration Of Fracked Landscapes In The Ohio River Valley, Rachael L. Hood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Methane gas production has boomed across the United States as a result of the development of fracking technology and its associated infrastructures, including pipelines. This production has provoked resistance over a litany of environmental and social concerns at both global and local scales. These concerns are compounded by a history of extractive economies and degradation in the Marcellus shale region of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley. To date, there has been limited research at the intersection of extractive industry and emotional geography, especially around pipelines. This research draws on feminist, emotional, and energy geographies and uses semi-structured interviews and …

Examining The Pulmonary Response To Repeated Vishniacozyma Victoriae Exposure And Its Association With Allergic Airway Disease, Rachael Erin Rush

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Allergic airway diseases such as asthma continue to increase in incidence in industrialized nations like the United States. These diseases are complex inflammatory processes involving numerous cells and mediators and are strongly influenced by fungal exposures. Recent developments in fungal detection methods have highlighted the contribution of Basidiomycota yeast species in indoor environments such as Vishniacozyma (syn. Cryptococcus) victoriae. However, despite the high levels of this yeast detected in indoor environments, very little is known about it or its role in respiratory morbidity. V. victoriae is phylogenetically similar to pathogenic Cryptococcus neoformans but lacks a capsule and is …

Impact Of Haemonchus Contortus On Feed Efficiency And Feeding Behavior Of Katahdin And Suffolk Lambs, Camren L. Maierle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nutritional impact of internal parasitism, specifically Haemonchus contortus (Hc), is a significant contributor to production losses in small ruminants. Both chronic and subclinical infections generate millions of dollars of losses worldwide. Understanding the nutritional impact of Hc on lamb performance is crucial in determining the additional nutrient requirements of infected individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate nutritional impact of Hc on infected Katahdin lambs with extensive genetic selection for parasite resistance and susceptible Suffolk lambs. Growth, feeding behavior, and feed efficiency (RFI. F:G) were evaluated during artificial Hc infection. Katahdin ewes from the Virginia …

Small Mammal Communities Of Restored And Natural Wetlands In West Virginia, Krista Noe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Wetland restoration is commonly practiced as part of conservation programs or wetland mitigation, which attempts to offset human-created losses of natural wetlands. However, because of the intrinsic and human-derived value of wetlands, it is critical to determine whether these wetlands truly act similarly to natural wetlands. One role of wetlands is to provide habitat for a diverse array of wildlife species. Small mammals are often overlooked taxa in wetland restoration efforts. However, they are essential to the wetland system because they influence vegetation and are prey for higher trophic level wildlife. I discuss considerations of restored wetlands, wildlife responses to …

Vaping During Pregnancy: Effects On Vascular And Behavioral Outcomes In Offspring, Eiman A. Aboaziza

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electronic cigarette (e-cig) use is increasing due to aggressive marketing, tempting flavors, and seemingly higher acceptability in the community (lesser perceived social stigma) despite unproven claims of safety. In an alarming trend, pregnant women smokers have turned to novel “modified risk” products, such as e-cigs, in response to heavy marketing of e-cigs as safer alternatives to cigarettes and a tool to help quit smoking. This is despite proven detrimental effects of nicotine on a growing fetus, and scarcity of information regarding toxicity of e-liquid (with and without nicotine) on child development. Moreover, rampant e-cig use among youth (nearly 4 million …

Evaluate The Efficacy Of A Mixture Of Peroxyacetic Acid And H2o2 Against The Survival And Cross-Contamination Of The Salmonella Surrogate Enterococcus Faecium On Tomatoes During Triple-Wash, Corey Waitman Coe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Triple-wash with a mixture of peroxyacetic acid and H2O2 (SaniDate-5.0) during post-harvest processing of fresh produce has been recommended by West Virginia Small Farm Center to improve microbial safety. It has been well recognized that the washing of produce is more important for preventing cross-contamination than reducing foodborne pathogens. Furthermore, it may help improve public confidence in that the produce they obtain from locally grown farmers is safe for their consumption. determine the efficacy of SaniDate-5.0 for reducing the survival and preventing cross-contamination of the Salmonella surrogate Enterococcus faecium on tomatoes during triple-wash.

E. faecium ATCC-8459 (resistant to 100-ppm nalidixic-acid) …

Exploiting Modulation Of The Blood-Brain And Blood-Tumor Barrier Permeability By Translational Focused Ultrasound For Therapeutic Delivery To Cns Metastases, Tasneem A. Arsiwala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Transcranial low-intensity focused ultrasound is a unique technology to modulate the integrity of tight endothelial junctions and transiently increase BBB/BTB permeability to enhance therapeutic delivery. Despite promising early studies, present literature lacks agreement on key experimental conditions, which restricts our knowledge and the technique's widespread translation. This dissertation first provides a critical review of the current gaps in knowledge regarding the universal use of LiFUS in preclinical and clinical use. We then identify key parameters for translational and predictable opening of the BBB using a 3T MRI coupled with a clinical device. Our investigation highlights that passive permeability of the …

Multi-Task Neuromuscular Generalization And Changes Through The Lifespan, Hannah Delaney Carey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mobility in everyday life requires executing and shifting between a broad assortment of functional tasks and resisting disturbances that could cause falls. Though the importance of successfully performing a variety of functional tasks is recognized and incorporated in clinical assessments (e.g., the Timed-Up-and-Go Test, Berg Balance Scale), little is understood about the underlying neuromuscular control required, or how it changes with age. The neuromuscular control for functional tasks such as walking is typically studied in isolation, or with variations on the same task. Characterizing the coordination required to produce and shift between a wider variety of tasks and resist external …

Improving Robotic Decision-Making In Unmodeled Situations, Nicholas Scott Ohi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Existing methods of autonomous robotic decision-making are often fragile when faced with inaccurate or incompletely modeled distributions of uncertainty, also known as ambiguity. While decision-making under ambiguity is a field of study that has been gaining interest, many existing methods tend to be computationally challenging, require many assumptions about the nature of the problem, and often require much prior knowledge. Therefore, they do not scale well to complex real-world problems where fulfilling all of these requirements is often impractical if not impossible. The research described in this dissertation investigates novel approaches to robotic decision-making strategies which are resilient to …

Understanding Vaccine-Induced Memory Responses To Develop The Next Generation Of Pertussis Vaccines, Kelly L. Weaver

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Bordetella pertussis is a Gram-negative respiratory pathogen that can infect individuals of all ages and is notably responsible for infant fatalities. Pertussis (whooping cough) is a vaccine-preventable respiratory disease for which vaccines have been available in the United States since the 1940s. Whole cell pertussis vaccines kept incidence of pertussis under 5,000 cases per year, but were associated with reactogenicity issues. Following the introduction of less reactogenic acellular pertussis vaccines in the late 1990s, there have been noteworthy outbreaks of pertussis. For example, in 2012 there were over 50,000 reported cases of pertussis and 20 deaths in the U.S. The …

Comparison Of Maintenance Cost Of Medium And Heavy-Duty Alternative Fuel And Diesel Vehicles, Isaac C. Boyce

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

Comparison of Maintenance Cost of Medium and Heavy-Duty Alternative Fuel and Diesel Vehicles

Isaac Boyce

This study was conducted to provide an in-depth analysis of the differences in maintenance cost with the use of alternative fuel and diesel in medium (MD) and heavy-duty (HD) vehicles. With the push toward lower emissions from transportation vehicles for a cleaner future, the United States of America (US) has incentivized the conversion from the use of conventional fossil fuel, diesel, to lower carbon alternatives. With the increased potential for the use of alternative fuels, an investigation is warranted to understand the differences. This …

Mechanistic Insight Into Chronic Stress-Induced Cerebrovascular Dysfunction, Emily Nicole Burrage

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite decades of research psychological stress remains a prevalent problem in society, often diminishing quality of life and increasing the risk of developing dementia. The brain plays a central role in the response to stress and as it is unable to store energy substrates, the brain relies heavily on dynamically regulated blood flow. Therefore, it is important that there is a tight coupling between neural activity and cerebral blood flow to meet metabolic demands and maintain critical brain function. It has been established that chronic psychological stress has detrimental effects on cerebrovascular function, potentially through increased superoxide anion production through …

Examining Development And Function Of Pretectal Visual Neural Circuits In Gs Homeobox 1 Mutant Zebrafish, Alexandra Rose Schmidt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Brain development requires a coordinated genetic code to regulate initial cell identity determination, migration, and connectivity, to establish function of neural circuits. Independent neural circuits underlie our ability to produce both complex and innate behavioral responses to sensory stimuli that are often conserved across vertebrate organisms. Sensory processing disruptions are associated with several neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Therefore, gene mutations altering neurodevelopment can lead to changes influencing structure and function of individual neural circuits, causing behavioral deviations in sensory responsiveness. Crucial gene networks that define functional properties of sensory domains are often explored using non-mammalian vertebrate models, such as the zebrafish. …

Review Of Innovative Rehabilitation Techniques For Reinforced Concrete Buildings, Demetrius Karoubas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Building rehabilitation encompasses the act of repairing damaged structural elements, as well as the upgrading of older buildings to bring them up to modern standards. In recent years, due to the extreme economic and environmental cost of new construction, building rehabilitation is gaining ground as the most viable solution to the problem posed by damaged or substandard buildings. With the constant development of new materials with favorable properties and the improvement of our understanding of earthquakes, new rehabilitation techniques are being developed, improving on the efficiency and effectiveness of older ones. Reinforced Concrete (RC) buildings are a type of building …

An Investigation Into The Mechanism Of Proteasome Dysfunction In Neurodegenerative Disease And The Biological Impact Of Proteasome Hyperactivation In C. Elegans, Raymond T. Anderson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Aging is an inevitable process that occurs as humans grow older. It is characterized by the chronological accumulation of cellular damage over time leading to functional decline as an organism grows older. Several processes are thought to contribute to the aging phenomenon, but one of the most prolific of these is the disruption of protein homeostasis (proteostasis). The collapse of proteostasis can lead to accelerated aging and the development of age-related diseases including devastating neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) like Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. Virtually all NDs are characterized by the buildup of proteins in and around neurons resulting in neuronal death …

Reproductive Rates, Kitten Survival, And Den Site Selection Of Bobcats (Lynx Rufus) In The Black Hills, South Dakota, Erin E. Morrison

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is an important furbearer in South Dakota. However, management of bobcats can be difficult because of their elusive nature and lack of demographic information. In particular, managers lack information on abundance, survival, and reproductive rates necessary to ensure sustainable harvests and stable populations through time. Additionally, cause-specific mortality can provide insight into the factors influencing bobcat kitten survival rates, as well as reveal actions managers could take to improve survival. Bobcat resource selection can vary depending on spatial scale and it is important to understand how denning may result in different selection patterns at …

Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) Population Characteristics And An Evaluation Of Management Responses In Two West Virginia Watersheds, Jacob D. Harrell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) population characteristics were examined within the Tygart and Cheat River watersheds of north-central West Virginia. Growth, mortality and recruitment were examined for each individual population prior to modeling potential effects of various management schemes. Smallmouth Bass were sampled for total length and weight, aged using sagittal otoliths and sexed through observations of gonadal or ovarian development. Growth for each population was examined using von Bertalanffy growth models and assessed for variation among populations. Population demographic characteristics differed between and among populations, most noticeably between riverine and lacustrine habitat, whereby growth, mortality and recruitment were higher …

Needs Assessment Of Diabetes Self-Management Education And Support Within West Virginia From Provider Viewpoints, Kasey M. Yost

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects millions of Americans. It can have significant, lasting effects on an individual’s mental and physical wellbeing, especially when it goes unmanaged or untreated. Diabetes has been a growing problem in West Virginia (WV), which has the highest adult rate of diabetes at 15.7% in the US. Furthermore, WV has the highest mortality rate associated with diabetes at 36.2%. An effective method of management is through diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES). DSMES is a critical component of care for all individuals with diabetes. It is defined as the ongoing process of facilitating …