Digital Commons Network^™

Behavior Of Stiff-Tailed Diving Ducks And West Indian Whistling Ducks In Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge, Puerto Rico, Nick S. Goodman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Masked ducks (Nomonyx dominicus), migratory northern ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis jamaicensis), non-migratory West Indian ruddy ducks (Oxyura j. jamaicensis Gmelin), and West Indian whistling-ducks (Dendrocygna arborea) are all duck taxa that have declining populations in Puerto Rico. Masked ducks are listed as endangered in Puerto Rico and are a species of concern in the Caribbean while West Indian whistling ducks are considered an "at-risk" species listed as vulnerable. All 4 taxa of duck have areas of their life history where information is lacking including behavioral information. I studied the 4 taxa of duck at Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge from …

Needle Exchange Programs For The Prevention Of Hepatitis C Virus Infection In People Who Inject Drugs: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis, Stephen M. Davis, Shay Daily, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson, George A. Kelley, Keith Zullig, Adam Baus, Danielle Davidov, Melanie Fisher

Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Background: Previous research on the effectiveness of needle exchange programs (NEP) in preventing hepatitis C virus (HCV) in people who inject drugs (PWID) has shown mixed findings. The purpose of this study was to use the meta-analytic approach to examine the association between NEP use and HCV prevention in PWIDs. Methods: Study inclusion criteria were (1) observational studies, (2) PWIDs, (3) NEP use, (4) HCV status ascertained by serological testing, (5) studies published in any language since January 1, 1989, and (6) data available for measures of association. Studies were located by searching four electronic databases and cross-referencing. Study quality …

Dental Workforce Availability And Dental Services Utilization In Appalachia: A Geospatial Analysis, Xue Feng, Usha Sambamoorthi, R. Constance Wiener

Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Objectives—There is considerable variation in dental services utilization across Appalachian counties, and a plausible explanation is that individuals in some geographical areas do not utilize dental care due to dental workforce shortage. We conducted an ecological study on dental workforce availability and dental services utilization in Appalachia. Methods—We derived county-level (n = 364) data on demographic, socio-economic characteristics and dental services utilization in Appalachia from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) using person-level data. We obtained county-level dental workforce availability and physician-to-population ratio estimates from Area Health Resource File, and linked them to the county-level BRFSS data. The …

The Effect Of The 2015 Earthquake On The Bacterial Community Compositions In Water In Nepal, Sital Uprety, Pei-Ying Hong, Nora Sadik, Bipin Dangol, Rameswor Adhikari, Antarpreet Jutla, Joanna L. Shisler, Patrick Degnan, Thanh H. Nguyen

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

We conducted a study to examine the effect of seasonal variations and the disruptive effects of the 2015 Nepal earthquake on microbial communities associated with drinking water sources. We first characterized the microbial communities of water samples in two Nepali regions (Kathmandu and Jhapa) to understand the stability of microbial communities in water samples collected in 2014. We analyzed additional water samples from the same sources collected from May to August 2015, allowing the comparison of samples from dry-to-dry season and from dry-to-monsoon seasons. Emphasis was placed on microbes responsible for maintaining the geobiochemical characteristics of water (e.g., ammonia-oxidizing and …

Comparison Of Orchid Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Species Composition Collected With Four Chemical Attractants, Kenneth W. Mccravy, Joseph Van Dyke, Thomas J. Creedy, Katie Williams

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Orchid bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini) are a diverse and important group of Neotropical pollinators. Numerous chemicals have been used in sampling orchid bees, and species-specific attraction, particularly of males, to these chemicals is well known. However, there have been few studies that have quantified differences in the species composition of orchid bees attracted to particular chemicals. In this study, we compared the abundance and species composition of orchid bees collected with 4 commonly used attractants: benzyl acetate, eucalyptol (or cineole), eugenol, and methyl salicylate. Eucalyptol collected the greatest abundance and species richness of orchid bees. Indicator species analysis revealed that …

The Dynamics Of Economic Status And Health Among Working-Age Adults In The United States, Abdulkarim Mohammad Meraya

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The relationship between economic status and health has been documented in the previous literature. Economic, sociological and epidemiological studies have indicated that higher economic status is associated with better physical and mental health. While these studies have made significant contributions in this area, a comprehensive evaluation of the relationships between economic indicators and health is still lacking. Most studies focused on a single measure of economic status or health. Further, most studies have focused on one-direction -- economic indicators affecting health; little is known about the effect of health improvement on gain in economic status. Furthermore, only a few studies …

Wildlife In An Anthropogenically-Driven World: How Humans Have Shaped The Distribution, Genetic Composition, And Gene Expression Of North American Forest Hawks (Genus: Accipiter), Meghan K. Jensen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Humans are causing drastic environmental change on a global scale and this trend strongly influences the evolution of species. It is also becoming clear that tolerances to anthropogenic disturbance varies widely among organisms. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms by which wildlife cope with humans is a pressing question in modern ecology. North America's forest raptors (Genus: Accipiter) are a useful model for investigating the effects of humans on wildlife species. All three Accipiter species experienced historic demographic declines as a result of anthropogenic activities, yet each species has rebounded differently since these declines. One species in particular is now exploiting urban …

Needle Exchange Programs For The Prevention Of Hepatitis C Virus Infection In People Who Inject Drugs: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis, Stephen M. Davis, Shay Daily, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson, George A. Kelley, Keith Zullig, Adam Baus, Danielle Davidov, Melanie Fisher

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Previous research on the effectiveness of needle exchange programs (NEP) in preventing hepatitis C virus (HCV) in people who inject drugs (PWID) has shown mixed findings. The purpose of this study was to use the meta-analytic approach to examine the association between NEP use and HCV prevention in PWIDs.

Methods

Study inclusion criteria were (1) observational studies, (2) PWIDs, (3) NEP use, (4) HCV status ascertained by serological testing, (5) studies published in any language since January 1, 1989, and (6) data available for measures of association. Studies were located by searching four electronic databases and cross-referencing. Study quality …

The Utility Of Fine-Scale Remote Sensing Data For Modeling Habitat Characteristics And Breeding Bird Species Distributions In An Appalachian Mature Deciduous Forest., James Sheehan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, I tested the potential for remote sensing data with a high spatial resolution to model breeding forest bird species and their habitat at a fine spatial scale. The research took place on ridgetops in a large, relatively contiguous Appalachian mature deciduous forest in northwestern WV, USA. The remote sensing data sources were a leaf-on QuickBird satellite image (0.6-m panchromatic and 2.4-m multispectral) and a 3-m digital elevation model (DEM). For the first part of the study, I extracted spectral and textural measures from the satellite image and terrain information from the DEM. I then used these data …

Using A Species Distribution Model And Site-Specific Microclimatic Variables To Model Presence Of Spodic Soil Properties And Relative Occurrence Rate Of Picea Rubens (Red Spruce) To Inform Red Spruce Management, Adrienne Nottingham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Red spruce restoration efforts in the central Appalachians are of interest to land managers because of the reduced current extent and the numerous ecosystem services provided by red spruce forests. These land managers require information regarding the best places to focus restoration efforts. Studies attempting to locate optimal locations for red spruce restoration have been conducted to in the central Appalachians, most of which utilize modeling. In particular, podzolization, a soil formation pathway present under conifer vegetation in the central Appalachians has been used to help select areas for red spruce restoration. The effectiveness of using recent podzolization (as evidenced …

Space Use And Habitat Associations Of Long-Distance Migratory First-Year Golden Eagles (Aquila Chrysaetos) From Interior Alaska In A Changing Landscape, Mark D. Paulson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding a species space use and habitat associations is integral to comprehensive wildlife management. Habitat associations change spatially and temporally and those changes may be especially dramatic for animals that cover long distances throughout their annual cycle. While many studies of habitat associations and space use concentrate on breeding season behavior, studies of migratory connectivity demonstrate how condition of habitats on non-breeding ranges potentially affect key demographic parameters, such as survival, reproduction, and movement in other seasons. This is also important because wildlife habitats, especially land cover, are changing rapidly from both anthropogenic and natural forces in direct and indirect …

Spatial And Temporal Variations Of Screening For Breast And Colorectal Cancer In The United States, 2008 To 2012, Xue Feng, Xi Tan, Ebtihag Alenzi, Pragya Rai, Jongwha Chang

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Cancer screening tests are important tools to combat cancer-related morbidity and mortality. There is limited up-to-date research on spatial and temporal variations of colorectal and breast cancer screening in the United States.

County-level data of cancer screening adherence rates were generated from 2008 to 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We performed the univariate local indicators for spatial analyses (LISA) for the geographic differences of screening adherence rate and the differential LISA for the change of screening adherence rate from 2008 to 2012.

In the univariate LISA, low-to-low clusters were consistently identified in counties of New Mexico, Wyoming, and Mississippi …

The Association Between Graduated Driver Licensing Laws And Travel Behaviors Among Adolescents: An Analysis Of Us National Household Travel Surveys, Motao Zhu, Peter Cummings, Songzhu Zhao, Thomas Rice

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Young novice drivers have crash rates higher than any other age group. To address this problem, graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws have been implemented in the United States to require an extended learner permit phase, and create night time driving or passenger restrictions for adolescent drivers. GDL allows adolescents to gain experience driving under low-risk conditions with the aim of reducing crashes. The restricted driving might increase riding with parents or on buses, which might be safer, or walking or biking, which might be more dangerous. We examined whether GDL increases non-driver travels, and whether it reduces total travels …

Association Of Breastfeeding And The Federal Poverty Level: National Survey Of Family Growth, 2011–2013, R Constance Wiener

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Breastfeeding is strongly endorsed in the Healthy People 2020 goals; however, there remain many disparities in breastfeeding prevalence. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between breastfeeding and the Federal Poverty Level in the United States. Data from 5,397 women in the National Survey of Family Growth 2011–2013 survey were included in this study. The data were analyzed for descriptive features and logistic regressions of the Federal Poverty Level on breastfeeding. There were 64.1% of women who reported breastfeeding. Over one-third (35.2%) of women reported having a household income of 0–99% of the Federal Poverty Level. There …

Association Of Blood Lead Levels In Children 0–72 Months With Living In Mid-Appalachia: A Semiecologic Study, R Constance Wiener

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Introduction: Lead exposure in children remains a significant public health issue, although many advances have been made. The Mid-Appalachia area (Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia) is 89-91% rural with a population density of 16-21 people/km2 (41-54 people/mi2). Mid-Appalachia has significant health disparities including concerns for the consequences of greater lead exposure to children due to mining and industrial footprints, and existing older housing. The purpose of this study is to compare the reported blood lead levels of screened children, aged 0-72 months in Mid-Appalachia, to the children in the USA in general.
Methods: Data from the Centers …

Association Of Blood Lead Levels In Children 0-72 Months With Living In Mid-Appalachia: A Semiecologic Study, R. Constance Wiener, R. J. Jurevic

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Introduction—Lead exposure in children remains a significant public health issue, although many advances have been made. The Mid-Appalachia area (Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia) is 89–91% rural with a population density of 16–21 people/km2 (41–54 people/mi2 ). Mid-Appalachia has significant health disparities including concerns for the consequences of greater lead exposure to children due to mining and industrial footprints, and existing older housing. The purpose of this study is to compare the reported blood lead levels of screened children, aged 0–72 months in Mid-Appalachia, to the children in the USA in general.

Methods—Data from the Centers for …

Migratory Genomics Of Lake Sturgeon, Justine Whitaker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Lake sturgeon are large, freshwater fish and the only species of sturgeon native to the Great Lakes. Their historic range extends from the Hudson Bay, down through the Great Lakes and into the Mississippi River basin. In the early 1900's, sturgeon became a valuable fishery and were soon overfished for both meat and caviar. This, in combination with damming, pollution, and habitat degradation, caused a drastic decline in their population. Some populations were extirpated, while others have been reduced to 1% of their historic population size (Auer, 1996). The St. Clair-Detroit River System (SCDRS) hosts one of the largest lake …

A Multiple-Objective Framework For Sustainable Forest Management Under Uncertainty In The U.S. Central Hardwood Region, Wu Ma

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite the economic and ecological significance of oak-hickory forests in the Central Hardwood Region (CHR), major challenges are faced by both private and public landowners and policymakers due to the lack of reliable growth and yield models as well as the absence of useful tools for multi-criteria management. Moreover, the effects of climate change and fire disturbance on these forests and their management are largely unknown.;The second chapter of the dissertation is directed towards the study of the community and population structure of CHR forests under climate change and associated changes of fire regimes. The Central Hardwood Region of the …

Variable Classification Of Drug-Intoxication Suicides Across Us States: A Partial Artifact Of Forensics?, Ian R H Rockett, Gerald R. Hobbs, Dan Wu, Haomiao Jia, Kurt B. Nolte, Gordon S. Smith, Sandra L. Putnam, Eric D. Caine

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

The 21st-century epidemic of pharmaceutical and other drug-intoxication deaths in the United States (US) has likely precipitated an increase in misclassified, undercounted suicides. Drug-intoxication suicides are highly prone to be misclassified as accident or undetermined. Misclassification adversely impacts suicide and other injury mortality surveillance, etiologic understanding, prevention, and hence clinical and public health policy formation and practice.

Objective

To evaluate whether observed variation in the relative magnitude of drug-intoxication suicides across US states is a partial artifact of the scope and quality of toxicological testing and type of medicolegal death investigation system.

Methods

This was a national, state-based, ecological …

Evaluating And Prioritizing Stream Restoration In Mined Appalachian Watersheds., Eric Mitchell Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The state of West Virginia requires stream mitigation to offset anthropogenic impacts to streams; consequently there is a high concentration of mitigation projects in the mountaintop mining/valley fill region. Projects are typically outside mine boundaries and sites are selected at the discretion of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. This dissertation evaluated current in-stream, natural channel design (NCD) structures and prioritized future project locations. First, we assessed the Little Coal River, which is one of the largest physical restoration projects in the state. The Little Coal drains 994 km2 with extensive historic and contemporary coal mining. The objectives of …

The Root Of Sustainability: Investigating The Relationship Between Medicinal Plant Conservation And Surface Mining In Appalachia, Jessica B. Turner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Since European colonization, Appalachian culture has been based on resource extraction, such as coal mining, timbering, and Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) harvest. Surface mining degrades forest habitat for medicinal plants, especially the habitat for the internationally valuable medicinal herb, American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.), and the NTFP culture associated with this plant. The relationship between medicinal plant conservation and surface mining must be studied with a non- traditional, multi-faceted approach: culturally, economically, and ecologically. (1) Using community-based participatory surveys, I determined how ginseng harvesters and non- harvesters in West Virginia communities view the relationship between surface mining and ginseng harvest. …

Effects Of Culverts On Brook Trout Genetic Diversity, Darren M. Wood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are a species of concern within their native range due to a historical loss of habitat, overfishing, and stocking of non-native salmonids. Road culverts have been recognized as an additional impediment to population persistence as movement between diverse habitat types has been identified as an alternative life-history strategy to maximize spawning and growth. Brook trout were genetically analyzed using a suite of 13 microsatellite loci above 7 culverts with varying levels of passability classified through a physical protocol. While most sites were not found to have losses in genetic diversity, populations above culverts with a high …

Prevalence Of Overweight In 2 To 17 Year-Old Children And Adolescents Whose Parents Live Separately: A Nordic Cross-Sectional Study, Lena Hohwu, Mika Gissler, Agneta Sjoberg, Anna M. Biehl, Alfdgeir L. Kristjansson, Carsten Obel

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Comparative data of parental separation and childhood overweight has not been available before across the Nordic countries. The aim of this study was to examine the within-country prevalence and association between parental cohabitation and overweight in Nordic children.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of 2-17-year-old children was conducted in 2011, titled: “NordChild”. A random sample of 3,200 parents in each of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden were invited to participate in the study with parents of 6,609 children accepting to give answers about their children’s health and welfare including information on height and weight of each …

Application Of A Spatially Explicit, Agent-Based Land Use Conversion Model To Assess Water Quality Outcomes Under Buffer Policies, Nazia N. Arbab

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Land use changes within watersheds have spatially explicit dynamics and involve decision making by individuals. The role of the spatial dimension of human behavior and its impact on land use change has been analyzed using agent-based modelling approaches. Agent-based land use change has received a significant theoretical attention; however, these models lack empirical implementation and testing due to the lack of spatial modelling tools and data that can capture human land use dynamics.;This research presents a methodology for projecting land use conversions through the implementation of a spatially explicit agent-based simulation model in the Opequon Creek watershed of Berkeley County, …

Geographic Variation Of Song Within And Between Subspecies Of The Mangrove Warbler (Setophaga Petechia Castaneiceps And S. P. Rhizophorae), Taryn Tuncer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Bird song characteristics are unique for each species, but songs are not identical among con-specific individuals and variations may occur at different geographic scales throughout a species distribution. Geographic song variation is common in many species, particularly in Passerines due to their song-learning behavior. Among Wood Warblers (Fam. Paruliade), The Yellow Warbler ( Setophaga petechia) is one of the most widespread and geographically diverse species. It is comprised by three groups of several subspecies which represent a great variety on morphological traits, mainly on plumage coloration. Variations on behavioral traits, such as songs, have also been found in this species. …

Public Land Management Values: A Delphi Study Of Austrian And Pacific Northwest United States Recreation Resource Managers, Jessie Meybin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There is a continuing global increase in recreational visitor use of public land. This rise in visitation can be a good thing if a proactive management plan utilizing strong methodology to anticipate impacts to an area and sustain its natural and social resources is in place. Although a wide spectrum of issues is presented to each management, few of the concepts are new to any of the administrators. With increasing duties, newly emerging concerns, and decreasing time, there is little room or patience for error concerning the implementation of any management derivatives or techniques. If the existing research on all …

Permitted Water Pollution Discharges And Population Cancer And Non-Cancer Mortality: Toxicity Weights And Upstream Discharge Effects In Us Rural-Urban Areas, Michael Hendryx, Jamison Conley, Evan Fedorko, Juhua Luo, Matthew Armistead

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

The study conducts statistical and spatial analyses to investigate amounts and types of permitted surface water pollution discharges in relation to population mortality rates for cancer and non-cancer causes nationwide and by urban-rural setting. Data from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) were used to measure the location, type, and quantity of a selected set of 38 discharge chemicals for 10,395 facilities across the contiguous US. Exposures were refined by weighting amounts of chemical discharges by their estimated toxicity to human health, and by estimating the discharges that occur not only in a local county, but …

Gis Assisted Problem Analysis Of Trail Erosion In Monongahela National Forest, Steven J. Storck

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research investigates the frequency and patterns of trail erosion on purposefully selected natural surface trails in Monongahela National Forest. Trail erosion is considered a non-self-limiting process which degrades trail beds making them unattractive, difficult to travel on, and has the potential to impact local streams with the introduction of silt. Recreation ecology research delineates factors which influence the rate of erosion on a trail into three broad categories: recreational use, environmental conditions, and managerial actions. This study tests the relationship of variables from each of these categories to the local patterns of erosion. Three sampling strategies are used to …

Exploration Of Stream Habitat Spatial Modeling; Using Geographically Weighted Regression, Ordinary Least Squares Regression, And Natural Neighbor Interpolation To Model Depth, Flow, And Benthic Substrate In Streams, Kenneth R. Sheehan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Assessment and modeling of stream habitat are integral to understanding streams and the biota within them. In the past several decades, assessment sophistication of ecologic systems increased due to analysis power afforded by gains in computing capability. Spatial data analysis methodology grew alongside computing power and incorporated spatial qualities of ecological data, thereby providing new insights. New methods like geographically weighted regression (GWR) and more established methods like interpolation are now being used in ecological studies to guide assessments and management decisions. However, their accuracy and utility for analysis of stream habitat data have not been fully explored. To clarify …

Nesting Biology Of Osmia Cornifrons: Implications For Population Management, Matthew Mckinney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Japanese hornfaced bee, Osmia cornifrons (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) is a palearctic mason bee managed for the pollination of early season fruit crops such as apple and blueberry. Since its adoption as a managed pollinator in Japan during the 1940s, a large body of literature has amassed with the goal of enhancing O. cornifrons management practices. This research makes important contributions to that literature in two ways. First, the research describes the in-nest relationship of O. cornifrons and the cleptoparasitic mite pest Chaetodactylus krombeini. Distribution of male and female O. cornifrons and of C. krombeini was determined using linear and non-linear …