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Relationship Of Edentulism, Sleep Disordered Breathing And Cardiovascular Disease: Nhanes, 2007-2008, R Constance Wiener

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Edentulism, though declining in younger adults, remains prevalent in the U.S. older adult population. Poorer health outcomes, including cardiovascular outcomes have been associated with edentulism. Sleep disorders are also common in older adults and have been associated with cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study is to determine if edentulism is associated with cardiovascular disease when sleep disorders are included in the analyses.

Methods

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2008 were used in this study. Adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed with cardiovascular disease as the dependent variable and dental status (edentulism, dentate) as the …

Serum Cotinine And Chronic Pain: Nhanes 2003-2004, R Constance Wiener

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Purpose—Tobacco smoke exposure continues to be the leading preventable risk factor for many diseases and has the potential to be a risk factor for chronic pain. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship of chronic pain with smoking, secondhand smoke exposure and nonsmoking using serum cotinine (and self-report of living with someone who smokes in the home) to identify the tobacco exposure groups. Methods—The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2004 was used for this study. Participants were queried about pain duration and had serum cotinine levels determined during the course of the NHANES examination/survey. Participants, …

Differences In Breast-Feeding Initiation And Continuation By Maternal Diabetes Status, Reena Oza-Frank, Ilana Chertok, Adam Bartley

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

To examine (i) the prevalence of and associations between breast-feeding initiation and continuation by maternal diabetes status and (ii) the reasons for not initiating and/or continuing breast-feeding by maternal diabetes status. Secondary data analyses of a population-based cross-sectional study were conducting using data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2009-2011. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the associations between breast-feeding initiation and continuation by diabetes status. Thirty states and New York City, USA. Mothers of recently live-born infants, selected by birth certificate sampling. Among 72755 women, 8.8 % had gestational …

The Role Of Adenosine Monophosphate Activated Protein Kinase In Luteal Progesterone Production, Elizabeth Compton Bowdridge

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2&agr;) has in vivo luteolytic actions on the bovine corpus luteum (CL). Although PGF2&agr; is utilized extensively in livestock to synchronize estrus, its actions in vitro are controversial and do not always result in a reduction in progesterone (P4) secretion. The mechanism of action of PGF2&agr; is thought to involve activation of the phospholipase C-Ca2+ pathway. The luteolytic actions of PGF2&agr; are mediated through an elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ involving activation of protein kinase C (PKC). Expression of PKC isozymes and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CAMKK2) change as the CL develops to a mature stage. Either …

Polyploidy Affects Growth, Fillet Composition, And Fatty Acid Profile In Two Year Old Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus Mykiss, Jeremy Lynn Everson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gonadal development is a dominant physiological process that alters growth and fat metabolism, thereby reducing fillet quality. Sterile, triploid (3N) female rainbow trout, generated by pressure-induced shock of zygotes 30 minutes after fertilization (3NP), are used to eliminate reduced growth and quality associated with gonadogenesis. However, this method does not produce 100% 3N offspring. Crossing a diploid (2N; fertile) female and a tetraploid (4N; fertile) male produces triploid offspring 100% of the time (3NC; sterile). This method is not widely used in the industry because it requires 4N brood stock. The current study examines growth, fatty acid composition, and fillet …

Development Of A Conservation Action Plan For The Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis Alleganiensis) In West Virginia, William J. Greathouse

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis ) is the largest salamander in North America growing to 75 centimeters in length. This fully aquatic species is an indicator of good stream and river quality and has been considered to be in decline or rare throughout its range. This study focused on the current distribution of the Eastern hellbender at sites of historic occurrence in West Virginia in order to determine the species' current range and factors impacting its distribution in order to facilitate planned reintroductions and translocations of hellbenders reared in human care. The success of the reintroduction and translocation efforts …

Biodiesel From Tall Oil Fatty Acids And Physico Thermal Properties Of Tropical Tree Fruit Oils As Thermal Energy Storage Systems, Gideon Sackey Lawer-Yolar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Research into biodiesel as a substitute for petroleum diesel has been ongoing since the energy crisis of the 1970's. The concern for the effect on the use of edible vegetable oils as feedstock has increased. Tall oil fatty acids have been considered as a non-food substitute and various works have been done on it. In this study, sulfuric acid and Amberlyst BD 20 were used as homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts respectively in the production of biodiesel from Tall oil fatty acids in a batch reactor. The treatment conditions for the homogeneous catalysis varied the factors of fatty acid to methanol …

Farmers Markets And The Emergency Food System In West Virginia: An Analysis Of Intersection To Improve Community Food Security, Jessica L. Crum

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Food insecurity is a problem in West Virginia. Individuals who are food insecure rely on assistance from private organizations, such as food pantries and soup kitchens. Individuals may also rely on government assistance, with programs like SNAP and WIC, as a means to cope with food insecurity. Farmers markets have been trying to become more accessible to low-income individuals and increase community food security through the acceptance of SNAP, WIC, and SMFNP vouchers. This study uses key informant interviews to understand to what extent and in what ways farmers markets are interacting with emergency food systems to improve community food …

The Effectiveness Of A Chart Audit And Feedback Intervention To Improve Cardiology Provider Delivery Of Heart Failure Self-Care Education, Dorothy Murphy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Heart failure is a challenging disease process that presents a high risk of mortality, frequent hospitalizations, and an overwhelming economic burden to the health system. Patient self-care education has been shown to decrease unplanned hospitalizations, emergency room visits, hospitalized days, costs, and mortality rates. However, only 61% of adults with HF receive self-care education within a 12-month period.;Under the framework of the Iowa Model for Evidence-Based Practice, the purpose of this project was to implement an electronic health record audit and written and verbal provider feedback intervention with the aim of improving provider delivery of heart failure self-care education to …

Father Involvements Influence On Mother's Perceptions Of Parenting In An Appalachian Sample, Kalynn B. Amick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Father involvement in parenting can have a positive influence on both children and mothers. During times of economic stress it may also add to the resources available and make a positive contribution to mothers parenting practices. In this study it was considered how father involvement may influence mother's perceptions of parenting. Specifically, this study looks at father involvement in an Appalachian sample. Five participants completed questionnaires which answered questions about mothers' present perceptions of parenting and father involvement. No significant associations were found between father involvement and mother's perceptions of parenting. Limitations include small sample size and a lack of …

Telemonitoring To Change Standard Diabetes Education And Management In A Rural Healthcare Practice, Kendra L. Barker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Type II Diabetes is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Intense education and positive behavior reinforcement by healthcare professionals has been shown to enhance personal glycemic control for patients with Type II diabetes. However, limitations often prevent patient attendance at diabetes education classes. The purpose of this change project was to assess the efficacy of a telemonitoring intervention on glycemic control. Kotter's change process served as the conceptual underpinning for the project.;Objective: The overall objective was to implement a telemonitoring intervention based on Kotter's change process in a sample of adults with Type II diabetes who obtained care at …

Spatializing The Soil-Ecological Factorial: Data Driven Integrated Land Management Tools, Travis Nauman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Soils form the dynamic interface of many processes key to the function of terrestrial ecosystems. Many soil properties both influence and are influenced by activity of flora and fauna. Interactions between soils, biota, and climate determine the potential ecosystem services that a given unique ecological site (ES) can support, and how resilient a site is to various pressures and disturbances. Soil data are needed to fully understand how these factors interact, but because this data is difficult to obtain, existing soil maps are sometimes not detailed enough to fully explore relationships. Environmental raster GIS data layers were used to increase …

Functional Analysis And Transcriptional Regulation Of Oocyte-Specific Nuclear Transporter Kpna7, Lei Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The finely orchestrated development and maturation of the oocytes has been the focus of many studies in which oocyte-specific genes essential for folliculogenesis and early embryonic development have been identified. Studies using knockout mice models of Nobox, Sohlh1, Sohlh2, Figla and Lhx8 have revealed that these oocyte specific transcriptional factors form networks in which they regulate the expression of each other and downstream targets. However, little is known about the mechanisms that control the nuclear transport of these essential factors in oocytes and early embryos. The nuclear envelope separates the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartment in the cell and uncouples transcription …

Soluble Oligomeric Abeta42 Affects Microglia Activation And Mitochondrial Respiration, Cong Tan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microglia activation is associated with many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). When activated, microglia cells change their morphology and become phagocytic. In the Alzheimer's brain, microglia cells play an important role in scavenging plaque-damaged cells and in clearing Abeta plagues. Soluble oligomeric Abeta (oAbeta) is capable to stimulate microglia activation. In AD brain, microglia cells accumulate around senile plaques as a hallmark of the pathology. Recently, we found that mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is affected in a dose-dependent manner in a microglia cell line (C8-B4) and primary rat glia cell. Mitochondrial basal, maximal and spare respiration capacities increase at …

Type 1 Diabetic Heart: Examination Of Mitochondrial Structure And Micrornas, Dharendra Thapa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cardiac complications such as diabetic cardiomyopathy are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus. Dysfunctional mitochondria, an effect associated with cardiomyopathy, are central in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Cardiac mitochondria are comprised of two spatially located mitochondria including mitochondria located beneath the sarcolemma, termed subsarcolemmal mitochondria (SSM) and those located in between myofibrils, termed interfibrillar mitochondria (IFM). Mitochondrial subpopulations have been shown to respond differently to pathological and physiological stimuli as reported in a review published by our laboratory. IFM mitochondria are most impacted in a type 1 diabetic setting. Proteomic alterations …

The Effects Of The Human Voice On The Behavioral Indicators Of Stress In Dogs Housed In An Animal Shelter, Juliana M. Hypes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Animal shelters are very stressful environments for the animals housed there. Dogs that live in shelters have been observed exhibiting stress-related behavior such as barking, pacing, aggression and fear related behaviors such as cowering. Behaviors of this nature are off-putting to prospective adopters. To combat this problem, shelters are using different types of behavioral programs to reduce stress in the kennels. One such program involves human volunteers reading to the dogs. The aim of this study was to determine if listening to the human voice could reduce the expression of stress-related behaviors in shelter dogs. In order to establish the …

Nanofibrillated Cellulose And Copper Nanoparticles Embedded In Polyvinyl Alcohol Films For Antimicrobial Applications, Tuhua Zhong, Gloria S. Oporto, Jacek Jaczynski, Changle Jiang

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Our long-term goal is to develop a hybrid cellulose-copper nanoparticle material as a functional nanofiller to be incorporated in thermoplastic resins for efficiently improving their antimicrobial properties. In this study, copper nanoparticles were first synthesized through chemical reduction of cupric ions on TEMPO nanofibrillated cellulose (TNFC) template using borohydride as a copper reducing agent. The resulting hybrid material was embedded into a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix using a solvent casting method. The morphology of TNFC-copper nanoparticles was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM); spherical copper nanoparticles with average size of 9.2 ± 2.0 nm were determined. Thermogravimetric analysis and antimicrobial …

Effect Of Nutrition, Lactation And Gonadotropin Stimulation On Ram-Induced Lh Surge And Subsequent Fertility In Early Post-Partum Ewes During Seasonal Anestrous, Abiodun Emmanuel Adebiyi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study evaluated the effect of lactation, exogenous gonadotropin (GS), and nutritional supplementation (SUPP) on fertility of Katahdin ewes during seasonal anestrous. Experiment 1 evaluated effects of lactation and GS on ram-induced LH surge. Lactating (65 to 80 d postpartum; pp) and dry ewes were randomly assigned to be treated with an estrus induction protocol (EIP) consisting of a 5-d treatment with a CIDR device with an injection of a gonadotropin mixture (240 IU eCG and 120 IU hCG; P.G. 600RTM; 3 ml/animal i.m.; n = 16) or no further treatment (n=16) at removal of CIDRs. Experiment 2 was similar …

Influence Of Mycorrhizal Fungi On Soil Geochemistry And Plant Uptake Of Cadmium And Zinc: Greenhouse And Soil Studies Of Palmerton Zinc Superfund Site, Pennsylvania, U.S.A, Christian X. Figueroa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The application of bioremediation as a means to ameliorate potentially toxic metals from contaminated soils has been on the forefront of sustainable technologies in the field of environmental studies. Conventional methods available for soil remediation are employed in both in situ or ex situ and these are: soil flushing, solidification/stabilization, vitrification, electrokinetics, chemical reduction/oxidation, soil washing, and excavation. In general, these technologies are limited by their applicability to small areas and the high costs to execute. The use of biota, in particular fungi and trees, has been an emerging low-cost and "environmentally-friendly" alternative to conventional technologies. In this study, I …

Defining Cardiovascular Dysfunction In The Metabolic Syndrome: Therapeutic And Nutritional Approaches To Treatment, Sara Brooks Fournier

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex disease state defined by the manifestation of a cluster of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors including, abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. Individuals afflicted with MetS have been demonstrated to assume the burden of a 3-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, myocardioal infarction, stroke, type II diabetes (T2DM) and all cause mortality. The national prevalence of hyperglycemia and abdominal obesity paralleled by a surge in sedentary lifestyle behavior underscore the importance of early identification and treatment of MetS. Deleterious adaptations to both vascular and myocardial structure and function have been demonstrated in MetS. …

The Effects Of Modest Improvement In Pellet Quality On Tom Turkey And Straight-Run Broiler Performance, With Focus On Experimental Design, Brian Gregory Glover

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Improving the crumble/pellet percentage of feed has been argued to be difficult to obtain in the commercial industry due to the necessity of feed mills producing adequate feed volume within a time constraint. Poultry research often utilizes small numbers of birds per pen or experimental unit that may affect the estimation of variance components, potentially producing pen performance metrics that are less valuable for industry guidance. In Experiment 1, diets were manufactured to maintain nutrient availability and vary only in crumble/pellet percentage (standard = 40% pellets, improved = 70% pellets). The two dietary treatments were then fed to Hybrid Converter …

Assessing Feeder Space Access And Commercial Phytase Production Methods On Performance Of Commercial Broilers Fed Pelleted Diets, Mark Edward Lemons

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Applied research conducted at universities is essential for further advancements in poultry science and ultimately the commercial poultry industry. One important area of applied nutrition research is examining production methods associated with the important feed additive/enzyme phytase. Exogenous phytase inclusion in poultry diets has consistently been associated with decreased diet cost, increased broiler performance, and reduction in negative environmental impact. However, thermal stability of commercial phytases are variable. Strategies for production of phytases that ultimately maintain activity after being subjected to the pelleting process is essential. Phytase manufacturers have modified production methods in an effort to maximize phytase thermal stability …

Development Of Drilling Control Technology To Reduce Drilling Noise During Roof Bolting Operations, Mingming Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Noise induced hearing loss is a serious health issue among coal mine workers. The roof bolting operation is one of the noisiest underground mining operations. It is second among all equipment in underground coal mines whose operators exceed 100% noise dosage according to MSHA data. In roof bolting, the noise generated in the roof drilling normally contributes a major proportion to the noise exposure to this particular group of miners. This study is to develop a drilling control technology to reduce noise generated during roof bolting drilling.;Previous research shows that the specific energy consumed in drilling bolt holes is inversely …

The Effects Of Parameter Tuning On Machine Learning Performance In A Software Defect Prediction Context, Benjamin N. Province

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Most machine learning techniques rely on a set of user-defined parameters. Changes in the values of these parameters can greatly affect the prediction performance of the learner. These parameters are typically either set to default values or tuned for best performance on a particular type of data. In this thesis, the parameter-space of four machine learners is explored in order to determine the efficacy of parameter tuning within the context of software defect prediction.;A distinction is made between the typical within-version learning scheme and forward learning, in which learners are trained on defect data from one software version and used …

First Year Biomass Production Following Application Of Various Size Strip Thinnings In A Young Hardwood Stand In West Virginia., Ashlee Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Strip thinning can reduce stand density to promote better growth of residual trees and has potential to create a woody bioenergy feedstock in addition to enhancing and maintaining early successional habitat for wildlife. However, little research has been conducted on strip thinning within young hardwood stands to determine if these are viable attributes of strip thinning. The goal of this study was to assess the first year biomass production after strip thinning among three different cut strip widths (8 ft, 12 ft, and 16 ft) in a 22-year-old mixed mesophytic hardwood stand. Woody biomass production from stump sprouts and true …

A Novel Microbial Source Tracking Dna Microarray Used For Pathogen Detection In Environmental Systems, Xiang Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pathogen detection and the identification of fecal contamination sources can be challenging in environmental and engineered treatment systems. Factors including pathogen diversity and ubiquity of fecal indicator bacteria hamper risk assessment and remediation of contamination sources. Therefore, a quick method that can detect and identify waterborne pathogens in environmental systems is needed. In this work, a custom microarray targeting pathogens (viruses, bacteria, protozoa), microbial source tracking (MST) markers, mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) and antibiotic resistance genes was used to detect over 430 selected gene targets in whole genome amplification (WGA) DNA and complementary DNA (cDNA) isolated from sewage and animal (avian, …

Calcium Enhanced Protein Recovery From Underutilized Aquatic Resources And Optimizing Protein Gelation Strategies Using Functional Ingredients, Ilgin Paker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Utilization of aquatic resources has rapidly gained importance. Traditional fish processing does not utilize the majority of the fish, thus generating large quantities of waste that impacts the economy, sustainability and environmental stress adversely. Protein can be extracted from underutilized sources such as silver carp and catfish using a pH shift processing method and incorporated into the human diet. Therefore, myofibrillar proteins were extracted from ground fish using different alkali solubilization and precipitation strategies. The efficacy of protein separation from lipids, and insoluble such as skin, fins, scales and bones were investigated and compared. Protein and lipid recovery yields were …

The Role Of Dynorphin In The Onset Of Puberty In Female Lambs, Justin Angelo Lopez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The neural mechanisms underlying the onset of puberty are not well understood. In sheep, this process involves an increase in GnRH release due to decreased sensitivity to estrogen feedback. Because GnRH neurons do not express the relevant estrogen receptors, this pathway must contain interneurons. Neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus that co-express kisspeptin (Kiss), neurokinin B, and dynorphin (DYN), i.e. KNDy neurons, play a critical role. Based on previous data, the overall hypothesis is that the prepubertal hold in GnRH/LH release results from reduced Kiss stimulation and heightened DYN inhibition in response to estrogen negative feedback. Two …

A Descriptive Study Of Ncaa Life Skills Programs In The Big Ten Conference, Marc Joseph Williams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purposes of this study were: (1) To determine if Life Skills Programs exist in all of the 14 Big Ten Schools, (2) To determine if the NCAA Division I-A Life Skills Commitment Statements were utilized at all the Big Ten Schools and (3) To determine how Big Ten administrators perceived Life Skills Programs are across all 14 Big Ten Universities.;It was anticipated that all Big Ten colleges had a Challenging Athletes' Minds for Personal Success Life Skills Program on their campus. All Big Ten Life Skills administrators perceived their programs to be effective.;A written questionnaire based on the literature …

The Influence Of Accelerometer Cut Points On Determining The Percent Of Preschool-Age Children Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines, Anna Elizabeth Scott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Reduced physical activity is thought to be a major contributor to energy imbalance and obesity in children and adolescents. A challenge for researchers is selecting a tool that will accurately measure physical activity, especially in young children. A current tool that is used is an accelerometer. This study had two objectives. The first examined if different sets of accelerometer cut points developed for preschool-age children would produce the same physical activity results when identical raw data were run through them. Through the use of accelerometer data the second objective aimed to determine the percent of children who met the physical …