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Morphological And Phylogenetic Resolution Of Diplodia Spp., Emerging Canker Pathogens Of Oak (Quercus Spp.), In The United States, Savannah Lyn Ferreira

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In Mediterranean Europe and the United States, oak species (Quercus spp.) have been in a state of declining health and vigor for the past several decades. Several biotic agents have been found to contribute to this decline to varying degrees including Phytophthora cinnamomi and Armillaria spp., both causal agents of root rots, and various insect defoliators. In the U.S., Bretziella fagacearum, the causal agent of oak wilt, has also been implicated. More recently, Diplodia corticola (Dc) and other Diplodia spp. have been implicated in causing dieback and mortality of oak species in Europe and in …

Multidimensional Analysis Of Vulnerability: Methodological Advances And A Case Study From Malawi., Park Mcmillan Muhonda

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Since 1990s rural households in Malawi, constituting 85% of the population, have experienced deepening livelihood vulnerability, often manifested as persistent food insecurity. Livelihood crises have since been blamed on or attributed directly to weather perturbations/climatic shocks i.e. El-Nino induced climate variability/drought conditions. This study revealed that persistent livelihood crisis in rural Malawi cannot be attributed to or squarely blamed on weather shocks alone, rather it is at the intersection of various livelihoods shocks that rural livelihood vulnerability in Malawi is exacerbated i.e. worsening and deepening.

Thus, rural livelihood vulnerability to climate shocks in Malawi is manifest not in isolation but …

Population Health Of Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma Maculatum) In Created Vernal Pools: An Integrative Approach, Alice R. Millikin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Habitat creation is an important tool for conservation to counteract habitat loss and degradation. Vernal pools are susceptible to destruction due to limited detection, protection, and regulation. These wetlands provide fishless breeding habitat for many amphibian species including spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) in eastern North America. Determining whether created vernal pool habitat is successful is often determined by demographic data of colonizing populations. I suggest that hormone levels, population genetics, and disease prevalence can improve our understanding of population health in created habitat. The goal of this dissertation was to assess the health of spotted salamander larvae in …

Behavioral Impairment Following Gestational Exposure To Titanium Dioxide Nanomaterial Aerosols In Male And Female Rats, Matthew Leland Eckard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are beginning to be recognized as hazardous to human and animal health. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is primarily used as a whitening agent in paints, plastics, and sunscreens. While relatively inert in its bulk form, nano-TiO2 (diameter) can produce prolonged inflammation and oxidative stress in target tissue. Recently, the potential for nano-TiO2 to cause neuroinflammation and damage has heightened concerns about its continued use. One important concern is that nano-TiO2, and other metal oxide ENMs, may affect fetal neurodevelopment. Accordingly, it is imperative to screen ENMs, like TiO2, for possible neurotoxicity following developmental exposures. The current set of …

Mirror, Mirror In The Chamber: Effects Of Social Stimuli On Operant Behavior, Michael Steele Yencha

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The variables affecting social behavior are myriad, making the prediction and control of behavior occurring in social contexts relatively difficult. One can attempt to create a controlled social context in the laboratory by introducing a second organism into an operant chamber. To investigate effects of social stimuli on operant responding, key pecking responses of three pigeons were maintained on a variable-interval (VI) schedule of reinforcement in Experiment 1, and the key pecking responses of three additional pigeons were maintained on a three-component multiple schedule in Experiment 2. The components included a variable-ratio (VR) schedule, a fixed-interval (FI) schedule, and a …

Resilient Stochastic Control Strategies In Cyber-Physical Microgrids, Mohammad Reza Khalghani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microgrids are the integration of a large number of distributed energy resources in a decentralized way such that the energy supply reliability and resiliency are enhanced against natural disasters, physical and cyber disruptions. This dissertation addresses three main challenges for microgrid operation and management:

1) According to fast growing number of Electric Vehicles (EV) deployment, their impacts on microgrids resulted from their uncertain behaviors are new concerns for the microgrid operators. These concerns can be EV charging and discharging schedule and locations of EV parking-lots in the system which are considered and solved using stochastic modeling and optimization algorithms based …

Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga Cerulea) And Associated Species Response To Operational Silviculture In The Central Appalachian Region, Gretchen Emily Nareff

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, I assessed the response of Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea) and 5 additional songbird species to timber harvests prescribed through operational silviculture. The research took place in relatively contiguous mature deciduous forests in 4 states in the central Appalachian region—Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, USA.

For the first part of the study, I collected Cerulean Warbler abundance and territory data through point counts and territory mapping, respectively. I used the point count data to model Cerulean Warbler abundance pre- and post-harvest at 5 study areas (Kentucky [n=1], Virginia [n=2], West Virginia [n=2]) and post-harvest at …

Alternative Splicing In Vertebrate Photoreceptors And Mechanisms Underlying Retinitis Pigmentosa, Jesse C. Sundar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

RNA binding proteins (RBPs) have emerged as important regulators of gene expression. RBPs typically contain RNA binding domains that recognize a specific sequence and/or structural motifs within the RNA. This allows them to modulate metabolism of RNAs in several possible ways including regulation of alternative splicing and processing, polyadenylation, translocation, localization, modification, stability, or translation. Previous studies have shown the Musashi (MSI) RBP family to be highly expressed in the retina, and more specifically, photoreceptors, but the importance of this expression remains largely unknown. We identified the MSI proteins as potential regulators of alternative exon splicing in murine photoreceptors. We …

Domain Adaptation And Privileged Information For Visual Recognition, Saeid Motiian

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The automatic identification of entities like objects, people or their actions in visual data, such as images or video, has significantly improved, and is now being deployed in access control, social media, online retail, autonomous vehicles, and several other applications. This visual recognition capability leverages supervised learning techniques, which require large amounts of labeled training data from the target distribution representative of the particular task at hand. However, collecting such training data might be expensive, require too much time, or even be impossible. In this work, we introduce several novel approaches aiming at compensating for the lack of target training …

Gas County: A Case Study On How West Virginia's Recent Gas Boom Is Transforming A County, Egill Karlsson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A case study on horizontal hydraulic fracturing through the eyes of Doddridge County, WV; how it's affected the residents and various stakeholders in different ways, from economy to health and environment.

Caregiver Selection Of Treatments For Their Child With Autism, Amy Kurowski-Burt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project was completed to understand what treatments caregivers are selecting for their child with autism and why treatments were selected and discontinued. Caregivers of children with autism participated in a mixed methods study. An online survey was completed (N=127) to identify treatments used for their child. Interviews were completed (n=14) to understand why treatments were selected and discontinued. Selection of medical, dietary, therapeutic, complimentary/ alternative medicine, community-based, behavioral, and educational treatments were mostly influenced by recommendations of others. Caregivers reported discontinuing because relationships and professionalism were lacking between provider and family. Providers must consider all the variables that influence …

The Microvascular And Systemic Effects Of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle Exposure: A Physiological Perspective, Alaeddin Bashir Abukabda

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO₂) are one of the most widely used engineered nanomaterials (ENM). Their ubiquitous inclusion warrants a more thorough understanding of their toxicity, particularly in sensitive populations such as pregnant women and the developing fetus.

The aim of the first study was to determine the most sensitive segments of the vasculature to pulmonary ENM exposure. Macrovascular function was investigated in the thoracic aorta, common femoral artery and 3^rd order mesenteric arterioles using wire myography. Microvascular function was assessed in 4^th and 5^th order mesenteric arterioles via pressure myography. Nano-TiO₂ exposure induced impairments …

Application Of Molecular Pathology Techniques To Understand Mechanisms Of Disease In Smallmouth Bass, Heather Leigh Walsh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the Chesapeake Bay drainage, smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu are used as an indicator species of estrogenic contaminant exposure and have been implicated in fish kills and disease since 2005. In the Potomac River drainage, adult smallmouth bass have experienced mortality and disease and males have a high prevalence of intersex (testicular oocytes). Conversely, in the Susquehanna River drainage mortalities and disease of young-of-the-year smallmouth bass (YOY SMB) have occurred and resulted in a population shift to older and larger fish. The exact cause of these events remains unknown; however, factors such as poor water quality, contaminants, pathogens and parasites, …

Effects Of Delay And Signals On Choice Between Delayed Food Alone And Immediate Food With Delayed Shock, Forrest James Toegel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Much of the research in the area of self-control has examined choice between small immediate reinforcers and large delayed reinforcers, but many problems result from situations in which a single choice produces consequences of conflicting valence: Those in which the immediate outcome is reinforcing and the delayed outcome is aversive. Recent research has evaluated how preference for a large reinforcer which is followed by a delayed shock changes as a function of the delay to shock and how the intensity and duration of delayed shock affects the value of a large reinforcer. The present set of experiments investigated how the …

Impact Of A Fruit And Vegetable Diet Intervention In Young Adults With Metabolic Syndrome On Behavior And Gut Microbiome, Rashel L. Clark

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of factors that increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. The rates of MetS are on the rise, even among young adults. The primary objective of the Fruvedomics phase 2 study was to determine changes in behavior, cardiovascular, and gut microbiome health in a group of young adults with MetS following an 8-week, free-living, dietary intervention.;Methods: The dietary intervention followed the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and focused on increasing fruit and vegetable intake to equal half their diet. University students (18--30 years old) with MetS were recruited on the West …

Estimating Bald Eagle Occupancy And Density In The Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Bethany Drahota

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are a newly recovered species, and as such, little is known about their modern population dynamics and how these dynamics interact with their ecology. With the recent expansion of eagle populations, managers have begun to question assumptions about bald eagles, including their sensitivity to disturbances. Discerning how eagles react to both outside influences and internal factors is crucial for eagle conservation, especially in focal areas of importance, such as the Chesapeake Bay. I used seven years of monitoring data from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) to determine the occupancy (chapter 1) and …

Connecting Talent To Technique An Actor's Exploration Of Connecting Back To Their Roots, Madeline Hintz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This paper is a reflection of my experience performing the role of Sara Jane Moore in the musical Assassins. To work through this role and honor the simplicity of the comedy, I needed to divulge my insecurities that stem from my past musical theatre and comedic experiences. Working through my past and my time here at WVU, the realization of how personal tensions affected my work made the role of Sara Jane Moore the most challenging experience of my graduate school education. The increased awareness of my resistance to new acting and voice techniques allowed me to grow and develop, …

The Role Of Kndy Neurons And Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase In The Control Of Reproduction In Female Sheep And Nonhuman Primates, Michelle Nichole Bedenbaugh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion from the hypothalamus is an important regulator of ovarian function and reproductive cyclicity. During the reproductive cycle, the pattern of GnRH secretion from the hypothalamus, and subsequently luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion from the anterior pituitary, is modulated by ovarian hormones. However, the effects of estradiol (E2) and progesterone cannot be directly communicated to GnRH neurons because these neurons do not express progesterone receptors or estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha), the estrogen receptor that influences estrogenic regulation of GnRH secretion. Thus, neuronal intermediates that do express these receptors must exist to communicate steroidal feedback to GnRH neurons. Kisspeptin, …

How Connectedness To Nature Relates To Well-Being Over Time, Amy Knepple Carney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Correlational and experimental studies have found evidence that connectedness to nature (CN) leads to increases in well-being. Higher CN relates to higher positive affect, lower negative affect, and better health (Herzog & Strevey, 2008; Korpela & Ylen, 2007; Mayer, Frantz, Bruehlman-Senecal, & Dolliver, 2009). Little research, though, has examined the relation of CN and well-being over time. With the lack of longitudinal data, it is impossible to assess how CN might be associated with well-being and health over a person's lifetime. This study is among the first to evaluate CN and well-being with three-time points. Final analyses were conducted on …

Dissensual Women: Modernist Women Writers, The Senses, And Technology, Allyson Demaagd

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

My project, Dissensual Women: Modernist Women Writers, the Senses, and Technology, analyzes depictions of the senses and technology in modernist women's writing. I argue that modernist women writers challenge traditional sensory hierarchies that value the so-called masculine senses of sight and sound and denigrate the so-called feminine senses of smell, taste, and touch. H.D., Mina Loy, Virginia Woolf, and Elizabeth Bowen revalue the feminine senses, challenge sensory elitism, and advocate for an inclusive sensorium, one that features the perceptions and experiences of women, queer women, the lower classes, the nonhuman, and the differently abled. They wage their dissent through experimentation …

Examining The Association Amongst Expected Costs And Benefits, Peer Use, And Self-Reported Use Of Electronic Cigarettes In Adolescents, Kristine Durkin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding why e-cigarettes are becoming increasingly popular with adolescents, despite the potential negative health consequences of these products, is critical to informing prevention and intervention efforts. Prior research has identified peer use as a salient risk factor of adolescent e-cigarette use, but has not expanded on the mechanism of this association. For this study, 569 adolescents were recruited from an adolescent medicine clinic and public schools in rural and suburban areas of the mid-Atlantic United States. Participants completed a study-specific demographic questionnaire, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to assess substance use, and the Smoking Expectancy Scale for Adolescents (SESA) …

Welding Fume Exposure And Lung Cancer: Evidence Of Lung Toxicity And Tumor Promotion From In Vivo Studies In Aj Mice, Lauryn Falcone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Welding fumes were recently reclassified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) based on sufficient epidemiological evidence and limited evidence in animals. It is estimated that 11 million workers worldwide weld full-time, and an additional 110 million have had some type of welding-related exposure. Welding exposures are complex because of the diversity of welding modalities used in the workplace; these modalities include exposures to non-carcinogenic and/or carcinogenic metal containing fumes.;The objective of this dissertation was to determine which welding fumes and their component metals are the most toxic and have the greatest …

Assessment Of Surgical Guide Accuracy Utilizing A Digital Workflow, Nicole Irene Andreini

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objectives: To determine the accuracy of placing implants using a digital workflow. Variables were compared to see if there was an effect on implant position accuracy. These included bone level (BL) versus bone level tapered (BLT) implants, positioning of implants adjacent to tooth support versus further across an edentulous ridge, and impact of the surgical guide requiring adjustment to fully seat. Furthermore, two methods of post-operative assessment were compared to evaluate consistency of each approach.;Methods: A typical work up for digital implant planning was performed on a sectioned pig jaw. The DICOM CBCT file and IOS STL file were imported …

Walking Upright: An Actor's Blueprint Of Process And Character Development In Exit, Pursued By A Bear By Lauren Gunderson, Imani R. Berry

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There has been an increased emphasis for college instruction to incorporate more active and collaborative involvement of students in the learning process. These views have been asserted by The Association of American Colleges (AAC), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and The National Research Counsel (NRC), which are advocating for the modification of traditional instructional techniques to allow students the opportunity to be more cooperative (Task Group on General Education, 1988). This has guided educators and facilitators into shifting teaching paradigms from a teacher centered to a more student-centered curriculum. The present study investigated achievement outcomes and attitudes of learners in …

Arl2bp, A Novel Ciliopathy Protein, Is Required For Cilia Microtubule Formation, Abigail Ruth Moye

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cilia are specialized organelles essential for cellular function. Not surprisingly, mutations in cilia- related genes are linked to multi-syndromic diseases termed ciliopathies. These include blinding diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP). One such novel gene is ARL2BP (ARL2-binding protein) and is linked to RP and situs inversus (organ reversal) in humans, a phenotype produced by defects in the nodal cilia of developing embryos. Defects in photoreceptor cilia, as well as situs inversus in human patients, suggest that ARL2BP plays an invaluable role in the structure and function of cilia. However little is known about the role for this protein in …

Characteristics Of Activated Carbons Produced From Herbaceous Biomass Feedstock, Oluwatosin Jerry Oginni

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Energy security and environmental protection are at the forefront of research due to the forecasted depletion of fossil fuel reserves and the growing concern of its adverse environmental impacts. The use of renewable sources for energy applications has centered on the use of biomass feedstocks and this include from herbaceous, woody, agricultural waste, forest residues and municipal wastes. The thermochemical conversion (pyrolysis) of these biomass feedstocks has potential to produce liquid fuel, a solid residue (biochar) and non-condensable gas. The biochar is primarily composed of renewable porous carbon and other inorganic compounds. The biochar is used for soil amendment, adsorption …

Wintering American Black Duck Ecology Of Central Appalachia, Sara E. Yannuzzi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The American black duck (Anas rubripes) is a species of dabbling duck found only in the northeastern part of North America, and widely hunted until its decline. Since the 1950s, the total population has decreased by 53%. Habitat degradation and decline of wintering and breeding wetlands, historic overharvest, and interactions with the mallard (A. platyrhynchos) are attributed as some of the main causes of the black duck population’s decrease. Many policies and taxa- and habitat-specific joint ventures have since been created to aid in studying and improving North American wetlands and black duck populations throughout both their breeding and wintering …

Characterization Of Kndy Neuronal Activity In Gilts: Distribution And Effect Of A Progestin, Ashley Nicollette Lindo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Puberty is a process that incorporates a large array of both external factors and internal signals. The endocrinology of puberty has been studied in a number of mammalian species and typically depends upon an increase in hypothalamic secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). Neural inputs regulating GnRH secretion during the pubertal process are not completely understood. In the past decade, attention has focused on the role for a particular set of neurons located in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus. They have been named KNDy neurons because they coexpress kisspeptin, neurokinin B (NKB) and dynorphin and have been shown …

Laser And 3-Dimensional Printers: Characterizing Emissions And Occupational Exposures, Alyson R. Johnson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Toxicology and epidemiology studies have observed an association between ultrafine particles (UFPs) and respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological health effects. While there is a paucity of data in the literature on the potential toxicity and health effects from indoor UFP exposure, more exposure assessment studies and research evaluating the efficacy of controls is merited. An increased demand for efficiency, productivity, and manufacturing has led to conception of laser and 3- dimmensional (3-D) printers in various indoor workplaces. The indoor environment is one of the most important determinants of personal exposure. Introducing laser and 3-D printers to indoor workplaces, introduces a …

Analysis Of Membrane Transporter Systems Expressed During Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation In The Model Legume Medicago Truncatula, Christina Laureen Wyman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.