Digital Commons Network^™

Characterization Of Ovine Monocytes In Response To Haemonchus Contortus Larvae In Vitro And A Novel Role Of Interleukin-13 Inducing Larval Paralysis, Elizabeth Shepherd

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Haemonchus contortus is a hematophagous, gastrointestinal parasite affecting small ruminants. Parasitism by H. contortus is the greatest concern of sheep producers in the United States and accounts for billions of dollars in economic loss worldwide. However, different breeds of sheep display differences n natural resistance to H. contortus. St. Croix hair sheep have a remarkable ability to clear H. contortus without the aid of anthelmintics and develop a robust T helper type 2 (Th2) immune response, preventing establishment of infective stage 3 larvae (L3), when compared to susceptible Suffolk sheep. However, the mechanism of development of immune response and …

The Life And Work Of Alex Klein, Ramon Thiago Mendes De Oliveira

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Alex Klein is one of the best-known figures of the American oboe school. He is the winner of multiple international competitions, including the first prize at the Geneva’s Concours International d’Execution Musicale. Appointed principal oboe at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1995, Klein is one of the most highly regarded musicians hired during the Barenboim era. His recording of Richard Strauss’ oboe concerto with the CSO was awarded Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (with Orchestra) at the 44th Grammy Awards. In 2004, his tenure at CSO was interrupted due to the onset of Focal Dystonia; which affected multiple fingers in …

Amazon Nights Ii: Electric Boogaloo-Neural Adaptations For Communication In Three Species Of Weakly Electric Fish, Kathryne M. Allen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sensory systems have to extract useful information from environments awash in noise and confounding input. Studying how salient signals are encoded and filtered from these natural backgrounds is a key problem in neuroscience. Communication is a particularly tractable tool for studying this problem, as it is a ubiquitous task that all organisms must accomplish, easily compared across species, and is of significant ethological relevance. In this chapter I describe the current knowledge of what is both known and still unknown about how sensory systems are adapted for the challenges of encoding conspecific signals, particularly in environments complicated by conspecific-generated noise. …

Determining The Role Of Nudt7 In The Regulation Of Cellular Coa Levels And Metabolism, Stephanie Anne Shumar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Coenzyme A (CoA) is an essential cofactor required for hundreds of metabolic processes. Because it is such a critical cofactor, CoA levels are tightly regulated. In the fasted state and in diabetic mice, the concentration of CoA increases dramatically in the liver. This phenotype is associated with constitutively low CoA degradation, a process that is emerging as a potentially important mechanism for CoA regulation. Nudt7 and Nudt19 are two mammalian peroxisomal enzymes with CoA-degrading activity, which are highly expressed in the liver and kidney, respectively. Limited information is available on the biochemistry of Nudt7 and Nudt19; the structural basis for …

The Effect Of Occlusal Pressure On Vertical Force Generation On Dentate And Edentulous Subjects, Matthew Thomas Harper

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objectives: To determine 1) the difference in lower extremity power obtained from a vertical jump in individuals who are dentate or edentulous (implants or dentures) and 2) the difference occlusal pressure makes on lower body force output. Variables included jump height, maximum kicking force, maximum push off force, take off velocity, flight time, jump impulse, and maximum velocity. Groups included dentate, implant overdenture, and conventional denture.

Methods: Counter movement jumping with force plate collection was utilized to test the three populations in this study. The three populations were dentate, mandibular implant overdenture opposing maxillary complete denture, and conventional maxillary and …

Understanding Global Citizenship: Extension Employees’ Perceptions, Attitudes, And Opinions, Denis M. Scott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Extension services at land-grant universities typically deliver different aspects of global citizenship education for youth through a variety of activities and instructional methods. An examination of the literature reveals that although gaps in content areas and barriers to programming do exist, there are many types of experiences available in multiple settings for youth to learn about global citizenship. These activities vary in terms of content topics, duration, and delivery methods. The purpose of the study is to determine Extension employees’ perceptions about global citizenship education, their attitudes about what content students should learn, their opinions about how they learn about …

Confirmation Of Data-Driven Reservoir Modeling Using Numerical Reservoir Simulation, Al Hasan Mohamed Al Haifi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Data driven reservoir modeling, also known as Top-Down Model (TDM), is an alternative to the traditional numerical reservoir simulation technique. Data driven reservoir modeling is a new technology that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to build full-field reservoir models using field measurements (data - facts) instead of mathematical formulations that represent our current understanding of the physics of the fluid flow through porous media. TDM combines all field measurements into a comprehensive reservoir model to predict the production from each well in a field with multiple wells.

There are many opinions, speculations and criticism about not using the physics-based …

Intelligent Transportation Systems, Hybrid Electric Vehicles, Powertrain Control, Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control, Model Predictive Control, Hadi Kazemi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Information obtainable from Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) provides the possibility of improving the safety and efficiency of vehicles at different levels. In particular, such information has the potential to be utilized for prediction of driving conditions and traffic flow, which allows us to improve the performance of the control systems in different vehicular applications, such as Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) powertrain control and Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC). In the first part of this work, we study the design of an MPC controller for a Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC) system, which is an automated application that provides the drivers …

An Assessment Of Emotional-Force And Cultural Sensitivity The Usage Of English Swearwords By L1 German Speakers, Sarah Dawn Cooper

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the usage of English swearwords by L1 German speakers and poses the following three questions: (1) Which English swearwords do native-speakers of German use? (2) In which situations do German speakers use English swearwords? Why do they use English swearwords instead of their German counterparts? (3) What emotional weight do they apply to swearwords in English (i.e. How taboo are they)? In an effort to understand Germans’ use of swearwords today, potential attributing factors were assessed and evaluated in a 15-question survey comprised of both qualitative and quantitative components that was taken by 403 participants from Germany …

Learn First, Practice Second Approach To Increase Health Professionals’ Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, And Self-Efficacy., Madison E. Santella

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a “learn first, practice second” intervention on the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of multidisciplinary health professionals in West Virginia, specifically highlighting the Mediterranean Diet. Data was captured via online surveys at four time points (Baseline, Post-education, Post-immersion, Follow Up). All information was self-reported. This approach consisted of 16 weeks of online education, 2 weeks of cultural immersion in Tuscany, Italy, and a 7 month return to practice period. Data were analyzed using JMP Version Pro 12.2 and SAS Version 9.3 for Windows. Repeated measures ANOVA with irregular spacing …

Super-Localizing Food As Tourism Development™: Producing The 30 Mile Meal™ In Athens, Ohio, Jed Debruin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Geographers have played a leading role in the theorization and critique of local food initiatives, raising critical questions about why they are advanced, how they work, and who benefits. Central to geographic critique of local food initiatives is how “the local” is framed, valued, and fetishized. The 30 Mile Meal™ (30MM) is one of these local food initiatives that seeks to rebrand local food in Appalachia through tourism development, as well as expand this model to other communities. In this paper, I explore how the 30MM is distintinctive in relation to other local food initiatives, how the 30MM constructs and …

Contemporary Music Notation For The Flute: A Unified Guide To Notational Symbols For Composers And Performers, Ms. Eftihia Victoria Arkoudis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

David Cope stated: “There are two basic approaches to the study of New Music Notation: codification and comprehension […] what really needs to be done is not to keep listing the diverse ways each composer symbolizes his music or create substantially new and negating systems of notation, but to concentrate on codifying one way for future composers to symbolize their music.”^[1]

In an attempt to limit the inconsistency and complexity characterizing contemporary notation idiomatic to the flute, this paper is the first to adopt Cope’s statement and ultimately apply it in relation to the notation of non-standard extended flute …

The Perception Of Management Support For Patient Safety After The Implementation Of A System Change, Janice M. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Problem Statement Leadership scores on the AHRQ Hospital Patient Safety Culture Survey at a 268 bed teaching, acute care, nonprofit, non-governmental hospital in the South Atlantic Region of the United states have been decreasing for the past seven years. In those years there has been no plan to improve the scores. Safety scores published for this facility on public websites are mediocre or poor.

Theoretical Framework The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) conceptual model for rapid cycle improvement served as a foundation for the project. The model supported the project well with a plan, do (test the plan), study (analyze the results), act …

Adolescent Residential Mobility: Behavioral Outcomes And The Moderating Role Of The Mother-Adolescent Relationship, Sloane B. Glover

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Prior research has noted unfavorable associations between residential mobility (RM) and youth outcomes. However, little work has considered the mother-adolescent relationship as a moderator of the suggested associations. The purpose of the current study was to examine the internalizing, externalizing, and delinquent behaviors of adolescents (M_age=15.6, SD=0.77) following a move in comparison to adolescents who did not move. Frequency of moves was considered and adolescents were identified as either stable (0 moves), low mobility (1-2 moves), or high mobility (>2 moves) within a 6 year period. Mother-adolescent closeness and parental monitoring were examined as potential …

Evaluating The Impact Of An Intervention To Promote Empathy For Patients With Substance Use Disorder In A Rural Emergency Department, Theresa Poling

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background

Negative attitudes of health professionals towards patients with SUD are common and contribute to suboptimal health care for this marginalized group of patients (Van-Boekel, Brouwers, Van-Weeghel & Garretson, 2013).

Objectives

Promoting empathy in the Emergency Department (ED) has the potential to increase nursing staff’s awareness of their attitudes and perceptions toward patients with SUD, thereby decreasing the stigma associated with addiction and improving patient care and patient outcomes. The rationale for implementing this project was to evaluate a tool to promote empathy. This tool was developed by the student researcher based on a literature search and analysis.

Design

This …

Technology Use By Teachers Of Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Students, Nichole K. Zirzow

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This nationwide study explored the types and frequency of technology used by

teachers of deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh) students to design and deliver instruction, as

well as the types and frequency of technology being used by teachers of d/hh students to

promote communication and collaboration. It also examined the extent of professional

development in the area of technology use with d/hh students, and the related challenges

experienced by these teachers. The following research questions guided this study.

Research question 1. What kinds of technology do teachers of d/hh students use

to design and deliver academic content-based learning activities? With what …

Framing Effects On Fear Of Terrorism And Willingness To Sacrifice Civil Liberties, Ellory Ruth Dabbs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this research was to determine whether differences in the way the media frames an act of violence leads to different reactions by consumers. In particular, it was hypothesized that the ideology and race of the perpetrator would lead to differences in perceptions of whether or not the attack was terrorism. A vignette-style experiment was performed using respondents recruited via MTurk. Four versions of the vignette were evenly distributed to 441 respondents, changing whether the frame contained a photo, the ideology, and the name of the perpetrator. Using measures of fear from this data it was then investigated …

Bacterial Contamination Study Of Loose-Fitting Power Air Purifying Respirators (Papr) Compared To N-95 Ffr And Surgical Mask, In A Simulated Sterile Environment, Tyler J. Church

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) are commonly used in a health care setting, providing a higher level of protection than traditional surgical masks or N-95’s. However, little can be found in literature about their use in a sterile environment, such as an operating room. Thus, this study aims to compare bacterial contamination of three different models of PAPRs (3M^TM Versaflo^TM TR-600-ECK, 3M^TM Air-Mate^TM, and MAXAIR CAPR 710) to a N-95, surgical N-95 and surgical mask. The experiments were conducted in a small room with no ventilation, under two conditions, door open and door closed. Each …

State Capacity And Terrorism In The Developing World, Coty J. Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

What are the most influential factors to the rise of terrorist groups in the developing world? From Nigeria to Indonesia, various groups have conducted devastating attacks, against fellow citizens and international visitors. Hendrix and Young (2014) find military capacity may encourage the use of terrorism while bureaucratic measures depress them. Further investigation into underlying catalysts for mobilization is required before we can explain the rise in activity of terrorist organizations in these regions. I expect as measures of military capacity increase that terrorism increases while increases in administrative capacity reduce terrorist activity. I also expect indirect factors such as repressive …

Bridging The Gap: Utilizing Socratic Inquiry Facilitation In Cross-Cultural Communication And Conflict Exploration, Mikaela G. Zimmerman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this research is to explore the possibilities for improving governmental relations (local, national, and international) using microcosms of cross-cultural dialogues facilitated with Socratic Inquiry methodology and their potential to project situational similarities into more formal political conversation. Using twenty-five recorded dialogues from The Pennsylvania State University’s Center for Public Diplomacy (World in Conversation), I have broadly observed the role of Socratic Inquiry facilitation in cross-cultural dialogues whose content varies across a span of contentious social topics. By generally accounting for a range of relevant social factors such as gender, body language, conversational tools, and proxies for empathy, …

Appalachian Caregivers Of Persons With Dementia Non Use Of Services, Kristina M. Childers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this current study was to explain factors most strongly associated with Caregiver (CG) of Person with Dementia (PWD) non-use of formal and informal services in Appalachia.

Methods: A correlational explanatory design using validated self-report surveys was used to explain the association of the substructed Andersen’s Behavioral Model for Health Services Use in Appalachian CG non-use of formal and informal services. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA tests considering eight independent variables in total from each research question, using a sample of 43 CG/CR dyads.

Results: The analyses of four research questions …

An Educational Intervention For Skin Cancer Prevention With Hospital Staff: A Pilot Project For System Change, Amy Fran Bruce

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to design, implement, and evaluate an educational intervention provided to health care professionals using the Sun Smart U Curriculum created by the Skin Cancer Foundation (2017).

METHODS: Using a pretest-posttest design with a convenience sample (N=40), this intervention targeted the health professionals and staff from a residential/acute care facility caring for pre-adolescent, adolescent, and adult populations. Aims of this project included: (1) the staff’s baseline level of knowledge regarding sun protective behaviors using the Sun Smart U Curriculum, (2) the staff’s level of knowledge regarding sun protective behaviors post educational intervention …

Using Social Media To Combat Opioid Epidemic, Yiming Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Opioid addiction has become one of the largest and deadliest epidemics in the United States. To combat such deadly epidemic, there is an urgent need for novel tools and methodologies to gain new insights into the behavioral processes of opioid abuse and addiction. The role of social media in biomedical knowledge mining has turned into increasingly significant in recent years. The data from social media may contribute information beyond the knowledge of domain professionals (e.g., psychiatrists and epidemics researchers) and could potentially assist in sharpening our understanding toward the behavioral process of opioid addiction and treatment.

In this thesis, we …

Examining The Impact Of Treatment Fidelity On Client Outcomes In A Statewide Implementation Of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Mira D H Snider

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Clinician treatment fidelity, consisting of treatment adherence and clinician competence, is commonly assessed during the implementation of evidence-based treatments to ensure that clinicians are delivering care according to an intended service model. Although resources are often expended in fidelity measurement, associations between fidelity and client outcomes has not been well established in the psychotherapy literature. The relationship between clinician fidelity and treatment outcomes was investigated in a longitudinal sample of clinicians (n = 17) and parent-child dyads (n = 32) following a statewide implementation of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. Observer-rated measures of adherence and coaching competence collected from early …

The Food Bank Fix: Hunger, Capitalism And Humanitarian Reason, Joshua David Lohnes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Drawing on a five-year institutional ethnography of Humanitarian Food Networks (HFNs) in West Virginia, this dissertation explores the moral, political and economic place of the food bank in the corporate environmental food regime. I develop the concept of the food bank fix to theorize the paradoxical relationships between the state, the shadow state, food corporations, local charities and food banks that tie HFNs across the United States together through humanitarian reason. I argue that food banks damp the grinding contradictions of a society awash in food surpluses even as a significant proportion of the population remains at risk of hunger. …

Probability Discounting Of Lewis And Fischer 344 Rats: Strain Comparisons At Baseline And Following Acute Administration Of D-Amphetamine, Jenny E. Ozga

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Risky choice can be defined as choice for a larger, uncertain reinforcer over a smaller, certain reinforcer when choosing the smaller alternative maximizes reinforcement. Risky choice is studied using various procedures in the animal laboratory; one such procedure is called probability discounting. There are many variables that contribute to risky decision-making, including biological and pharmacological determinants. The present study assessed both of these variables by evaluating dose-response effects of d-amphetamine on risky choice of Lewis (LEW) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats. The probability-discounting procedure included discrete-trials choices between one food pellet delivered 100% of the time and three food …

Factors Related To Collaborative Willingness In Surrogate Decision-Making Situations From The West Virginia Post., Rachael Spalding

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

If a patient becomes unable to adequately express preferences for medical care, another individual called a “surrogate” may be consulted to make treatment decisions. Surrogates may be asked to indicate patient preferences on the Physician Order for Scope of Treatment (POST), a new type of advance directive completed with patients who are estimated to have less than one year left to live. Research from the shared decision-making literature indicates that collaboration can be a valuable means of enhancing patient satisfaction with their decisions. The current study examined how certain psychological and demographic variables predicted the extent to which participants desired …

Psychological Trauma And Resilience Of Police Officers Involved In An Ambush: An Exploratory Study, Erin A. Teaff

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Law enforcement officers are widely recognized as having one of the most dangerous and stressful occupations, which can lead to lasting physical and psychological impacts. While research has examined the psychological trauma and resilience experienced by police officers, there have been very few research studies involving ambushes. Due to the continued risk of ambushes on police officers, gaining insight into the trauma and resilience of officers during these types of situations would be beneficial in providing psychologists with information to aid in their treatment officers involved in an ambush and similar unprovoked attacks. The primary aim of this study was …

Identity Formation Of Adolescents Who Are Homeschooled: Mothers' Perceptions, Peggy Joan Mcqueen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Homeschooling is a growing educational choice with very little research about the psycho-social outcomes associated with the process. This qualitative study sought to examine the potential facilitative benefit of homeschooling upon the formation of identity. The participants were 26 mothers of homeschooled adolescents in Pennsylvania. Parent responses were examined using thematic analysis. Constituent aspects of parental motivation and methodology were investigated to assess the presence of elements facilitative in the process of identity formation as identified by Erik Erikson (1959, 1963). In examining methods used in homeschooling, it was found that the mothers in this study are providing the support …

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 …