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Iron Coated Sand: A Sustainable Substrate Amendment For Nutrient Management And Growth Of Floriculture Crops, Savannah Mead

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Acid mine drainage and phosphorus pollution are two of the most pervasive forms of water contamination in Appalachia and globally. The horticultural industry is a contributor to nutrient pollution via leaching from greenhouses, necessitating the adoption of more sustainable practices for container production in controlled environments. In this thesis, an acid mine drainage-based iron-coated sand product was assessed on its effectiveness for phosphate adsorption when used as a sustainable substrate amendment for soilless container production of flowering ornamentals. The first study centered around the amount of iron-coated sand to use for production of petunias, pansies, and chrysanthemums. Iron-coated sand at …

Endogenous Glucocorticoid Signaling Is Required For Normal Macrophage Response To H. Pylori Infection, Stuti Khadka

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gastric cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, affecting millions of people. H. pylori is the strongest risk factor for gastric cancer, with about 90% of the cases strongly associated with H. pylori infection. Half of the world's population is infected with this bacterium. However, only a small subset of the infected population (1-3 %) go on to develop gastric cancer. Diagnosis of the disease at an early stage is the biggest challenge because of the widespread prevalence of H. pylori infection and a long asymptomatic phase before the advanced stages. Patients are left with limited treatment …

An Appalachian Perspective On Suicide: A Focus On West Virginia’S Unique Context, Erin Delaney Caswell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

INTRODUCTION: The Appalachian region, spanning 13 states from New York to northern Mississippi, experiences the suicide rates in the United States (U.S.), underscoring a public health crisis exacerbated by persistent socioeconomic challenges. West Virginia (WV), the only state entirely within Appalachia, serves as a focal point for understanding the broader suicide crisis in the region, as WV has the highest suicide rates in the region. Moreover, the state has several unique socioeconomic factors, like increased poverty, lower educational attainment, limited access to healthcare, and a high prevalence of chronic pain and substance that may contribute to elevated rates of suicide. …

Examining The Role Of Microbial Communities In Soil Carbon Cycling Across Levels Of Complexity, Chansotheary Dang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microorganisms provide the foundation for many ecosystem processes and are important drivers of carbon and nutrient cycling. The advancement of next generation sequencing has allowed researchers to lift open the lid on the ‘black box’ in microbial ecology. While previously unculturable microbes can now be characterized with the 16S rRNA gene, answering ‘who’s there?’ is only part of the challenge. Hidden inside the ‘black box’ remains the question, ‘who’s doing what?’. Recent development in trait-based methods like quantitative stable isotope probing (qSIP) equipped microbial ecologists with the tool to connect taxon-specific traits to ecosystem processes. Despite the growing body of …

The Role Of Uric Acid In Metabolic Abnormalities Of Obesity, Andrew P. Giromini

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Uric acid (UA) is the single most tightly associated metabolite for obesity and type 2 diabetes. While the field varies on whether UA is causative or correlative of the metabolic dysfunction allied to obesity, these studies use different diets and animal models to make these claims. It is the goal of this dissertation to compare different diets commonly used in this research to delve deeper into the data and determine which diets induce elevated circulating UA levels as well as which diets also induce metabolic dysfunction. Early chapters of this dissertation examine the comparison of high fructose consumption, both in …

Measures Of Feed Efficiency In Beef Cattle: Biological Basis And Effect On Response To Dietary Supplementation, Modoluwamu Idowu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

During the feedlot receiving period, newly weaned beef cattle face various stressors, including weaning, transportation, vaccination, and exposure to pathogens. Additionally, changes in diet and low dry matter intake contribute to nutrient deficiencies, heightening susceptibility to disease and performance declines. Therefore, we examined the effects of dietary supplementation with a multicomponent blend of prebiotics and probiotics on the health, immune status, metabolism, and performance of newly weaned beef steers during a 35-day receiving period. Our results showed that compared to the control group, the supplemental additive (SYNB) increased average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake, and meal events during the …

Aberrant Lipid Accumulation And Retinal Pigment Epithelium Dysfunction In Prcd-Deficient Mice, Sree Indrani Motipally

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Progressive Rod-Cone Degeneration (PRCD) is a peripheral membrane protein predominantly expressed in photoreceptor outer segment (OS) disc membranes with an unknown function. Several mutations in Prcd are implicated in Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in humans. The most common “cysteine to tyrosine” (C2Y) mutation in Prcd leads to progressive retinal atrophy in multiple dog breeds and RP in humans. Canine models harboring the C2Y mutation in Prcd show disorganized OS structure with greatly attenuated photoreceptor OS renewal rates. Recent studies show defects in the photoreceptor nascent disc flattening in the absence of Prcd. However, it is unclear how OS discs eventually …

The Effects Of Forgetting And Disclosure On Mock Jurors' Perceptions Of An Alleged Rape, Johnathan Meier

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Memory recall and forgetting is a complex process. Memories can be completely forgotten (e.g., Ebbinghaus, 1885/1964; Murre, 2015) or repressed and recovered at a later time (e.g., Key et al., 1996; Foster-Lee et al., 1999). Instances of sexual assault may be disclosed to a close acquaintance or medical professional at the time of the event or kept secret until the time of reporting to authorities (e.g., Pica et al., 2020a). In the current study, mock jurors’ perceptions of credibility and guilt, as well as the amount of compensation awarded to the plaintiff, will be assessed in response to testimony depicting …

Nickel-Catalyzed Regioselective Three-Component Coupling Of Phenyl Vinyl Sulfones With Alkynes, Stephen M. Long

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Benzene rings are some of the most prevalent motifs found in small molecule drugs with only a few dominant substitution patterns, 1-, 1,2-, 1,4-, and 1,2,4-. Nucleophilic aromatic substitution and electrophilic aromatic substitution are traditional methods for the synthesis of substituted benzenes and are robust and commonly used by chemical manufacturers, which explains in part the observed distribution of substitution patterns. Current methods to access substituted benzenes comprise of transition-metal-catalyzed C-H activation, transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling, and aryne chemistry. In general, the present methods require directing/leaving groups in specific positions to proceed, which inherently puts a limitation on substrate scope. Transition-metal-catalyzed [2+2+2] …

A Rainy Day For Cancer: The Characterization And Utilization Of The Long Non-Coding Rna Lnc-Rainy In The Radiation Response Of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Emily S. Rice

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Lung Cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. While important improvements have been made to the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), treatment resistance is a critical issue facing the majority of patients. Previously, our lab identified a group of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) known as linc-SPRY3 RNAs, expressed on the Y-chromosome, that play a role in radiation sensitivity by decreasing tumor burden in vitro and in vivo after radiation. Through molecular cloning methods and further functional characterization, here we present evidence that the linc-SPRY3 RNAs were originally mischaracterized as individual linc-RNAs but are in fact parts …

Efficient Classification Of Very High Resolution Images, Mohammad I. Nouyed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent decades, deep learning approaches have shown significant improvement in various image understanding tasks. However, analysis of high-resolution images remains a major challenge. In this work, we address the challenge of very high-resolution histopathological image (VHRHI) classification using a new information-theoretic discriminative patch selection approach. We show results on a high-resolution image dataset, namely, gigapixel whole slide tissue images for cancer tumors. Then we address how to efficiently classify challenging histopathology images, such as gigapixel whole-slide images for cancer diagnostics with image-level annotation. These ``weak labels'' are applied throughout the image but describe tumor regions of variable sizes and …

Cerebellar Feedback Effects On Responses To Conspecific Signals Of Different Frequencies In The Electrosensory System, Elora K. Shinn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sensory systems in animals have evolved to translate physical stimuli into neural representations that, in turn, guide behavior. Feedback is critical in these processes, allowing organisms to filter redundant information and respond effectively to relevant stimuli. In humans, for example, the cerebellar flocculus provides feedback to the vestibulo-ocular reflex to stabilize eye movements during body rotation. In bats, the feedback during echolocation helps prioritize essential signals from the environment. In weakly electric fish, cerebellar feedback helps filter out redundant low-frequency modulations caused by conspecifics, enabling them to detect prey and other relevant signals. However, the influence of cerebellar feedback on …

Interactions Between Myeloid Cells And Neutrophil Extracellular Traps In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Hillary Gabrielle Pratt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The 5-year-survival rate for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is only 12% due in part to a lack of therapeutic strategies that target the pathophysiology of the disease. The only known curative therapy is surgical resection of the PDAC tumor, but only 20% of patients are eligible at the time of presentation. To improve outcomes for patients, new therapeutic options are needed. The PDAC tumor microenvironment (TME) is uniquely fibrotic and hypoxic, which is in part driven by the immune cell composition in the TME. Myeloid cells are a prominent immune infiltrate within the PDAC TME, so these cells have been …

Evaluation Of Probable Maximum Precipitation (Pmp) For West Virginia To Predict Current And Future Pmp & Utilizing Acid Mine Drainage (Amd) Sludge In Reclamation, Grace Katherine Kerr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis includes two main topics: 1) evaluation of probable maximum precipitation (PMP) for West Virginia to predict current and future PMP, and 2) utilizing acid mine drainage (AMD) sludge as a reclamation plan.

Probable maximum precipitation (PMP) is essential for dam design as well as for the inspection, operation, maintenance, and repairs of these facilities. West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Dam Safety utilizes the 6-hr, 10-mi² (26-km²) PMP established by Hydrometeorological Report (HMR) 51 based on the analysis of extreme rainfall. These PMP are outdated because there have been unaccounted for extreme rainfall events that …

Leds For Controlled Environment Agriculture: Leveraging Light To Optimize Crops, Tristan D. Sanders

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Indoor agriculture is a growing industry with many of its benefits being recognized. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) reduce production costs compared to traditional light sources. LEDs emit narrow bandwidths of light that allow growers to easily change the wavelengths plants are being grown under by using different combinations of wavelengths. Manipulating the light that plants are grown under is a method to change their physiology which is the basis of this thesis. The goal of the first two studies was to investigate how different light spectra can be used to enhance the nutrition content, growth, and morphology of kale and …

Theorizing Mathematical Proof As Becoming: A Deleuzio-Guattarian Investigation, Joshua P. Case

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this dissertation, I utilize the post-structural philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari as a lens for investigating the proof process. Deleuze and Guattari were both post- structural philosophers who, like many in this tradition, troubled traditional notions related to stable identities, meaning, language, and mathematics. For Deleuze, sense and meaning is not the result of a sterile, transcendent effect or condition that is associated with propositions and states of affairs. Rather, it is the result of a material production that emerges from the world and that has independence from language and the mind. I apply this framework to …

Dentin-Sealer Bond Strength. A Review: An In-Vitro Comparison Between Guttaflow 2 ®, Endosequence Bc High Flow ®, Tubli-Seal ®, Sealapex ®, And Ah Plus Jet ® Sealers., Zied Diab

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: One objective of non-surgical endodontic therapy is the formation of a hermetic seal with elimination of any portal of entry of bacteria and their byproducts into the root canal space from periapical tissue. Extensive research has been conducted to determine ideal endodontic sealers. Bioceramic sealers have risen to prominence due to reported decreased shrinkage, less toxicity, and superior bond strength to root dentin compared to zinc oxide eugenol, calcium hydroxide, and resin-based sealers. GuttaFlow2®, a new sealer on the market, is composed of calcium silicate in combination with gutta-percha particles. Researchers from Coltene (Altstätten, Switzerland), the manufacturer of GuttaFlow2® …

Defining Success For An Introductory Mathematics Non-Stem Pathway Course, Clark D. Metz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The enduring debate surrounding college algebra, traditionally a gateway for STEM pathways, underscores the necessity for curricular evolution in response to the rising popularity of non-STEM majors. This dissertation explores the success of an applied college algebra course designed for non-STEM students. The study aimed to determine whether this alternative course could meet diverse student needs while promoting academic achievement and fostering positive attitudes towards mathematics. Findings revealed through a novel approach of a difference-in-differences analysis that students enrolled in the applied college algebra course exhibited higher pass rates due to the introduction of the new course. The lower failure …

The Role Of Synaptic Zinc Signaling In Excitatory Circuits Of The Mouse Auditory Cortex, Philip T R Bender

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Synaptic zinc signaling modulates synaptic activity and is present in specific populations of cortical neurons, suggesting that synaptic zinc contributes to the diversity of intracortical synaptic microcircuits and their functional specificity. The pool of chelatable synaptic zinc is controlled by the zinc transport protein ZnT3, a protein which functions by moving free zinc into glutamatergic presynaptic vesicles, from which it is co-released with glutamate during synaptic transmission. Once synaptic zinc is released within the synaptic cleft, it acts on glutamate receptors on the post-synaptic spine, including ionotropic NMDA and AMPA receptors. While the inhibitory function of zinc on NMDA receptors …

Role Of Β4b-Tubulin (Tubb4b) In The Sensory System And Spermatogenesis, Urikhan Sanzhaeva

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microtubules are ubiquitous cytoskeletal filaments essential in the function of eukaryotic cells. These polymers, comprised of αβ-tubulin heterodimers, are critical for cell division, intracellular transport, and formation of the axonemes of cilia and flagella. This functional diversity of microtubules is attributed to the incorporation of various α- and β-tubulin isotypes encoded by different genes. Indeed, mutations in human tubulin genes have been linked to various tissue-specific diseases, suggesting a unique function for each tubulin isotype. Mutations in the β4B-tubulin gene (TUBB4B) are associated with sensorineural hearing loss, Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), a severe childhood blindness, and primary ciliary dyskinesia …

Life Cycle Impacts Of Hardwood Forest Resources For Sustainable Bioenergy And Bioproducts In The Eastern United States, Jinghan Zhao

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A life-cycle impact assessment of hardwood resources across the eastern United States was conducted based on the life-cycle inventory data for hardwood forest resource management and was integrated with the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS). This integration allowed for the analysis of forest carbon dynamics in the four subregions: northeast (NE), mid-Atlantic (MA), southeast (SE), and northcentral (NC). The system boundary was selected to be consistent with the A1 module (extraction and upstream production) required by an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for wood products. The results indicated that uneven-aged management (UA) yielded higher carbon stocks than even-aged management (EA) across all …

Demonstrating The Need For Intergenerational Trauma-Specific Substance Use Treatment For Mothers Receiving Substance Use Treatment And Their Children, Brittany Ti-Esha Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

For decades the United States has faced substance use epidemics that have devastating public health consequences, with the most recent epidemic being the opioid epidemic. While the substance that is the center of the epidemic’s changes over time, one factor that has been found to be positively related to substance use has remained consistent, that preventable risk factor is adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Those who experience ACEs are at elevated risk for developing SUD. If the trauma that is a result of experiencing ACE is not treated it can complicate recovery and impact the individuals’ families. The children of individuals …

Diet And Population Genomics Of River Otters (Lontra Canadensis) In West Virginia, Eden Grace Nitza

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

North American river otters (Lontra canadensis), hereafter, otters, are apex predators in aquatic ecosystems across Appalachia, and thus have important impacts on their ecosystems such as food web regulation, nutrient cycling, and reducing the impacts of invasive species. Otters were extirpated from most of Appalachia, including all of West Virginia, by the mid-1900’s due to habitat destruction and overharvest. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) began an otter reintroduction program in 1984 which translocated approximately 250 otters into the state by 1997. This reintroduction program was largely considered successful, and a regulated harvest season was opened …

The Effects Of Feed Manufacture On Exogenous Enzymes, Starch Gelatinization, And Antinutritional Factors Associated With Soybeans, Kristina M. Bowen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This doctorate dissertation consists of four individual studies with the overarching theme of the effect of feed manufacture on exogenous enzymes and antinutrients found in soybeans.

Study 1. Including exogenous enzymes in poultry diets can liberate nutrients that are typically inaccessible to monogastric animals. Phytase feeding research has traditionally been conducted by rearing broilers in raised wire cages, whereas commercially grown broilers are reared on built-up litter. Therefore, cage-based studies may not accurately represent commercial bird performance response to phytase. Birds with access to litter consume it, possibly increasing phosphorus intake leading to suggestions that lower phytase concentrations are required. …

Application Of The Expert Algorithm For Substance Identification (Easi) To Predict Astm E1618-19 Ignitable Liquid Classes From Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Data Of Ignitable Liquid Residues, Hannah L. Mcmillen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Arson investigators require reliable and objective methods to interrogate fire debris for the presence of ignitable liquid residues. Although standard methods like ASTM E1618-19 exist for such procedures, these methods typically do not rely on quantitative measures but instead rely on the subjective judgment of fire debris analysts. To provide a more objective means to interpret fire debris evidence, we examined the ability of the Expert Algorithm for Substance Identification (EASI) to identify ignitable liquid classes from the total ion spectrum (TIS) of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) data files. TISs have been promoted by others to help remove variability caused …

Spiral Wave Teleportation And Multiplex Network Synchronization In Light Sensitive Belousov-Zhabotinsky Systems, Shannyn Alicia Tyler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

We experimentally and computationally investigate dynamical behaviors in excitable and oscillatory media using light sensitive Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) systems. These systems are not in a state of thermodynamic equilibrium, and have been proven to show various interesting phenomena including spatiotemporal patterns, self-organization, and chaos. We utilize the BZ reaction, a nonlinear chemical reaction, known for its relaxation-type oscillations, to explore the dynamics of these systems.

We examine spiral wave teleportation in an excitable media as an effective alternate defibrillation method. Spiral waves have emerged as a key phenomenon associated with the initiation and persistence of cardiac arrhythmias. Using a light sensitive …

Making Something Out Of Nothing: Immobility As An Operant, KaʻAla K. Bajo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The tradition of research in the experimental analysis of behavior generally emphasizes the analysis of overt, discrete responses such as lever presses or key pecks. Reflecting this emphasis, definitions of behavior involve the observable action or movement of an organism through space. Although continuous responses involving little to no movement, such as “holding still” or “immobility”, fall outside these definitions, immobility is a form of continuous, operant responding that can be learned and experimentally controlled. Three experiments were conducted to investigate parameters surrounding immobility as an operant. In Experiment 1, immobility in the form of platform-standing bouts was shaped and …

Cellular Level Changes Induced In Cancer Cells Due To Microgravity, Sai Deepika Reddy Yaram

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The increase in human activity in space has revealed several kinds of physiological challenges brought on by the absence of Earth's gravitational pull. NASA observed that during spaceflight, astronauts experience a 1-1.5% monthly loss in the mineral density of weight-bearing bones, with rehabilitation efforts on Earth often proving ineffective. This issue extends to muscles, the neuro vestibular system, the cardiovascular system, and vision. Cancer has emerged as a significant cause of mortality among astronauts, with studies up to 2017 showing that 41.3% of natural cause deaths among U.S. astronauts were due to cancer, primarily due to space radiation exposure. Cancer …

A Balancing Act: Microrna Mediated Insect-Bacterial Homeostasis And The Tsetse Fly, Mason Hubbard Lee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microbial symbioses are ubiquitous across all kingdoms of life with broad and diverse impacts on the evolution of species. The sum of all microbes living in, on, or otherwise in close association with a host form the microbiota. In some cases, the development of a stable microbial association seems to have been necessary for the specialization of diet, as can be observed in numerous insect species, especially wood-eating, sap-feeding, and blood-feeding organisms. For the medically and economically tsetse fly (family Glossinidae), the mutualistic bacteria Wigglesworthia glossinidia is required for proper reproduction and supplementation of nutrients that the fly does not …

Foraging Economies: A Market Based Methodology For Robotic Swarm Foraging, John A. Little

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Swarm robotics involves coordinating large groups of autonomous agents to accomplish complex tasks through decentralized, adaptive behaviors, providing a robust and scalable approach suited to dynamic and unpredictable environments. While traditional swarm models frequently draw inspiration from biological systems such as ant colonies or bee foraging, other approaches use techniques from physics, control theory, and economics to achieve effective coordination. This study distinguishes itself by applying economic principles—specifically, market-driven mechanisms like auctions, utility functions based on opportunity cost, and supply-demand dynamics based on fluctuating resource values at a central base—to improve task allocation within a swarm foraging context. This approach …