Digital Commons Network^™

Association Of Diet Quality And Body Mass Index With Serum Ceramides In Middle-Aged Adults, Margaret Ann Drazba

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and identifying CVD risk is important for determining and implementing appropriate intervention strategies. Ceramides are a class of sphingolipids that are implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity and CVD. However, their relationship to diet quality, a modifiable risk factor for CVD, is largely unknown. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the association of an a priori diet quality index and body mass index (BMI) with circulating ceramides in middle-aged adults (n=96). Dietary intake was assessed using three 24-hour recalls and Nutrition Data System for Research …

Resilience Modeling Of Surface Transportation System In Mixed Traffic Environment, Shofiq Ahmed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Large-scale natural disasters challenge the resilience of surface transportation system. The objective of this research was to develop a resilience model of surface transportation system in mixed-traffic environment considering varying Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) penetration scenarios. As deployment of CAVs are expected to improve traffic operations, a resilience model was developed in this research to evaluate the resilience performance of a transportation system with several CAV penetration levels (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) for a given budget and recovery time. The proposed resilience quantification model was applied on a roadway network considering several disaster scenarios. The network capacity …

Socialization And Mentoring Of Community And Technical College Faculty, Brad Maurice Gilbert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This case study research examined the socialization and mentoring processes at a community and technical college based on the perspectives of new college faculty members transitioning from career professions. Three main areas were the focus of examination: perceptions of institutional socialization structures and processes; perceived impact of processes on providing discipline content and pedagogical knowledge during integration to institutional norms and culture; and perceived impact of processes on classroom pedagogy and student learning. Interviews with sample faculty members having approximately three to five years experience at a community and technical college, located in the Mid-Atlantic Region, provide representative data for …

Design And Evaluation Of Novel Attitude Estimation System Using Mems Sensors For Indoor Uas, Joshua Bruce Milam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Most small unmanned aerial systems in use today, employ extended Kalman filter sensor fusion algorithms in order to provide accurate estimations of attitude or orientation. These complex algorithms use measurements from GPS receivers and magnetometer sensors that can be rendered useless in GPS denied environments or areas of significant magnetic interference, such as inside buildings or other structures. The complexity of these algorithms makes them inaccessible for some researchers and hobbyists who wish to code their own attitude estimation algorithms. This complexity is also computationally expensive and requires processors that are powerful enough to operate the algorithms along with any …

Thermal-Fatigue And Thermo-Mechanical Equivalence For Transverse Cracking Evolution In Laminated Composites, Javier Cabrera Barbero

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are potential materials for many aerospace and aeronautical applications due to their high specif strength/weight and a low coeffcient of thermal expansion (CTE) resulting in a high long-term stability. Among candidate structures, the re-entry reusable launch vehicles (RLV), the fuel oxidant storage and transportation at cryogenic temperature, space satellites, and aircraft structure (frame, wings, etc...) can be highlighted. However, CFRP are prone to internal damage as a result of high residual stresses and thermal fatigue loading. In this study, micro-cracking damage evolution in laminated composites subjected to monotonic cooling and thermal cyclic loads is developed …

Differentiating Human Populations Based On K-Mer Classification Of Hand Bacteria, Thrisha Doppala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Bacterial communities found in and on the human body are not only used in studying human health conditions but are also effective in differentiating individuals due to their distinct profiles. Human palm regions harbor relatively more diverse bacterial communities and are indicative of population groups, life styles, geographic locations, age groups and health conditions. Sequences extracted from hypervariable region V3 of the 16S rRNA bacterial gene of hand bacterial samples from 9 different population groups were classified into Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU) with GreenGenes reference taxonomy using RDP (Ribosomal Database Project) classifier. Frequencies of identified OTUs were used to study …

Cyber Threats And Healthcare Organizations: A Public Health Preparedness Perspective, Lauren Elizabeth Branch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Healthcare in the United States, heavily reliant on digital technology in service provision, has recently seen an increase risk of cyberattacks. Coordinated electronic medical records, imaging, pharmaceutical services, lab services and even treatment devices all rely on electronic connectivity and represent critical services that must be secured from cyber threats. Hospitals have become increasingly complex systems, and this often makes the organization more vulnerable to failure. Planning for these events is often hard for hospitals because their main charge is to provide life-saving care to patients as they need it. This is a relatively new threat to healthcare organizations, and …

Investigation Of Combustion Characteristics Of A Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine Retrofitted To Natural Gas Spark Ignition Operation, Jinlong Liu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The conversion of existing diesel engines to natural-gas spark ignition operation by adding a gas injector in the intake manifold for fuel delivery and replacing the diesel fuel injector with a spark plug to initiate and control the combustion process can reduce U.S. dependence on petroleum imports and curtail engine-out emissions. As the conventional diesel combustion chamber (i.e., flat head and bowl-in-piston) creates high turbulence, the engine can operate leaner, which would increase its efficiency and reduce emissions. However, natural gas combustion in such retrofitted engines presents differences compared to that in conventional spark ignited engines. Subsequently, the main goal …

Coaching Life Skills Through Sport: An Application Of The Teaching Personal And Social Responsibility Model To Youth Sport In Eswatini, Zenzi Huysmans

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Adolescence is a formative developmental period where youth learn the life skills and values needed to become compassionate and civically-engaged young people and navigate increasingly challenging global environments. Youth in eSwatini face major context-specific challenges that impede their healthy development as well as limited engagement with government initiatives intended to support their development. This feasibility study aimed to employ youth sport as a creative and engaging context to facilitate life skills development in underprivileged youth in eSwatini. Specifically, this study explored the youth participation experiences, positive youth outcomes, and implementation successes and challenges of a sport program for underprivileged youth …

Climate Science Literacy: A Study Of Climate Programs' Usability, Amber Rochelle Williams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Literacy is an important facet of understanding how undergraduate college students comprehend climate science. This research, conducted at West Virginia University, examines the usability of climate data in three commonly used climate programs to reduce the prominent knowledge gap in climate science literacy about college students.

The objective of this research is to investigate the knowledge gap in climate science literacy by conducting focus group surveys to examine the usability of programs that use climate datasets. The three programs used in this research were the NOAA online tool, NASA’s Panoply data viewer, and GrADS programmable tool. The NOAA tool is …

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 …

Medical Celebrity In Eighteenth-Century Britain, Katherine Richards

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Medical Celebrity in Eighteenth-Century Britain argues that the cultural mechanisms responsible for creating and sustaining celebrity culture helped create and sustain commercialized medicine in eighteenth-century Britain. I identify the process by which celebrity and medical culture impact one another as a sociocultural phenomenon that I term medical celebrity. The following chapters present four case studies of how medical celebrity impacted the development of the medical profession, the medical market, cultural representations and perceptions of health and illness, and the patient experience. I engage with the work done by scholars in contemporary and early celebrity studies to shed light on the …

Habitat Suitability Of Restored Wetlands And An Investigation Of Sampling Bias For Freshwater Turtles In West Virginia, Alissa L. Gulette

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Loss and drainage of wetlands in the United States has been remediated in part by wetland restoration on agricultural lands through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), operated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Freshwater turtles are important components of wetland ecosystems, where they contribute to nutrient cycling, storage, and transfer between terrestrial and aquatic systems, and function as apex predators. In 2016 and 2017, we investigated use of wetlands restored through the ACEP program in West Virginia by two common freshwater turtle species, snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and painted turtles (Chrysemys picta), and obtained comparative data from reference wetlands. …

The Nakahara Effect And Its Influence On Solution-Based 3d Printed Films, Daryl Kwakye-Ackah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Motivated by the Nakahara Effect, the influence of altering printing parameters on fragmentation mechanism(s) of directly written titanium dioxide(TiO₂) films is investigated. The Nakahara effect states that a long lasting memory can be introduced into a colloidal system prior to drying, affecting the type of crack pattern formed due to externally applied forces. TiO₂ has important applications due to its interesting semiconducting properties, tunable band gap, photocatalytic properties, biocompatibility, and relative abundance. This is the reason it is used in this project as a model printing ink system.

In this research, two deposition methods (i.e. direct-ink writing …

Spatial And Temporal Analysis Of Surface Water Quality In Relation To Marcellus Shale Gas Development In The Northern Panhandle Of West Virginia, Rachel Yesenchak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pre-existing water chemistry data available from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection were used to examine temporal changes in surface water quality related to the onset of Marcellus Shale gas drilling activity in the state of West Virginia. Drilling is concentrated in the northwestern portion of the state. Watersheds were delineated for twelve discrete stream sampling locations in the Upper Ohio-Wheeling HUC-8 sub-basin, where shale gas drilling is prevalent. Kruskal-Wallis tests were deployed to compare pre- and post-drilling concentrations of conductivity, chloride, and total suspended solids for each location. Increased concentrations of these parameters are associated with surface water …

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 …

Functional Movement Screen Composite Scores For Collegiate Field Club Sport Athletes At One University, Daniel Camillone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Context: Functional screening tools to detect musculoskeletal asymmetries and limitations present in functional movement patterns are available to use for the athletic population. Unfortunately, field club sport athletes do not have the opportunity to utilize functional screening tools. Further, normative data of Functional Movement Screen Composite Scores (FMS CS) has yet to be established in this population. Objective: The purpose of this study was to establish normative FMS CS among field club sport athletes, and determine if years of participation and current hours spent per week training have a significant effect on FMS CS. Foot type and orthotic use was …

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 …

Focus On The Child: Preventing The Intergenerational Transmission Of Eating Disorders And Dieting Behavior, Elizabeth Claydon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

PURPOSE: There is a paucity of research exploring individuals' recall of parental dieting behavior, engagement in "fat talk", or criticism of weight or eating behavior in childhood. This dearth of literature exists in both community samples and in clinical populations of eating disorder patients. There is also limited information on women with a history of eating disorders and their pregnancy experience or anticipation of their pregnancy experience. This dissertation focuses on the aforementioned areas in order to develop the research literature further to understand whether parental feedback (such as parental comments or parental dieting) is associated with health outcomes such …

Pilot Testing Of A Geomorphic Landform Design Reclamation Using A Vegetative Layer With Short Paper Fiber Amendment On An Abandoned Coal Refuse Pile In Appalachia, Levi Cyphers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Over 3,000 abandoned mine lands in the Appalachian regions of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky and are in need of reclamation. This research tested an alternative cap and cover reclamation design using short paper fiber as a soil amendment in a coarse coal refuse vegetation layer. Short paper fiber is the solid residuals extracted from the paper manufacturing process, and treated as waste. Short paper fiber is a nutrient dense material that has been successfully tested as a soil amendment in soils. The intent of the vegetation layer was to support grass growth and persistence, stabilize the site, and reduce …

Needle Exchange Programs To Prevent Hepatitis C Virus Infection In People Who Inject Drugs In Rural Appalachia, Stephen M. Davis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The recent opioid epidemic in the rural Appalachian region of the United States has fueled an exponential increase in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among People Who Inject Drugs (PWID). Needle exchange programs (NEP), which provide clean needles in exchange for used needles, can reduce the incidence of HCV among PWIDs. However, the empirical evidence examining NEP effectiveness in the prevention of HCV in this population is mixed, only describes studies conducted in urban areas, and does not address the unique challenges associated with implementing NEPs in rural areas. Furthermore, no studies have examined barriers to using clean needles obtained …

Development Of An Emissions Monitoring Methodology Using On-Board Nox Sensors And Revision To Current In-Use Emissions Regulatory Protocols, Berk Demirgok

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Measurement of in-use emissions from heavy-duty (HD) vehicles under real-world operation has been widely performed by using portable emissions measurement system (PEMS). PEMS serve as an accurate and lightweight emissions measurement system to evaluate in-use emissions from HD vehicles. However, emissions measurement using PEMS instrumentation can be time consuming and labor intensive. Advantage of utilizing already existing on-board sensors such that they can potentially provide an alternative measurement methodology to the PEMS. A successful implementation of an on-board NOx sensor-based methodology for assessing in-use NOx emissions will allow for a cost-effective and simplified approach to monitor real-world, NOx emission rates. …

Jurors' Perceptions Of Child Witnesses With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Victoria A. Disciullo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of the current study is to examine the effects of child witnesses with autism spectrum disorder on jurors' perceptions. Participants were randomly assigned to one of five experimental conditions displaying scenarios varying the characteristics (autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and typically developing) of a 6-year-old female child who alleged sexual maltreatment. Participants were asked to provide a series of ratings regarding the child's credibility, "accuracy, suggestibility, and ability to testify based on facts" (Orcutt et al., 2001, p. 346; see also Thomas & Krackow, 2016), as well as defendant guilt (Tessier & Krackow, 2013). Overall, the data suggest …

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 …

Annual Aboveground Biomass Growth In Temperate Forests Of Eastern North America, Alex W. Dye

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The below dissertation is organized into three individual standalone manuscripts supporting the overarching theme of reconstructing annual aboveground biomass growth in temperate forests of eastern North America using dendrochronological applications. Each manuscript is organized with the intent of submission to a peer-reviewed journal. The first manuscript validated the technique I use throughout my dissertation by comparing tree-ring derived estimates of annual aboveground productivity with estimates from co-located or nearby permanent remeasurement plots at Howland, Maine, Harvard Forest, Massachusetts, and Fernow, West Virginia. The second manuscript investigated the size-related distribution of biomass growth at 16 eastern U.S. forest sites and compared …

Ergot Alkaloid Synthetic Capacity Of Penicillium Camemberti, Samantha J. Fabian

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Penicillium camemberti plays a major role in the ripening process of brie and camembert type cheeses. Investigation of the recently sequenced P. camemberti genome revealed the presence of a cluster of five genes previously shown to be required for ergot alkaloid synthesis in other fungi. Clustered with the five ergot alkaloid synthesis genes (aka eas genes) were two additional genes with that had the apparent capacity to encode enzymes involved in secondary metabolism. We analyzed samples of brie and camembert cheeses as well as cultures of P. camemberti grown under different conditions and were not able to detect any known …

Evaluation Of Wvuteach: Enrollment, Retention, And Students' Intentions, Catherine Garner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background/Purpose: Mathematics and science achievement of K-12 students in the United States is lagging the achievement of students in other developed countries. A shortage of highly qualified teachers in the areas of science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM) is a contributing factor to lower achievement. One solution is to provide an efficient means for STEM students to earn a teaching certification without adding time to their current four-year degree programs. In 2015, West Virginia University introduced WVUteach, a program designed to encourage students in STEM majors to earn their teaching certifications while they are earning their degrees in their major …

Use Of Four Predictive Screening Variables For Determination Of Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction In Adolescent Soccer Athletes, Brian Hanson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Context: Chronic onset of sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJD) is increasing in adolescent athletic populations including soccer. However, there is currently no pre-season screening tool for SIJD in this population. There are variables that are currently associated with SIJD, however, it is unknown if these variables developed into a screening tool can accurately predict the risk of sustaining SIJD. Objective: The purpose of this study was to create an effective screening tool for SIJD in adolescent soccer athletes and establish predictive values for SIJD injury risk. Design: A retrospective exploratory study to screen for risk factors contributing to SIJD in the …

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, …