Digital Commons Network^™

The West Virginia Friends Of Firewood Network: Engaging With And Exploring The Practices Of Firewood Producers, Elizabeth Basham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Firewood is the oldest source of energy for cooking and home heating and remains a primary heating source for half of the world's population, yet the industry remains relatively undocumented and immature both in developing and technologically advanced countries. Firewood is an environmentally friendly and renewable resource that is becoming popular once again in U.S. homes, 2.5 million of which utilize it as a primary heating source. However, firewood is also a proven vector for invasive insects and pathogens that are threatening the health of U.S. forests. In order to address the increasing trend of firewood use and prevent further …

Development And Evaluation Of Chitosan Particle Based Antigen Delivery Systems For Enhanced Antigen Specific Immune Response, Bhanuprasanth Koppolu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Particle-based vaccine delivery systems are under exploration to enhance antigen-specific immunity against safe but poorly immunogenic polypeptide antigens. Chitosan is a promising biomaterial for antigen encapsulation and delivery due to its ability to form nano- and microparticles in mild aqueous conditions thus preserving the antigenicity of loaded polypeptides. The objective of this work is to develop a chitosan particle based antigen delivery system for enhanced vaccine response. Chitosan particle sizes, which ranged from 300 nm to 3 ìm, were influenced by chitosan concentration, chitosan molecular weight and addition rate of precipitant salt. The composition of precipitant salt played a significant …

Quantification Of Acid Loads And Delineation Of Hydrochemical Facies At A Phreatic Mine Spoil Aquifer, Mitchell A. Mcadoo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Acid mine drainage geochemistry and in situ alkaline injection were investigated at the DLM coal mine, Alton West Virginia. These included spatial and temporal investigations into hydrochemical controls that were initiated with reclamation efforts. Approaches included the delineation of hydrochemical facies and analysis of time series data to develop a methodology for estimating acid loads.;Results of agglomerative hierarchical clustering were mapped to demonstrate spatial variations in response to reclamation efforts over time. Spatial patterns were determined and indicate that aquifer chemistry continued to evolve during the study period. Results confirmed that injection of alkalinity into the aquifer effected acid producing …

Evaluation Of Arsenic And Selenium Quantitation In Marcellus Shales And Flowback Saline Waters Using Thiol Cotton Fibre-Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy And Diffusive Gradient In Thin Film Techniques, Ronald S. Balaba

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Trace levels of arsenic and selenium can be toxic to living organisms yet their quantitation in high ionic strength or high salinity aqueous media is difficult due to the matrix interferences which can either suppress or enhance the analyte signal. The objective of this proposed study has been to apply and/or modify inexpensive, simple, and interference-free analytical methods for the sub-ppb to ppb quantification of both inorganic and bioavailable arsenic and selenium fractions in highly saline/salty waters such as flowback wastewater produced from natural gas well drilling sites in the Marcellus shale and/or simulated or artificial high-salinity prepared from deionized …

Red-Headed Woodpecker Habitat Selection And Breeding Ecology On Fort Drum Military Installation, New York, Jacob L. Berl

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) populations have declined range-wide over the past 40 years, although the causal mechanisms implicated in the observed declines remain poorly understood. Population decline has been most severe at the periphery of their range, particularly in the northeastern United States, coinciding with a region where there is little information regarding red-headed woodpecker habitat use or demography. A detailed knowledge of habitat requirements and population dynamics is prerequisite for the effective conservation and management of imperiled wildlife populations, and this knowledge gap likely precludes informed management decisions for red-headed woodpeckers in the northeastern portion of their range. In …

Improving Opportunities For Small Flock Egg Production And Proper Evaluation Of Glucanase For Commercial Poultry, Angela Elsie Lamp

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Consumers of pastured hen eggs have justified paying an associated premium price because they perceive animal welfare, sustainability, and nutrition are enhanced compared to conventionally produced eggs. The objective of Study 1 (Chapter 2) was to implement practical management strategies to increase eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid ( DHA) composition of eggs (Experiment 1) and to determine if the same diet formulation would produce an enhanced EPA and DHA egg composition and effect hen health when pasture access and hen breed varied (Experiment 2). For Experiment 1, four dietary treatments were utilized: 1) Basal, 2) Basal + 0.5% Sardine …

Development Of A 16s Rrna Gene Sequence As A Biomarker Specific To The Gastrointestinal Tract And Feces Of Swine Based On Suppressive Subtractive Hybridization, Autumn Sayre

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fecal contamination of water bodies causes environmental issues and human health risks. Swine are a major contributor of fecal inputs to environmental waters due to their importance in American agriculture. Water quality currently is regulated using fecal coliforms, which have natural reservoirs in the environment and may not correlate with pathogens. In recent years there has been a shift towards microbial source tracking (MST). MST employs microbiological, genotypic, phenotypic and chemical methods to determine the source of fecal pollution in water bodies. Previous studies aimed at developing swine fecal biomarkers have had limited success. The overall objective of this research …

Differences In Interpersonal Problems Among Bereaved Vs. Non-Bereaved College Students: The Impact Of Loneliness And Social Inhibition, Adam M. Moller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study explored the differences in loneliness and social inhibition between parentally bereaved and non-bereaved college students. Participants from West Virginia and Montana State universities were recruited through flyers, newspaper advertisements, and Craigslist.com. Those who volunteered were directed to a website to complete an online survey that included basic demographic information, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Socially Inhibited subscale of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-64. Bereavement status (bereaved vs. non-bereaved) and gender of participant (male vs. female) were the independent variables in the study. Loneliness and social inhibition were the dependent variables. A MANOVA was conducted to explore the …

The Effects Of Artificial Photoperiod On Age At Puberty In Fall-Born Ewe Lambs, Matthew Lewis Deacon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A study, conducted in two replicates, examined the effects of an artificial photoperiod on puberty in fall-born ewe lambs. Replicate I was initiated in December 2011 with prepubertal Dorset ewe lambs (n = 44). Replicate II was initiated beginning in December 2012 and included prepubertal Dorset, Suffolk x Dorset and Texel x Dorset ewe lambs (n = 52). All lambs were weighed at the initiation of each replicate and randomized to one of two treatments, control or treated, based on age, weight, breed and type of birth and rearing. Control ewe lambs were housed in a barn with exposure to …

Using A Three-Dimensional Model To Understand Age Differences In The Framing Effect, Tara E. Karns

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study used a between-subjects design with three instruction conditions to investigate susceptibility to the framing effect among younger, middle-aged, and older adults. Participants were instructed to pay attention to the facts and numbers, to use their gut feelings, or to use their previous experiences to respond to two decision-making scenarios pertaining to treatment for lung cancer and a vaccination for a flu virus. Results revealed that, overall, the framing effect was present in the lung cancer scenario, but not the flu scenario. Instruction condition and age did not affect susceptibility to the framing effect; however, a frame by …

Relationships Between Landscape Factors And Crayfish Density And The Interacting Effects Of Grazing And Increased Sedimentation On Algal Biomass, Katheryn Haley Rose

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent years in the United States there has been a rapid expansion in anthropogenic sources of sediment in streams including construction, agriculture, and drilling for natural gas. Potential effects land disturbance associated with activities from natural gas development on aquatic biota in surrounding streams have not yet been well documented. An increase in inorganic sediment in streams can be detrimental to organisms through a variety of mechanisms including alteration of dominant substrate type, higher turbidity resulting in lower visibility, and burial of food resources such as algae and detritus. Increasing sedimentation in stream environments through anthropogenic disturbance is a …

Distinct Phenotypes In Zebrafish Models Of Human Startle Disease, Lisa R. Ganser, Qing Yan, Victoria M. James, Robert Kozol, Maya Topf, Robert J. Harvey, Julia E. Dallman

Faculty Articles

Startle disease is an inherited neurological disorder that causes affected individuals to suffer noise- or touch-induced non-epileptic seizures, excessive muscle stiffness and neonatal apnea episodes. Mutations known to cause startle disease have been identified in glycine receptor subunit (GLRA1 and GLRB) and glycine transporter (SLC6A5) genes, which serve essential functions at glycinergic synapses. Despite the significant successes in identifying startle disease mutations, many idiopathic cases remain unresolved. Exome sequencing in these individuals will identify new candidate genes. To validate these candidate disease genes, zebrafish is an ideal choice due to rapid knockdown strategies, accessible embryonic stages, and stereotyped behaviors. The …

Peregrination Of The Selectivity Filter Delineates The Pore Of The Human Voltage-Gated Proton Channel Hhv1, Deri Morgan, Boris Musset, Kethika Kulleperuma, Susan M. E. Smith, Sindhu Rajan, Vladimir V. Cherny, Régis Pomès, Thomas E. Decoursey

Faculty Articles

Extraordinary selectivity is crucial to all proton-conducting molecules, including the human voltage-gated proton channel (hH_v1), because the proton concentration is >10⁶ times lower than that of other cations. Here we use "selectivity filter scanning" to elucidate the molecular requirements for proton-specific conduction in hH_v1. Asp¹¹², in the middle of the S1 transmembrane helix, is an essential part of the selectivity filter in wild-type (WT) channels. After neutralizing Asp¹¹² by mutating it to Ala (D112A), we introduced Asp at each position along S1 from 108 to 118, searching for "second site suppressor" activity. …

Effects Of Messages Emphasizing Environmental Determinants Of Obesity On Intentions To Engage In Diet And Exercise Behaviors, Jeff Niederdeppe, Sungjong Roh, Michael A. Shapiro, Hye Kyung Kim

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Reducing rates of obesity will require interventions that influence both individual decisions and environmental factors through changes in public policy. Previous work indicates that messages emphasizing environmental determinants increases support for public policies, but some suspect this strategy may undermine motivation to engage in diet and exercise. Emphasizing factors outside of personal control appears to enhance rather than undermine motivations to engage in healthy diet and exercise behavior.

Determination Of The Expression Patterns Of Bovine Non-Classical Major Histocompatibility Complex (Mhc) Class I Proteins, Parveen Parasar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This project was funded by the United States of Department of Agriculture (USDA), which funds research aimed at improving production and animal health. The aim of this study was to advance knowledge of maternal immune tolerance to the fetus and mechanisms bovine non-classical MHC class I proteins employ to interact with immune cells and render them inert towards the fetus.

A fetus is a tissue graft inside the mother’s uterus yet must be accepted by the mother to maintain a successful pregnancy. Reproductive insufficiency and pregnancy failure are major causes of production loss in cattle, especially in cloned animals. Knowledge …

Amap Assessment 2013: Arctic Ocean Acidification. Arctic Monitoring And Assessment Programme (Amap), Amap, Jason Hall-Spencer

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Are We Running Out Of Phosphorus?, Nayda Gonzalez, Rhonda Miller

All Current Publications

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient. The world’s phosphorus supplies are limited. Do we have enough phosphorus to support our needs? This fact sheet addresses this question.

Association Of Individual And Combined Metabolic Risk Factors With Cancer, Ruchi Bhandari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: The prevalence of metabolic risk factors (MRFs), individually and in the aggregate, is growing rapidly. There is limited biologic and epidemiologic evidence indicating an association between MRFs and cancer. The goal of this dissertation was to examine the association between individual and combined MRFs with subsequent risk of overall and site-specific cancers of the breast, digestive system, and lung.;Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis on the association between metabolic syndrome (a cluster of MRFs) and breast cancer was conducted. In addition, associations between MRFs and risk of overall and site-specific cancers were assessed by multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression …

Nature Of Deaf Mentoring Dyads: Role Of Subjugated Knowledge, Jason D. Listman

Education Doctoral

Research has indicated that the United States is lagging behind the rest of the world in producing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors and career professionals. The National Science Foundation has launched one particular initiative to address this need which is centered on underrepresented communities. Matching mentoring dyads based on similar social identities may provide necessary role models (Davidson & Foster-Johnson, 2001) and unlock subjugated knowledge (Collins 2000) about how to be both deaf and scientist. Among their underrepresented counterparts, deaf individuals are disproportionately underrepresented in STEM careers (NSF, 2011). The leakage in the STEM pipeline between undergraduate enrollment …

Examining Perceptions Of Successful Black College Males: An Analysis Of Their Experiences With Successfully Enrolling, Retaining, And Persisting Toward Graduation At St. John’S University, James Salnave

Education Doctoral

This study used Harper’s (2012) anti-deficit achievement approach to examine the perceptions of Black males who have succeeded at a predominately White institution. The research brought together in-class pedagogical practices, self-efficacy, and student involvement as learning constructs linked to academic success. Qualitative research methodology captured the experiences of 13 participants through face-to-face individual interviews to gain insight into the learning environment that best engaged, retained, and helped persistence toward graduation. Participants consisted of juniors and seniors with a minimum 3.0 grade point average and on track to graduate on time. Analysis indicated participants developed meaningful networks of support with family, …

An Analysis Of The Perceptions Of The Legal Profession Through The Eyes Of Dissatisfied Consumers Of Legal Services In Manhattan, Ny: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Caprice A. Alves

Education Doctoral

In the past, research on consumer dissatisfaction with legal services tended to be quantitative in nature, and focused primarily on consumer opinion of the legal profession. These quantitative studies have been valuable in gaining a basic understanding of consumer consensus of legal services and the legal profession. However, a qualitative understanding of the complexity of the personal dissatisfaction experience with legal services, as well as the psychological and social meanings and consequences of these experiences, is an important contribution to the literature. This dissertation provides a qualitative view of the experience of consumer dissatisfaction with legal services in Manhattan, NY. …

Permaculture, Roslynn Brain, Blake Thomas

All Current Publications

No abstract provided.

Constructing A Scale Of Attitudes Toward School Science Using The General Graded Unfolding Model, Taghreed Hijazi, Zaid Bani Ata

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The present study aimed at constructing an attitude scale toward school science using the generalized graded unfolding model (GGUM). A 47-item scale (24 positive, 23 negative) with 4-point response format was used to measure attitudes toward science among 9th (n=424) and 10th (n=420) grade students in 38 sections distributed randomly over 22 schools in Irbid district. Respondents selected one of four options to represent their level of agreement with each item. The findings support the hypothesis that the data form a single unidimensional unfolding model. Furthermore, the findings showed that the GGUM didn’t fit the data of 7 items, leaving …

Development Of Methods For The Detection Of Chemical And Biological Warfare Agents, Megan Rea Dejesus

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation sought to find conditions that enabled the characterization of weapons of mass destruction, be that chemical, explosives, or biological, and find unique ion signals for those materials. Chapter 2 examines how to improve the analytical capability of the pulsed glow discharge through an increased understanding of the ionization processes inherent to the technique. Results of a parametric evaluation of ionization processes in the plasma demonstrated that within the glow discharge ion source there are conditions that can be determined which will enhance the signal of the analytical ion. A key innovation was the determination, that in constant power …

Microbial Genome Evolution Due To Multifaceted Symbiosis Within The Tsetse Fly (Diptera: Glossinidae), Anna Kathleen Snyder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microbes are capable of rapid genetic modification, enabling the habitation of a wide field of niches, including forming interdependent associations with macroscopic hosts. While ancient multipartite mutualisms have been shown to involve metabolic complementation, little is known concerning the early genomic adaptations leading towards co-residence within a novel host. The overall objective of this research is to gain insight on genome evolution resulting from symbiosis, particularly by examining bacteria with varying levels of host dependency and times of establishment. The tsetse fly (Diptera: Glossinidae) serves as a relatively simple model system to investigate evolutionary aspects of symbiosis, while also maintaining …

Relationships Between Recreational User Perceptions And The Biological Condition Of West Virginia Watersheds, Jennie M. Franks

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Limitations in bioassessments of stream condition should be recognized and a need exists to broaden our approach to identify and solve knowledge gaps in scientific data. Combining collection methods based upon biological data and social perceptions may provide an effective way to identify gaps and involve local stakeholders in river conservation strategies. Our research objectives were to: 1- describe recreational users and their perceptions of water quality; 2- quantify relationships between recreational user perceptions and biological condition; 3- examine if perceptions vary spatially across watersheds; and 4- determine if recreational users' values and perceptions can be used to complement bioassessment …

Grazing Impacts On Sediment Production And Runoff From Single And Mixed Species Grazing, Brittany Parks

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With growing human populations, we need to produce more food. Food production requires growing crops and raising livestock with existing and suitable land resources, potentially causing nutrient (phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N)) pollution. For purposes of this study, the runoff potential for the mixed and single species grassland grazing will be examined. Mixed species grazing refers to cattle and sheep grazing concurrently in the same area; while single species grazing refers to cattle grazing alone. Understanding the environmental effects of mixed grazing as compared to a single species grazing systems will help to improve farming and agricultural practices that increase …

A Base Modulated Synthesis Of Indoles And Quinolines, An Expedient Synthesis Of Salviadione, And Chemoselective Couplings En Route To Indoles And Pyrroloindoles, Matthew Marshall Cummings

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Palladium-catalyzed reductive N-heteroannulation of ortho-nitrostyrenes has become a synthetically useful method for the construction of indoles and indole-based heterocycles. Soderberg's elaboration of this methodology has been utilized in the synthesis of indoles and quinolines from a common precursor. The same protocol has also been employed in the synthesis of the indole alkaloid Salviadione. A systematic investigation of chemoselectivity in Kosugi-Migita-Stille coupling reactions provided the basis for the synthesis of isomeric pyrroloindoles through palladium-catalyzed reductive double N-heteroannulation of dinitro-dialkenyl benzenes.

Determining A Total Dissolved Solids Release Index From Overburden In Appalachian Coal Fields, Jessica L. Odenheimer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Appalachian coal industry has been very successful in developing technologies to identify, handle, treat and isolate potentially acid-forming overburden materials at coal mines in the region. However, the techniques to predict acid mine drainage potential may not adequately predict the release of total dissolved solids (TDS). High concentrations of TDS have been linked to a decrease in survival of aquatic macroinvertebrates. Our objective was to determine the effect of different solutions on overburden dissolution, and to develop a TDS release index. Forty-one overburden samples were collected from surface mines in West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky. Samples were grinded to …

Liquid Chromatography -- Tandem Mass Spectrometry Techniques For Drugs Of Abuse As Applied To Bacterial And Forensic Toxicology, Stephanie Marie Martindale

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The ability of bacterial species to transform complex chemical substances has been well documented. Some of these species are native to the human gastrointestinal tract and play an active role in the postmortem decomposition process. These species have potential to cause biotransformations that affect compound-to-metabolite ratios within the human body, especially after death. Postmortem changes such as these have rarely been evaluated or taken into consideration but they have potential to supply valuable information, especially concerning compound identification and confirmation.;The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis, and Clostridium perfringens on drugs of …