Digital Commons Network^™

Spirituality, Help-Seeking Attitude, And Black Women: A Qualitative Study, Pamela Lashe Jackson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A semi-structured interview was used to survey help-seeking attitude via questions about spirituality, therapy, and the connections between the two. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to provide a framework for understanding how these factors potentially effect professional help-seeking attitudes in Black women and the role spirituality plays in developing help-seeking attitudes and the potential effect on professional psychological help. Ten interviews were conducted with Black women who lived or went to church in Akron, Ohio. Data from nine study participants were used and seven super-ordinate themes were found. The themes identified were as follows: 1) awareness and access; 2) …

Investigations Of Pasteuria And The Root-Lesion Nematode Pratylenchus Penetrans In Soils Collected From Certified Organic Farms In The Mid-Atlantic United States, Tiara Nicole King

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Occurrence of lesion nematodes and Pasteuria, an obligate bacterial parasite, was surveyed in 34 soils collected from certified organic farms in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Pasteuria endospores were observed on Pratylenchus crenatus in six of 22 soils. Population density of Pratylenchus in soils lacking signs of Pasteuria correlated positively with soil pH, cation exchange capacity, and concentration of phosphorus pentoxide and calcium. Pasteuria was detected on Pratylenchus in nematode suppressive soils at the West Virginia University Organic Research Farm. Interactions between Pasteuria and Pratylenchus penetrans were studied in two laboratory bench-top experiments. Soil treatment effects on reproduction of Pratylenchus penetrans …

The Persuasive Effects Of Entertainment-Education Programming In Nonfictional Television And Its Impact On The Efficacy Of Breast Cancer Screening Messages, Jennifer Maria Knight

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study has taken a preliminary step toward determining whether education-entertainment messages have the same persuasive effects in a nonfictional talk show format as they traditionally do in a fictional narrative format. To test the various hypotheses which propose that persuasive effects of entertainment-education can occur in a non-fictional format, data was collected from 82 female students across two large lecture classes. Results of two independent samples t-tests did not support hypothesis one and two, as participants' self-efficacy and attitudes toward breast cancer screening were not significantly different as a result of which media clip was viewed. Hypothesis three and …

Psychologists Working In State Psychiatric Hospitals: An Exploration Of Factors Related To Work Engagement, Valerie Ignatenko

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The role of psychologists working in state psychiatric hospitals has been ambiguous throughout most of the last century. State psychiatric hospitals continue to provide care to patients with severe mental illness, and psychologists remain employed in such settings. Eight factors related to work engagement for psychologists in state psychiatric hospitals were explored, including geographic region, length of time in the field, length of time at the hospital, number of clients seen per week, number of supervision hours per month, job ambiguity, autonomy, and perceived social support. Results found that psychologists are engaged in their work in state hospitals, and three …

A Three -Essay Empirical Analysis Of Health Care Expenditures In The Economic Development Of The United States, 2000 - 2009, Srimoyee Bose

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Therefore the purpose of this study was to empirically demonstrate state-level variations in financing of healthcare, hospital expenditures and health outcomes.;Precisely, aims of the three studies were to: (1) evaluate the state-level variations in healthcare financing and the factors that affect financing of healthcare, (2) examine the state-level variations in hospital expenditures with an application of spatial regression, and (3) assess the determinants of state-level mortality rates using a spatial Durbin fixed effect model. This research used panel data from 2000 through 2009, extracted from publicly available data files.;Findings from the first study were that state-level variations in public financing …

Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Hemiptera: Adelgidae) Ovisac And Its Associations With The Environment, Sunghoon Baek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (Pinales: Pinaceae) is an important tree species in eastern North America ecosystems. During the past 65 years, eastern hemlock stands have been threatened by the hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae). The goal of this research was to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of A. tsugae populations. First, the appropriate sample unit for A. tsugae was determined based on within-branch and -tree distribution of A. tsugae. The results of this study showed that A. tsugae ovisacs were more frequently found at the tip of a branch and no significant (P > 0.05) differences in …

Identification Of A Critical Gene In The Dihydroergot Alkaloid Pathway, Yulia Bilovol

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ergot alkaloids, bioactive compounds produced by some species of fungi, have had significant impacts on agriculture and medicine. Claviceps purpurea and Epichloe spp. are ergot alkaloid producers associated with agricultural commodities and negatively affect humans and grazing animals, respectively. Another ergot alkaloid-producing fungus called Aspergillus fumigatus is ubiquitous in the environment; infections arising after inhaling the spores may kill immunocompromised persons. Ergot alkaloids and their derivatives are utilized by the pharmaceutical industry for the development of drugs. Some of these drugs are derived from lysergic acid, whereas others are derived from dihydrolysergic acid. Lysergic acid derivatives have vasoconstrictive properties and …

Implementation And Evaluation Of The Move! Program At Medical Weight Loss Center, Kimberly Bird

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Obesity is an increasing worldwide epidemic that contributes to chronic diseases such as Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), Hypertension (HTN), Hyperlipidemia, Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, some cancers, and even death. West Virginia ranks in the top ten most obese states with over 32% of the residents being obese. Research has shown that group education programs are more effective in weight loss than individual education programs.;Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine the change in weight, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, and number of steps of overweight or obese adult participants in a group weight loss program.;Method: …

Types Of Co-Existing Chronic Physical Conditions And Newly-Diagnosed Depression, Its Treatment And Economic Outcomes Among Medicaid Beneficiaries With Type 2 Diabetes, Rituparna Bhattacharya

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diabetes is a widely prevalent metabolic condition. Adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) also have many coexisting chronic physical conditions. Coexisting chronic physical conditions among individuals with T2DM may be concordant (conditions that overlap with T2DM in their pathogenesis and management plans such as cardiovascular diseases) or discordant (conditions with unrelated pathogenesis or management plans such as musculoskeletal disorders) or dominant (conditions whose severity eclipses all other illness management plans such as metastatic cancer). There is documented evidence on the negative consequences of depression in adults with T2DM. However, there is only limited knowledge on how the types of …

Intimate Empire: Women's Travel Writing And U.S. Imperialism 1880-1920, Andrea Bebell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examines how several turn-of-century U.S. women journalists and travel writers represent U.S. imperialism in a range of locales, trafficking in prevailing discourses of gender and race to represent colonized Others and as they engage in a comparative analysis to evaluate women's status in the U.S. In doing so, I suggest that these women, largely overlooked in critical discourses on U.S. imperialism, nonetheless contributed to the U.S. imperial imaginary. By recuperating the work of "newspaper ladies" Margherita Hamm, Nellie Bly, and Mary Krout, and through a reconsideration of Edith Wharton's travel writing, I consider the complex ways that white …

Hydrologic Response And Erosion Modeling Of Geomorphic Landform Reclamation In Mountainous Terrain, Alison E. Sears

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Surface mining and valley-fill practices often lead to environmental impacts including headwater stream loss, increased flooding risk, and degraded downstream water quality. Geomorphic landform design (GLD) is an innovative reclamation technique proposed to lessen the impacts associated with surface mining and valley-fill activities. GLD incorporates mature landform shapes and created stream channels on site, imitating the function of the undisturbed landscape. The purpose of this research was to model GLDs in mountainous terrain and evaluate the hydrologic response and erosion potential of GLD in surface mining application. Computer modeling of valley-fill designs using geomorphic landform principles of a study site …

Evaluating Changes In Knowledge, Beliefs, And Behaviors Associated With Hpv Following An Educational Intervention Among Women, Crystal Sheaves

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Prevalence of HPV is estimated to be 10-15% Americans. HPV is recognized as the causative agent in 99.7% of all cervical cancers. In 2006, a vaccine was released to prevent specific types of HPV that cause cervical cancer. Despite demonstrated vaccine safety and efficacy, vaccine rates are still low at less than 20% among women 18-26 years old. Vaccine uptake may be impacted by women's HPV knowledge and beliefs.;Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in women's knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors associated with HPV following an educational intervention study. Specifically, the study was designed to evaluate …

Impact Evaluation Of I Am Moving, I Am Learning Using The Re-Aim Framework, Ishonte Allar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Presently, there are a lack of preschool physical activity and nutrition programs documented in the literature. I am moving, I am Learning (IMIL) is a preschool physical activity and nutrition program used by many Head Start programs across the nation. The purpose of this study was to determine the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) of IMIL in the state of Illinois.;Methods: Employing a QUAL+ quan simultaneous mixed-methods design, data were collected via a statewide agency administrator survey, classroom teacher survey, parent surveys, and program staff focus groups that occurred within a single program in Rock Island, Illinois.;Results: …

Fish Communities As Indicators Of Ecological Health In West Virginia Rivers, Alison M. Anderson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Anthropogenic altered landscapes from the extraction of natural resources, urbanization, agricultural development, dam construction, and general conversion from forested to non-forested landscape have resulted in the loss of biodiversity and changes in ecosystem function for aquatic environments. Throughout this research, we have used detailed landscape data and a large fish community dataset to develop management tools and analyses in order to evaluate the condition of rivers and streams in West Virginia.;For Chapter 1, we developed a fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), a common ecological tool for assessing the health of fish communities, in order to inform state and federal …

Relating Urban Forests And Urban Tourism: Exploring People's Perceptions, Preferences And Movement In Washington Dc, Rogelio T. Andrada Ii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Exploring the connection between urban forests and urban tourism has not been given much attention in recent investigative efforts. This study is designed to describe, explore and explain the specific elements where these two fields converge. There is no better vehicle to do this than by eliciting data from people, who are collectively, the beneficiaries and clientele of these entities. Therefore, a face-to-face survey, spanning one year, collected data on people's perception, preferences, movement, demographics and trip background in a popular and busy city destination: Washington DC.;Data collection yielded 1,146 completed questionnaires out of 3,210 respondents who participated which sets …

Robot Saints, Christopher B. Swift

Publications and Research

In the Middle Ages, articulating religious figures like wooden Deposition crucifixes and ambulatory saints were tools for devotion, techno-mythological objects that distilled the wonders of engineering and holiness. Robots are gestures toward immortality, created in the face of the undeniable fact and experience of the ongoing decay of our fleshy bodies. Both like and unlike human beings, robots and androids occupy a nebulous perceptual realm between life and death, animation and inanimation. Masahiro Mori called this in-between space the “uncanny valley.” In this essay I argue that unlike a modern person apprehending an android (the uncanny human-like object that resides …

An Exploratory Study Of Parenting Dimensions And Family Conflict Among Head Start Participants: An Examination Of Hispanic Mothers, Narketta M. Sparkman-Key, Inglish Morgan-Gardner

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Understanding the dynamics of the relationship between family conflict and parenting is important to human service practice. When assisting clients, human service practitioners must address many different systems including culture, historical era, ethnicity, gender, and other systems in which the individual operates (Martin, 2013). This study explores this phenomenon by examining the relationship between family conflict and the six dimensions of parenting; warmth, rejection, structure, chaos, autonomy support, and coercion among Hispanic mothers who access an inner city Head Start program. Findings are discussed in terms of cultural impact, human service practice and the need for further research.

Professional Counseling For Children With Sensory Processing Disorder, Emily Goodman-Scott, Simone F. Lambert

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

Sensory processing disorder is a complex neurological disorder affecting approximately 5–17% of the population, yet professional counselors often misunderstand and misdiagnose this disorder. A child’s academic, emotional and social functioning can be substantially impacted by sensory processing disorder; early diagnosis and treatment is crucial. In this article, the authors describe the disorder, discuss its impact on children and their families, and provide recommendations and resources for both mental health counselors and school counselors to utilize when serving this unique population with special needs. A case study is included, in addition to suggestions for treatment collaboration and advocacy on behalf of …

Research And Leadership Development Through Participation On A Inter Professional Research Team, Kaprea F. Johnson

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

This case study details one research team and includes a conceptual tri-level leadership model for team participation and project organization. Participants included seven students and one assistant professor. Findings highlight team development, recruitment, expectations, leadership gains, and implications for the profession.

Assisting High School Students With Career Indecision Using A Shortened Form Of The Career Construction Interview, Mark C. Rehfuss, Pamela H. Sickinger

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

A shortened form of the Career Construction Interview (CCI) was used to help high school students struggling with the career decision making process. The shortened instrument is described, as well as, its use with eleventh grade high school students who had low levels of career concern and career curiosity. Students who completed the exercise reported several themes that are introduced and discussed in the article. These themes reflected that the intervention was helpful and facilitated student self understanding and career exploration. Practical applications for school counselors are discussed.

On The Detection And Monitoring Of The Transport Of An Asian Dust Storm Using Multi-Sensor Satellite Remote Sensing, Hesham El-Askary, S. K. Park, M. H. Ahn, A. Prasad, Menas Kafatos

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Dynamical and physical features of a long range transported dust event originating in China affecting Korea early March 2008 are examined using an integrative multi-sensor and multi-algorithm approach. Aerosol loadings and their size mode were analyzed over both ocean and land surfaces using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol optical depth (AOD), employing standard dark target (DT) and deep blue (DB) algorithms, and the Ångström exponent (AE). Anthropogenic absorbing aerosols and smoke were found to be significant over the Indochina Peninsula, the Philippines and southern China, while a mixture of dust and pollution were predominant over central to northern …

The Effect Of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, Cannabidiol, Menthol And Propofol On 5-Hydroxytryptamine Yype 3 Receptors--A Computational Approach, Andreas C. Schilbach, Tatiana Prytkova, Keun-Hang Susan Yang

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

This study investigates the function of 5-HT type 3 (5- HT3) receptors using a computational approach.

Detection And Tracking Of T Cells In Time-Lapse Imaging, Cody Arbuckle, Milton L. Greenberg, Erik J. Linstead

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The effective classification and tracking of cells obtained from modern staining techniques has significant limitations due to the necessity of having to train and utilize a human expert in the field who must manually identify each cell in each slide. Often times these slides are filled with noise cells that are not of particular interest to the researcher. The use of computational methods has the ability to effectively and efficiently enhance image quality, as well as identify and track target cell types over large data sets. Here we present a computational approach to the in vitro tracking of T cells …

When Income Depends On Performance And Luck: The Effects Of Culture And Information On Giving, Pedro Rey-Biel, Roman M. Sheremeta, Neslihan Uler

ESI Working Papers

We study how giving depends on income and luck, and how culture and information about the determinants of others’ income affect this relationship. Our data come from an experiment conducted in two countries, the US and Spain, which have different beliefs about how income inequality arises. We find no cross-cultural differences in giving when individuals are informed about the determinants of income, but when uninformed, Americans give less than Spanish. Culture and information not only affect individual giving, but also the determinants of giving and the beliefs about how income inequality arises. Beliefs partially moderate cross-cultural differences in giving.

Language And Cooperation In Hominin Scavenging, Bart J. Wilson, Samuel R. Harris

ESI Working Papers

Bickerton (2009, 2014) hypothesizes that language emerged as the solution to a scavenging problem faced by proto‐humans. We design a virtual world to explore how people use words to persuade others to work together for a common end. By gradually reducing the vocabularies that the participants can use, we trace the process of solving the hominin scavenging problem. Our experiment changes the way we think about social dilemmas. Instead of asking how does a group overcome the selfinterest of its constituents, the question becomes, how do constituents persuade one another to work together for a common end that yields a …

Study Of Aerosols’ Characteristics And Dynamics Over The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia Using A Multisensor Approach Combined With Ground Observations, Ashraf Farahat, Hesham El-Askary, Abdulaziz Al-Shaibani

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

This study covers various aspects of the aerosol distribution and characteristics, namely, optical depth climatology, absorption characteristics, and their microphysical properties over four regions in Saudi Arabia using satellite and ground observations including MODIS/Terra and Aqua, OMI, MISR/Terra, AERONET, and CALIPSO for the period April 2003–January 2013. The study includes cities in the North Western, Western, Eastern provinces of Saudi Arabia and in the Rub al Khali desert or Empty Quarter. Satellite and ground observations showed that the dust season extends from April to August with prominent peaks yet with high anthropogenic contribution late summer and early fall. Analysis shows …

Critical Changes In Cortical Neuronal Interactions In Anesthetized And Awake Rats, Anthony G. Hudetz, Jeannette A. Vizuete, Siveshigan Pillay, Kristina M. Ropella

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Neuronal interactions are fundamental for information processing, cognition, and consciousness. Anesthetics reduce spontaneous cortical activity; however, neuronal reactivity to sensory stimuli is often preserved or augmented. How sensory stimulus–related neuronal interactions change under anesthesia has not been elucidated. In this study, the authors investigated the visual stimulus–related cortical neuronal interactions during stepwise emergence from desflurane anesthesia.

Methods: Parallel spike trains were recorded with 64-contact extracellular microelectrode arrays from the primary visual cortex of chronically instrumented, unrestrained rats (N = 6) at 8, 6, 4, and 2% desflurane anesthesia and wakefulness. Light flashes were delivered to the retina …

Guest Editorial: The 2014 Capstone Design Conference, Steven Beyerlein, Jay R. Goldberg, Susannah Howe, Scott Palo, Renee Rogge, R. Keith Stanfill

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The goal of the 2014 Capstone Design Conference held in Columbus, OH was to build upon the success of three previous conferences (2007 and 2010 in Boulder, CO, and 2012 in Champaign, IL) and expand the community of educators, students, and industry members engaged in discussing, analyzing, and improving capstone design education. Sessions at the 2014 Capstone Design Conference were designed for vibrant sharing of ideas and experiences across the capstone community via interactive panel sessions, poster session socials, and hands-on workshops. This editorial discusses conference planning, structure, and feedback. Technical papers that follow in this issue document scholarship surrounding …

Evaluation Of Pediatric Manual Wheelchair Mobility Using Advanced Biomechanical Methods, Brooke A. Slavens, Alyssa J. Schnorenberg, Christine M. Aurit, Adam Graf, Joseph J. Krzak, Kathryn Reiners, Lawrence C. Vogel, Gerald F. Harris

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

There is minimal research of upper extremity joint dynamics during pediatric wheelchair mobility despite the large number of children using manual wheelchairs. Special concern arises with the pediatric population, particularly in regard to the longer duration of wheelchair use, joint integrity, participation and community integration, and transitional care into adulthood. This study seeks to provide evaluation methods for characterizing the biomechanics of wheelchair use by children with spinal cord injury (SCI). Twelve subjects with SCI underwent motion analysis while they propelled their wheelchair at a self-selected speed and propulsion pattern. Upper extremity joint kinematics, forces, and moments were computed using …

A Thoughtful Discourse On Sexuality Education: A Review Of The Sexuality Curriculum And Youth Culture, Amanda E. Ramirez, Nicholas C. Heck

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The present article reviews Carlson and Roseboro's (2011) The Sexuality Curriculum and Youth Culture. The book analyzes factors that influence the sexuality curriculum within today's heteronormative culture, and it is particularly useful for teachers, school administrators, and educators in training. Overall, this book thoughtfully raises awareness about the influences of heterosexist norms and homophobia within the context of traditional education systems.