Digital Commons Network^™

Association Between Toxocariasis And Cognitive Function In Young To Middle-Aged Adults, Bruce L. Brown, Lance D. Erickson, Shawn D. Gale, Andrew Berrett, Dawson W. Hedges

Faculty Publications

The ascarid nematodes Toxocara canis (Werner, 1782) and Toxocara cati (Schrank, 1788) may infect humans resulting in toxocariasis. A prior study associated species of Toxocara Stiles, 1905 with cognitive deficits in children. To determine if a similar association between toxocariasis and cognition exists in adults, we analysed a large dataset from the United States’ Center for Disease Control’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We used linear-regression and multivariate models to examine the association between toxocariasis as assessed by the presence of anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies and three measures of cognitive function – simple reaction time (SRT), symbol-digit substitution (SDS) and …

Modifying Unjust Sentences, E. Lea Johnston

Georgia Law Review

Judicial sentence modification offers a means to address the phenomenon of over-incarcerationas well as the harsh prison conditions that threaten unjust punishment. Indeed, some legislatures have framed states' early release provisions as fulfilling goals of proportionality and just punishment. This Article explores whether the tools available to judges at sentence modification hearings are adequate to respond to the unjust punishment experienced by prisoners. In examining this question, the Article focuses on one population particularly likely to experience disproportionate or inhumane punishment: inmates with serious mental disorders. A deep literature suggests that individuals with serious mental illnesses are especially likely to …

Liver Perilipin 5 Expression Worsens Hepatosteatosis But Not Insulin Resistance In High Fat-Fed Mice, Michelle B. Trevino, David Mazur-Hart, Yui Machida, Timothy King, Joseph Nadler, Elena V. Galkina, Arjun Poddar, Sucharita Dutta, Yumi Imai

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Perilipin 5 (PLIN5) is a lipid droplet (LD) protein highly expressed in oxidative tissues, including the fasted liver. However, its expression also increases in nonalcoholic fatty liver. To determine whether PLIN5 regulates metabolic phenotypes of hepatosteatosis under nutritional excess, liver targeted overexpression of PLIN5 was achieved using adenoviral vector (Ad-PLIN5) in male C57BL/6J mice fed high-fat diet. Mice treated with adenovirus expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) (Ad-GFP) served as control. Ad-PLIN5 livers increased LD in the liver section, and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry revealed increases in lipid classes associated with LD, including triacylglycerol, cholesterol ester, and phospholipid classes, …

Advancing A Framework For Regulating Cryptocurrency Payments Intermediaries, Sarah Jane Hughes, Stephen T. Middlebrook

Articles by Maurer Faculty

This Article looks at competing models for regulating providers of services to individuals and businesses that take cryptocurrencies in payment for goods and services, including operators of online wallets and exchanges, and other cryptocurrency market intermediaries whose functions resemble "money service businesses" or "money transmission." We conclude that, in addition to whatever "money services" or "money transmission "prudential regulation the States or federal government may adopt, the operation of wallets and exchanges requires a new commercial law that lays out rights and liabilities of cryptocurrency users in a robust and transparent fashion. We use Article 4A of the Uniform Commercial …

The Influence Of Accelerometer Cut Points On Determining The Percent Of Preschool-Age Children Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines, Anna Elizabeth Scott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Reduced physical activity is thought to be a major contributor to energy imbalance and obesity in children and adolescents. A challenge for researchers is selecting a tool that will accurately measure physical activity, especially in young children. A current tool that is used is an accelerometer. This study had two objectives. The first examined if different sets of accelerometer cut points developed for preschool-age children would produce the same physical activity results when identical raw data were run through them. Through the use of accelerometer data the second objective aimed to determine the percent of children who met the physical …

Igrow: Developing A Curriculum To Increase Gardening Skills, Culinary Competence, And Family Meal Time In Youth And Their Caregiver, Jade Alana White

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objective: To develop a curriculum using evidence based programs to increase gardening skills, cooking competence, and family mealtime for youth (pre and early adolescent years) and their caregiver (dyad pair) using community-based participatory research.

Methods:

Using the Social Cognitive Theory, an inter-disciplinary team (N=3) including child development, nutrition and horticulture expertise: a curriculum was developed by integrating evidence-based curricula from iCook 4-H, Junior Masters Gardener curriculum Health and Nutrition from the Garden and Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development Programs, with additional resources from USDA’s My Plate, and garden-based recipes. The community based participatory research approach and process was utilized …

Toward A Synthesis Of Hr Competency Models: The Common Hr "Food Groups", Dave Ulrich, Wayne Brockbank, Mike Ulrich, David Kryscynski

Faculty Publications

As businesses face unprecedented rates of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), business leaders increasingly recognize the importance of talent (workforce, competencies, skills, abilities), leadership (senior leader and leadership team), and organization (workplace, capability, culture, processes, systems) as sources of competitiveness. Competitors can readily copy access to capital, strategic intent, and operational efficiency but they have a more difficult time copying talent, leadership, and organizational practices. As a result of this increased visibility, HR issues have received increased attention in the C-suite.

The Effect Of Tert-Butylhydroquinone, An Nrf2-Are Signaling Pathway Inducer, On Oxidative Stress-Related Neurodegeneration, Jiahong Sun

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Oxidative stress is actively involved in stroke pathogenesis; however, almost all the antioxidants that have been applied into the clinical trials fail to improve ischemic stroke outcomes. We note that most drug candidates have very limited diversity of antioxidative activities. tBHQ is a food additive, which is considered to be safe for human consumption. As both an antioxidant and an Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway inducer, tBHQ can directly eliminate ROS and activates the expression of all the antioxidative genes under Nrf2-ARE regulation. My dissertation investigated the potential clinical application of tBHQ for ischemic stroke treatment by using both in vitro glutamate-induced …

Enhancement Of Rna Splicing By The Nutrient-Regulated Splicing Factor Srsf3, Amanda L. Suchanek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nutritional status is a powerful regulator of intracellular function. Dietary status can increase or decrease the rate of RNA splicing, thereby affecting gene expression; however, few molecular mechanisms have been identified that are responsible for this type of regulation.;The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) gene has provided a useful tool for the study of nutrient-regulated splicing because accumulation of G6PD mRNA is dependent solely on changes in the rate of mRNA splicing in response to nutritional stimuli, consistent with its enzymatic role of converting dietary energy to fatty acids. Treatment of primary hepatocytes in culture with insulin or feeding a high-carbohydrate, low …

Microbiology In Shale: Alternatives For Enhanced Gas Recovery, Yael Tarlovsky Tucker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The gas-productive part of the Marcellus Shale occurs in the Appalachian basin at depths of 1.5 to 2.5 km (5,000 to 8,000 ft.), where most geologists generally assume that thermogenic processes occurring over geologic time periods are the only source of natural gas. This is because these sediments are believed to be sterile due to conditions these sediments have endured in the past, which are beyond those that most organisms are currently known to withstand. Recently, Marcellus shale drilling processes have allowed for the study of the microbiology of these sediments by analysis of microorganisms carried in "produced" waters that …

Interactions Of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Colletotrichum Acutatum And Trap Crops In Organic Tomato Production, Robert James Voshell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Colletotrichum spp. (Ascomycota) cause anthracnose of tomato fruits (Solanum lycopersicum). Halyomorpha halys, the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is an invasive insect that injures tomato fruits with a piercing/sucking mouthpart.;To determine if H. halys feeding increases incidence of anthracnose on tomato fruit, five experiments were conducted. A 21-day transmission study was performed using detached fruits inside plastic containers in an incubator at 22°C. Tomato fruits receiving stink bugs with Colletotrichum inoculum had significantly higher anthracnose incidence than fruit receiving Colletotrichum inoculum only. A treatment using infested stink bugs (H. halys was placed in a petri dish of sporulating C. …

Antimicrobial Effectiveness Of Citrus Essential Oils And Organic Acids Against Salmonella And Listeria Monocytogenes, Karina Walker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The development of natural antimicrobials for foods is of increasing interest as consumers' desire for more natural foods continues to rise. Organic acids and citrus essential oils (EOs) are natural, generally regarded as safe substances that are known to possess antimicrobial properties. In-vitro tests of natural antimicrobials against a range of bacteria are required in order to determine their feasibility for food applications. The objective of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity of citrus essential oils and organic acids against Salmonella Baildon, Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhimurium (ATCC 14028) and three strains of Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 19115, ATCC 15313, …

Cancer Exosomes Are Unique And Complex Mechanisms That Suppress Effector T Lymphocyte Functions, Yueting Wu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

It is still unknown how tumor exosomes influence malignant cell survival and alter cell-to-cell communication to modulate the immune system by, in part, manipulating the activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. This study focuses on two critical parts regarding cancer exosomes. The first part is to tailor existing bionanotechnology methods to account for the nanoscale aspects of exosome biology. SEM, TEM, Bioanalyzer and flow cytometry were used to characterize exosome morphologies, identify specific protein biomarkers HER1 and HER2, as well as the quality of RNAs enclosed in exosomes. Competing methods related to exosome isolation, production, preservation, stability and analysis were evaluated. …

Three Essays On The Economics Of Agricultural And Energy Policy, Christopher Shultz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation is a discussion on the dynamics of energy and agricultural policy in the United States. The landscape for policy creation, innovation, and the role of government is ever changing as a new energy mix emerges. This study contributes to the academic literature by providing three independent narratives on various aspects of the changing relationship. Each of the three studies provides a unique insight into a narrowly defined aspect of the economics and policy of energy and/or agriculture in the United States.;First, consideration is made into the process of policy creation. This is accomplished through a review and synthesis …

The Role Of Self-Efficacy And Social Support In Emerging Adults' Physical Activity, Nicole M. Silva

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Emerging adulthood is a time where emerging adults develop health behaviors that persist throughout the life span (Barnett et al., 2014). However, only 55.4% of emerging adults engage in the recommended amount of physical activity each week (U.S. Department for Health and Human Services, 2013). The current study examined two factors that are associated with physical activity, specifically self-efficacy and social support, in 403 (M age = 19.25, SD = 1.12) emerging adults. Linear regressions indicated that emerging adults who reported higher levels of general self-efficacy (beta = .13, p < .05), domain self-efficacy (beta = .33, p < .05), and support from the entire social network (beta = .50, p < .001) engaged in more physical activity. Support from the entire social network still accounted for a significant portion of the variance in physical activity when accounting for general or domain self-efficacy (beta for support = .48, p < .001 and .30, p < .05, respectively). The differential effects of source of support (i.e., family and friends) and type of support (i.e., esteem support, informational support, and companionship support) were also examined. Emerging adults who reported higher levels of support from family (beta = .22, p < .001) and friends (beta = .33, p < .001) engaged in more physical activity. Although emerging adults reported receiving more esteem support from family (M = 2.95, SD = 1.23) compared to friends (M = 2.74, SD = 1.15), esteem support from friends (beta = .33, p < .001) had a larger effect on physical activity than esteem support from family (beta = .21, p < .05).

Optimization Of Pulsed-Vacuum Osmotic Dehydration Of Blueberries, Alexandra Marie Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fruit drying is energy intensive (thermal efficiency 25-50%). However, improved efficiency is possible if phase change during the process is minimized. To minimize phase change and simultaneously increase product yield and quality, osmotic dehydration and pulsed-vacuum osmotic dehydration can be applied to maximize water removal before final drying. The objective of this study was to characterize the effect of vacuum, osmotic solution temperature and concentration, and treatment duration on blueberry mass transfer. Frozen blueberries were exposed to 2 temperatures (25 or 50°C), 2 sugar solution concentrations (45 or 65°Brix), 2 vacuum treatments (no vacuum or 50 mbar), and 3 duration …

Cultivating Intelligent Consumption: The United States Food Administration And Food Control During World War I, James H. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examines government food control in the United States during the First World War. More specifically, it looks at the food conservation program, and the associated propaganda, formulated by the United States Food Administration (USFA). The USFA was a wartime government agency headed by future president Herbert Hoover. I argue that the philosophy guiding the Food Administration's food control program was clearly influenced by a particular strain of progressivism that men like Hoover subscribed to. Using the input of experts in various fields such as nutrition, physiology, and advertising, the government was able to present a message to the …

Discovery Of A Novel Oocyte-Specific Krab-Containing Zinc Finger Protein Required For Early Embryogenesis In Cattle, Jacqelyn M. Hand

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Much of the loss of potential offspring in cattle is concentrated in the early embryonic period. Maternal mRNAs that accumulate in the oocyte during oogenesis have important functional roles during the initial stages of embryonic development, before embryonic genome activation. It is well regarded that the oocyte plays an active role in regulation of key aspects of the reproductive process required for fertility. What is more, oocyte-specific transcription factors seem to be the controlling feature influencing germ cell success throughout oogenesis, fertilization, and early embryonic development. Of the remarkably diverse array of transcription factors encoded by mammalian genomes, about two-thirds …

Development Of An Erosion Control Seed Mixture That Includes Native Species, George A. Hilvers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The West Virginia Divisions of Highways (WVDOH) utilizes the establishment of grass cover as a temporary and permanent management practice to mediate the effects of erosion on highway construction sites. Current West Virginia regulations include five seed mixtures for permanent applications that include combinations of nine species. Six of these species are identified as invasive, and all nine species are considered introduced or both native and introduced. This research developed alternative seed mixtures that included low threat or native species. The alternative seed mixtures were then evaluated in a field test. The research also examined seedbed preparation techniques, the performance …

Effects Of Protein Supplementation On Parasitism And Growth In Grazing Lambs, Crista Crawford

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Controlling gastrointestinal nematode infection of sheep has become a challenge resulting from reduced anthelmintic efficacy. Previous data have indicated that grazing lambs supplemented with a 16% CP ration at 1% BW maintained growth comparable to lambs given anthelmintic despite greater infection. Thus the objective of the following studies was to determine the effects of bypass protein on fecal egg count reduction and post weaning growth in parasitized, grazing lambs. Experiment one utilized spring-born Suffolk crossbred lambs separated into 3 supplement groups: alfalfa pellets (AFP) (15% CP), corn and soybean meal (CSM) (19% CP) and corn, soybean meal and fish meal …

How Are The Dimensions Of Technology, Culture, Kinship, And Economics And The Experience Of Stress Described By African American Students Who Gained Weight During Their Freshman Year In College?, Shavon Darden

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

African American college students are gaining weight at a pace faster than other ethnic groups yet research on this population is lacking. Exploration of freshman weight gain through the cultural lens of an African American student may provide a better understanding of this event. The research question for this study was, "How are the dimensions of technology, culture, kinship, economics, and the experience of stress described by African American students who gained weight during their freshman year in college?." Using Leininger's Cultural Care Theory and Sunrise Model as study frameworks, a qualitative study involving face-to-face interviews was conducted with directed …

Evaluation Of Roadside Vegetation For Erosion Control In West Virginia, Eric M. Davis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) utilizes the establishment of grass as a temporary and permanent management practice to mediate the effects of erosion on highway construction sites. The disturbed conditions of reclaimed slopes often present challenges for vegetation establishment and long-term cover. Seventy percent cover of vegetation by area is desired. This research evaluated the effectiveness of the current reclamation practices at right of way locations. The status of vegetation cover was considered to identify site factors that contributed to low and high ground cover along roadsides and medians. Thirty-three roadside and median study sites incorporated variability in …

Effect Of Time Of Pgf2alpha Application On Reproductive Outcome In Ewes, Callayn Danae Paul

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Traditionally, prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) has been included in short-term progesterone-based estrous synchronization (STPBES) protocols but its inclusion has been associated with a reduction in fertility at the synchronized estrus. Also, previous studies have shown that there are differences in the endocrine status and follicular dynamics of ewes at different stages of the estrous cycle, although effects have not been sufficiently evaluated regarding the reproductive outcomes when luteolysis is induced on different days of the cycle. To evaluate the effect of time of application of PGF2alpha relative to the progesterone treatment on fertility, ewes (N=442) from 4 farms located in WV …

Three Essays In Health Economics, Patrick Manzi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

I examine three issues in health economics. I first consider the effect of smoking bans on weight gain and find that while smoking bans do not lead to weight gain among the whole population, they may lead to slight increases in weight gain among current smokers. In the second essay I examine differences in maternal and infant health outcomes among mothers enrolled in the WIC program using a regression discontinuity approach. Results indicate that WIC participation decreases the likelihood of premature births, reduces the likelihood of breastfeeding and leads to decreases in maternal weight gain during pregnancy. Finally I examine …

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 …

Phylogenetic Relationships Among Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Species In The Deeply Rooted Archaeosporales (Glomeromycota), Robert J. Bills

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the phylum Glomeromycota are globally distributed biotrophic fungi that form symbiotic associations with a majority of terrestrial plants. Their global beneficial role in plant and soil ecology warrants a better understanding of their evolutionary history and taxonomic relationships. This project focused on species relationships in two deeply rooted families Ambisporaceae and Archaeosporaceae. In one study, analysis of morphology and 28S ribosomal DNA (LSU) sequences resulted in two major changes that redefined Ambispora to include only species that were dimorphic for both acaulosporoid and glomoid spore types. First, species described as producing only glomoid spores (Am. …

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 …

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 …