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The Effects Of Agricultural Factors On Foodborne Bacterial Pathogen Isolation, Attachment, And Survival, Autumn Lea Kraft

Microbiological Sciences

The pathogens enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), Salmonella enterica, and Listeria monocytogenes are prominent causes of foodborne illness. If they reach the pre- or post-harvest environment of produce, they can survive for extended periods of time and transfer to post-harvest processing to reach consumers. There are a multitude of factors that influence this survival, bacterial attachment, and isolation, which have been identified for pre- and post-harvest conditions. However, how these pathogens respond to the changes in these systems requires more work to inform effective control methods. To compare the efficacy of an isolation method in different types of matrices, we used …

A Brief Overview Of Lung Disease Caused By Environmental Microorganisms, Aspergillus Fumigatus And Saccharopolyspora Rectivirgula, Missy Ann Berry

Microbiological Sciences

People often take breathing and respiratory health for granted, but our lungs are constantly inundated with damaging agents, making them highly vulnerable to injury and infection. Globally, respiratory diseases are a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and disability. Many respiratory diseases are preventable; however, avoidance of ubiquitous microorganisms is not realistic. The aim of this paper is to discuss how two environmental microorganisms, Aspergillus fumigatus and Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula, affect cellular activity and cause lung disease. Prevention, control, and cure of respiratory disease is the ultimate goal and understanding the mechanisms of disease progression is the first step.

The Rehearsal Plan And The Preparation Of Brazilian Art Songs: An Autoethnographic Study In Collaborative Piano, Elisama Da Silva Gonçalves Santos

Music

The objective of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of the rehearsal plan in the preparation of Brazilian art songs. This disquisition proposes a rehearsal plan model based on the concept of the class plan used in the field of education. The rehearsal plans were applied in a series of rehearsals with two singers at North Dakota State University in which we worked on four art songs composed by the Brazilian composer Francisco Mignone (1897-1986). This qualitative study adopted the autoethnography as research method. In this autoethnographic research I worked both as researcher and as pianist in the rehearsals. …

Proposed Methods For The Nondecreasing Order-Restricted Alternative In A Mixed Design, Badr Suliman Alnssyan

Statistics

Nonparametric statistics are commonly used in the field of statistics due to their robustness when the underlying assumptions are violated for the usual parametric statistics. In this dissertation, we proposed eight nonparametric methods to test for nondecreasing ordered alternative for a mixed design consisting of a combination of completely randomized design (CRD) and randomized complete block design (RCBD). There were four nonparametric tests, based on the Jonckheere-Terpstra test and modifications of it, employed to propose these nonparametric methods. A Monte Carlo simulation study was conducted using SAS program to investigate the performance of the proposed tests under a variety of …

A Longitudinal Examination Of Biomechanical Balance And Quantitative Multidomain Assessments During Recovery Following Sport-Related Concussion, Moira Kate Pyrhoda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sport-related concussion is an inherent risk to athlete health in contact and collision sports. Both short- and long-term risks are associated with the injury. Short-term, athletes may develop post-concussion syndrome (PCS), the persistence of cognitive, physical, and emotional symptoms for weeks or months after injury. Athletes who return to play (RTP) prematurely are at increased risk for lower extremity injury and repeated concussion injuries. Long-term, history of multiple concussions have been linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Due to these risks, concussion assessments must be sensitive to the injury and useful in the diagnosis, recovery, and RTP phases of the injury.

Sideline …

Comparing Performance Of Anova To Poisson And Negative Binomial Regression When Applied To Count Data, Ibrahim Soumare

Statistics

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is the easiest and most widely used model nowadays in statistics. ANOVA however requires a set of assumptions for the model to be a valid choice and for the inferences to be accurate. Among many, ANOVA assumes the data in question is normally distributed and homogenous. However, data from most disciplines does not meet the assumption of normality and/or equal variance. Regrettably, researchers do not always check whether the assumptions are met, and if these assumptions are violated, inferences might well be wrong. We conducted a simulation study to compare the performance of standard ANOVA to …

Minocycline As A Treatment For Traumatic Brain Injury-Induced Impulsive And Attentional Deficits, Kristen M. Pechacek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) impacts millions worldwide and can cause lasting psychiatric symptoms. Chronic neuroinflammation is a characteristic of post-injury pathology and is positively associated with psychiatric conditions such as ADHD and bipolar disorder. Therefore, the current study sought to treat TBI-induced impulsivity and inattention using minocycline, an antibiotic with anti-inflammatory properties. Rats were trained on the five-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRT), a measure of motor impulsivity and attention. After behavior was stable on the 5CSRT, rats received either a bilateral frontal TBI or sham procedure. Minocycline was given at either 1 h post-injury or beginning at 8 weeks …

Design And Development Of A Multi-Nodal Methane Detection System For Longwall Coal Mining, Amber P. Barr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Methane (CH4) explosions pose significant dangers in longwall mining that may lead to injuries and fatalities. Safety is improved through diligent monitoring of CH4 concentration. Currently, regulations require a CH4 monitor be placed on the shearer, downwind of the cutting head. Portable monitor measurements must be taken at various times and locations. If any CH4 monitor measures a concentration greater than 1%, a warning signal must be given. Based on previous research and the location of the CH4 monitor mounted on the shearer (closest monitor to the face), if 1% methane is measured, the concentration at the face may be …

Comparison Of The Batch And Individual Log Study Methods For Use In Determining Log Breakeven Pricing, Levi Eric Sisler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding log yields and overrun is critical to a profitable sawmill operation. Lumber yield and overrun data can be gathered through one of two types of sawmill studies: batch studies or individual log studies. Little to no research has previously been conducted to determine if one method provides more reliable results than the other method. For this effort, 16 batch studies were conducted. Individual log studies were also conducted on the same logs, allowing a direct comparison of the results from both study types. A breakeven analysis was conducted for each study type, which determined the amount of variability in …

Rail-To-Rail Operational In Low-Power Reconfigurable Analog Circuitry, Jared Dale Baker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Analog signal processing (ASP) can be used to decrease energy consumption by several orders of magnitude over completely digital applications. Low-power field programmable analog arrays (FPAA) have been previously used by analog designers to decrease energy consumption. Combining ASP with an FPAA, energy consumption of these systems can be further reduced. For ASP to be most functional, it must achieve rail-to-rail operation to maintain a high dynamic range. This work strives to further reduce power consumption in reconfigurable analog circuitry by presenting a novel data converter that utilizes ASP and rail-to-rail operation. Rail-to-Rail operation is achieved in the data converter …

C-Jun Nh2-Terminal Kinase Signaling Controls Cellular Mechanisms Of Guided Cortical Interneuron Migration, Skye Eleanor Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The cerebral cortex is an intricately organized brain structure responsible for high-level functions including sensory perception, movement, memory, language, and cognition. During corticogenesis, cortical excitatory neurons and inhibitory interneurons migrate from their respective progenitor zones into the developing cerebral cortex, deposit in the correct cortical layer, and establish connections with their appropriate synaptic partners. The balance between excitation and inhibition is critical for cortical circuitry development and function. Aberrant migration of inhibitory interneurons can alter the formation of cortical circuitry and lead to several neurodevelopmental disorders including epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia. Therefore, elucidating the mechanisms responsible for inhibitory …

Green Completion As A Mitigation For Btex Exposure In Gas Flaring: Nigeria Case Study (Exposure Assessment And Cost Model), Akintunde S. Akinyemi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gas flaring is an essential part of the oil and gas industry safety and waste management procedures; however, it presents a potential exposure to BTEX compounds, a group of Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compounds (NMVOC), within up to a 10-mile radius of the flare point. The physical and the psychological cost of the journey to work, make employees live close to the workplace. This study examined the perceived exposure of oil and gas industry workers to possible carcinogenic emissions outside the workplace. It looked at the outcomes of the exposure to BTEX through gas flaring drawing on archival data and using …

Mapping Surficial Geology In The New River Gorge National River And Bluestone National Scenic River, West Virginia, Using Lidar-Derived Digital Elevation Data, Marla K. Denicola

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this thesis was to determine if the surficial geology of Bluestone National Scenic River (BLUE) and New River Gorge National River (NERI), two areas of similar geology, can be mapped using visual interpretation methods applied to digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data. Surficial geology in BLUE was field mapped using GPS, following definitions and characterizations for surficial geology units established with the guidance of Dr. J. Steven Kite. A 2m x 2m LiDAR-derived DEM was used for BLUE and most of NERI using US Army Corps of Engineers (USCOE) LiDAR data, …

A Proposal To Simplify Quantum Meruit Litigation, Candace Kovacic-Fleischer

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

No abstract provided.

Order Fulfillment Errors And Military Aircraft Readiness, Michael Weber, Daniel Steeneck, William Cunningham

Faculty Publications

This paper aims to measure the effect of supply discrepancy reports (SDRs) on military aircraft readiness metrics, including aircraft availability, not mission capable supply (NMCS) hours, cannibalizations and mission-impaired capability awaiting parts (MICAP) hours.

Monthly SDR, NMCS, aircraft cannibalizations and MICAP data from 2009 to 2018 are analyzed using linear regression and independent samples t-tests to examine whether discrepant shipments negatively impact aircraft readiness.

A Scenario-Based Parametric Analysis Of The Army Personnel-To-Assignment Matching Problem, Matthew D. Ferguson, Raymond R. Hill, Brian J. Lunday

Faculty Publications

This study aims to compare linear programming and stable marriage approaches to the personnel assignment problem under conditions of uncertainty. Robust solutions should exhibit reduced variability of solutions in the presence of one or more additional constraints or problem perturbations added to some baseline problems.
Several variations of each approach are compared with respect to solution speed, solution quality as measured by officer-to-assignment preferences and solution robustness as measured by the number of assignment changes required after inducing a set of representative perturbations or constraints to an assignment instance. These side constraints represent the realistic assignment categorical priorities and limitations …

The Quantified Elf, Umico Niwa

Theses and Dissertations

The Quantified Elf is an ongoing collection of scientific, medical, archaeological articles and excerpts from my personal journal. It is a way by which I explore the various ways Western notions of personhood subsume human life into constructs of sexuality and gender, overlooking the various other modes of unbridled existence: plant, microbial. fungal, animal, celestial bodies. The speculative medical papers propose novel forms of body modification to combat gender dysphoria.

Mechanistic Study Of C-H Activation By Iridium Complexes, Rozalie S G Corea

Theses and Dissertations

C-H activation is considered the “holy grail” of chemistry. Remote, selective C-H activation has many applications such as modifying precursors, adding complexity to molecules, and modifying pre- existing structures in a reduced number of steps. Previous work by Swift and Gronert identified an iridium(III) phenanthroline complex that can activate C-H bonds of cyclohexane. The objective of this dissertation is to study the mechanism and regioselectivity of this complex in common precursors, namely 1-butanol, 1-methoxybutane and butyl acetate.

The studies were carried out in the gas phase on a modified mass spectrometer. Selectively deuterated alcohol, ether and ester were used to …

Female Psychopathy And The Personality Assessment Inventory (Pai): A Study With Incarcerated Women, Jason M. Smith, Carl B. Gacono, Ted B. Cunliffe

Archives of Assessment Psychology

In this study, PCL-R scores were used in correlational analyses with PAI scales in a sample of incarcerated women (N = 133). The total PCL-R score was significantly correlated with many PAI scales including ANT, DRG, and AGG. Categorical analyses were also used where the psychopathic women (N = 71; PCL-R ≥ 30) were significantly higher on the PAI scales of MAN, VPI, PAR, BOR, ANT, AGG, DOM; the non-psychopathic women (N = 28; PCL-R total score ≤ 24) scored higher on the RXR scale. These results further elucidate the conceptualization of female psychopathy (borderline and histrionic personality traits) and …

Interpreting Intelligence Test Scores In Forensic Mental Health Assessments: Conceptual And Psychometric Considerations For “Intelligent” Testing, James R. Andretta, Ryan J. Mcgill

Archives of Assessment Psychology

The assessment and interpretation of intelligence tests and intelligence test scores are featured in many forensic mental health assessments (FMHA). Given the role these instruments play in adjudicating legal decisions for individuals (i.e., Atkins cases), it is critical that the scores possess adequate reliability and validity. Unfortunately, a growing body of empirical literature has raised significant psychometric and conceptual concerns about the integrity and clinical utility of IQ test part- and subtest-level scores. Apprehension has also been raised regarding the use of cognitive profile analysis interpretive methods such as the popular “Intelligent Testing” (IT) framework, which emphasize primary interpretation of …

The Sentinel Effect And Financial Reporting Aggressiveness In The Healthcare Industry, Jared Koreff, S. W. G. Robb, G. Trompeter

School of Business Faculty Research

The sentinel effect posits that the perception of increased oversight is associated with improved behavior. We consider the association between enhanced government oversight and financial reporting aggressiveness in the healthcare industry. Specifically, we examine the association between criminal cases (pending cases and successful cases) against healthcare providers and the quality of subjective accounts that require significant judgment and have been shown to be linked to healthcare earnings management – revenue accruals and the allowance for doubtful accounts. We find that heightened government oversight is associated with lower financial reporting aggressiveness.

Racial Exclusion Causes Acute Cortisol Release Among Emerging-Adult African Americans: The Role Of Reduced Perceived Control, Laurel M. Peterson, Michelle L. Stock, Janet Monroe, Brianne K. Molloy-Paolillo, Sharon F. Lambert

Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Racial discrimination contributes to stress-related health disparities among African Americans, but less is known about the acute effects of racial exclusion on the hypo-pituitary-adrenocortical response and psychological mediators. Participants were 276 Black/African American emerging-adults (54% female; Mage = 21.74, SD = 2.21) who were randomly assigned to be excluded or included by White peers via the game Cyberball. Racial exclusion (vs. inclusion) predicted: greater negative affect (F(1, 276) = 104.885, p < .0001), lower perceived control (F(1, 276) = 205.523, p < .0001), and greater cortisol release (F(1, 274) = 4.575, p= .033). Racial exclusion’s impact on cortisol release was mediated by lower perceived control …

Assessment Of Stress Effects On Cognitive Flexibility Using An Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm, Andrew T. Gargiulo, Xinyue Li, Laura A. Grafe

Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Stress affects cognitive function. Whether stress enhances or impairs cognitive function depends on several factors, including the 1) type, intensity, and duration of the stressor; 2) type of cognitive function under study; and 3) timing of the stressor in relation to learning or executing the cognitive task. Furthermore, sex differences among the effects of stress on cognitive function have been widely documented. Described here is an adaptation of an automated operant strategy shifting paradigm to assess how variations in stress affect cognitive flexibility in male and female Sprague Dawley rats. Specifically, restraint stress is used before or after training in …

Killing Them To Save Us’: Lessons From Politicide For Preventing And Countering Terrorism, Clark R. Mccauley

Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship

This chapter reviews and extends the analysis of mass political murder advanced by Chirot and McCauley, then applies this analysis to understanding and countering terrorism. The justification for this application is that both politicide and terrorism target civilians in the context of asymmetric conflict. Three generalizations emerge. Politicide and terrorism cannot be understood or countered without (i) studying both sides in the conflict, (ii) separate studies of leaders, perpetrators, and mass sympathizers, and (iii) acknowledgment of the threats and grievances perceived by both sides. The chapter concludes with implications for fighting the war of ideas against jihadist and right-wing terrorists.

Racial Exclusion Causes Acute Cortisol Release Among Emerging-Adult African Americans: The Role Of Reduced Perceived Control, Laurel M. Peterson, Michelle L. Stock, Janet Monroe, Brianne K. Molloy-Paolillo, Sharon F. Lambert

Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship

Racial discrimination contributes to stress-related health disparities among African Americans, but less is known about the acute effects of racial exclusion on the hypo-pituitary-adrenocortical response and psychological mediators. Participants were 276 Black/African American emerging-adults (54% female; M age = 21.74, SD = 2.21) who were randomly assigned to be excluded or included by White peers via the game Cyberball. Racial exclusion (vs. inclusion) predicted: greater negative affect (F(1, 276) = 104.885, p < .0001), lower perceived control (F(1, 276) = 205.523, p < .0001), and greater cortisol release (F(1, 274) = 4.575, p = .033). Racial exclusion’s impact on cortisol release was mediated by lower perceived control …

Infant Illness Severity And Perinatal Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder After Discharge From The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Kathryn J. Malin, Teresa S. Johnson, Sarah Mcandrew, Jacqueline Westerdahl, Jonathan Leuthner, Joanne Lagatta

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Risk factors for perinatal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among parents of an infant in the NICU have varied in previous literature. The relationships between perception of illness severity and objective measures of illness severity with PTSD are not well understood.

Aims

To determine if PTSD among parents after an infant NICU discharge can be predicted by 1) objective measures of infant illness severity or 2) perceptions of infant illness severity.

Study design

A prospective, observational study.

Subjects

Parent/infant dyads who were in the NICU for ≥14 days.

Outcome measures

Objective measures of illness severity were obtained from the electronic …

Living The Manatt Report: Advancing The Future Of Nursing Through Joint Academic Appointments, Jennifer K. Pfister, Jill C. Kuester, Katie Mcdermott, Leslie Talbert, Christine A. Schindler

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

In 2016, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing published the Manatt Report which outlines recommendations to address the future of academic nursing. This report asserts that in order to influence the direction of healthcare, academic nursing needs to partner with academic health centers in leadership positions, embrace current clinical practice, and prioritize research. The following paper details the successful implementation of joint academic appointments between a college of nursing and a medical college. Joint appointments have formalized the role of clinician-educator, brought current clinical knowledge to academia, and allowed for protected academic time that is focused on enhancing the …

Bibliometric Analysis On Global E-Learning Literature In Web Of Science Database: With Special Reference To Sri Lankan Context, Mohamed Majeed Mashroofa, Mazuki Jusoh Prof, Karuthan Chinna Prof.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Study of existing literature on e-learning trend is a must in order to define the path for new research in the field. The objective of this study is to find the full range of scientific literature published since the emergence of the concept of e-learning. The researcher intended to get all of the literature published in the Sri Lankan context. Web of Science database search was carried out in January 2020 to understand the research trend. This study found 6934 results for e-learning after performing a basic search in Web of Science. This results covered 59784 citations. Though multilingual literature …

Kinetics Of Notch Signaling During Osteoclastogenesis, Amber Larissa Framstad

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Bone remodeling, the process of removing and replacing damaged bone matrix, is a dynamic physiological process essential to maintaining bone composition and integrity. Improper coordination of resorption and formation can lead to pathologic changes in bone composition and quality, as is seen in osteoporosis, a bone disorder most seen in post-metapausal women attributed to decreased estrogen levels. The Notch signal pathway is a highly conserved direct cell communication pathway known to regulate cell proliferation, differentiation and survival in many cell types including the differentiation of osteoclasts from bone marrow macrophages (BMMs). Osteoclastogenesis is initiated in BMMs by receptor activator of …

Helicobacter Pylori Gene Regulation By Virulence Region Located Srnas, Veronica Janette Albrecht

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Approximately 50% of the human population is infected with Helicobacter pylori, which can lead to gastrointestinal diseases such as ulcers and gastric adenocarcinoma. Helicobacter pylori strains are genetically variable, and some contain a DNA region called the cytotoxin associated gene pathogenicity island (cagPAI) that encodes virulence factors. Gastrointestinal disease associated with H. pylori are more likely to occur in infections with cagPAI positive strains. Helicobacter pylori has few known transcriptional regulators, but still must regulate expression to survive a constantly changing environment. A mechanism to facilitate this regulation was revealed in a transcriptome analysis conducted by Sharma et al. (2010) …