Digital Commons Network^™

Determining The Effects Of Imidacloprid On Non-Target Soil Organisms In Hemlock Stands, Braley Burke

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), is an invasive insect that is causing mortality of eastern hemlock trees, Tsuga canadensis, and Carolina hemlock trees, Tsuga caroliniana, across the eastern United States. To protect these ecologically important tree species, a neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, is commonly used. Imidacloprid is an effective treatment and can remain effective against HWA for four to six years but long-term (≥ one year after application) non-target effects of imidacloprid on forest ecosystems are not well-studied. This study examined terrestrial non-target effects of imidacloprid in hemlock stands with different treatment histories to …

The Media's Framing Of Incarceration In West Virginia, Patrick John Orsagos

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The following is a professional project that examines the way in which the mass incarceration of West Virginians has been framed by the news media. The research presented explains the scope of the problem of mass incarceration, followed by an explanation of research conducted on framing. The literature review explores what other media scholars have published about framing and argues which frame is most dominant in crime reporting by state media. Following this is a methodology for production of a podcast series that utilizes a thematic frame and the practice of solutions journalism to promote dialogue around the systemic issues …

Mechanisms And Therapeutic Interventions For Breast Cancer-Induced Fatigue And Mitochondrial Dysfunction, David Andrew Stanton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

According to the latest statistics from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), about 1 in 8 U.S. women (~13%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime. This translates to an estimated 268,600 new cases of breast cancer for the year 2019, and these diagnoses will collectively make up 15% of all new cancer cases across all cancer types. The majority of these women will experience the often-debilitating symptom of breast cancer-induced fatigue. these patients often have difficulty performing normal activities of daily living, have decreased tolerance to traditional tumor-directed therapies, and have higher rates of cancer recurrence. …

Evaluating Factors Influencing Transportation-Related Energy Consumption, Amrit Williams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis contributes to the literature assessing the relationships between travel patterns, transportation-related energy consumption, and urban form. Although the literature has explored several area-related and other factors, the focus has mainly been on urban areas. This research aims to (1) quantify the relationship of transportation-related energy consumption with urban form, (2) explore how individual attitudes might affect consumption, and (3) explore differences in consumption among different socioeconomic and demographic population groups.

Data collected from an online survey targeting adults in the contiguous U.S. supplemented with secondary spatial data were used to address the research goals. The collected sample was …

Jurors' Perceptions Of False Confessions, Madison G. Gallimore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the effect of mock jurors’ perceptions of a defendant’s false confession vs. no confession (false confession presence), coercive interrogation techniques vs. panic-escape (false confession reason), and expert witness testimony vs. defendant explanation vs. expert witness testimony plus defendant explanation for his false confession (source). The four hypotheses and one research question pertained to main effects and interaction effects of false confession presence, false confession reason, and source (separately) and expert witness conditions combined on five outcome variables. Outcome variables were defendant’s guilt, trustworthiness, suggestibility, susceptibility to external influences, and juror’s likelihood of changing their verdict. Using Amazon …

The Comparison Of Treadmill And Overground Running With The Use Of Inertial Measurement Units (Imus), Griffin R. Moon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Treadmill running has historically been utilized in the laboratory to mimic outdoor running. Recent developments in portable technology, such as Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) allow researchers to assess runners in their natural environment. PURPOSE: The primary purpose of the study was to compare peak tibial acceleration, stance time, stride frequency, and rearfoot eversion velocity between treadmill and overground running (asphalt, track, and grass). The secondary purpose was to test the reliability of IMU-based estimations of maximum rearfoot eversion velocity during treadmill running. METHODS: Twenty subjects (Age: 22.1 ± 2.0 yrs, Mass: 70.8 ± 11.9 kg, Height: 174.5 ± 10.0 cm, …

Fostering Music Performers In The 21st Century: A Contemporary Professional Perspective Toward A New Curricular Agenda For Graduate Study In Music, Andre Januario

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

What if the core curriculum for graduate students in music performance were designed to prepare students to succeed in the world of the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

This dissertation offers a hypothetical answer: a structured and systematic academic curricular framework for music graduate students of performance of concert music (especially those in terminal degrees, such as doctoral students), along with music instructors, professional music performers, school administrators, and college professors, seeking to prepare such students for achieving and maintaining a music career more in keeping with the current work environment, especially those skills demanded by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the …

Aerosol Sampling Strategy: Effect Of Particle Transfer To Sampler Covers And Estimation Of Conversion Factors Between The United States And German Methods For Quartz Sampling, Godwin Akpevwe Erekaife

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

AEROSOL SAMPLING STRATEGY: Effect of Particle Transfer to Sampler Covers and Estimation of Conversion Factors between the United States and German Methods for Quartz sampling

GODWIN A. EREKAIFE

In many countries, communities of experts, including industrial hygienists, have developed unique sampling strategies to determine workers’ exposure to aerosolized particles (e.g., metals, wood dust etc.). However, using different sampling and analytical methods for the same chemical often results in different exposure levels for a similar exposure group (SEG). The exposure discrepancies among different countries that are caused by using different measurement strategies are not always systematically defined. Therefore, this study …

Sevoflurane: Practice Change Integration Quality Improvement For Pharmacoeconomic Accountability, Kelly Moore Meyers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Pharmacoeconomic accountability is increasingly of concern to patients, institutions, and healthcare payors alike. Annual sevoflurane expenditure at a large university hospital exceeds $300,000 (personal communication, Eric Likar). Sevoflurane is a liquid, volatile anesthetic delivered from a vaporizer, through a breathing circuit to a patient. Multiple studies focused on reducing sevoflurane use note significant cost savings were attained with a variety of techniques. Moreover, using less sevoflurane reduces the environmental impact of volatile agents which are potent greenhouse gases. Through simple interventions, such as a brief staff education and reminders, Lethbridge et al. (2007) demonstrated over a fifty-percent reduction in …

Unique Biological Applications Of Charge Transfer Dissociation Mass Spectrometry, Halle M. Edwards

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The ever-changing landscape of mass spectrometry is driven by gaps in knowledge, and one of the biggest driving forces is the desire to understand the structure and dynamics of biomolecules in living organisms. New and better methods of tandem mass spectrometry are often at the heart of technological developments. Some fragmentation methods are limited to expensive FTICR instruments, some techniques are limited multiply charged precursors, and others are limited to breaking only the weakest bonds in precursor ions; all of which support the pursuit of new activation methods. Charge transfer dissociation (CTD) addresses some of these concerns by providing structurally …

Response Of Forest Birds To Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila Suzukii Matsumura), A Novel Invasive Fruit Pest, At Allegheny National Forest, Daniel P. Roche

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Non-native invasive insect pests can have dramatic impacts on native ecosystems, feeding on plant foliage, wood, or sap. Little is known, however, about how fruit-targeting NNIIPs may affect native ecosystems. Spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, SWD) is a recently introduced invasive vinegar fly that parasitizes the fruits of many plant species in the United States. While its activity in agricultural systems is well-documented, little is known about its activity in forest ecosystems, despite growing evidence of its presence and parasitism of fruits there. Parasitism could reduce fruit attractiveness for vertebrate fruit consumers, including migratory birds. As such, this …

Terrestrial Salamander And Ant Community Responses To Imidacloprid Application In Central Appalachian Eastern Hemlock Forests, Lenza E. Paul

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Imidacloprid is the most widely used insecticide in the world and has been found to impact non-target taxa in systems in which it is applied. It is used as the primary treatment method in the protection of eastern hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) from impacts of hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae), an invasive insect in the U.S. that is causing widespread mortality of hemlock trees. In this study, we investigated whether imidacloprid applied in eastern hemlock forests is impacting woodland salamander and ant communities.

In Chapter 1, I provide an overview of the ecological importance of eastern hemlocks …

Maternal Engineered Nanomaterial Inhalation Exposure: Cardiac Molecular Reprogramming In Progeny Through Epigenetic And Epitranscriptomic Mechanisms, Amina Kunovac

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Nano-titanium dioxide (TiO₂), a prominently utilized engineered nanomaterial (ENM), is being employed for its physiochemical properties in several fields including the food industry, manufacturing, and biomedicine. As the prevalence of this ENM, and other particulate matter grows, so does the concern for antagonistic consequences on long-term heart function in vulnerable populations, which until now have not been investigated. Due to the reliance of the heart on the ATP generating capacity of mitochondria for contraction, understanding the role of mitochondrial bioenergetics and structure is pivotal in understanding the repercussions of particulate matter exposure during gestation. As the mass …

Validation Of Shoulder Strain Index, Fabiha Islam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) of shoulder are one of the most frequent and major causes of morbidity and pain among full-time workers in the USA. In 2018, shoulder disorders were the most severe type of MSDs in terms of lost workdays. Recent epidemiological studies have identified several biomechanical, organizational, and psychological factors that increase the risk of shoulder MSDs. Though multiple biomechanical studies have evaluated physical causal factors of shoulder MSDs with a goal of risk mitigation, literature lacks a standardized risk assessment tool. The main objective of this study was to validate a previously developed shoulder strain index. The strain …

Assessing Synthetic Aperture Radar (Sar)-Derived Temporal Patterns And Digital Terrain Data For Palustrine Wetland Mapping, Jaimee L. Pyron

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Palustrine wetland systems are important ecosystems and provide numerous ecosystems services to support society. Unfortunately, they remain under constant threat of devastation due to land use practices and global climate change, which underscores the need to identify, map, and monitor these landscape features. This study explores harmonic coefficients and seasonal median values derived from Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, as well as digital elevation model (DEM)-derived terrain variables, to predict palustrine wetland locations in the Vermont counties of Bennington, Chittenden, and Essex. Support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF) machine learning models were used with various combinations of …

Francis Poulenc: The Compositional Influences Of Les Six And Sergei Prokofiev On The Poulenc Oboe Sonata (1962), Evan Klein

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research document contextualizes the compositional influences found within Francis Poulenc’s oboe sonata. In his lifetime, Poulenc was an extremely well-connected individual, often dedicating his works to his close friends and patrons. The Sonata for Oboe and Piano, in particular, is one of these compositions dedicated to his friend and famous composer Sergei Prokofiev. Written in 1962 toward the end of Poulenc’s life, he glanced back to the start of the twentieth century for inspiration and source material. The oboe sonata is then a collage of sorts—it takes on the shared contextual principles of Les Six in which he was …

Psychometric Evaluation Of Genetic Literacy Instruments In A National Sample, Jamey T. Brumbaugh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The concept of genetic literacy continues to grow in clinical and social significance. Whether transforming current healthcare practices or raising questions about genetically-modified foods, genetic information and technologies are primed to further influence people’s lives. There is a growing need to understand how genetic literacy is currently assessed in order to inform and improve future test development. This study aimed to investigate the assessment of genetic literacy by psychometrically examining three contemporary genetic literacy instruments (i.e., Genetic Knowledge Survey, International Genetic Literacy and Attitudes Survey (iGLAS-GK), and University of North Carolina Genomic Knowledge Scale (UNC-GKS). Psychometric properties, including internal consistency …

Effects Of Biofertilizer On Soil Nutrient Cycling And The Productivity Of Bioproduct Crops In Marginal Soils, Kieran B. Liseski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recently there has been increased interest in the use of marginal lands in order to grow bioproduct crops. Utilizing marginal lands to grow bioproduct crops such as Miscanthus x giganteus and Panicum virgatum could not only improve soil quality and minimize negative environmental impacts on the surrounding ecosystems but could also offer economic benefits to growers in rural areas. Because marginal soils tend to reduce crop yields compared to prime farmlands even when growing bioproduct crops, which tend to be more robust than traditional food crops, augmenting the soil with biofertilizers (i.e., the direct addition of viable microbial cells) could …

Examining Relationships Among Person Factors, Psychosocial Factors, And Coping Patterns In People Living With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In North Central Appalachia, Melissa A. Mccoy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Diabetes is a complex, debilitating illness that imposes disease burden on the individual and society. T2DM is more prevalent in the Appalachian region than in any other Region of the United States. If diabetes is poorly controlled, patients are at risk for negative health outcomes. A gap exists in the literature related to understanding of the relationships among person factors, psychosocial factors, and coping patterns. Another gap in the literature is sex differences among these variables.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examining relationships among person factors, psychosocial factors, and coping patterns in people living with T2DM …

More Than One Story: A Bioecological Model Of Elementary Educators’ Perceptions And Representations Of Diversity, Angela Curfman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Classroom teachers have long employed children’s literature in the classroom. Exposure to children’s literature offers a plethora of gains and benefits. Through the usage of children’s literature, critical thinking skills are fostered and factual information is obtained (Hancock, 2000). Varied cultures, linguistic backgrounds, families with diverse socio-economical, and academic backgrounds constitute our public school classrooms. Children’s literature provides readers an opportunity for self-affirmation; therefore, they often seek a mirror in books, (Bishop, 1990). The thoughtful selection of children’s literature in the classroom is essential. Through the lens of Bishop’s (1993) metaphorical notion of books as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass …

Using Distributed Ledger Technologies In Vanets To Achieve Trusted Intelligent Transportation Systems, Fares Nabil Elamine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With the recent advancements in the networking realm of computers as well as achieving real-time communication between devices over the Internet, IoT (Internet of Things) devices have been on the rise; collecting, sharing, and exchanging data with other connected devices or databases online, enabling all sorts of communications and operations without the need for human intervention, oversight, or control. This has caused more computer-based systems to get integrated into the physical world, inching us closer towards developing smart cities.

The automotive industry, alongside other software developers and technology companies have been at the forefront of this advancement towards achieving smart …

Geology Oriented Loading Approach For Underground Coal Mines, Deniz Tuncay

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mining-induced stresses in underground coal mines play a significant role in pillar and support design, hence in the safety of mining operations. Adequate design of pillars and roof control plans rely on the accurate assessment of the mining-induced loads, as well as the load-bearing capacities of the supports. In pillar design tools frequently used by the underground coal mining industry and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), overburden loading is estimated by geometric concepts such as the tributary area and the abutment angle method. These methods do not explicitly consider important mechanical responses such as specific overall ground behavior. The …

Analyzing Safety Audits To Improve Logging Safety Performance, George Daniel Nolan Jr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines logging safety audits to determine how different variables, and differing amounts of time between audits, affect the outcome of safety score performance. To collect the data for this study a three-page paper audit was used that examined five areas of the logging site which include: Personal protective equipment (PPE), general, felling, mobile equipment and, landing and loading.

The study analyzed 3 aspects of the audit which were the total score and the sub-categories of PPE and felling since they were the two heaviest weighted sections. The analysis only included audits that had a 5 percent or greater …

Improving Broiler Performance And Digestibility Through Feed Enzymes And Production Rate Aids Utilized In Pelleting., Kristina Marie Bowen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Enzymes are commonly added to poultry diets to improve performance parameters that may in turn decrease costs to the producer. Pellet mill production rate aids are also utilized to reduce feed manufacture costs and may have additional benefits when fed to poultry that are associated with the increase in production rate. Past research has shown that Azomite (AZM) can increase pellet mill production rate in diets that include inorganic phosphate sources (IPS) of dicalcium phosphate (DCP) or tricalcium phosphate (TCP). In the first experiment the authors hypothesized that if production rate were held constant then pellet mill energy consumption would …

The First Exit-Time Analysis Of An Approximate Barndorff-Nielsen And Shephard Model, With Data Science-Based Applications In The Commodity Market, Shantanu Awasthi

Mathematics

In this dissertation, an approximate version of the Barndorff-Nielsen and Shephard model, driven by a Brownian motion and a Lévy subordinator, is formulated. The first-exit time of the log-return process for this model is analyzed. It is shown that with a certain probability, the first-exit time process of the log-return is decomposable into the sum of the first exit time of the Brownian motion with drift, and the first exit time of a Lévy subordinator with drift. Subsequently, the probability density functions of the first exit time of some specific Lévy subordinators, connected to stationary, self-decomposable variance processes, are studied. …

The Association Of Pregnancy Control, Emotions, And Beliefs With Pregnancy Desires, Meredith G. Manze, Diana R. Romero, Prabal De, Josette Hartnett, Lynn Roberts

Publications and Research

Context

Standard pregnancy intentions measures do not always align with how people approach pregnancy. Studies that have investigated beyond a binary framework found that those with “ambivalent” feelings towards pregnancy are less likely to use contraception consistently, but the reasons for this are unclear. We sought to gain a nuanced understanding of pregnancy desires, and how perceptions about pregnancy are associated with contraceptive use.

Methods

We used non-probability quota sampling based on sex, age, and geographic region for a web-based survey of heterosexual men and women, aged 21–44 years, who could become pregnant/impregnate and were not currently pregnant (n = …

The Role Of The Physical And Social Environment In Observed And Self-Reported Park Use In Low-Income Neighborhoods In New York City, Javier E. Otero Peña, Hanish Kodali, Emily Ferris, Katarzyna Wyka, Setha Low, Kelly R. Evenson, Joan M. Dorn, Lorna E. Thorpe, Terry T. K. Huang

Publications and Research

Physical and social environments of parks and neighborhoods influence park use, but the extent of their relative influence remains unclear. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between the physical and social environment of parks and both observed and self-reported park use in low-income neighborhoods in New York City. We conducted community- (n = 54 parks) and individual-level (n = 904 residents) analyses. At the community level, observed park use was measured using a validated park audit tool and regressed on the number of facilities and programmed activities in parks, violent crime, stop-and-frisk incidents, and traffic accidents. At the …

Extracellular Vesicles Released By Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium Mediate Increased Polarised Secretion Of Drusen Proteins In Response To Amd Stressors, Miguel Flores-Bellver, Jason Mighty, Silvia Aparicio-Domingo, Kang V. Li, Cui Shi, Jing Zhou, Hannah Cobb, Patrick Mcgrath, German Michelis, Patricia Lenhart, Ganna Bilousova, Søren Heissel, Michael J. Rudy, Christina Coughlan, Andrew E. Goodspeed, S. Patricia Becerra, Stephen Redenti, M. Valeria Canto-Soler

Publications and Research

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Drusen are key contributors to the etiology of AMD and the ability to modulate drusen biogenesis could lead to therapeutic strategies to slow or halt AMD progression. The mechanisms underlying drusen biogenesis, however, remain mostly unknown. Here we demonstrate that under homeostatic conditions extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells are enriched in proteins associated with mechanisms involved in AMD pathophysiology, including oxidative stress, immune response, inflammation, complement system and drusen composition. Furthermore, we provide first evidence that drusen-associated proteins are released as cargo of extracellular …

Human Retinal Organoids Release Extracellular Vesicles That Regulate Gene Expression In Target Human Retinal Progenitor Cells, Jing Zhou, Miguel Flores‑Bellver, Jianbo Pan, Alberto Benito‑Martin, Cui Shi, Onyekwere Onwumere, Jason Mighty, Jiang Qian, Xiufeng Zhong, Tasmim Hogue, Baffour Amponsah‑Antwi, Linda Einbond, Rajendra Gharbaran, Hao Wu, Bo‑Juen Chen, Zhiliang Zheng, Tatyana Tchaikovskaya, Xusheng Zhang, Hector Peinado, Maria Valeria Canto‑Soler, Stephen Redenti

Publications and Research

The mechanisms underlying retinal development have not been completely elucidated. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are novel essential mediators of cell‑to‑cell communication with emerging roles in developmental processes. Nevertheless, the identification of EVs in human retinal tissue, characterization of their cargo, and analysis of their potential role in retina development has not been accomplished. Three‑dimensional retinal tissue derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) provide an ideal developmental system to achieve this goal. Here we report that hiPSC‑derived retinal organoids release exosomes and microvesicles with small noncoding RNA cargo. EV miRNA cargo‑predicted targetome correlates with Gene Ontology (GO) pathways involved in …

Ss-Phenylethylamine: A Novel Chemo-Attractant Agent, August Henry Burg

Microbiological Sciences

Bacterial metabolism and physiology are finely tuned mechanisms that maintain homeostasis for the bacterium and allow for responses to environmental signals. Responses could include anything from regulation of cell division to the expression of virulence factors leading to serious infection. This thesis explores the role of neurotransmitter molecules and ß-phenylethylamine (a structurally similar molecule to catecholamines) on the physiological characteristics of flhD expression, biofilm formation, and chemotactic behaviors in the E. coli organism. We observed changes in physiology leading to chemotactic changes in the presence of ß-phenylethylamine through the Plug Agarose Assay as well as the Microfluidic Assay. In a …