Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Environmental And Anthropogenic Gradients On Fish Beta Diversity In Central Appalachian Streams, Alanna Kaylee Lowther Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding the environmental and spatial drivers of community composition is essential for conserving freshwater biodiversity. We examined how environmental gradients, land cover, and spatial structure influence fish beta diversity in wadeable streams across West Virginia, USA. We quantified total beta diversity and partitioned it into species replacement and richness difference components and used local contributions to beta diversity (LCBD) to identify compositionally unique sites. Community–environment relationships were evaluated with distance-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA), and a beta regression GLMM was used to test how elevation, slope, land cover, and stream order (factor) predicted LCBD while accounting for spatial structure (dbMEMs) and …

Identification, Mapping And Treatment Of The Invasive Rosa Multiflora Using Unmanned Aerial Systems And Machine Learning Models, Kylie Virginia Shaw

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Invasive species are introduced species that cause detrimental impacts to the native ecosystem or cause harm to human health. The work necessary for land managers to survey for and treat invasive species takes up limited time, labor, and financial resources. This study assesses how Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and machine learning models can be used to make the identification, mapping, and treatment of invasive vegetation more efficient and effective. A UAS-mounted multispectral camera captured images of our target species, Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose), throughout its growing season in southwest Pennsylvania. A random forest machine learning model was trained on these …

Watershed-Level Survey Of Antimicrobial Resistance From Onsite Wastewater Systems, Trey Franklin Clark

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has quickly become one of the largest global health and development threats. Research related to environmental modes of transmission of AMR has accelerated in recent years, and the US Environmental Protection Agency is particularly interested in this emerging contaminant. Knowledge of how onsite (decentralized) wastewater treatment systems contribute to this issue is lacking, so this research serves to analyze and quantify the environmental dissemination of AMR and fecal contamination from these sources at a watershed level while using statistical analysis to assess relationships between physiochemical, spatial, and sampling parameters. This research surveyed four watersheds …

Development Of Novel Carbohydrate-Based Nanoparticles For Precision Drug Delivery, Krystal Ann Hughes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nanoparticle-based drug delivery has made tremendous advancements in the last decade. However, several critical factors, including precision drug delivery at the site of interest, long-term storage stability, and controlling release profiles of drugs in the systemic circulation, need to be addressed for successful clinical translation of nanomedicine. This dissertation presents novel carbohydrate-based nanoparticles that achieve precise intracellular delivery and therapeutic release at the disease site. We present the formulation and optimization of polymeric and polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles that enable precision intracellular delivery and passive accumulation of therapeutics in the bone marrow. Intracellular delivery is highly impactful and sought after. One …

Autonomous Weapons Systems And The Need To Update International Humanitarian Law?, Milena Sterio

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

This Article discusses whether the relevant rules of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and in particular, the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their 1977 Additional Protocols should be updated in order to develop a clearer framework regarding the permissibility and legality of the use of Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS) in armed conflict. This Article first discusses the existing Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols’ rules applicable to the use of all weapons, including AWS. Next, this Article discusses possible ways of reshaping and reconceptualizing IHL in order to adapt its current rules or to develop new rules that would better regulate the use …

New Treaty Law On Autonomous Weapons? An Opportunity To Reframe The Discourse, Laurie R. Blank

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

Calls for a new treaty for autonomous weapons—or for any other new technology—stem from a concern at the most basic level: the concern that LOAC’s existing treaties are not sufficient to fulfill their core purposes of protecting civilians and other vulnerable persons and regulating the conduct of hostilities. Could treaties drafted in 1949—when air power was new and space a distant dream, when the first operational computer ran its first program and navigation relied on the compass and sextant—be sufficient for the complexities and challenges of the electromagnetic spectrum, artificial intelligence, quantum mechanics, machine learning, cyber, anti-satellite weapons, and other …

Histone Deacetylase 6 Inhibition Promotes Microtubule Acetylation And Facilitates Autophagosome-Lysosome Fusion In Dystrophin-Deficient Mdx Mice, Akanksha Agrawal, Erin L Clayton, Courtney L Cavazos, Benjamin A Clayton, George G Rodney

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aim: Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive muscle-wasting disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. Despite progress in dystrophin-targeted gene therapies, it is still a fatal disease requiring novel therapeutics that can be used synergistically or alternatively to emerging gene therapy. Defective autophagy and disorganized microtubule networks contribute to dystrophic pathogenesis, yet the mechanisms by which microtubule alterations regulate autophagy remain elusive. The present study was designed to uncover possible mechanisms underpinning the role of microtubules in regulating autophagy in dystrophic mice.

Methods: Mdx mice were also supplemented with Tubastatin A, a pharmacological inhibitor of histone deacetylase 6, and …

Reliability And Severity Levels Of The Voice-Related Experiences Of Nonbinary Individuals, Grace Shefcik, Pei Tzu Tsai, Satveer Kler

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Objectives: Clinicians providing gender-affirming communication services to nonbinary individuals often utilize client questionnaires. The Voice-related Experiences of Nonbinary Individuals (VENI) is the only published questionnaire exclusively for nonbinary clients. This questionnaire consists of 17 items that gain insight into the client's self-perception of voice and voice-related concerns. According to Shefcik and Tsai (2023), the VENI's content validity is good to excellent. This study evaluated the measure's reliability through internal consistency and test-retest reliability analyses and created impact ratings to support interpretation of scores. Study Design: This study utilized an online survey-based design with test-retest administration. The initial survey was administered …

Pain For Pain: The Benefits And Challenges Of Bdsm Participation For People With Chronic Pain–An Exploratory Study, Reni Forer, Bryce Westlake

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Research is beginning to find that many BDSM (bondage/discipline, domination/submission, sadism/masochism) practitioners experience benefits beyond sexual pleasure. Additionally, given the relationship between pain and pleasure common in BDSM, there may be certain unanticipated benefits for practitioners reporting chronic pain (PRCP). We conducted an online survey of an international convenience sample of BDSM practitioners (N = 525). Participants were asked about self-perceived benefits and challenges related to participating in BDSM with CP. Using chi-square, independent sample t-test, logistic regression, and linear-by-linear association, responses were combined with demographics, participation timelines, co-participants, motivations, and frequency of activities to identify differences between PRCP and …

Evaluation Of A Community-Based Socialization Program For Independently Living Older Adults, Patricia A. Shane, Anne T. Ferguson, Erin L. Woodhead

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Social isolation among older adults is a major public health concern because of the adverse impact it has on health and well-being. Reducing social isolation can improve health and decrease the use of costly healthcare services. However, there is little consensus on the critical ingredients of programming to reduce social isolation. Bay Area Older Adults® (BAO) is a nonprofit organization whose community-based Healthy Living Program (HLP) focuses on building and nourishing older adults’ social networks through transitions such as retirement, divorce and loss of loved ones. The current study was a program evaluation of the HLP using a survey to …

Exploration Of The Effects Of Tai Chi Practice On Lower Limb Corticomuscular Coherence During Balance-Demanding Virtual Reality Conditions In Older Adults, Yang Hu, Elizabeth T. Hsiao-Wecksler, Manuel E. Hernandez

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Tai Chi practice has been widely adopted to improve balance and prevent falls in older adults. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the benefits of Tai Chi are difficult to evaluate during traditional balance assessments. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of Tai Chi and healthy aging on corticomuscular coherence (CMC) while standing in virtual balance-demanding environments. We recorded neural, muscular, and behavioral data in an immersive virtual reality environment while implementing sensory and mechanical perturbations to introduce high postural threats. Through the acquisition of electroencephalography and electromyography signals, we examined β and γ CMC changes in …

Finding Floral And Faunal Species Richness Optima Among Active Fire Regimes, Zachary L. Steel, Alissa M. Fogg, Raphaela Floreani Buzbee, Kate Wilkin, Brandon M. Collins, Ryan Burnett, Marc D. Meyer, Amarina Wuenschel, Scott L. Stephens

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Changing fire regimes have important implications for biodiversity and challenge traditional conservation approaches that rely on historical conditions as proxies for ecological integrity. This historical-centric approach becomes increasingly tenuous under climate change, necessitating direct tests of environmental impacts on biodiversity. At the same time, widespread departures from historical fire regimes have limited the ability to sample diverse fire histories. We examined 2 areas in California's Sierra Nevada (USA) with active fire regimes to study the responses of bird, plant, and bat communities to a broad spectrum of temporal, spatial, and severity patterns of fire. Bird and plant species richness peaked …

Reinforcement Learning Methods For Assistive And Rehabilitation Robotic Systems: A Survey, Mojtaba Sharifi, Shreesh Tripathi, Yun Chen, Qiang Zhang, Mahdi Tavakoli

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Advancements in robotic systems aimed at improving mobility for individuals with disabilities have required more sophisticated control and navigation methods. Traditional control approaches often lack the complexity and adaptability needed for the high-dimensional nature of human activities. Consequently, reinforcement learning (RL) has emerged as a dynamic and effective framework for managing robotic actions in complex and unpredictable human environments. This article reviews the integration of RL in robotic systems for enhancing the mobility of individuals with disabilities, addressing the limitations of traditional control methods in complex and unpredictable environments. We critically analyze various RL algorithms, discussing their advantages and challenges …

Examining Equity And Graduation Rates At Two Institutions Using A Course Deficit Model And The Collaborative Learning Through Active Sense-Making In Physics Curriculum, Cassandra A. Paul, David J. Webb

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

We have previously described the reformed introductory physics course, collaborative learning through active sense-making in physics (CLASP), for bioscience students at a large public research one university (Original University) and presented evidence that the course was more successful and more equitable than the course it replaced by several measures. Now we compare the original success of CLASP with an implementation at a second institution. We find that the original results hold at another institution despite some changes to the original curriculum and a somewhat different student population. We find that students who take CLASP are (1) less likely to drop, …

Quality Of Life Among Indonesian Family Caregivers Caring For Dependent Older Persons With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In The Community: A Cross-Sectional, Correlational Study, Rinco Siregar, Charuwan Kritpracha, Tippamas Chinnawong, Jos M. Latour

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Background: The global prevalence of older adults with diabetes has increased, and family caregivers in Indonesia play a critical role in managing diabetes and providing personal care. However, caregiving can be complex and challenging, often negatively affecting caregivers' quality of life (QoL). Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a hypothesized causal model of QoL among Indonesian family caregivers who care for dependent older persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in 2024. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted with 270 family caregivers recruited from five Community Health Centers. Data were collected using various scales: the Center for …

Unravelling The Ecological Trade-Offs In Behavioural And Physiological Sexual Traits, Alicia Eveson

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Animals experience temporally and spatially heterogeneous environments throughout their lives. Therefore, individuals that are able to plastically adjust their behaviour to the current environment, are able to maximise their fitness. These behavioural adjustments are particularly important where there are trade-offs between investment in different life-history traits. Trade-offs between reproduction and survival have been widely documented, in addition to a body of evidence for trade-offs between mating related traits. How an individual adjusts their mating behaviour in response to their social and biotic environments are important aspects of selection. Changes in the social environment, including sex ratio or population density changes, …

Development Of Welfare Assessment Strategies For Indonesian Zoos, Yonathan Yonathan

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Animal welfare assessment is a core element of zoo management, helping zoos achieve positive welfare state for their animals. Welfare should be assessed regularly to evaluate, monitor, and improve the standards of care. The research on welfare assessment and its development process increased after the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) launched the 2023 Animal Welfare Goals, which include mandatory welfare assessment process for national and regional zoo associations. In Indonesia, many zoos don’t have their own welfare assessment and find it difficult to adapt generic tools due to variation in husbandry, resources, and facilities. This project aims to …

How Do Human-Induced Environmental Stressors Shape The Distribution, Physiology, And Behaviour Of The Lemur Leaf Frog?, Benjamin Hough

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

The Lemur leaf frog (Agalychnis lemur) is a critically endangered species of anuran whose survival is increasingly threatened by human-induced environmental stressors, such as habitat loss, fragmentation, and climate change. This study investigates how those stressors shape the physiology, distribution, and behaviour of the species through combinations of physiological and distributional modelling and a behavioural trial. The study uses a novel approach into understanding how future risk posed by climate change could impact Lemur leaf frogs. By using field spatial data combined with physiological mechanistic modelling, the study is able to predict how Lemur leaf frogs body temperature and geographical …

Effects Of Host-Derived Probiotics On The Growth Performance And Health Of Tilapia And Carp, Sherilyn Abarra

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

To address the need for well-characterised probiotic strains for tilapia and carp aquaculture, this study investigated the isolation, characterisation, and application of host-derived candidate probiotics from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio), and their influence on growth, feed utilisation, intestinal integrity and microbiome, and mucosal health of the host.A total of 263 intestinal bacterial isolates were screened in vitro for antagonism against Aeromonas hydrophila and Streptococcus iniae. The top 31 isolates with inhibitory effects underwent screening against three further fish pathogens and were assessed for haemolytic activity and extracellular enzyme production in …

Metabolic And Kinetic Impacts Of The Auxiliary Energy Source In Model Chemolithoheterotrophic Bacteria, Caleb Yarnley

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Chemolithoheterotrophy describes a type of microbial metabolism by which organisms oxidise an inorganic electron donor to supplement the generation of an electrochemical gradient. This results in higher overall growth yields and maximum specific growth rates as the organism does not need to generate as many reducing equivalents to fuel the respiratory chain and can instead redirect that material into anabolic reactions to generate more biomass. Many aspects of this metabolism remain poorly understood due to the difficulty in observing genuine chemolithoheterotrophy, with significant increases in the maximum specific growth yield (YMAX) and maximum specific growth rate (µMAX) seen in continuous …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Brewers’ Yeast-Derived Functional Feed Additives In Mitigating Soybean Meal-Induced Enteritis In Atlantic Salmon, Taofik Adeiza Momoh

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Aquaculture continues to expand as a vital contributor to global food security, yet this growth introduces new challenges including the need to replace fishmeal with plant-based ingredients without compromising intestinal health. In Atlantic salmon aquaculture, one of the main constraints to plant protein inclusion is soybean meal-induced enteritis (SBMIE), a diet-related inflammatory condition that impairs mucosal function. Meanwhile, the use of functional feed additives such as those derived from brewers’ yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) have emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate such diet-induced pathologies and support immune regulation. This thesis investigates the efficacy of structurally distinct brewers’ yeast-derived additives, including …

Considering Behaviour In Genetic Sampling – A Case Study With Grey Seals, Kathryn Wiltshire

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Genetic variations are increasingly linked to intra-specific behavioural variations. Advancing our knowledge of behavioural genetics could make screening populations for genetic polymorphisms associated with behavioural variations possible. Genetic-behaviour links have been increasingly discovered in terrestrial mammals, but there are few comparable studies in marine mammals. Developing efficient and cost-effective genetic sampling techniques is essential to allow more studies on behavioural genetics in lesser researched marine mammals. This study explores the potential of a sampling technique, still in its infancy in marine mammal studies, that has potential to cause minimal stress to the animals. Buccal swabs were tested in a group …

An Assessment Of The Dietary Bioavailability Of Tio2 And Inorganically Carbon-Based Nanomaterials In Rainbow Trout, Using The Ex Vivo Gut Sac Technique And A In Chemico Digestibility Assay, Craig Mchardy

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Abstract. Craig McHardyAn assessment of the dietary bioavailability of TiO2 and inorganically carbon-based nanomaterials in rainbow trout, using the ex vivo gut sac technique and a in chemico digestibility assay.Carbon based engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are an emerging contaminant within modern society, as such their environmental risk assessment is of high importance. Testing for their persistence, toxicity and bioaccumulation potential is important for regulatory bodies to fully understand the hazard posed. To date, data on the bioaccumulation potential of these ENMs is lacking, especially within fish. A tiered approach to bioaccumulation testing has been posed in which precursory tests such as …

Impact Of Dietary Functional Yeast Additives On Growth Performance And Health Of Selected Key Aquaculture Species, Sheu Odu-Onikosi

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

The aquaculture industry has witnessed remarkable growth in recent decades underscoring its crucial role in global food security. However, this rapid expansion brings challenges, including the need to meet growing fish demand while minimising environmental impacts and managing disease prevalence. Functional feed additives (FFAs) have emerged as sustainable solutions to enhance fish health and performance. Among these, yeast-derived additives have garnered significant attention for their nutritional benefits and proven ability to promote growth and strengthen immune responses in fish.This study evaluates the effects of dietary brewer's yeast-derived additives on fish using a range of in-depth analyses, such as growth performance, …

Nitrate And Nitrite Bioavailability In Plasma And Saliva: Their Association With Blood Pressure - A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Raul Bescos, Laura Gallardo-Alfaro, Ammar Ashor, Lucia Rizzolo-Brime, Mario Siervo, Patricia Casas-Agustench

School of Health Professions

In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine plasma and salivary nitrate (NO ₃ ⁻) and nitrite (NO ₂ ⁻) concentrations under resting and fasting conditions in different type of individuals and their association with blood pressure levels. A total of 77 studies, involving 1918 individuals aged 19–74 years (males = 906; females = 1012), which measured plasma and/or salivary NO ₃ ⁻ and NO ₂ ⁻ using the chemiluminescence technique, were included. Mean plasma NO ₃ ⁻ and NO ₂ ⁻ concentrations were 33.9 μmol/L and 158.3 nmol/L, respectively. Subgroup analyses revealed lower …

Concordance Of Molecular Microbiology And Conventional Culture Techniques For Infected Diabetic Foot Ulcer Management, Angela Oates, Sarah T. Brown, Colin C. Everett, Fran Game, Jane E. Nixon, Tim Sloan, Michelle M. Lister, Michael Backhouse, Benjamin A. Lipsky, David Russell, Howard Collier, Joanna Dennett, Rachael Gilberts, E. Andrea Nelson, Jon Deeks, Sue Mallett, Roger Gasdby, Jane Lewis, Julie Brittenden, Andrew Bradbury, Joanne Paton, Zoe Hoare, Deborah Fitzsimmons, Mark Wilcox, Gerry Rayman, Brenda Riley, Christine Thomas, Ravikanth Gouni, Haroon Siddique, Gillian A. Lomax

School of Health Professions

Aim: The management of infected diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) requires balancing the need for timely interventions against the desire for targeted antibiotic therapy, which relies on laboratory results. This study aimed to evaluate concordance between molecular and conventional culture and sensitivity (C&S) methods in identifying bacteria from infected DFUs. Methods: This study was conducted alongside CODIFI2, a Phase III randomised controlled trial comparing tissue sampling with wound swabbing. It assessed C&S and metagenomic 16S rRNA gene sequencing (M16S) in DFUs with suspected mild or moderate infections using both tissue and swab samples. Results: In 145 participants, C&S identified 248 microorganisms …

From Attention To Action: Advancing Inclusivity In The Landscape Of Anatomy Education, Siobhan M. Moyes, Lily Evans, Katie Snow, Aiden Jayanth

Peninsula Medical School

Conversations about inclusivity in anatomy education are at a critical juncture. While the need for a more equitable discipline is widely recognised, significant challenges remain. As this project aimed to reimagine what a truly inclusive learning experience could like and how it might be best achieved, an inclusive approach to research methodology was essential to ensure robust and representative results. Due to the paucity in anatomical literature on this topic, the authors applied concepts from sociological research methodology and innovative methods of demographic data collection to their own discipline.

The study utilised questionnaires and focus groups to collect diverse data …

Stronger Shores: A Natural Capital Asset And Risk Register For The Northeast England Coastline Part Three: Application Of The Natural Capital Asset And Risk Register To Appraise Options And Assess Benefits Within Flood And Coastal Erosion Risk Management. A Report Has Been Compiled By Staff At The Marine Institute, School Of Biological And Marine Science, University Of Plymouth., Matthew Ashley, Helen Agosti, Tom Mullier, Tom Mullier, Riley Bibaud, Sian Rees

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The Part Three report identifies the role and opportunity for application of the Natural Capital Asset and Risk Register evidence, provided in Reports Part One and Two, in appraisal of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) options within Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM). Interventions applying NbS aim to increase extent and condition of specific habitat assets (ecosystem assets), therefore, considerable environmental benefits, as well as relevant cross-policy objectives are met when NbS are considered as an option. As such, the linked contribution to ecosystem services and associated benefits to people, and where possible economic value, needs to also be documented when …

Restoration Of River Connectivity Enables Long-Distance Spawning Migrations In A Potamodromous Fish, Dagmara Błońska, Ali Serhan Tarkan, Demetra Andreou, Jonathan D. Bolland, Peter Davies, Jamie R. Dodd, Phillipa Gillingham, Catherine Gutmann Roberts, Fatima Amat-Trigo, Sadi Aksu, Andrew Hindes, O. Jonas Palder, Mark Yeldham, J. Robert Britton

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Rivers across the world are increasingly fragmented due to anthropogenic barriers, with the restoration of connectivity often using fish passes. Fish passes are, however, usually designed for anadromous species, despite ecologically important non-anadromous species being present in the communities impacted by fragmentation. To assess the outcomes for non-anadromous fishes of the installation of multiple fish passes and weir modifications, the movements of the potamodromous European barbel Barbus barbus were evaluated in the lower River Severn basin, western Britain, which was fragmented by six weirs (two on a tributary, four on the Severn mainstem). Movements of individual fish were measured using …

Globalism, Localism And Blue Food Systems – How Can Cross-Scale Tensions Be Reduced? A Production Perspective From Uk Seafood Stakeholders, Alex J. Caveen, Bryce D. Stewart, Cameron Moffat, Daniel Skerritt, Estelle Jones, Huw Thomas, Lara Funk, Magnus Johnson, Mike Cohen, Michael Roach, Neil A. Auchterlonie, Samuel Peacock, Sarah Hussey, Tim Gray, Tom Pickerell, Umi Muawanah, Vasiliki Kioupi, Yvonne Sadovy De Mitcheson, Neil M. Burns, Charlotte R. Hopkins

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

‘Blue foods’ are derived from aquatic species that are caught or cultivated and are amongst the most globally traded commodities. Growing emphasis is being placed on blue foods in future transitions to sustainable food systems. However, recent international events such as the Covid-19 pandemic, UK-EU ‘Brexit’, and Russia-Ukraine war have caused renewed interest in ideological debates between globalism and localism and associated cross-scale tensions. Here, we aim to provide further insight into cross-scale tensions in blue food systems through a literature review and UK-based seafood stakeholder workshop. From our literature review, the evidence for cross-scale tensions was linked to the …