bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Digital Marketing in Encouraging Foreign Direct Investment, Economic Growth and Domestic Consumption in Indonesia
Authors:   STIE Jaya Negara Tamansiswa Malang, Mukhlis Muhamad
Published: May 2022

This study investigates internet users, FDI, consumption, and GDP in Indonesia to understand the relationship between digital marketing and direct investment in Indonesia and the control variables for consumption and economic growth.The World Bank has provided this data as a secondary source. For the years 2000 to 2020, the following variables will be analyzed using two different time series models. The country's GDP is used as a measure of economic growth in this study. Internet users (IU) is the dependent variable, and the other three variables, namely foreign direct investment (FDI), consumption (CO), and GDP, each of which is an independent variable from this study because they function as indicators of how the three variables are related in the long term and short for internet users. We found that internet users as an indicator of information technology literacy as well as an indicator of digital marketing in Indonesia have an impact on foreign direct investment, consumption, and GDP. This shows that digital marketing supports economic growth and domestic consumption and attracts investors to make direct investments in Indonesia.
Foot and Mouth Disease in Cameroon: A Systematic Review to Support its Progressive Control
Authors: Silas Lendzele Sevidzem
Published: May 2022

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an infectious viral transboundary disease of even-toed animals, caused by the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). The objective of this paper is to provide reviewed data on the epidemiology, risks, control and the existing gaps on FMD in Cameroon from 1990 to 2021 to support its progressive control. Relevant and available documents (n = 45) on FMD in Cameroon such as peer-reviewed papers (n = 27), dissertations (n = 11), conferences (n = 5) and technical reports (n = 2) were used. Studies on the molecular and serological epidemiology, the role of carrier/mobile animals, the evaluation of immune-cross protection between serotypes and the quantification of serotype-specific transmission parameters using mathematical models have been discussed. The environmental drivers of FMD in cattle markets, abattoir and herd-level, as well as risk factors such as husbandry practices, communal grazing, regional/international livestock trading system, transhumance and fomites, are presented. As international borders remain porous with poor FMD monitoring infrastructure at veterinary checkpoints in a country with no candidate vaccine, vaccination program and commercial vaccines available, farmers are left with no option other than to manage the disease with traditional formulations and veterinary pharmaceuticals mostly antibiotics. Tri-Solfen® (TS), a wound dressing formulation was efficient in managing FMD in Cameroon. The current gaps in FMD knowledge in Cameroon are presented. There is a need for a comprehensive epidemiological study in the major cattle rearing regions of Cameroon. A regional study to identify all the risk factors for the transmission of FMD is required. A socio-economic impact study of FMD is required in Cameroon.
THE SOLAR FLARE OF 23 FEBRUARY 1956
Authors: Mausam Editor
Published: May 2022

THE SOLAR FLARE OF 23 FEBRUARY 1956
Microseisms from storms in the Indian Seas
Authors: TANDON A.N.
Published: May 2022

The present state of our knowledge of microseisms is summarised. A study of the microseisms recorded by the Seismological Observatories at Calcutta, Hyderabad, Kodaikanal, New Delhi and Poona, during the passage of the Bombay cyclone of November 1948;Andhracyclone of October 1949 and the Bay cyclone of December 1951, is presented. The results show that microseisms of significant amplitudes are recorded at all the stations only when the region of low pressure at sea reaches the stage of a cyclonic storm. The amplitudes then rise and fall simultaneously at all the Indian stations, reaching the maximum value at the same time. Microseisms are not recorded for all positions of the storms. The periods of microseisms generally show arise with increasing amplitudes and seem to have no dependence on the distance.
Some Notes on Evapotranspiration, Evaporation from Soil and Transpiration
Authors: SHANBHAG G.Y.
Published: May 2022

Some Notes on Evapotranspiration, Evaporation from Soil and Transpiration
Some features of Squalls at Delhi
Authors: BHALOTRA Y. P. R.
Published: May 2022

The paper contains a discussion on the local upper winds and the upper air temperatures and humidities on the days of squalls and the mechanism of squalls at Delhi. The direction of upper winds at various levels and in different months, which are favourable for the development of squalls have been stated, The correspondence between the direction of the upper winds at various levels and the direction of the following squall has also been given. An examination has been made of the relevant radiosonde data available from the routine ascents at New Delhi and the changes occurring in the upper air temperatures and humidities, prior to the passage of squalls, noted. Synoptic charts for the squally days have been studied in detail and the main factors responsible  for the occurrence of squalls in different seasons, stated.
Representativeness of average rainfall from smaller number of stations over Damodar and Barakar catchments
Authors: MAJUMDAR K.C. , GANGOPAHYAYA M.
Published: May 2022

Over the Damodar and Barakar catchment the weighted averages of rainfall calculated after Thiessen model is statistically found not to be significantly different from the simple arithmetic averages. The simple average calculated from a randomly chose Smaller number of stations is found to be statistically representative of the average rainfall calculated by using all stations. The confidence limits  to the true mean have also been calculated.
Sea water density at 4 stations in the East Coast of India
Authors: FOND E.C.LA
Published: May 2022

Sea water density at 4 stations in the East Coast of India
A NOTE ON THE FACTORS USEFUL FOR THE PREDICTION OF RECURVATURE OF STORMS IN THE BAY OF BENGAL
Authors: CHAKRAVORTY K.C. , BASU S.C.
Published: May 2022

A NOTE ON THE FACTORS USEFUL FOR THE PREDICTION OF RECURVATURE OF STORMS IN THE BAY OF BENGAL
Some studies on fog prediction at Dum Dum
Authors: MAJUMDAR K.C.
Published: May 2022

A quantitative analysis of the problem of fog prediction has been carried out by choosing the lowest visibility observed in the morning as the dependent factor is the multiple regression. A forecasting technique based on ideas analogous to statistical decision with a fog-region from the plot of points of factors like dew point depression and depth of inversion layer is found to be quite fruitful, The results of regression or "fog-region " when combined with synoptic criteria like High in Head Bay of Bengal in an objective manner are found to improve to a considerable extent, The possibility of the forecasting of fog with the help of mean dew point depression for fog days is also discussed.
An analysis of wave observations in the Bay of Bengal
Authors: CHAKRAVORTY K.C. , BHATTACHARJEE R.C.
Published: May 2022

An analysis of wave observations in the Bay of Bengal
An analysis of the Radiosonde comparisons at Payerne with 14 sondes in May-June 1956
Authors: SATAKOPAN V. , MULL S.
Published: May 2022

An analysis of the Radiosonde comparisons at Payerne with 14 sondes in May-June 1956
A study on the Floods in West Bengal and West Uttar Pradesh during September-October 1956
Authors: BOSE U.K.
Published: May 2022

In connection with the study of extensive floods during September and October 1956 in West Bengal and parts of Uttar Pradesh, old records of rainfall dating from 1891 were examined. Several periods of heavy rainfall during the period, end of September to beginning of October, were found. Detailed examination of the district rainfall, with the help of standard deviation and coefficient of variation of daily rainfall during the chosen period revealed considerable variability within the district. One case (1922) has been studied  further by considering the isohyets during the period of heavy rainfall. In the case of Jamuna Floods a few self-recording rain gauges in the mountainous catchment were used to prepare the intensity-pattern. These on comparison with the hydrograph at Tajewala show striking characteristics. Delhi self, recording raingauge records and Jamuna Bridge river gauge records; have also been examined. It is concluded from the above studies that the heavy rainfalls towards the end of September and early October 1966 were not absolutely unique. Cases of early occurrence of heavy rainfall during the same period are available, thus showing that heavy rainfall have occurred in the past during the period, end of September and early October when there were on atomic or thermo-nuclear explosions polluting the atmosphere, contrary to a popular view which seems to have gained ground that the heavy rainfalls are unique and direct result of atomic explosions.
Observations of spread echoes from the F layer over Kodaikanal-A preliminary study
Authors: BHARGAVA B.N.
Published: May 2022

Occurrence of spread F echoes at Kodaikanal for a period of about one year has been analysed and diurnal and seasonal characteristics have been found to exist in the frequency of occurrence of these echoes. It has been found that the phenomenon occurs only during night-time with largest frequency between 1900 and 0400 hrs local time, While the seasonal variation is characterised by equinoctial maxima as in the case of geomagnetic activity. the day-today variations in scattering indicate a negative correlation with the degree of magnetic activity. Thus. scattering persists for largest percentage of time during comparatively quiet periods  and is often altogether absent on magnetically stormy nights. The phenomenon is discussed in relation to ionospheric irregularities and radio-star scintillation.
SOME STUDIES ON RAINFALL OF RAJASTHAN WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO TRENDS
Authors: RAO K. N.
Published: May 2022

SOME STUDIES ON RAINFALL OF RAJASTHAN WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO TRENDS
High maximum temperatures on the north Konkan coast
Authors: DORAISWAMY IYER V.
Published: May 2022

High maximum temperatures on the north Konkan coast
Contribution of the humidity term in the formula for reduction of pressure to sea level
Authors: RAO K.N.
Published: May 2022

Contribution of the humidity term in the formula for reduction of pressure to sea level
Height and yield of Kharif Jowar in relation to rainfall during vegetative growth
Authors: MALLIK A.K.
Published: May 2022

Height and yield of Kharif Jowar in relation to rainfall during vegetative growth
Critical discussion on dialogic engagement and various researcher positions in research concerning co-creation and co-production
Authors: Bager Ann Starbæk , Hersted Lone , Ness Ottar
Published: May 2022

In this article, we introduce volume two of our themed issue on co-creation and co-production and discuss various basic assumptions related to collaborative research. In collaborative studies in general, dialogue is often highlighted as an important process element with important implications for empowerment for those involved. However, the underlying understandings and implications of dialogic practice are seldom examined in depth. We raise a critical reflexive discussion on different approaches to dialogic engagement and present four high-level discourses guiding organizational scholarship to discuss crucial differences and similarities. Moreover, we outline seven researcher ideal types that reflect diverse degrees of dialogic engagement. Our aspiration is to provide useful insights, models, and questions that can guide participatory scholars in fostering critical awareness of their own position and the sometimes taken-for-granted assumptions guiding their studies.
Key factors in facilitating collaborative research with children
Authors: Olsen Rita Karoline , Stenseng Frode , Kvello Øyvind
Published: May 2022

User involvement in research has gained increased attention in recent decades. However, there is a lack of studies involving children as co-researchers, and particularly uncertainty regarding how to facilitate this type of collaboration. In this study, we explore children’s experiences of being part of a co-creation process in research in light of self-determination theory. By participating in a collaborative research project focusing on empowerment in educational support services, four girls aged 13–14 were interviewed about their experience as co-researchers. Using thematic analysis, three overarching elements were identified as significant in the co-creation process: (1) a sense of freedom to explore (autonomy); (2) a sense of significant contribution (competence); and (3) a safe social context (relatedness). These findings illuminate factors that promote children’s active participation in collaborative processes with adults. Potential challenges are also discussed.
Training in Simulation of Marriage Contract Processes for State Vocational School Students (SMKN) 1 Cikalongkulon During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Islamic Religious Education Practices in School
Authors: Hamidah Ai Didah
Published: May 2022

This research was carried out to conduct a marriage simulation for students of SMK Negeri 1 Cikalongkulon during the COVID-19 pandemic on Islamic religious education at their school. This research was carried out using a qualitative approach using data sources derived from previous research and studies that are still relevant to this research. The results of this study help reach the broader community in providing marriage education and forming synergy between Islamic universities and the community. The simulation carried out on the practice of marriage, especially in terms of fulfilling the administration and marriage contracts, is very urgent in the general public, especially young people and parents who want to carry out marriages. The high enthusiasm of the community and the effectiveness of the simulation carried out by facilitating students made this activity quite an impression to be continued on a broader stage.
IMPACT OF TELEVISION ADVERTISING ON FOOD CONSUMPTION AMONG CHILDREN IN CHINHOYI DISTRICT OF ZIMBABWE
Authors: Manuere Henry Takudzwa , Manyeruke Josphat , Chikazhe Lovemore
Published: May 2022

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of Television advertising on food consumption among children in Chinhoyi District of Zimbabwe. The Child Institute (1999) as cited in Dibie et al, (2019) define the concept of child as, 1) Infants or babies (0-2 years); 2) Toddlers or Preschoolers (2-5 years); 3) School Age Children (6-12 years), and 4) Adolescents Teenagers (13-17 years). Therefore the following objective was created in order to meet the needs of the study; 1) To explore the impact of television advertising on food consumption among children. The survey research design was utilised by the study. To that end, a structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 250 respondents (parents). The simple regression model was used to measure the strength of the given hypothesis. The results of the study showed that; 1) Television advertising has a significant impact on food consumption among children, and 2) Television advertising copy has a significant impact on food consumption among children, and 3) Television advertising setting has a significant impact on food consumption among children. Therefore this study recommends that parents should teach their children on how they should react to television advertising that relate to food consumption as this arrangement helps to reduce the negative effects of television advertisement on children. The literature on television advertising shows that children who watch television frequently learn strange behaviours, such as drinking, cheating, gambling, stealing and class bunking, (Klein et al, 1993; Comstock and Strzyzewskis, 1990).
Crying, “Wolf!” The Campaign Against Critical Race Theory in American Public Schools as an Expression of Contemporary White Grievance in an Era of Fake News
Authors: Benson Keith E.
Published: May 2022

The recent fervor over Critical Race Theory (CRT) in American public schools is the result of a confluence of contributing factors including: an eroded news media apparatus operating within a capitalist framework where an increasing portion of the American populace consume news through hyper-partisan cable news networks and social media that comports with their individual ideological preference; the decrying of CRT in schools as the latest iteration of historically-reliable White Backlash; and a highly-effective conservative messaging apparatus skilled in fomenting White Rage based on disinformation. In this essay I will, first, briefly survey America’s collapsing contemporary news media industry before discussing contextualizing White Rage throughout American history. From there, I will transition the article’s focus to the modern conservative media machine pushing fake news highlighting the (non-existent) issue of CRT in primarily suburban public schools as an exemplification of White Rage to protect whiteness and its hegemony for political gain.
Caracterización de la microdureza en el proceso de tratamiento térmico superficial en acero 4140 con láser pulsado multilinea de ND-YAG.
Authors: Ramírez Contreras Liliam Cristina , Donato González Yeimi Alexandra
Published: May 2022

El acero es uno de los mayores insumos utilizados en la industria. Teniendo en cuenta sus múltiples aplicaciones, debe contar con diferentes propiedades; para lograr estas propiedades se utilizan los procesos de tratamientos térmicos (temple, revenido, recocido, entre otros). En estos tratamientos, el calentamiento y enfriamiento es lento y modifica toda su microestructura. En los años 80 se utilizó el láser pulsado multilínea ND-YAG como la nueva tecnología para tratamientos térmicos; este proceso usa una longitud de onda de 1064 nm a 920 mJ con una duración por pulso de 5,05 ns. En este proceso los cambios de microdureza se dan solo en la superficie y aumentan al doble la dureza; aquí el calentamiento y enfriamiento son rápidos. Por esta razón, el articulo muestra el desarrollo experimental realizado en acero SAE 4140.
Progress of Education in Schools of India
Authors: Sharma Dr. Meenakshi
Published: May 2022

This article gives an outline of Indian school education. First, it places India's academic achievement in a broader perspective, concentrating on countries with somebody who is compared, especially notably China. Second, the research examined academic quality in terms of school enrollment, levels of academic achievement, teaching materials, and teacher inputs, but also schooling access in regards of participation and adherence rates. Third, the research considers the role of privatized education in The country, assessing the amount to which private tuition has grown and compared statistics on male and female high school achievement and unit prices. The essay wraps off with an overview of a few key public schools initiatives. The last part recommends a research agenda and demands for a comprehensive review of the benefits and drawbacks of the many availability of educational intervention in order to decide their cost benefit for evidence-based governance.
İnfertilite Tanısı Alan Kadınların Stigma Deneyimleri ve Baş Etme Yolları: Bir Derleme
Authors: EMEKLİ Hatice , ŞAKİROĞLU Mehmet
Published: May 2022

İnfertilite, birçok kadının, fiziksel ve psikolojik olarak negatif etkilendiği bir durum olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Birçok çift infertilite deneyimlemekle birlikte birçok olguda hamile kalamama durumunda sosyal damgalanmaya (stigma) maruz kalan kadınlar olmaktadır. Yapılan araştırmalar duygu odaklı baş etme mekanizmalarının ve yeni yaşam odakları bulmanın, infertilitenin olumsuz etkileri ile ve ilişkili damgalanma etkileriyle baş etmede etkili olduğunu desteklemektedir. Bu çalışmadaki amacımız, infertilitenin kadınlar üzerindeki olumsuz psikolojik etkilerine ve stigma deneyimlerine yönelik baş etmede etkili stratejiler sunmaktır.
AUSTIN HUMBERT, and JAMES JOY, Department of Biological Sciences, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, 25755. Sensory sensilla associated with the cibarial pump of Aedes vexans (Diptera: Culicidae).
Authors: Humbert Austin Alexina , Joy James E.
Published: May 2022

Sensilla of the cibarium, beginning at the base of the labrum and extending proximally through the stomodaeum, were examined in both female and male Aedes vexans (Meigen) collected from Wayne Co., WV in June of 2016. Two types of sensilla were observed; (1) setiform, and (2) basiconic. Both forms of sensilla were aggregated in the distal region of the cibarium surrounding a hard palate, with the basicones being medially positioned and the setiforms lateral. Additionally, two pairs of basiconic sensilla were consistently observed in the proximal end (i.e., stomodaeum) of the cibarium in every individual examined.
Evaluation of Shortest Path Algorithms for Solving Mazes.
Authors: Crutchley Brian , Miller Jason Rafe
Published: May 2022

Finding the optimal path through a maze is related to the shortest path problem in computer science. The first shortest path algorithm was introduced by Edsger W. Dijkstra in 1956 but multiple other solutions and optimizations have been suggested since then. We tested several algorithms for their applicability to the problem of solving mazes. We programmatically generated random 2D square mazes with independent variables for size and bias, where bias measures the deviation from random probability that a left or right turn contributes to a shorter path. We programmatically transformed each maze into a directed graph with arbitrary start and end positions and then solved for the shortest path through each graph. We speculated that maze bias, which tends to alter the graph density, would affect algorithm efficiency. We detected bias-dependent differences in resource usage between standard implementations of three shortest-path algorithms: Dijkstra’s, Bellman-Ford, and A*. Our results could help guide algorithm selection for robotic exploration of specific terrains given prior knowledge of their path properties. This project was supported by the NASA WV Space Grant Consortium.
An ecological assessment of six major streams in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle
Authors: Hoover Garrett William
Published: May 2022

The Northern Panhandle is a culturally distinct, historically foundational region of West Virginia. Lying centrally within the Allegheny Plateau, its terrain is characterized by razorback ridges and steep, winding valleys, producing a dendritic stream pattern that drains westward into the Ohio River. This high-density stream network is nested within the urban centers of the Upper Ohio Valley; coupled with the region’s intensive coal, oil and gas resource extraction, surface waters in the Northern Panhandle are at an elevated risk of degradation. A paucity of biological water quality assessment has been conducted for streams in the Northern Panhandle, leaving our understanding of current impairments poorly understood, and our ability to evaluate restoration opportunities uncertain. We propose a comprehensive ecological assessment of six major streams in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. Tomlinson Run and Kings Creek each comprise HUC-12 watersheds, have less-developed catchments, and are more highly recreated. Cross Creek, Buffalo Creek, Wheeling Creek and Fish Creek each comprise HUC-10 watersheds, and have varying levels of development within their catchments. The effects of land use on watersheds occur across multiple scales (physical, chemical and biological), so the primary drivers of change are often difficult to disentangle. We will analyze water chemistry variables and multiple parameters of macroinvertebrate community data (diversity, biomass and functional feeding groups) to parse out these drivers. Our goals are to determine the ecological health of these streams and better understand the effects of land use on stream ecosystems in the Northern Panhandle.
Cloud Computing and Docker Containerization: A Survey
Authors: Liao Weidong , Draper Jesse
Published: May 2022

Business today has gradually moved the cloud and serverless computing has become a trend for IT services. With current cloud computing offerings, businesses in nearly any market segment perform at levels once only accessible to multimillion dollar companies. In addition to putting advanced infrastructure and applications within reach of all companies, cloud computing utilizes a payment structure where utility companies have adopted in the very beginning: you pay only for what you use. Cloud Computing is more cost effective and provides better flexibility and scalability. It is ideal for companies such as online stores who need to serve significantly more customers in Thanksgiving shopping season compared to regular season.   Traditionally, cloud computing service providers rely on virtualization, a technique to create virtual servers and computing resources on a single hardware set, to provide a variety of services for customers. The heavy virtualization has led to the newer architectural approach to create cloud application: Microservices. In Microservices architecture, cloud application is built as a set of services. Each service can be developed, tested and deployed independently.  Containerization is one of the enabling techniques in Microservices architecture and Docker is one of the leading implementations of containerization. This poster presents a survey of Docker containerization.
Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning with Tensorflow
Authors: Liao Weidong , Anthony Parker , Parrett Levi , Guzide Osman
Published: May 2022

As the computational problems become more and more complex, researchers and developers turn to artificial intelligence and machine learning for feasible and accessible solutions. In this poster, we present our research with a look at the traditional artificial intelligence and more recent deep learning.  In addition, we discuss our experience in using Tensorflow, a widespread deep neural network package. At last, we describe our experience using Keras, a high-level software library designed to run on top of TensorFlow to allow fast experimentation and TensorFlow.js, a TensorFlow library in Javascript to allow Web based machine learning platform.
Temporal variability in extractable manganese concentrations in air-dry and field-moist soil.
Authors: Cameron Daniel , O'Dell David
Published: May 2022

When soils are removed from the field and processed for laboratory studies, changes in chemical properties may occur.  Field-moist soil (approximately 40 percent water on an air-dry basis) was collected and passed through a 2 mm screen.  After thorough mixing, half the soil was air dried (approximately 3 percent moisture).  Samples were further divided with half of the field-moist and air-dried soil stored at room temperature and the other half stored in a refrigerator at 5 °C.  Quadruplicate samples of each soil were analyzed at one-week intervals by extracting the equivalent of 10 grams of oven-dry soil with 20 mL of 0.01 M CaCl2 for 48 h followed by analysis using atomic absorption spectrophotometry.  Preliminary results showed no significant difference between refrigerated and room-temperature soil manganese concentrations, but differences between air-dry and field-moist soil manganese concentrations were observed.  Air-dried soil exhibited higher extractable manganese, even when accounting for the dilution effect of the soil moisture.  This indicates the difference is due to changes in the soil solution thermodynamics rather than to dilution of a highly soluble manganese salt by the higher soil moisture.  Soil analysis will continue for a period of twelve weeks to examine the changes in extractable manganese for both moisture contents.
Incidence of B. burgdorferi in tick populations of Upshur County, West Virginia
Authors: Winters Michael T , Sal Melanie S , Bjorgo-Thorne Kimberly A.
Published: May 2022

Lyme disease is the most wide-spread vector-borne disease in the eastern United States. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, that is transmitted by a tick vector, most commonly Ixodes scapularus.  In this study, 400 ticks were collected from around Upshur county, West Virginia, and tested by PCR for the presence of B. burgdorferi DNA.  Tick specimen belong to Ixodes scapularus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, or are unidentified. One unidentified sample, which tested positive for B. burgdorferi, has been tentatively identified as the new invasive Haemaphysalis longicorni. This is the first report of the Asian Longhorned Tick carrying B. burgdorferi in West Virginia. In the future, this ongoing project will expand its sampling techniques, as well as expand testing for the presence of other possible tick-borne diseases in collected samples.
Effects of Sargassum amendment in soil health parameters in a West Virginia agricultural soil
Authors: Dilly Sommer , Esquilin Aida Jimenez
Published: May 2022

Since 2011, coastal towns all over the Caribbean Sea have experienced massive rafts of Sargassum accumulation along their beaches with the worst episode on record in 2018.  This accumulation results in ecological problems such as trapping and suffocating ocean life and leads to odor pollution due to decomposition. This invasive brown seaweed, which is now becoming the new normal, also presents an economic problem as it negatively affects the tourism economy of these nations. We posed the question: Can the Sargassum seaweed be recovered on the shore and reutilized to improve soil health? We hypothesized that the partially decomposed Sargassum can be dried and used as a successful source of carbon and nitrogen to stimulate the soil microbial community, which in turn helps plant growth. We amended soil from a West Virginia garden with differing amounts of dried Sargassum seaweed (0%, 25%, and 50%) and assessed soil respiration and protease activity as a measure of soil C and N dynamics, respectively, at two-time intervals (12 and 28 hours). We found that soils without amendment showed statistically significant lower respiration (p=0.002) and protease activities (p<0.001) compared to Sargassum amendments. The 50% amendment showed the highest increase in both parameters. Increased soil respiration relates to higher microbial activity, and increased protease activity relates to an increase in N availability. We discuss the potential for this amendment to help ameliorate N limitation and plant growth. Overall, these results show that Sargassum could be reused as a promising fertilizer and warrant further study.
And Yet They Persisted: Early Evaluation of the First2 Network
Authors: Howley Caitlin
Published: May 2022

The first two years of an undergraduate student’s STEM program of study are particularly treacherous, with roughly half of STEM majors switching to other fields or dropping out entirely after their sophomore year. Moreover, attending a rural high school that was unable to offer higher-level math courses and being a first-generation college student further increase the likelihood of STEM attrition.    This presentation will feature early evaluation results from the First2 Network’s first 18 months of operation. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the First2 Network is a collective impact effort to improve STEM persistence among rural, first-generation college students in West Virginia. With students themselves as co-creators of solutions to problems of persistence, core Network activities include iterative testing of improvements to practice, development of a statewide network to support student success, and capacity building to ensure sustainability.   Study methods include surveys and interviews, observation of Network activities, document review, social network analysis, and tracking of student progress. Key findings suggest rapid Network expansion, establishment of core processes to support workgroups, provision of Network-wide training in improvement science, and successful facilitation of four summer immersive research experiences for targeted students. Early outcomes include statistically significant improvements in students’ STEM efficacy and STEM identity following summer immersive experiences, and improved survey scores indicating progress through iterative testing cycles. Early persistence data from participating students will be available by the time of the conference.    The First2 Network is supported by National Science Foundation INCLUDES Award Nos. 1834595, 1834586, 1834601, 183457, and 1834569.
The role of pilD in Francisella tularensis susceptibility to resazomycins.
Authors: Weekley Daron Marshall , Pancake Jacob , Hickman Jennifer
Published: May 2022

The CDC classifies Francisella tularensis as a Category A bioterrorism agent. If used during a terror attack, the inhalation of a single F. tularensis bacterium can cause the fatal disease tularemia. Due to the potential release of antibiotic-resistant F. tularensis strains, new therapeutics against F. tularensis must be developed. Resazomycins are resazurin-based compounds that exhibit antimicrobial activity against F. tularensis as well as other Gram-negative bacteria including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea. The mode of action of these antibiotics is not understood. To identify potential targets of resazomycins, we selected for mutants of F. tularensis that were capable of growing in the presence of 20x the minimal inhibitory concentration of resazurin (Rz). Approximately 50% of these Rz-resistant F. tularensis isolates had a mutation in the genes FTL_0959 (pilD) and FTL_1306 (dipA). In F. tularensis, pilD encodes for the cytoplasmic membrane peptidase responsible for processing the prepilin subunits in type IV pilin assembly proteins. To investigate the role of pilD in Rz susceptibility, we generated a pilD disruption mutant in wild-type F. tularensis and tested its sensitivity to Rz. In preliminary experiments, growth of the pilD disruption mutant is inhibited by Rz, although to a lesser degree than wild-type LVS suggesting pilD may play a minor role in resazomycin susceptibility. We are currently working to generate a complementation construct to express wild-type pilD in select Rz-resistant Ft mutants to further investigate the role of this gene in Rz susceptibility.
Dominance in Female Crested Geckos (Correlophus ciliates)
Authors: Schaefer Makayla Alexandra , Wetzel Haley , Skalican Kinsey , Johanson Sarah , Loughman Zachary
Published: May 2022

Correlophus ciliatus (Crested Geckos) are a gecko species found in the pet trade and in zoological institutions. Native to New Caledonia and once thought to be extinct, C. ciliatus now thrive in human care due to husbandry and subsequent ease of breeding in managed facilities. There are multiple discrepancies in best practices of how to properly house C. ciliatus, specifically females. It is commonly known that males are aggressive towards one another, and it is common practice to house females together in one enclosure to their perceived lack of aggression towards conspecifics. In an effort to increase welfare for female C. ciliatus, we conducted an ethnographic analysis of female C. ciliatus cohabitated in human care.  We placed two sets of three female C. ciliatus in a vivarium, videoed each respective cohort of females for 60 days, defined behaviors, and attempted to determine if dominance behavior were exhibited by females through ethnographic analysis. Chi-Square tests were used to determine if any identified behaviors occurred more frequently than others for each respective female and also what zone did we see the most aggressive behaviors in the enclosure. In each set, we found that there was one dominant female with two submissive conspecifics.
West Virginia University Herbarium Digitization Projects
Authors: Ford-Werntz Donna , Sheik Matthew , Huebner Cynthia
Published: May 2022

This poster summarizes three recent digitization projects at the WVU Herbarium. The NSF “Keys to the Cabinet” digitizing and georeferencing grant, targeting botanical specimens from across the southeastern U.S., concluded at the WVU Herbarium in June 2019.  More than 92,000 plant collections in 223 families, 1314 genera and 4639 species from the 12-state region were imaged and uploaded to the SERNEC portal.   With the end of this grant, the WVU Herbarium began work on two new projects.  A multi-year U.S. Forest Service contract was funded to support student labor for invasive plant research. The initial semesters of this project involved transcribing label data from WVU Herbarium records worldwide for seven species.  Current work is focused on images from the iDigBio portal: Arthraxon hispidus and Polygonum caespitosum are completed; Glechoma hederacea and Stellaria media are ongoing.   The final project is a 3-year NSF Pteridophyte Collections Consortium grant.  Funding is distributed among nine research centers to digitize fern herbarium specimens and fossils.  The WVU Herbarium is participating through a data hub at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.  More than 8500 WVU Herbarium fern collections have been imaged and will be linked to specimen label information at the award website.  These three projects demonstrate a sampling of digitization foci in taxonomy, floristics, and ecology.
Community-level Physiological Profile, Cellulose and Lignin Degradation of the Microbial Assemblages Associated with Epifagus virginiana
Authors: Evans Desiree L. , Lafferty Jasmine M. , Jimenez Aida E,
Published: May 2022

Epifagus virginana is a holoparsite whose only host is the American Beech tree, Fagus grandifolia. Currently, little is known about the specific mechanism used by Epifagus to colonize the tree. It is thought that lignin-like or lignin degradation by-products are needed to signal the colonization process for other members of Orobanchaceae. Knowing that microbial communities that inhabit eukaryotic hosts can influence their function and development,  we aimed to describe the microbial community structure of Epifagus, in particular the communities inhabiting the haustorium, (the organ used to parasitize). Using community-level physiological profiling as well as selective culture media, we found that microbial communities in Epifagus haustorium were active and diverse and structurally similar to those from adjacent bulk soil in Fall (MRPP A= -0.004, p=0.509), but different in Summer (MRPP A= 0.169, p=0.003). We also examined the cellulose and lignin degrading capacity of these microbial communities for their possible role in facilitating Epifagus colonization. We found that a larger number of endophytic isolates showed lignolytic activity compared to the haustorium associated microorganisms (HAMs). Finally, we were able to isolate bacterial isolates that use cellulose as their only carbon source. Altogether these findings lead us to further hypothesize that microbes associated with the haustorium could be involved in the production of the lignin-like haustorium inducing factors that are thought to facilitate the parasitism of other parasitic plants. These are, to our knowledge, the first published descriptions of the microorganisms inhabiting this holoparasite.
Strength of Bacterial Nanocellulose Based on Type of Saccharide Present During Formation
Authors: Constant Eric Jonathan , Watson Mark
Published: May 2022

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is produced by an interaction of a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) in conjunction with a sugar source and the appropriate pH and temperature. BNC is sought after for its diverse uses from wound dressings and drug delivery to a food additive. This is based on different chemical and physical properties from the crystallinity to the diameter of the fiber within the SCOBY. It can be used for many different applications, specifically tissue engineering, where strength comes into play. In this study, the strength of the BNC was measured depending on the sugar type added to the media and if it was a monosaccharide or a disaccharide. The SCOBY was grown in a fermented black tea media. The average wet weight yield for the glucose, fructose, maltose, and lactose were taken and found glucose had the highest yield. After the drying cycle, samples were tested for ultimate tensile strength and the dry thickness was gauged. The glucose was found to be 34% thicker and 32% stronger than fructose. It was found that monosaccharides outperformed disaccharides in the thickness and strength. The information from knowing the sugar that produces strongest SCOBY can lead to advances in the different uses such as tissue engineering.
Appraisal of CFD Discrete-Phase Models to be employed for Modeling Coal Particle Feeding in a Staged, Pressurized Oxy-fuel Combustor (SPOC)
Authors: Islas Alain , Pokharel Ansan , Akkerman V'yacheslav , Yang Zhiwei , Axelbaum Richard L.
Published: May 2022

In the present computational study employing the ANSYS Fluent commercial software, two different discrete phase formulations, namely, the discrete phase model (DPM) and the dense discrete phase model (DDPM) are tested and compared. Specifically, the unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations with the Lagrangian-Eulerian models are performed in both cases. The configuration employed is a cylindrical combustor with three inlet gas streams that feed the system with mixtures of different O2 and CO2 mole fractions under an operating condition of 15 bar, emulating the 100 kW lab-scale facility employed at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL). Specifically, the coal particles are fed into the system by the secondary gas stream through an annulus-axial convergent duct surrounding the primary inlet stream. Distributions of the DPM concentration (the ratio of the dispersed phase mass to the mesh cell volume; in kg/m3) of the coal particles along the axial direction within this secondary inlet agree for both the DPM and DDPM models even though these models mimic the coupling between the phases in a different manner. However, the particle grouping is observed not only axially, along the inlet duct, but also in the radial direction as there are zones experiencing non-uniform particle distribution. Overall, the impact of DPM concentration on the flame stability is shown to be minor since a continuous particle release prior to burning zone is successfully achieved for both models.
Investigating Plastic Accumulation in Sediments on the Banks of the Ohio River Near Wheeling, WV
Authors: Plum Tressa Jo
Published: May 2022

Plastics are a global threat to biodiversity, especially aquatic ecosystems where plastics from roads and other sources wash into rivers and streams on their way to the ocean. We chose to examine sediments from the banks of the of the Ohio River near Wheeling, WV for plastic debris. At multiple locations we took samples of soil at multiple depths 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, and 10-15 cm to quantify the abundance of plastics in the riverbank sediments. Sediment samples were collected in the field, placed in glass jars, and then transported to the lab for processing. Samples were washed thorough sieves to separate plastic particles into 3 size classes, > 2.00 mm, 2.00 mm <1000 µm, and1000 µm < 250 µm. Material from each size class was floated in saltwater in order to separate plastics from organic matter. Plastics particles were then placed on gridded petri dish and counted under a microscope. Our research is ongoing, but by continuing the research it will expand our knowledge of how plastics are accumulating in the Ohio River.
Modeling the effect of a combinatorial anti-CTLA antibody and radiation therapy on metastatic lung cancer.
Authors: Kouadio Jean-Emmanuel , Wang Qing
Published: May 2022

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) is an inhibitory receptor that is upregulated after T-cell activation, and transmits signals that suppress T-cell activation and proliferation through the depletion of CD8+ T cells.  Antibodies targeting CTLA-4 can selectively deplete regulatory T cells by antibody-mediated cellular cytotoxicity mechanisms. However, anti-CTLA-4 antibody therapy as a single treatment is limited on effectiveness to fight against immunogenic diseases like metastatic cancers. Radiation therapy (RT) on the other hand is a longstanding pillar of cancer treatment, historically utilized to treat a discrete target and provide local tumor control. Recent preclinical studies demonstrated that RT is synergistic with anti-CTLA antibody and induces systemic anti-tumor responses. In order to better understand the effect of the combination therapy on metastatic lung cancer, we developed a mathematical model using a system of impulsive differential equations. The objective of this study was to develop a predictive simulation platform to improve cancer management by manipulating dose and fractionation schedule of RT and dose and timing for the anti-CTLA-4 antibody therapy. This study is supported by NIH Grant P20GM103434 to the West Virginia IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence.
Modeling and Analyzing the Effect of a Radiation Therapy on Tumor Growth
Authors: Burner Katey , Wang Qing
Published: May 2022

Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the most common and effective cancer treatment options, even being used in more than half of all cases to cure cancer in high income countries. Due to the need for radiation therapy, research into maximizing the effectiveness of RT is critical. Mathematical modeling and computer simulations provide powerful tools to investigate potential optimal dosage and timing for tumor control. In this work, we have developed a mathematical model using a system of impulsive ordinary differential equations (IODE) to describe how RT interacts with other major players of the tumor microenvironment. Stability analysis was conducted for the tumor-free equilibrium. Future work includes analyzing ways to maximize the effects of RT using computer simulations. The objective of this study was to develop a platform to improve cancer management by manipulating dose and fractionation schedules of RT. This study is supported by NIH Grant P20GM103434 to the West Virginia IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence.
Isothermal measurements of a Langmuir monolayer of a non-polar fluorocarbon chain molecule.
Authors: Sheetz Nicholas , Li Mengyang , Smith Clayton
Published: May 2022

Traditionally Langmuir monolayers and lipids bilayers (including cell membranes) on water interfaces are made of amphiphilic molecules with both polar hydrophilic and non-polar hydrophobic parts.  It has been discovered that non-polar fluorocarbon chain molecules without the polar hydrophilic part, F(CF2)20F, can also form Langmuir monolayers on water.  Here we report the surface pressure vs. area isotherm measurements of a F(CF2)20F film on water, which show the film’s maximum compression modulus (greatest resistance to lateral compression) at about 30 Å2/molecule, independent of the compression speed, like the Langmuir monolayers of long chain saturated fatty acids do.  The cross-section area of the fluorocarbon chain is 28.1 Å2 in 3-D crystalline F(CF2)20F.   Our measurements confirm the formation of a Langmuir monolayer by F(CF2)20F, a non-polar fluorocarbon chain molecule.  We observed a general trend that greater the lateral compression speed, lower the maximum compression modulus, lower the resistance to lateral compression.Nicholas Sheetz and Clayton Smith are grateful to financial support from the National Science Foundation through the SOARS Research Fellowship at Shepherd University.