203435 research outputs found
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Neural and computational approach to understanding environmental modulation of behavioral identity in zebrafish
No full textOrganisms rely on behavior for survival. Animals engage in behaviors that allow for feeding, mating, exploring and navigating their environment among others. Necessary for these behaviors to develop are the environmental factors and underlying circuitry which make behavior possible. Specifically, how the environment guides underlying neural circuitry to develop unique facets or phenotypes of a larger behavior are key to understanding why unique behaviors exist. In this thesis, I build foundational evidence for determining these mechanisms through the use of the zebrafish local search behavior. This is a behavior that zebrafish employ following the loss of environmental illumination where they turn in tightly coiled leftward or rightward circles. The circling direction for an individual is also a persistent motor bias, thus also representing a straightforward form of individuality. I then used this zebrafish behavior to investigate how environmental factors influence motor bias. Then, I determine environmental mechanisms that guide zebrafish to develop specific leftward or rightward biases. Lastly, I developed two unique tools for analyzing distinct types of motor behavior in larval zebrafish and software for functional imaging analysis. Altogether, my work established the true behavioral variability underlying the zebrafish motor bias and established new tools for the investigation of zebrafish behavior and functional imaging
Creative Energies: Unearthing the Role of Romantic Ecocriticism
No full textThe literary field of ecocriticism has transcended the boundaries of Academia: excited to connect to their physical environments, many of these scholars are focusing on genres like place-based writing, rhetoric of energy policy, and representations of the Earth in film and media. Interdisciplinary by nature, ecocriticism has demonstrated clear potential in its ability to intersect with concentrations like the history of science, animal studies, and environmental justice.
However, as the language around global crises is heating up —“Today it is scientists, not prophets,” writes Tobias Menely in “‘The Present Obfuscation,’” “who speak the language of apocalypse” (478)—ecocritical scholarship is at risk of becoming grafted to a singular narrative. While environmental activism is one of several branches of the ecocritical mission, in the face of macrocosmic concerns, from Revelation to Anthropocene, addressing these concerns is a collaborative process with many voices. We must make certain not to cut down other avenues of ecological thought.
In this dissertation, I advocate for ecocriticism’s return to its historical roots in the Romantic Era. Not only were this era’s poets writing at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (what Paul Crutzen considers the beginning of the Anthropocene); several of the new developments in science, landscape aesthetics, and environmental philosophy of the eighteenth and nineteenth century have informed the imagery, language, and structural frameworks we still use to discuss contemporary environmental questions.
There is a strong body of scholarship in Romantic ecocriticism, but one element that requires our continually revisiting this period is the diversity of environmental philosophies being developed at this time. The scientific disciplines had not yet crystallized into separate departments, and we were not then discussing religion and science as incompatible; having an a stake in the environment did not require adherence to specific tenets regarding resources, technology, or definitions of what “counts” as Nature.
To explore these values, I examine the poetry of four Romantic authors: William Cowper’s The Task, Erasmus Darwin’s The Temple of Nature, Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound, and William Blake’s The Book of Thel. While these four poets diverge in their subject-matter expertise, relationships to their respective environments, and personal belief systems, they each have composed a poetic vision of the Earth (distinguishing what it truly is from what they wish it to be) populated with mythic beings who recreate many of the collaborative conversations we are having now about issues like resource exploitation, Nature’s resilience, and Man’s place in Creation.
By examining this diverse range of ecological thoughts, all of which seek to reconcile Man to Nature without compromising those virtues that make us human—reason, will, sympathy, and creativity—I believe that we will be better positioned to open the ecocritical field to new voices and perspectives
Effectiveness of a Cumulative Pediatric-Based Practical Examination at Increasing Student Perceived Competence and Confidence in Working with Pediatric Populations
No full textCurrent literature highlights the importance of utilizing practical examinations and actual patients and covering vast pediatric content within occupational therapy curricula. The needs assessment conducted within The West Virginia University Division of Occupational Therapy revealed that the division currently employs all three of these factors within their curriculum, however a gap presented in the combination of these three factors together. This project aimed to diminish this gap through the development, implementation, and execution of a pediatric practical examination, utilizing actual pediatric patients, to determine whether the examination is effective in increasing student perceived competence and confidence in working with pediatric populations. The project utilized 32 student participants, all of which completed the practical examinations within a 4-week span. Results collected from pre-test and post-test surveys indicated a statistically significant increase in perceived confidence/competence scores, with students perceiving the examination to be a beneficial experience
Haven: Viewing the Concept Album Through the Classical Lens
No full textThis research project analyzes the album Haven by Canadian pop-rock band Marianas Trench and compares it to the seminal song cycles of Franz Schubert, Winterreise and Die schöne Müllerin, as well as those of Robert Schumann, Dichterliebe and Frauenliebe und Leben.
Haven is a concept album that is based on the hero’s journey framework outlined in Joseph Campbell’s The Hero With a Thousand Faces. Josh Ramsay, the lead singer of the group, crafted his hero’s journey by drawing on his own life experiences. The songs on the album represent different plot points from Campbell’s framework, telling a cohesive story over the course of the album. Ramsay utilized a variety of musical and poetic devices to tell this story, many of which can be found throughout Schubert and Schumann’s cycles as well.
The comparison of these pieces shows the possibilities of utilizing popular music in university music curriculum. Haven can be utilized as a modern example of the German Romantic song cycle, providing students with music from a genre that is more relevant to modern life. It can also stand alone, exemplifying compositional practices in modern popular music and leading to a broader range of topics in curriculum
Scenic Design for Jen Silverman’s Phoebe in Winter
No full textThis document is a narrative of the Scenic Design process for Jen Silverman’s Phoebe in Winter, designed by Jess Ford. The process includes a detailed summary and analysis of the script, the stages in the creation of the design, the final design, build, technical rehearsals, and the final product. This production was produced by West Virginia University’s School of Theatre & Dance during the Fall 2024 semester, presented in the Gladys G. Davis Theater at the Canady Creative Arts Center in Morgantown, WV
The Wick of Youth
No full textThe Wick of Youth is an autofictional novel following Casey Mullen, a young man from the Pacific Northwest who spends his twenties drifting between jobs, places, and relationships. Told in episodic fragments, the novel blends memoir and fiction in the tradition of the roman à clef. It draws influence from writers like James Baldwin, John Williams, Bret Easton Ellis, and Adelle Waldman. Set in locations like Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, New Zealand, Thailand, and Germany, this swashbuckling but intimate story also functions as a kind of travelogue. This project is less about plot and more about capturing a feeling—a mix of restlessness, detachment, and the existential search for meaning in an indifferent world
The Impact of Political Party Control on Health Outcomes in U.S. States
No full textThis dissertation examines the impact of political party control on health outcomes in U.S. states, focusing on three key indicators: infant mortality, Type II Diabetes deaths, and COVID-19 deaths. Using quantitative methods and data primarily from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this study investigates whether the party affiliation of governors and state legislatures significantly influences these health outcomes. While existing literature suggests that Democratic-led states may achieve better health outcomes due to greater public investment in healthcare, the findings of this dissertation challenge these assumptions. Across all three cases, the analysis reveals predominantly null results, suggesting that political party control may not exert a direct influence on health outcomes. These findings highlight the complexity of health determinants, emphasizing the need to consider factors beyond party affiliation, such as individual health behaviors, policy enforcement, and ideological variation within parties. By confronting these null results, this research contributes to the fields of American Politics and Public Policy, offering a nuanced perspective on the relationship between governance and public health