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COMMISSIONING AND RECORDING PROJECT OF NEW WORKS FOR SAXOPHONE FOCUSED ON PROMOTING MEXICAN COMPOSERS AND EDUCATING FUTURE COMMISSIONING SAXOPHONISTS
No full textThis document chronicles my process of commissioning and recording five new works by Mexican composers. To contextualize this experience, I provide a brief introduction of Mexican contemporary music history, an overview of second-hand accounts of the commissioning process, my personal experience of this process, and my assessment of the impact these works could have on the classical saxophone repertoire. As I have reflected on my own experience with historical and contemporary accounts of the commissioning process, it has become clear that personal connections between composers and performers and the patronage or funding linked to those relationships are just as important in influencing artistic outcomes as what we might easily think of as “pure” aesthetic choices. With that in mind, the secondary aim of this document is to provide a practical how-to manual for any artist hoping to commission and record an album. Accordingly, I detail my experiences surrounding the pre-production and post-production stages of the recording process. Overall, this dissertation outlines the events and challenges of a project that produced an album of original saxophone music, written generously for me, from notable Mexican composers Javier Torres Maldonado (b.1968), Enrico Chapela Barba (b. 1974), Ana Lara Zavala (b.1959), LiliAurora Carrillo Madrigal (b.1993), and Arturo Fuentes (b.1975)
Abundance Estimates and Habitat Use of the Candy Darter in the Critical Habitat Designation of the Gauley River National Recreation Area
No full textThis thesis includes (1) a literature review chapter and (2) a research chapter that examines the abundance and habitat use of Candy Darters (Etheostoma osburni) in the Gauley River National Recreation Area (GARI). The Candy Darter, a small-bodied fish in the family Percidae, is an endemic and a federally endangered species in the New River drainage of West Virginia and Virginia. One of the critical habitat designations for this species is located within GARI, a reach of the river impacted by didymo (Didymosphenia geminata), where snorkeling and underwater observations were conducted to assess species abundance and habitat use at two riffle sites. Candy Darter abundances differed between sites as determined from N-mixture models, a finding that may be influenced by water temperature, didymo, or benthic habitat availability. Within riffle habitats, Candy Darters associated with areas of faster water velocity, higher percentages of cobbles, lower didymo coverage, and lower boulder percentage areas. Our results may aid conservation agencies, as data from the critical habitat designation of GARI can inform management and conservation of the species
Influence of Scaling and Root Planing with Minocycline Microspheres on Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Periodontitis
No full textBackground: Scaling and root planing (SRP) is widely recognized as the gold standard non-surgical treatment for periodontitis. Minocycline, a semi-synthetic tetracycline derivative, is commercially marketed as Arestin®, offering substantivity. It remains active in periodontal pockets for 7–10 days and continues to release the drug for up to 14 days. With its dual mechanism of action—antibacterial effects and the ability to reduce tissue destruction—minocycline shows clinical promise as an adjunct to SRP. However, the supporting evidence remains varied and somewhat inconsistent.
Aim: The primary objective of this study was to assess the change in the proportion of sites with residual periodontal pocket depth (PD) of ≥5 mm in patients with periodontitis treated with scaling and root planing (SRP) alone versus SRP in combination with locally administered minocycline microspheres (MM, Arestin®).
Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial included patients diagnosed with periodontitis. The study involved four visits. At Visit 1, patients underwent enrollment, a comprehensive periodontal examination, and radiographic assessment. Visit 2, scheduled two weeks later, involved the removal of supragingival plaque and the collection of subgingival plaque samples from shallow (1-4 mm), moderately deep (5-6mm), and deep periodontal pocket sites (≥7 mm). At Visit 3, participants received treatment with either SRP alone or SRP in combination with minocycline microspheres (MM, Arestin®), based on random group allocation. Visit 4 occurred two months post-treatment and included subgingival plaque sampling from the same sites as Visit 2, followed by a periodontal examination.
Results: Thirty patient completed the study. Both groups showed significant improvements from baseline to 2-month follow-up. At the 2-month follow-up, the SRP + MM group demonstrated a 4.22% lower proportion of sites with residual PD ≥5 mm than the SRP group; however, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.09). Bleeding on probing (BOP) decreased by 20.13% in the SRP + MM group and 19.71% in the SRP group, with no significant difference between groups (p = 0.87). Notably, the SRP + MM group demonstrated a greater reduction in the proportion of sites with residual PD ≥5 mm and BOP compared to the SRP-only group.
Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the use of minocycline microspheres as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) demonstrated a potential added clinical benefit in the management of periodontitis. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are warranted to confirm these observations
Predictors of Success in Whole-Classroom Narrative Interventions for Elementary School Children
No full textABSTRACT
Predictors of Success in Whole-Classroom Narrative Interventions for Elementary School Children
Malia Sayavong
Purpose:
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a neurodevelopmental communication disorder that significantly affects a child’s ability to acquire and use language for speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Children with DLD often experience persistent difficulties with vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and narrative construction, which can interfere with academic achievement and social interaction. Classroom-based narrative interventions have shown promise in supporting language growth in this population, yet not all students benefit equally. Multiple individual characteristics—including language profiles, cognitive abilities, and environmental factors—may influence intervention outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify student characteristics that may predict response to a whole-classroom narrative intervention.
Method:
Thirty students from one 1st grade (n = 14) and one 2nd grade (n = 16) classroom in southern West Virginia participated in a 10-week whole classroom narrative intervention using the Supporting Knowledge in Language and Literacy program (SKILL; Gillam et al., 2017). The intervention was delivered twice weekly by a school-based SLP with support from university faculty and monitored for fidelity via recorded sessions, achieving an average fidelity rate above 94%. Students were assessed pre- and post-intervention using a comprehensive battery of standardized assessments measuring nonverbal intelligence (KBIT-2), phonological memory (CTOPP-2), language proficiency (CELF-5), and narrative comprehension and production (TNL-2). In addition, students generated a spontaneous story based on a single-scene prompt, which was transcribed and analyzed using the MISL rubric to assess narrative macrostructure and microstructure. Regression analysis was conducted to determine which student characteristics best predicted narrative gains following the intervention.
Results:
Descriptive statistics showed no significant differences between 1st and 2nd grade students at pretest or posttest across language and narrative measures. A multiple regression analysis revealed that general language ability (CELF-5) and narrative ability (TNL-2) jointly explained 38.5% of the variance in posttest narrative scores, though the model did not reach significance. Simple slopes analysis suggested CELF-5 scores were predictive of narrative outcomes only when TNL-2 scores were low. A second regression predicting macrostructure scores revealed a non-significant interaction between CELF-5 and TNL-2, though trends suggested a stronger negative relationship between CELF-5 and macrostructure at lower narrative abilities. Lastly, regression analysis predicting microstructure scores showed a significant interaction between CELF-5 and TNL-2 (p = .044), with CELF-5 negatively predicting microstructure when TNL-2 scores were low. These results suggest that students with weaker initial narrative abilities may benefit less from intervention when general language scores are higher, highlighting the moderating role of narrative language skills in treatment response.
Discussion:
Findings revealed that initial narrative proficiency, rather than general language skills, was the strongest predictor of gains following a whole-classroom narrative intervention. While regression models for overall proficiency, macrostructure, and microstructure approached significance, interaction trends suggested that students with stronger baseline storytelling abilities benefited most, even when general language scores were lower. Conversely, students with higher CELF-5 scores but weak narrative skills demonstrated less growth, highlighting a disconnect between sentence-level and discourse-level language abilities. These results highlight the importance of using narrative-specific assessments, such as the TNL-2 and MISL, to guide intervention planning. Whole-class narrative instruction using the SKILL program proved feasible and broadly effective, particularly within a multi-tiered system of support. Limitations included a small sample size, limited generalizability, and the use of a single narrative task. Future research should examine intervention responsiveness across larger, more diverse samples and include a wider range of outcome measures and contextual factors
A Multi-Case Study Exploring NCAA Division I Athletic Departments’ Mental Health Culture through Stakeholders’ Perspectives
No full textDespite the NCAA’s ongoing efforts to guide athletic departments into providing sufficient mental health support to student-athletes, psychological well-being continues to be a primary area of concern for collegiate athletes. Student-athletes are as likely as the regular college population to experience mental health issues, but less likely to seek services (Watson, 2005). Researchers have continued to examine the perceived barriers preventing student-athletes from utilization of mental health services which include a lack of knowledge, limited access, and perceived negative stigma (e.g., Harris & Maher, 2023; Yoon & Petrie, 2023). Organizational culture–loosely defined as a group’s accumulated shared learning in which adopted actions and ideologies are all designed to help increase the success of the organization (Schein & Schein, 2017)--plays a significant role in the way it binds its stakeholders and guides their behaviors. Therefore, developing a positive athletic department culture surrounding mental health can be beneficial in increasing student-athlete help-seeking behaviors. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the employed practices of Division I athletic departments and how stakeholders perceive and experience the layers of culture (artifacts, beliefs and values, underlying assumptions; Schein & Schein, 2017) surrounding mental health. A dual-case study approach was used, and multiple sources of data were collected including semi-structured/focus group interviews (N=14 participants), archival documents, physical artifacts, and direct observation (Stake, 1995). Data was analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006) and revealed overarching themes of visibility, integration, and leadership support as imperative factors in changing athletic department culture and reducing mental health stigma. These findings highlight the most significant interacting elements of athletic department culture (Schroeder, 2010) that impact the sub-culture related to mental health. Practical recommendations for future researchers and applicable suggestions for mental health providers and athletic administrators are presented to improve athletic department culture for effective mental health support
Racial and Ethnic Threat and the Accessibility of the Legal Recreational Cannabis Market in California
No full textRacial and Ethnic Threat and the Accessibility of the Legal Recreational Cannabis Market in California
By Kathryn L. Burnham
Drug prohibition has a racialized history in the United States (US). Cannabis became synonymous with the perceived enhanced criminality of Black and Hispanic populations by the White public. Despite similar prevalence of cannabis use among people who are Black, White, and Hispanic, the vilification and stigmatization of Black and Hispanic cannabis users began in the early 1900s and continued for over a century. As individual states continue to legalize cannabis use and public opinion favors the federal legalization of cannabis, it is crucial to examine how the racialization and criminalization of cannabis use manifests in the legal recreational cannabis market today. Using publicly available data, this dissertation utilizes racial and ethnic threat theory to analyze whether policy, taxation, or voting behavior related to the legal recreational cannabis market in California today is impacted by the racial and ethnic composition of cities in an attempt to add to the current sociological literature that tends to be atheoretical given the newness of this social phenomenon. While support was limited, similar to other studies of racial and ethnic threat theory, taxation on cannabis products was higher in cities with a higher concentration of people who are Black or Hispanic. Voting behavior and policies were not significantly related to the percent of people who are Black or Hispanic. As more states legalize cannabis, it is important to ensure that the legal cannabis market is accessible, especially for people who have been negatively impacted by cannabis prohibition
Effect of genetic variations, nutrition, and animal age on collagen characteristics, lipid accumulation, and fillet quality of Oncorhynchus mykiss, rainbow trout
No full textTexture is one of the most important attributes for examining and evaluating fish quality. Many factors affect fish texture, including genetics, age, dietary composition, fat and moisture content, collagen characteristics, handling, storage time, and temperature. This research evaluated impact of genetics, diet, and age on lipid accumulation; collagen quality and quantity; body composition changes, in response to growth fillet quality and texture in rainbow trout.
Two studies were conducted. The first study examined genetics influences on collagen characteristics, fillet composition, and cooked fillet texture in 15-month-old trout. Eight families were selected based on the cooked shear force. No significant differences were observed in soluble, insoluble, total hydroxyproline (HYP) content and the percentage of soluble HYP among families (P \u3e 0.05). However, families with greater whole-body weights exhibited higher separable and fat-free separable muscle weights, thicker fillets, and higher cooked yields (P \u3c 0.05). Collagen solubility was not related to texture development for these fish; instead, fat and moisture content, cooked yield, and fillet thickness had a greater impact, due to cooking rate differences and the lubricating effect of fat.
The second study examined effects of age, diet and genetics on lipid deposition, collagen characteristics, and fillet texture in both raw and cooked stages. Two fast- (F1 and F2) and two slow-growing (S1 and S2) families were selected based on growth performance. Fish were fed either fishmeal (FM) or fishmeal-free (FMF) diets. Family S1 reached a whole-body weight comparable to the fast-growing families when averaged across age and diet. While FM-fed fish were larger, they had lower fillet yield than FMF-fed fish, possibly due to differences in visceral fat accumulation. Among age groups, visceral adipocytes of 9-month-old fish had the largest area and diameter (P \u3c 0.05); reduced area and diameter likely reflected recruit of new adipocytes for additional lipid storage in 11-month-old fish. Whole-body crude fat of 11-month-old fish was the highest among the three harvest ages. Collagen characteristics were significantly influenced by age, with 6-month-old fish exhibiting the highest soluble HYP content (P \u3c 0.05), a trend that was further pronounced after cooking when comparing 9 and 11-month-old muscle. Although collagen content did not differ between diets in raw fillets, FM-fed fish had higher soluble and total HYP in cooked fillets (P \u3c 0.05). Fillet texture varied by age, diet, and genetics. Raw fillets from 9-month-old fish had higher shear force than those from 11-month-old fish, but the trend reversed after cooking (P \u3c 0.05). FMF-fed fish had firmer raw fillets (P \u3c 0.05), though this difference disappeared after cooking. Genetics influenced growth, body composition, adipocyte size, and fillet texture (both raw and cooked), but did not affect collagen characteristics.
Overall, genetics, diet and age significantly influenced body composition, fat accumulation, and collagen properties, which in turn affected fillet texture and quality in rainbow trout
Impact of Temperature on Blueberry Fruit Size and Nutritional Quality
No full textImpact of Different Temperatures on Blueberry Fruit Size and Nutritional Quality
Background: Blueberries are the second most produced berry in the United States. Highbush blueberries are commonly used in production because of their large berries. Blueberries are considered a ‘superfruit’ because of its nutrient density and particularly, their high antioxidant content. Two Northern highbush have an optimal growing temperature of 20-25˚C. Northern highbush blueberry cultivars, ‘Jersey’ ripens late season while ‘Blueray’ ripen mid-late season.
Objective: To determine the effect of different temperatures on blueberry size and nutrient quality. The temperatures used were 18-28˚C to determine whether small fluctuations from the optimal temperature may affect fruit size, flavor, and nutritional quality.
Results: Cultivar differences in blueberry size and nutrition were influenced by temperature. ‘Blueray’ had larger berries, higher total soluble solids, and titratable acidity (TA), but lower fructose, suggesting a tarter berry with a higher total water-soluble vitamin content than ‘Jersey.’ Growing at temperatures slightly above or below optimal temperatures affected berry size, TA, antioxidant capacity, and biotin content. Blueberries grown at 28°C experienced heat stress with smaller fruit and reduced antioxidant and biotin levels. ‘Blueray’ was more temperature-sensitive, showing a significant size decrease at 20°C, while ‘Jersey’ was affected at 28°C.
Conclusion: Collectively, the results highlight that even small temperature fluctuations can impact blueberry nutrient and antioxidant content. By understanding the effect of temperature fluctuations on different cultivars, blueberry producers can select the cultivar most resilient to quality degradation caused by temperature variations. This is crucial with expected temperature extremes due to climate change
Assessment of analytical workflows of gunshot residue evidence and strategies for implementation of advanced technology in crime laboratories.
Get PDFThe rise in gun violence in the United States has increased the demand on forensic agencies to process evidence promptly and accurately. The exchange of imperceptible traces among objects, suspects, and victims can provide critical insights into the interactions and sequence of events during a crime. Gunshot residue (GSR) is a type of trace evidence that holds significant investigative value in shooting reconstructions. GSR can help identify potential shooters, intermediate targets, and bullet trajectories; however, its analysis is often expensive and time-consuming. Consequently, there is an urgent need for more effective solutions.
Methods for on-site screening can significantly streamline forensic processes; however, the analysis of GSR poses challenges due to concerns regarding sample integrity. Recently, innovative mobile instrumental techniques, such as Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Electrochemical Devices (EC), have addressed these limitations. For instance, mobile LIBS technology offers advanced capabilities for enhanced imaging, targeted ablation of single particles, sensitive elemental analysis, and mobility to the crime scene. Additionally, EC allows for the simultaneous detection of both inorganic and organic components of GSR. Together, these instruments provide a more comprehensive approach to GSR evidence in a fraction of the time, making them valuable tools for triaging information at crime scenes and forensic laboratories.
Integrating these screening tools into the workflow can expedite informed decision-making processes and reduce costs. This project evaluates the current state of GSR analysis and assesses the readiness of mobile techniques for implementation in laboratories through three main objectives: 1) evaluate current analytical methods and their efficiency in crime laboratories; 2) expand the applicability of mobile LIBS to various trace evidence in firearm-related investigations; and 3) develop an implementation plan for mobile instrumentation in crime laboratories.
Firstly, this study examines the graphical representation and analysis of current GSR workflows in two practicing laboratories, identifying bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement. A survey, distributed by major professional organizations in the field, gathered responses from 56 participants across 19 nations, providing valuable insights into the practical investigative workflows related to GSR evidence, from the initial arrest of a person of interest to the issuance of reports.
The versatility of mobile LIBS extends beyond GSR to encompass a variety of target materials, bullets, and cartridge case residues. Over 400 samples were collected from shooting at eight different substrates—wood, drywall, glass, paint, concrete, and several automotive parts—using three types of bullets: full metal jacket (FMJ), jacketed hollow point (JHP), and lead round nose (LRN). This resulted in either perforation or ricochet. Multi-transfer and cross-transfer of GSR and other traces from impacted substrates and ammunition components were detected via LIBS on the shooter’s hands, bullet holes, and recovered bullets, providing a wealth of data for more rapid and comprehensive analyses.
Finally, a cost-benefit analysis demonstrates that enhanced efficiency is achievable through the adoption of advanced mobile techniques, specifically LIBS and EC methods. Overall, the researcher-practitioner partnerships established in this project provide a solid foundation for technology transfer and illustrate how mobile trace methods can modernize shooting reconstruction investigations, thereby improving both efficiency and accuracy
The Origin and Properties of Ionized Gas in the Inner Milky Way Disk
No full textThe interstellar medium (ISM) plays a crucial role in the evolution of the Milky Way and other spiral galaxies, but numerous gaps remain in our collective understanding of its properties. The now-complete Green Bank Telescope (GBT) Diffuse Ionized Gas Survey (GDIGS) and the ongoing extension, the GBT Diffuse Ionized Gas Survey at Low Frequencies (GDIGS-Low), offer the opportunity to study the ionized component of the ISM at unmatched sensitivity and resolution. In this dissertation I will utilize GDIGS and GDIGS-Low data to improve our understanding of discrete regions of ionized gas. I first use GDIGS to provide improved measurements of the properties of known H II regions, including the first published radio recombination line (RRL) detections of 88 previously-unconfirmed H II regions, and discover eight new H II regions. In the same study I also identify 40 discrete clouds of ionized gas that do not appear to be H II regions, and find that 10 of these have inordinately high velocities; I label these 10 sources “Anomalous Velocity Features” (AVFs). In order to learn more about their properties and possible origin, I collect VLA C-band continuum observations of the AVFs as well as 800 MHz data from GDIGS-Low and data from the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) MeerKAT 1.3 GHz Galactic Plane Survey (SMGPS). I explore several possibilities for their origins, but do not have sufficient evidence for any decisive conclusions. Finally, I investigate the RRLs with full width at half maximum (FWHM) line widths less than 10 km/s detected in the GDIGS and GDIGS-Low data sets. These inordinately narrow lines indicate gas with a maximum temperature of 2200 K, which is unusually low for ionized gas. Approximately 10% of the narrow line spectra are RFI or noise and another roughly 20% are to carbon line emission from foreground clouds. Of the remaining spectra, ∼ 33% are associated with known H II re- gions. This dissertation represents an important step toward understanding of the ionized ISM