2199 research outputs found
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Modeling Emerging Pollutant Concentrations from Human Population Density
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10079/10196-thumbnail.jpgFrom 1999-2000 the USGS undertook a large survey of organic contaminates across US waterways to gain a general understanding of the range of contamination in the US. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) contaminating natural waters remain an area of concern today, with the issue not only being the presence of these PPCPs but also their concentrations. As the source of these contaminants are products utilized by human populations, this research seeks to examine relationships that may allow for the prediction of PPCP concentrations based upon human population density data. This research project will instead attempt to harness existing the data from the aforementioned USGS survey combined with US census data in a GIS to determine if any predictive trends are present. Analysis of the data will take place at multiple spatial scales and may also consider additional factors such as land use and income levels. Preliminary results have found limited relationships between some of the concentrations of the 30 measured PPCPs with human populations at the lowest calculated scale, a 5 km radius. The majority of the PPCPs displayed a positive relationship between increased concentration and population size at multiple scales, and a correlation analysis is currently ongoing to determine the significance of these relationships. Further analysis will verify the findings that the 5 km radius samples appear to be the most reliable predictor of PPCP concentration, while an increase to a 10 km radius up to the county level seems to decrease the predictive capabilities. These findings would seem to indicate that population size alone does not influence the concentration of PPCPs, however the addition of more recent data from other studies may be necessary for a more definitive conclusion.</p
Beyond the Ground: Effects of Mycorrhizal Inoculation on Substrate Type in Liatris apera
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10082/10199-thumbnail.jpgGreen roofs are an innovative method of revitalizing urbanized areas and capturing stormwater. However, the conditions of a green roof ecosystem pose unique difficulties that can limit the success of plant growth. To help maximize the benefits of green roofs, we performed research examining the effects of mycorrhizal inoculation on the vitality of green roofs. The eventual goal is to use this information to create an optimum green roof, reflecting natural ecosystems by utilizing symbiotic organisms. This study aims to determine the most important factors that impact mycorrhizal colonization. We examined the effect of a commercial mycorrhizal fungal inoculum, and three substrate types, on mycorrhizal colonization of the plant species Liatris apera over the span of a year. The controlled experiment was set up using 36 plots at the Cleveland Industrial Innovation Center (CIIC). The substrate types included “Movable Meadow” (MM) with sandy loam soil, “Conventional Green Roof” (CGR) of engineered clay and shale media, and “Quasi-Traditional Green Roof” (QTR) which utilized worm castings. Half of the plots were inoculated with mycorrhizae and the other half uninoculated. Root samples of Liatris apera were collected, stained, and examined under the microscope to quantify mycorrhizal colonization. Preliminary results indicate that mycorrhizal colonization on average was lower in the inoculated treatment. However, it appears that this difference leveled out over time. These results suggest that mycorrhizal inoculation may not be necessary to promote colonization on green roofs. Additional research is being conducted to examine the effects of mycorrhizal inoculation on other plant species.</p
Effective Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring in Diverse Waters
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10085/10202-thumbnail.jpgThere are many approaches to detecting in-water constituents, like color producing agents, in the field of remote sensing. Previously, harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring practices via satellite imagery analysis have held a similar goal of identifying a single constituent associated with HAB’s, particularly chlorophyll. Recently, the Kent State University Spectral Decomposition Method has been developed to better distinguish multiple water constituents, such as phylum level Cyanobacteria, Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, and Ochrophyta, as well as constituents of HAB’s, color dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and sediment within large water bodies. Using this technique, we can more effectively monitor HAB’s by separating mixed water signals using a varimax-rotated principal component analysis to remotely detect in-water constituents including HAB-causing cyanobacteria. The KSU Spectral Decomposition Method has been successful using sensors such as the Malvern Panalytical Fieldspec HH2, the NASA Glenn second-generation hyperspectral imagery (HSI2), MODIS, Landsat 8 OLI, and Sentinel 3A/B OLCI. It is apparent that better monitoring practices make better management practices possible, and our goal is to provide a method that will trailblaze the path to better water management practices globally. Case studies in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Lake Okeechobee, Florida are presented to document the success of the KSU Spectral Decomposition Method.</p
Development of Photogrammetry Technique to Facilitate Biomimicry Process of Root Abstractions for Coastal Infrastructure Applications
No full textRootwads, defined as the full trunk of a tree with root base, are often locally acquired on site and used in river and stream restoration projects for bank stabilization, hydrodynamic reduction, and habitat creation. Increasingly, coastal restoration projects also use locally available rootwads or crowns to attenuate waves, stabilize shorelines, promote sediment deposition and provide habitat. In built environments, local access to large trees and rootwads is unlikely and heavily armored shorelines do not easily facilitate the use of large wood structures. This work shows the development of an in-situ field application of a new digital technology, structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry, to generate 3D models of coarse root architecture of native riparian tree species. Availability of realistic 3D models allows for 3D printing and other manufacturing possibilities to create engineered rootwad like structures for coastal resilience. Using an iterative biomimetic design process, root morphology parameters will be quantified and characterized using Rhino & Grasshopper to assist in the determination of the parameters most significant in water – structure and sediment-structure interactions. The results from these two laboratory interaction experiments will inform abstracted design concepts, in addition to continued model refinement and testing. An initial coastal infrastructure design translation for Lake Erie, shown in comparison to an existing seawall prototype modeled after mangrove roots, is presented
Lines of Flight: a Deleuzo-Guattarian Exploration of Style as Resistance
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10446/10617-thumbnail.jpgExpanding critical scholarship on fashion, gender, and identity, this study aims to explore how dress and style can be used in a strategy of resistance through analyzing Chinese youths’ narratives about their appearance, personal style, gender, culture, and self. The study mainly draws on the philosophical ideas of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari to engage with a research agenda, which disrupts the transcendent logic and challenges binarism and essentialism as the guiding approach to fashion studies. Inspired by Deleuze and Guatarri’s concepts of rhizomatic thought and becoming, this exploration works within the realm of post-qualitative research. The study develops its argument through tracing two lines of creative “becoming” or lines of flight emerging from the “molecular mapping,” pointing to the moments of rupture and deterritorialization: gender and style; the ethics of consumption and style. The findings demonstrate the subversive potential in dress which challenges normalcy and regularity as well as consumerism, highlighting the complexity, multiplicity, and heterogeneity of gender, fashion, and subjectivity. It advocates the creation of more inclusive spaces and potential socially just territories through fashion and clothing.</p
Orphean Operas Impact on Anaïs Mitchell\u27s Hadestown
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10481/10851-thumbnail.jpgThe Orpheus story has been written and rewritten numerous times over, most notably through the opera medium. More recently, Anaïs Mitchell’s musical Hadestown rewrote the famous tale once more. But Hadestown’s alterations are not unheard of, as many aspects of the popular musical can be seen in operas dating back to the 1600s. This paper analyzes previous iterations of the story via opera from the Renaissance through the Romantic era as a framework for examining the themes of Mitchell’s Hadestown. Mitchell’s interpretation opens up a dialogue on what impacts the human soul, bringing in topics such as mental health, social class, wealth, resilience, and love.</p
Headlines and hashtags: communicating science during an outbreak
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10689/11450-thumbnail.jpgScience and medical professionals are often looked to as experts in the event of a health crisis, but relatively few have received formal training in science communication. We provide a brief review of the current outbreak situation and suggestions for engaging in reliable, effective science communication online.</p
Wearable Technology to Assist the Patients Infected with Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10705/11462-thumbnail.jpgWearable technology plays a significant role in our daily life as well as in the healthcare industry. The recent coronavirus pandemic has taken the world\u27s healthcare systems by surprise. Although trials of possible vaccines are underway, it would take a long time before the vaccines are permitted for public use. Most of the government efforts are currently geared towards preventing the spread of the coronavirus and predicting probable hot zones. The essential and healthcare workers are the most vulnerable towards coronavirus infections due to their required proximity to potential coronavirus patients. Wearable technology can potentially assist in these regards by providing real-time remote monitoring, symptoms prediction, contact tracing, etc. The goal of this paper is to discuss the different existing wearable monitoring devices (respiration rate, heart rate, temperature, and oxygen saturation) and respiratory support systems (ventilators, CPAP devices, and oxygen therapy) which are frequently used to assist the coronavirus affected people. The devices are described based on the services they provide, their working procedures as well as comparative analysis of their merits and demerits with cost. A comparative discussion with probable future trends is also drawn to select the best technology for COVID-19 infected patients. It is envisaged that wearable technology is only capable of providing initial treatment that can reduce the spread of this pandemic.</p
Quantifying Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Source and Drinking Waters of Northeastern Ohio
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10080/10197-thumbnail.jpgPharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are unintentionally discharged into the environment from domestic, agricultural, and industrial sources and end up in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). However, very little is known about the effectiveness of these plants in PPCP removal. The purpose of this study was to compare PPCP concentrations in the source and finished water in four DWTPs of Northeastern Ohio. Source and drinking water samples were obtained from the plants monthly from May until September in 2018 and 2019. PPCPs were quantified after solid-phase extraction using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Three PPCPs – (caffeine, estrone, and estradiol) were detected in all four DWTPs each month, but there was a 55-60% reduction from the source to the finished waters. Triclosan and DEET were detected in the source but not in the finished waters of three DWTPs (average concentrations of 29 and 9.5 ng/L, respectively,) suggesting they were removed during the DWTP process. The antibiotic sulfamethoxazole was detected in two of the four DWTPs at concentrations of 18.35 ng/L and 22.19 ng/L, respectively, and had 63% reduction in finished waters From this study; we concluded that the selected DWTPs were effective in reducing and in some cases removing the PPCPs from the finished water samples. Further studies are required to see if the chronic presence of these compounds in nanograms per liter in the drinking water can impact human health.</p
Monitoring Freshwater Salinization in an Urban Watershed
No full textSalt pollution from road de-icers and building material weathering change the major ion composition and increase salinity of freshwaters. These alterations are pronounced in urban watersheds due to drainage of impervious surfaces. Wetlands in urban areas receive pulses of high salt concentrations and may retain dissolved salts, reaching toxic levels for aquatic biota and possibly altering biogeochemical processes. To characterize freshwater salinization in an urban wetland, we monitored water quality in a mitigation wetland complex and an adjacent first order stream at the Cleveland Metroparks Watershed Stewardship Center in Parma, Ohio. We analyzed surface water samples for major ion concentrations (n=359) and collected high temporal resolution (5 min) specific conductance data from July, 2018 to November, 2019. Specific conductance remained elevated above typical freshwater levels throughout most of the year. Observations of high specific conductance (>2,000 µS/cm) corresponded with periods of snowmelt and during the summer and early fall low water periods, suggesting evaporative concentration of salt ions. Declines in specific conductance along hydrologic flow paths within the wetland complex sub-sites suggest that salts are removed by the system, either through soil or groundwater retention.</p