Digital Commons Network^™

Morphological And Phylogenetic Resolution Of Diplodia Spp., Emerging Canker Pathogens Of Oak (Quercus Spp.), In The United States, Savannah Lyn Ferreira

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In Mediterranean Europe and the United States, oak species (Quercus spp.) have been in a state of declining health and vigor for the past several decades. Several biotic agents have been found to contribute to this decline to varying degrees including Phytophthora cinnamomi and Armillaria spp., both causal agents of root rots, and various insect defoliators. In the U.S., Bretziella fagacearum, the causal agent of oak wilt, has also been implicated. More recently, Diplodia corticola (Dc) and other Diplodia spp. have been implicated in causing dieback and mortality of oak species in Europe and in …

Movement In The Classroom: Contingent Factors Underlying Teacher Change, Annie E. Machamer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Background: Teachers' use of classroom physical activity (PA) has been found to significantly impact students PA participation, time on task, and academic performance. However, teachers have continued to identify barriers affecting delivery related to professional development opportunities, learning environment, and experiences in practice. An understanding of the connection between these experiences and their impact on teacher change is needed.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of specific factors that have influenced their continued implementation of classroom PA. This study provides insight into the teacher perceptions, and aims to identify connections among orientation to learning and …

Stories Of Deindustrialization: Exploring Narratives In Weirton, West Virginia, Ella Jennings

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Since the 1960s, cities throughout the world have confronted the phenomenon of deindustrialization, wherein economies advance and transition into a post-industrial environment. This evolution leads to complications on political, social, and economic scales, as localities struggle to find a path to the future that can guarantee the job security and community identity once offered by industry. Weirton, West Virginia, is one such place. The city, once home to Weirton Steel Corporation, a powerhouse steelmaker that employed 13,000 people, fell victim to the fall of the United States’ steel industry, and now is a shadow of its former self. This project …

Improving The Care Of Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome By Implementing Rooming In, Tammi M. Clutter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Background: Opioid use and drug abuse has led to an increase in fetal exposure to illicit drugs in the United States, putting these infants at risk for developing neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Parental involvement in the care of these infants during their hospitalization has become an essential part of the treatment process

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to implement rooming in for infants with in utero exposure to opioids as a quality improvement practice change.

Methods: A literature search relating to improving the care of infants with NAS was conducted. Educational handouts were provided to staff regarding the …

Making Armenian Politically Exposed Persons’ Money Public: A Data-Driven Journalism Project That Aims To Create A Database Of Armenian Mps’ Assets, Ani Hovhannisyan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This data-driven journalism project tackles an age-old problem that seems common in virtually every government around the world: governmental officials hiding assets. By applying the theory of social responsibility, this paper uses data-journalism methods to trace the full financial assets of Armenian members of parliament and eventually making those assets and income declarations available via an interactive website to the Armenian public as well as other journalists throughout the country and region.

Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga Cerulea) And Associated Species Response To Operational Silviculture In The Central Appalachian Region, Gretchen Emily Nareff

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In this study, I assessed the response of Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea) and 5 additional songbird species to timber harvests prescribed through operational silviculture. The research took place in relatively contiguous mature deciduous forests in 4 states in the central Appalachian region—Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, USA.

For the first part of the study, I collected Cerulean Warbler abundance and territory data through point counts and territory mapping, respectively. I used the point count data to model Cerulean Warbler abundance pre- and post-harvest at 5 study areas (Kentucky [n=1], Virginia [n=2], West Virginia [n=2]) and post-harvest at …

Direct Determination Of The Dynamic Elastic Modulus And Poisson's Ratio Of Timoshenko Prisms And Rods, Guadalupe Leon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In this study, the exact solution of the Timoshenko beam vibration frequency equation under free-free boundary conditions was determined with an accurate shear shape factor. The exact solution was compared with a 3-D finite element calculation using ABAQUS program, and the difference between the exact solution and the 3-D FEM was within 0.15% for both the transverse and torsional modes. Furthermore, relationships between the resonance frequencies and Poisson’s ratio were proposed that can directly determine the elastic constants, unlike the equations provided by ASTM C215. The frequency ratio between the 1^st bending mode and the 1^st torsional mode, …

The Perception Of Management Support For Patient Safety After The Implementation Of A System Change, Janice M. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Problem Statement Leadership scores on the AHRQ Hospital Patient Safety Culture Survey at a 268 bed teaching, acute care, nonprofit, non-governmental hospital in the South Atlantic Region of the United states have been decreasing for the past seven years. In those years there has been no plan to improve the scores. Safety scores published for this facility on public websites are mediocre or poor.

Theoretical Framework The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) conceptual model for rapid cycle improvement served as a foundation for the project. The model supported the project well with a plan, do (test the plan), study (analyze the results), act …

Defining The Late Style Of Johannes Brahms: A Study Of The Late Songs, Natilan Casey-Ann Crutcher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Johannes Brahms has long been viewed as a central figure in the Classical tradition during a period when the standards of this tradition were being altered and abandoned. His resistance to innovation creates some difficulty when trying to pinpoint his "late style", and how he fits into the late style concept. While existing scholarship on Brahms's late style tends to focus on his chamber works, this document focuses on his late Lieder. This document proves a study of Brahms's literary considerations, a comparison of his early and late songs, and a comparison between Brahms and some of his contemporaries. In …

Use Of Reflective Practices To Improve Self-Awareness In Youth Sport Coaches, Stephanie R. Mcwilliams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In this dissertation, I explore the use of reflective practice among a group of youth sport coaches. More specifically, reflective practice as facilitated through use of videos and repeated interviews, with the intent to inspire greater awareness, malleability, and positive behavior change is presented. To synthesize this research, the following topics: coaching identity and the role of the coach, coach education and its misalignment with the goals of youth coaches, counseling as a means of mentoring, self-awareness and reflection, and behavior change, are discussed. In the current coach education literature, there is a gap in the types of education volunteer …

Estimating The Age Of A Bloodstain Using Droplet Digital Pcr, Kalee Rae Crampton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Biological evidence is extremely valuable in the investigation of a crime due to the presence of DNA. DNA evidence is considered the gold standard in court cases due to its ability to link a suspect to a piece of evidence. In addition to DNA evidence, biological stains have the potential to provide a temporal link between an individual and a crime scene. Previous studies have shown that relative rates of RNA degradation can be used in order to estimate the age of bloodstains. Here, we examined the ability of droplet digital PCR to be used in place of quantitative PCR …

Beneath The Gypsum Dunes: Cenozoic History Of Wind And Water From A Core Drilled At White Sands, New Mexico, Jackson Bentley Jakeway

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

White Sands, New Mexico is the largest gypsum dune field on planet Earth, the result of reworking of gypsum deposits. The dunes have been well studied, but the Cenozoic history preceding the formation of the dune field has been poorly studied. A core drilled to a depth of 192 ft (58.5 m) beneath the modern dune field contains deposits from saline lakes, sandflats, perennial freshwater lakes, perennial brackish to saline lakes, and saline mudflats.

The core is composed of bottom-growth bedded gypsum, gypsum sandstone and siltstone, mixed siliciclastic-gypsum sandstones and siltstones, laminated siliciclastic mudstones, gypsum mudstones, and carbonate mudstones. Bottom-growth …

Photoluminescent Zirconium Complexes For Visible Light Photoredox Catalysis, Yu Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Early transition metals like zirconium are attractive candidates for the design of luminescent molecules based on earth-abundant elements. Here, a series of zirconium complexes carrying two pyrrolyl-based ligands have been synthesized and characterized. These complexes are photoluminescent upon excitation with visible light and exhibit remarkably long emission lifetimes of hundreds of μs in solution at room temperature. Computational studies using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) were conducted to identify the nature of the luminescent excited states as mixed intra-ligand/ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (ILCT/LMCT) states. The electrochemistry studies revealed multiple reversible redox events for each zirconium complex. Furthermore, the excited state of the …

Genetic Regulation Of The Elicitation Of Glyceollin Biosynthesis In Soybean, Md. Asraful Jahan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Glyceollin phytoalexins are the pathogen-elicited defense metabolites that belong to the isoflavonoid family of molecules of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr). Phytophthora root and stem rot of soybean caused by Phytophthora sojae is a destructive disease throughout the soybean-growing regions worldwide causing devastating economic damages (globally $1-2 billion and over $250 million in the USA) every year. Engineering soybean plants that produce higher levels of glyceollins could confer resistance against this pathogen. Glyceollins also show anticancer and neuroprotective activities in mammals, therefore they are important for agriculture and medical research. Firstly, we were interested in understanding how biotic and …

The Impact Of Tree Species, Elevated Nitrogen Deposition, Stand Age, And Environmental Factors On Herbaceous Plant Communities In A Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest, Lacey J. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Although the herb layer represents less than 1% of the biomass of temperate forests, this layer may contain up to 90% of the plant species in the forest and can contribute up to 20% of the foliar litter, thus playing an essential role in forest biodiversity and nutrient cycling. The objectives of this study were to investigate the differences in cover, species richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity, and evenness of herb layer plants a) under tree species associated with contrasting soil nitrogen levels and b) in watersheds that vary in nitrogen deposition, stand age, and watershed aspect at the Fernow Experimental Forest …

Identity Formation Of Adolescents Who Are Homeschooled: Mothers' Perceptions, Peggy Joan Mcqueen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Homeschooling is a growing educational choice with very little research about the psycho-social outcomes associated with the process. This qualitative study sought to examine the potential facilitative benefit of homeschooling upon the formation of identity. The participants were 26 mothers of homeschooled adolescents in Pennsylvania. Parent responses were examined using thematic analysis. Constituent aspects of parental motivation and methodology were investigated to assess the presence of elements facilitative in the process of identity formation as identified by Erik Erikson (1959, 1963). In examining methods used in homeschooling, it was found that the mothers in this study are providing the support …

Tie Strength, Optimal Connections, And Distance In Social Networks, David Anthony Buch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Social network analysis seeks to understand the structure of relationships in networks of actors. As researchers identify structural properties of interest (e.g. vulnerability to network cuts) they introduce measures to quantify the expression of those properties in observed networks. In fact, it is not uncommon that multiple measures are introduced purporting to evaluate a single property. Relative merits of competing measures are not self-evident but the corresponding inferences can conflict, encouraging arbitrary choice among measures and endangering the validity of conclusions. We argue (i) that multiplicity of measures is a necessary consequence of the de rigueur practice of conflating different …

Pharmaceutical Scheduling Using Simulated Annealing And Steepest Descent Method, Bryant Jamison Spencer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In the pharmaceutical manufacturing world, a deadline could be the difference between losing a multimillion-dollar contract or extending it. This, among many other reasons, is why good scheduling methods are vital. This problem report addresses Flexible Flowshop (FF) scheduling using Simulated Annealing (SA) in conjunction with the Steepest Descent heuristic (SD).

FF is a generalized version of the flowshop problem, where each product goes through S number of stages, where each stage has M number of machines. As opposed to a normal flowshop problem, all ‘jobs’ do not have to flow in the same sequence from stage to stage. The …

Occupational Fraud: Executive Compensation And Enforcements Against Auditors And Perpetrators., Erlina Papakroni

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation is comprised of three studies that examine the association of executive compensation with financial statement fraud and enforcements pursued against the independent auditor and the principal perpetrators when occupational fraud is detected.

The first study examines competing, though non-mutually exclusive, hypotheses for the path that equity compensation follows on its way to financial misreporting. We find that firms that experience financial statement fraud pay their executives higher levels and a higher proportion of equity compensation across the entire executive’s tenure. This starts in the first year of an executive’s tenure and continues up until the fraud period. These …

Musical And Cultural Perspectives Of Héctor Campos Parsi: An Examination Of His Influences And Analysis Of Selected Vocal Works, Cynthia Ortiz-Bartley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This paper examines the historical and cultural atmosphere in Puerto Rico and how it affected one of Puerto Rico’s most celebrated composers, Héctor Campos Parsi, and two selected works in two different times of his life. The discussion includes events that affected the island with respect to art music from 1898, the birth of Héctor Campos Parsi in 1922, and up to 1986, which marks the date of the second selected work. This document considers three questions about cultural and structural influences about the life and experiences of Héctor Campos Parsi: Does a composer’s life experience and environment and culture …

Hyperscales: Analysis, Historical Uses, And Possible Applications In Contemporary Music Composition, Douglas Wayne Brown

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This paper introduces the hyperscale, defines terminology that is new or potentially ambiguous, examines historical scales which may be a hyperscale or not (with examples when available), introduces two synthetic hyperscales created by the author, tells the story behind their creation through an analysis of an original piece by the author that uses both scales, compares the scale characteristics and composition techniques used in the piece with those of another piece written by a contemporary composer, and finally offers some concluding thoughts on the future of the hyperscale in art music. Because relatively little scholarship exists for this topic, this …

Dynamic Discrepancy Reduced Order Modeling For Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Over Cobalt-Based Catalyst, Jose Miguel Bohorquez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Advances in carbon capture techniques and demands in alternative fuel sources have increased over the past couple of decades. The Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) provides a viable way to produce hydrocarbons from natural gas, coal, CO₂, or biomass. However, current comprehensive models for FTS encompass large number of reacting species, readsorption and conversion of primary products, surface intermediates, and coverage-dependent reaction rates. To accurately predict the products obtained through the process a reduced order model has been developed. By reducing the number of parameters of an existing comprehensive model, uncertainty is introduced. The uncertainty can be quantified by using …

An Empirical Analysis Of An Algorithm For The Budgeted Maximum Vertex Cover Problem In Trees, Mujidat Abisola Adeyemo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Covering problems are commonly studied in fields such as mathematics, computer science, and engineering. They are also applicable in the real world, e.g., given a city, can we build base-stations such that there is network availability everywhere in the city. However, in the real world, there are usually constraints such as cost and resources. The Budgeted Maximum Vertex Cover is a generalization of covering problems. It models situations with constraints. In this thesis, we empirically analyze an algorithm for the problem of finding the Budgeted Maximum Vertex Cover in undirected trees (BMVCT). The BMVCT problem is defined as follows: Given …

Depth Dependent Atomic Valence Determination In La0.7sr0.3mno3 Thin Films Using Synchrotron Techniques, Robbyn B. Trappen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The valence of atoms often has a strong effect on the properties of materials, such as magnetism, conductivity, and superconductivity. The atomic valence is often perturbed at the surface and/or interface and this deviation may play a strong role in many physical phenomena such as interfacial coupling and dead layers, both magnetic and electric. In this dissertation, I present a non-destructive approach of combining two X-ray absorption detection modes, electron yield and fluorescence, with very different probing depths in conjunction with theory to map out the layer-by-layer valence of a thin film.

The weighted average Mn atomic valence as measured …

Evaluation And Understandability Of Face Image Quality Assessment, Mohammad I. Nouyed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Face image quality assessment (FIQA) has been an area of interest to researchers as a way to improve the face recognition accuracy. By filtering out the low quality images we can reduce various difficulties faced in unconstrained face recognition, such as, failure in face or facial landmark detection or low presence of useful facial information. In last decade or so, researchers have proposed different methods to assess the face image quality, spanning from fusion of quality measures to using learning based methods. Different approaches have their own strength and weaknesses. But, it is hard to perform a comparative assessment of …

Building An Image: Japanese Influence On The Perception Of Western Countries, A Study Of The 1904 St. Louis World’S Fair, Andrea M. Fowler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In this thesis, I argue that the Japanese government has utilized art and artistic expression to influence the perception that Western countries had of its nation and culture. This phenomenon is examined through a case study of Japanese participation at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, and the exhibits that they presented. These exhibits are examined utilizing both reception and post-colonial theory, and then applying these theories to primary source material from the 1904 World’s Fair. These materials include guidebooks and photographs from both the United States and Japanese authors, to showcase differences between how the East and West interpreted …

Phased Array Feed Beamforming And Its Application In Mapping Extended Sources, Gargi Roy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Ever since the detection of radio signals, technology has strived to improve the performance of the hardware associated with detecting and observing faint radio sources by improving signal processing and detection techniques. Phased array feeds (PAFs) for radio telescopes can yield in an increase in the survey speed and field of view for reflector antennas. Beamforming, calibration, and imaging are some of the challenges that need to be addressed in order to further the development of PAFs. There is a trade-off between achieving high sensitivity and maintaining a stable clean beam pattern when it comes to beamforming design strategies. A …

Utilization Of Scale In Keypoint Detection And Feature Description, Andrew P. Rhodes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Ubiquitous availability of inexpensive three dimensional (3D) sensors has led to an abundance of keypoint detection and feature description techniques for point-clouds. While some recent methods utilize color along with geometric information, most only implicitly discuss -- if not completely disregard -- the information provided by scale. Scale is an inherent characteristic of any keypoint or feature that describes its physical size or region of support.

Exploiting information provided by scale facilitates the processes of keypoint detection and feature description. A 3D scale-space, extended from robust and popular 2D methods, is constructed to diffuse a signal on triangulated meshes. Methods …

Effects Of Commercial Formulations Of Glyphosate On Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Apoorva Ravi Shankar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Commercial formulations of glyphosate are among the most extensively used herbicides around the world. The active ingredient, glyphosate, targets the aromatic amino acid pathway. This pathway is absent in mammals, resulting in low toxicity. Different formulations contain varying adjuvants and surfactants, whose synergistic effects are yet to be extensively studied at the cellular level. In this study, I tested multiple commercial formulations that showed a variation in growth phenotype among different yeast strains. To gain a better understanding of response and resistance mechanisms at the genome and transcriptome level, I carried out an in-lab evolution study, along with a transcriptome …

Short-Term Abstinence Effects In Experienced Electronic Cigarette Users, Nicholas J. Felicione

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Nicotine/tobacco dependence is a problem that negatively affects health at an individual and population level. Nicotine/tobacco dependence may be best assessed by measuring withdrawal symptoms of a nicotine/tobacco user who abstains from use. Withdrawal symptoms experienced by cigarette smokers are well characterized, including deficits in attention and memory, as well as self-reported cravings, urges, and other symptoms. While withdrawal in cigarette smokers has been studied extensively, little is known about dependence and withdrawal associated with newer products, such as electronic cigarettes (ECIGs). ECIGs can deliver nicotine comparably to tobacco cigarettes, indicating that they may have the potential to cause dependence. …