Digital Commons Network^™

Spatiotemporal Controls And Scaling Of Stream Water Quality Across The East Coast Of U.S.A, Shakil Ahmed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Stream water quality and ecosystem health are controlled by a multitude of complex, interacting anthropogenic and natural processes. A generalized understanding of stream water quality dynamics under diverse hydro-climatic and biogeochemical conditions therefore still remains elusive, particularly in the context of coastal urban/natural environments. This dissertation focuses to investigate the major spatiotemporal controls of stream water quality, and leverages the knowledge to investigate stream biogeochemical-ecological similitude (parametric reduction), scaling, and emergent patterns across the East Coast of U.S.A. Total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), chlorophyll-a (Chla), and dissolved oxygen (DO) were used to represent the stream water quality. Pearson correlation …

Cortactin Phosphorylation By Casein Kinase 2 Regulates Actin Related Protein 2/3 Complex Activity And Invadopodia Function, Steven Michael Markwell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Malregulation of the actin cytoskeleton enhances tumor cell motility and invasion. The actin-binding protein cortactin facilitates branched actin network formation through activation of the actin-related protein (Arp) 2/3 complex. Arp2/3 complex activation is responsible for driving increased migration and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation by governing invadopodia formation and activity. While cortactin-mediated activation of Arp2/3 complex and invadopodia regulation has been well established, signaling pathways responsible for governing cortactin binding to Arp2/3 are unknown. In this dissertation we identify casein kinase (CK) 2α phosphorylation of cortactin as a negative regulator of Arp2/3 binding. CK2α directly phosphorylates cortactin at a conserved threonine …

Production And Economic Analyses Of Woody Biomass Utilization For Energy, John Edward Vance

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

A mechanized harvest system combined with whole-tree chipper producing mixed hardwood chips was investigated on two harvesting sites in the central Appalachian region, USA. Production and machine rate data of the operations were collected through time-motion study, with chipping time elements categorized into feeding, chipping, and loading. Chipping cycles averaged 21.5 minutes to produce 23.54 green tons per truckload, providing an hourly rate of 65.82 green tons/PMH (41.1 dry tons) by the whole-tree chipper. Total cycle time including truck delivery averaged 183 minutes, giving an hourly rate of 7.7 green tons/PMH (4.8 dry tons/PMH). The hourly cost of the harvesting …

Nondestructive Evaluation Of Frp Composite Bridge Componenets Using Infrared Thermography And Digital Tap Tesing, Ruben Mangal Joshi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Aging of civil infrastructures is one of the major problems faced by the engineering industry today, with the concrete structures cracking and the steel reinforcement corroding due to exposure to deicing chemicals, resulting in shorter service life. An alternative to the degrading infrastructures made of concrete and steel is the use of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites, which are noncorrosive. Use of FRP as structural components such as bridge decks and retrofitting jackets can solve the problem of aging with enhanced durability in future constructions. But, proper installation of newer material in structurally important infrastructure requires a reliable method of …

Rethinking Interaction: Identity And Agency In The Performance Of “Interactive” Electronic Music, Jacob A. Kopcienski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This document investigates interaction between human performers and various interactive technologies in the performance of interactive electronic and computer music. Specifically, it observes how the identity and agency of the interactive technology is experienced and perceived by the human performer. First, a close examination of George Lewis’ creation of and performance with his own historic interactive electronic and computer works reveals his disposition of interaction as improvisation. This disposition is contextualized within then contemporary social and political issues related to African American experimental musicians as well as an emerging culture of electronic and computer musicians concerned with interactivity. Second, an …

Personality, Sleep, And Mortality, Shantel Spears

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Personality traits and sleep are associated with health and longevity; however, no investigation has examined whether sleep is a pathway linking personality to mortality risk. Thus, we tested this effect across a 20-year mortality follow-up period in the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) cohort (N = 3,253; M age = 47.03 years, SD = 12.39, range = 20-75), using proportional hazards in a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. Openness was the only trait predictor of death risk. Daytime sleepiness and short and long sleep duration also emerged as predictors of mortality risk. We found indirect effects for neuroticism, …

Wildlife Economics The Significance Of Economic Impacts Of Wildlife Associated Activities, Caleb Anthony Stair

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

No abstract provided.

Perceived Clinician Competence To Work With Spiritual Issues In Supervision, Brittany J Shannon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Humor Use By Brands And Their Parody Accounts On Twitter, Nick Eckman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study examines the impact of humor use by brands and brand parody accounts on Twitter. Specifically, this research investigates how the type of humorous message and the message source influence perceptions of the brand, behavioral intentions toward the brand, and perceived parasocial interaction with the brand. It also examines the relationship between gender and perceptions of humor. Accordingly, this study uses a 2 (humor: wordplay vs. disparagement) x 2 (source: brand account vs. parody account) between-subjects online experiment to answer these questions. Key results suggest that parody Twitter accounts, particularly those using disparagement-style humor, may be advantageous to the …

Ground-Dwelling Songbirds As Reservoirs And Carriers Of Tickborne Disease (Lyme Disease), Amanda Jayne Hill

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

No abstract provided.

Study Of Biomimetic Micro And Macro Structures For Drag Reduction, Justin S. Schrout

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The ever increasing demand for global travel coupled with increasing costs of fuels have prompted many researchers to study new methods to save fuel to make travel more efficient. One of the proverbial low-hanging fruits for fuel efficiency is aerodynamic drag reduction. Simple changes in the shape or placement of structures on the surface of different types of vehicles have been shown to increase fuel efficiency by reducing drag (e.g., add-on lower and aft wake fairings on tractor trailers which have seen a tremendous rise in popularity on US highways in recent years). Areas of interest in drag reduction have …

Analysis Of Membrane Transporter Systems Expressed During Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation In The Model Legume Medicago Truncatula, Christina Laureen Wyman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

No abstract provided.

Use Of Four Predictive Screening Variables For Determination Of Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction In Adolescent Soccer Athletes, Brian Hanson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Context: Chronic onset of sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJD) is increasing in adolescent athletic populations including soccer. However, there is currently no pre-season screening tool for SIJD in this population. There are variables that are currently associated with SIJD, however, it is unknown if these variables developed into a screening tool can accurately predict the risk of sustaining SIJD. Objective: The purpose of this study was to create an effective screening tool for SIJD in adolescent soccer athletes and establish predictive values for SIJD injury risk. Design: A retrospective exploratory study to screen for risk factors contributing to SIJD in the …

Development Of Oxide-Dispersion-Strengthened Nickel-Based Super Alloy Powders For Additive Manufacturing, Sizhe Huang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Oxide-Dispersion-Strengthened (ODS) Nickel-Based superalloy has been drawn a huge attention and developed with good oxidation resistance, corrosion resistance and high creep strength. It has been considered as critical materials for Additive Manufacturing (AM). The quality and the efficiency of fabrication methods of ODS limits the performance of itself on AM. The development of new type of ODS, new methodologies and evaluation techniques are required if the enhanced quality of ODS and enhanced efficiency of fabrication are to be achieved. Of the current fabrication techniques for AM, Gas Atomization (GA) is widely used since they can generate spherical powders with high …

The Nakahara Effect And Its Influence On Solution-Based 3d Printed Films, Daryl Kwakye-Ackah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Motivated by the Nakahara Effect, the influence of altering printing parameters on fragmentation mechanism(s) of directly written titanium dioxide(TiO₂) films is investigated. The Nakahara effect states that a long lasting memory can be introduced into a colloidal system prior to drying, affecting the type of crack pattern formed due to externally applied forces. TiO₂ has important applications due to its interesting semiconducting properties, tunable band gap, photocatalytic properties, biocompatibility, and relative abundance. This is the reason it is used in this project as a model printing ink system.

In this research, two deposition methods (i.e. direct-ink writing …

An Interspecies Investigation Of Thyroid Plasma Hormone Concentrations, Histology, And Gene Expression, Emily A. Underwood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

A high prevalence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) has raised concerns as to the health and fitness of fish and wildlife. It is not well understood to what extent existing contaminants, many with continuing inflows into the environment, may impact fish populations. This study provides an initial characterization of thyroid endocrine-related effects in two indigenous fish species sampled from Great Lakes AOCs. Biomonitoring was conducted on a pelagic, top predator species, smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and benthic, omnivorous brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) at 7 sites in spring and fall …

Application Of Molecular Pathology Techniques To Understand Mechanisms Of Disease In Smallmouth Bass, Heather Leigh Walsh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In the Chesapeake Bay drainage, smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu are used as an indicator species of estrogenic contaminant exposure and have been implicated in fish kills and disease since 2005. In the Potomac River drainage, adult smallmouth bass have experienced mortality and disease and males have a high prevalence of intersex (testicular oocytes). Conversely, in the Susquehanna River drainage mortalities and disease of young-of-the-year smallmouth bass (YOY SMB) have occurred and resulted in a population shift to older and larger fish. The exact cause of these events remains unknown; however, factors such as poor water quality, contaminants, pathogens and parasites, …

An Experimental Investigation Of The Banana Dehydration Process., Donnique Kim Denise Sherman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Drying food is one of the well-known methods of food preservation. Food preservation methods, like drying, slow down the deterioration of foods as well as prevents the growth of microorganisms. Food preservation allows for an extension of shelf life and prevents food from spoiling. The method used in this study is known as convective or direct drying. As the ambient air heats up from a convective source the relative humidity reduces which accelerates the drying force and decreases drying time. The reduction in relative humidity allows for moisture to move from the food, such as banana chips, to the air. …

Investigation Into Composting Efforts At Wvu: A Case Study., Marina Alexis Berry

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Institutional composting systems have been adopted by many land grant universities to help better manage their waste and protect the environment. West Virginia University (WVU) has yet to begin formally managing their animal manure and waste at the university farms. This investigation will look into what has been done at other land grant universities to see which methods could be applied at WVU. This could have environmental, economic, and social benefits and also serve as a living learning classroom. University composting systems have often started small and grown to accommodate campus food waste, which could also be a possibility for …

Investigating The Relationships Between Family Communication Patterns, Academic Resilience, And Students’ Classroom Communication Behaviors, Jordan Atkinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation served two purposes. The first purpose was to examine the relationships between the two dimensions of family communication patterns (i.e., conversation orientation and conformity orientation) and four student classroom communication behaviors (i.e., out-of-class communication, in-class oral participation, instructional dissent, and students’ motives to communicate with their instructors). The second purpose of this dissertation was to investigate academic resilience as a mediator in the relationship between family communication patterns and student classroom communication behaviors. It was discovered that students’ family conversation orientation was associated positively with their oral participation and the relational, functional, participatory, and excuse-making motives to communicate …

Transforming Undergraduate Stem Education: Reforming Classrooms By Training Current And Future Faculty, Karen E. Bailey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In the absence of formal pedagogical training, educators tend to teach the way they were taught, using traditional lecturing. Numerous studies have shown that engaging students in active learning improves student learning and retention of knowledge. Reforming STEM education has become a national imperative. Since the turn of the millennium, many initiatives have sprung forth in response to a growing awareness of the need for reform in post-secondary biology education. The National Academies Summer Institutes (NASI) is one such initiative. The Summer Institutes provide training in evidence-based strategies for biology educators from primarily research universities where lecture-based teaching in large …

Finding Booth: My Journey Through Topdogunderdog, Andra Ward Jr.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This thesis recounts my experiences during West Virginia University's Fall 2017 Production of Topdog/Underdog as the role Booth. The purpose of my thesis role was to utilize the training I received during my tenure at WVU, allow myself to be emotionally vulnerable, while sustaining my artistry within a 2-hour 2-person play. Utilizing Linklater, Meisner, and Chekhovian techniques proved fruitful in expanding my range as an actor. Ultimately, the results culminated into artistic, mental, and personal growth that has and will continue to broaden my capabilities as an actor.

The Impacts Of Energy Development On Agricultural Land Values In North-Central West Virginia, Adama Sileye Warr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study presents an empirical model that explains the impact of energy development activities on agricultural land values in north-central West Virginia. Based on the methodology and the data description, seven different models (linear and logs) are estimated and the results are analyzed to understand the contributions of each energy variable used in the models to the overall values of farmlands. We have examined 311 parcel-level sales of farmlands in 16 counties in the north-central of the state of West Virginia from January 2013 to July 2016. The results suggest that the selected model is statistically different from zero (prob …

Chinese Elements And Influence In Tan Dun's Eight Memories In Watercolor, Qian Xu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Since the second half of the twentieth century, Asian composers have formed a new force which has been highly influential in Western classical music. Chinese-American composer Tan Dun is undoubtedly one of the most significant figures among living Asian composers. He gave his first opus number to the piano suite Eight Memories in Watercolor, originally titled Eight Sketches in Hunan Accent, which is now regarded as one of most important pieces in the modern Chinese piano repertoire.;This study aims first to gain a deeper understanding of this piece. After an introduction, Chapter Two presents an overview of Tan Dun's biography …

Processing, Stability And High-Temperature Properties Of Transition Metal Silicide-Refractory Oxide Composites For Electrical Applications, Gunes Alp Yakaboylu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Many common electrical materials used in the current sensing applications suffer from structural and functional issues related to high operating temperatures (750°-1600°C), alternating reducing/oxidizing atmospheres, high pressures and corrosive environments. Therefore, there is a need for development of new materials, which are capable to operate under high-temperature and harsh-environments to provide real-time, accurate sensing during industrial processes such as coal gasification and power generation. In this study, electroconductive ceramic composites were fabricated by incorporating the 20-90 vol% of transition metal silicides (MoSi2, WSi2, NbSi2, TaSi 2, CrSi2) within refractory oxides (Al2O 3, ZrO2, Cr2O3), followed by sintering at 1370°-1600°C in …

“To Meet Her, That Changed Everything”: Adult Adoptees’ Discursive Construction Of The Meaning Of “Parent” Following Birth Parent Contact, Christine K Anzur

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

No abstract provided.

Dynamic Modeling And Advanced Control Of A Refinery Hydrocracker Process, Christian Ayafor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

No abstract provided.

A Corrollary Discharge Circuit Modulates Olfactory Function During Flight In Manduca Sexta, Phillip David Chapman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

No abstract provided.

Economic Diversity And Regional Development: Geographical Scale, Structural Measurement, And Modeling Method, Jing Chen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

No abstract provided.

Integrating The Ohio: Through Sustainable Urban Design, Carly Clevenstine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

No abstract provided.