Digital Commons Network^™

Artificial Intelligence: The Twilight Zone And Conclusion, Sally Brown

Artificial Intelligence Exhibit

This section concludes the exhibit with an exploration of the deepfake dilemma, existential risks and societal impacts, and takeaway inquiries.

Ai Questions; "The Ai Tea", Sally Brown

Artificial Intelligence Exhibit

This section includes a series of questions related to AI and the exhibit content, as well as button designs by WVU students and Art in the Libraries committee members, a list of the exhibition sponsors, and information on the exhibition launch panel.

Artificial Intelligence Introduction Section, Seth Newell, Sally Brown

Artificial Intelligence Exhibit

The introduction gives an overview of the exhibition, along with an explanation of AI literacy, AI vs. Google, and a basic AI timeline.

Artificial Intelligence In Education, Sally Brown, Jill Woods, Mohamed Hefeida, Jennifer Sano-Franchini, Megan Vendemia, Erin Brock Carlson, Megan Leight, Gangqing Hu, Nicole Fuller

Artificial Intelligence Exhibit

This section explores the intersection of AI and education, including an overview of WVU's AI statement and submissions from WVU faculty, classes, students, and staff on AI related projects.

Teaching Learning Newsletter Vol 5 Issue 1, Sastra Deemed To Be University

TLC Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Modeling Multiple Tasks In Recommendation Systems, Dinh Hieu Do

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Traditional research in recommendation systems has largely centered on the static offline supervised learning setting. In this paradigm, all available user-item interaction data is collected and partitioned into fixed training, validation, and test sets. Models are developed and evaluated in this controlled environment, where the underlying data distribution is assumed to remain unchanged. This approach offers clear advantages: it simplifies experimentation, enables reproducible benchmarking, and allows for straightforward comparisons between algorithms.

However, this static offline setting does not reflect the realities faced by modern recommendation systems. In real-world applications, data is dynamic and ever-evolving, where new users and items are …

Navigating Perceptions: How Organizational Type And Message Source Affect Willingness To Fly In Automated Air Taxis, Cody James Sweatt

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

A new era of transportation and business is beginning to emerge. Advanced air mobility (AAM), which uses highly automated aircraft that transport passengers and cargo in the underutilized, low-altitude airspace above and around urban areas, is rapidly becoming a reality (FAA, 2023). These new companies will utilize air taxis, which are automated, electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and will potentially foster a revolutionary new commerce infrastructure. Unfortunately, it is not currently understood how the credibility of a message source or specific type of organization that owns and operates an automated air taxi company influences a customer’s willingness to …

Building A Long Text Privacy Policy Corpus With Multi-Class Labels, David Stein, Florencia Marotta-Wurgler

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Legal text poses distinctive challenges for natural language processing. The legal import of a term may depend on omissions, cross-references, or silence, Further, legal text is often susceptible to multiple valid, conflicting interpretations; as the saying goes: a good lawyer’s answer to any question is “it depends.”This work introduces a new, hand-coded dataset for the interpretation of privacy policies. It includes privacy policies from 149 firms, including materials incorporated by reference. The policies are annotated across 64 dimension that reflect the applicable legal rules and contested terms from EU and US privacy regulation and litigation. Our annotation methodology is designed …

Electrochemically Active Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers For Energy Generation And Storage, Jinyao Tang

Theses and Dissertations

The growing demand for sustainable energy has spurred interest in hydrogen as a clean energy carrier, yet its widespread adoption is limited by storage and transport challenges. Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) offer a promising solution by enabling reversible hydrogen storage through chemical redox reactions under ambient conditions. Compared to conventional thermal methods, LOHC electrochemistry provides improved energy efficiency, operational safety, and integration into electrochemical systems. However, key challenges remain, such as catalyst deactivation, limited redox reversibility, and low system-level performance that hinder broader application. Alcohols like isopropanol (IPA) and cyclohexanol (CHOL), and amines like ethylamine, have emerged as promising …

Saw Biosensor For The Detection Of Cyanobacteria And Cyanotoxin, Tally Bovender

Theses and Dissertations

The growing prevalence of cyanobacterial blooms and associated cyanotoxins, such as microcystin-LR (MC-LR), presents a significant threat to water quality and public health. Conventional detection methods, including ELISA and PCR, are often time-consuming, expensive, and require trained personnel, limiting their application in field settings. Hence, a miniaturized, quick testing sensor is proposed to circumvent the current sensing challenges for real time, in-situ diagnostics of MC-LR. The proposed high-frequency ultrasonic sensor employs surface acoustic waves (SAW). The sensor was designed using a multi-physics simulation tool to understand wave propagation in the piezoelectric substrate (lithium tantalate) and optimize the design of the …

Evaluation Of Waste Plastic Addition Via Dry Method On Asphalt Mixture Performance, Isabella Madeira Bueno

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Incorporating waste plastic (WP) into hot mix asphalt (HMA) offers a promising approach to enhance recycling rates and improve asphalt concrete (AC) performance, particularly in moisture damage resistance. However, results vary widely due to differences in WP types, sizes, and mixing methods. The lack of standardized procedures, especially for the dry process, has led to inconsistent integration and unclear roles of WP in AC mixtures. Studies suggest that introducing WP to pre-heated aggregates at temperatures exceeding its melting point can enhance mixture resistance to rutting, cracking, and moisture damage. In this context, this study was conducted in two phases to …

Gallium-Containing Bioactive Glasses: Their Influence On Ion Release And The Bioactivity Of Resulting Glass Polyalkenoate Cements, Lana Margaret Placek, Danielle Lee Perry, Mark Robert Towler, Anthony William Wren

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A series of glasses (0.48SiO2 − [0.40-x]ZnO − 0.12CaO-xGa2O3, x = 0, 0.8, 0.16) was developed to formulate a series of Ga-containing glass polyalkenoate cements (GPCs). The solubility of GPCs was tested using DI water, and it was found that the sample containing the highest mol% of Ga, LGa-2, had the most Ga ion release. The GPCs were incubated in SBF, and SEM/EDS analysis revealed that the at% of P increased, while the at% of Si decreased, highlighting the CaP precipitation on the GPC surface. The at% of Ga also decreased, reinforcing the Ga release from the GPC. Cellular testing …

Elucidating The Impact Of Common Stormwater Pollutants On Antibiotic Resistance: The Role Of Heavy Metals, Nutrients, And Salts, Kassidy N. O'Malley, Patrick J. Mcnamara, Walter M. Mcdonald

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Antibiotic resistance poses a significant global health threat, and the urban water cycle presents an opportunity to augment or limit the spread of antibiotic resistance. In particular, stormwater runoff has recently been revealed as a key conduit for antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). The specific role of stormwater pollutants, however, on antibiotic resistance has not been isolated. Understanding the impact of specific pollutants common to stormwater could help optimize design and operation of stormwater systems for management of antibiotic resistance. The objective of this research was to establish the potential contributions of common stormwater pollutants to antibiotic resistance proliferation. Lab-scale stormwater microcosms …

Novel Respirometry Measurement And Comparison Of Monod Kinetic Constants And Methanogen Concentrations For 27 Full-Scale Anaerobic Bioreactors, Nicholas Benn, Antonio Martins, Daniel H. Zitomer

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Monod kinetic coefficient values (km and Ks) as well as methanogen concentrations (Xac and Xh2) for various anaerobic bioreactors are required to gain a deeper understanding of anaerobic biotechnology. However, there are no existing, practical methods to measure or estimate these parameters or variables in typical anaerobic digester biomass that contains mixed cultures with inert organic solids. Current measurement methods rely on pure cultures developed in the laboratory. In this work, a novel respirometric method was developed and used to determine methanogen Monod parameters and active biomass concentration for samples from 27 full-scale anaerobic reactors. Differences (one to three orders …

Characterization Of Lactobacilli-Containing Catheter Segments Developed By Using Selective Laser Sintered Mold., Caden Maners

Master of Engineering Theses

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are a major healthcare burden with current prevention strategies offering limited success. This study presents a novel, self-coating biomaterial approach using a silicone-based bioink embedded with thermally sensitive probiotic strains (L. crispatus, L. rhamnosus, and L. reuteri). Catheter segments were fabricated via bio-injection molding using 3D-printed CAD molds. These Lactobacilli, selected for their probiotic and antimicrobial potential, serve as a non- antibiotic strategy to reduce infection risk. These segments were evaluated for mechanical strength (Shore A hardness), thermal stability (TGA/DSC), porosity and bacterial presence (SEM), biofilm formation (crystal-violet assay), as well as mass retention in …

Cell-Free Protein Synthesis Reactor Formats: A Brief History And Analysis, Dallin M. Chipman, Anna C. Woolley, Davu N. Chau, William A. Lance, Joseph P. Talley, Tyler P. Green, Benjamin C. Robbins, Bradley Charles Bundy

Faculty Publications

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) has transformed protein production capabilities by eliminating cellular constraints, enabling the rapid expression of difficult-to-produce proteins in an open, customizable environment. As CFPS applications expand from fundamental research to industrial production, therapeutic manufacturing, and point-of-care diagnostics, the diverse array of reactor formats has become increasingly important yet challenging to navigate. This review examines the evolution and characteristics of thirteen major CFPS reactor formats, from traditional batch systems to advanced platforms. The historical development of CFPS reactors from the 1960s to present day is presented. Additionally, for each format, operational principles, advantages, limitations, and notable applications are …

Identification Of Barriers And Drivers In The Adoption Of Sustainable Construction Practices In The Turkish Construction Industry: Exploratory Factor Analysis, Tülay Çivici, Mustafa Serhan Ünlütürk

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Although the importance of sustainability in the construction industry has been emphasised by many researchers and endorsed by many authorities, it is clear that the practices in the industry still need to be improved. The primary issue for adopting sustainable practices in the construction industry is identifying the barriers and drivers. For this reason, the study analysed the literature to identify the critical barriers and incentives for adopting sustainable practices in the construction industry. In light of the information from the literature, the necessary barriers and motivators in adopting sustainable practices in the construction industry were determined, and a questionnaire …

Multiscale Modelling Of Heat And Mass Transfer In Hemp Wools, Rayan El Sawalhi, Marwan Al Kheir, Louay El Soufi, Hassan Assoum

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

This paper deals with the development of a multi-scale model of coupled heat and mass transfer for hemp wool insulating materials. Natural fibrous insulating materials from renewable resources like hemp offer an attractive environmental option for conventional insulation materials. These materials exhibit excellent thermal performances in terms of thermal conductivity and thermal capacity but are highly sensitive to moisture variations. To fully describe their behavior, we developed a multi-scale approach founded upon three characteristic scales: the heterogeneous fiber scale, the homogenized fiber network scale, and the final product scale. Using the method of volume averaging, we established transfer equations at …

Fedevd: A Federated Road Traffic Event Detector From Social Networks, Ahmad Traboulsi, May Itani, Layal Abu Daher, Ali Haidar

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

The increasing population and the corresponding rise in the number of vehicles, coupled with inadequate public transportation, is increasing the already existing traffic problem. One solution to this problem has been the implementation of Traffic Monitoring Systems (TMS). However, TMS deployment entails significant costs, including (1) the installation of hardware in key areas and (2) the employment of dedicated monitoring personnel. Simultaneously, Online Social Networks (OSNs) have become global platforms with rapidly growing user bases, leading to a surge in user engagement. This widespread participation has transformed social networks into invaluable sources of data for analytics, business intelligence, and decision …

Nature-Based Solutions For Urban Stormwater Management, Nima Zafarmomen, Vidya Samadi, Susan Lunt

Forestry and Natural Resources

This paper explores Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for urban stormwater management, emphasizing their role in mitigating runoff, reducing flood risks, and improving water quality. Bioretention systems (BRS), green roofs, permeable pavements, and vegetated swales utilize natural processes such as infiltration, evapotranspiration, and filtration to manage stormwater while promoting urban resilience and supporting biodiversity effectively. The performance of these solutions depends on vegetation, soil, and climatic parameters, highlighting the need for context-specific design and implementation. While NbS present sustainable alternatives to conventional infrastructure, technical, economic, social, and institutional challenges require interdisciplinary collaboration and supportive policies to unlock their full potential.

Comparative Analysis Of The Efficiency Of Reverse Osmosis And Hydroxyapatite For Fluoride Removal In Water: A Case Of Auwsa, Innocent J. Macha

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Water treatment technology selection depends on contaminant type and budget. Fluoride removal from water is particularly challenging, requiring non-conventional treatment technologies (Radwan, 2023). Several regions in Tanzania, including Arusha City, are affected by fluoride contamination. With a population of 617,631 (Census, 2022), only 117,763 people currently have access to clean water supplied by AUWSA. This study aimed to compare the efficiency of Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Hydroxyapatite (HAP) in fluoride removal as a strategy to address water quality and supply challenges. Experiments were conducted using 6 m³ of raw water with fluoride concentrations ranging from 5.1 mg/L to 6.83 mg/L, …

Prospects Of Clean Cooking Energy In Africa - Transition Pathways And Implications, Joseph H. Kihedu Dr.

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Despite abundant renewable energy resources, African countries still suffer from energy poverty, particularly in cooking. Up to 2022, about 74% of the African population had no access to clean cooking energy. With focus to Sub-Saharan African population, 90% has no access to clean cooking energy which decrease by 7% when kerosene is included. Traditional cooking, which involves the use of charcoal and firewood, is associated with health problems, environmental degradation, socioeconomic issues, and gender inequality. Transitioning to clean cooking energy not only promises significant health benefits but also offers opportunities for sustainable economic development and environmental preservation. In this study, …

Monitoring And Mitigation Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) In Urban Stormwater Runoff, Mustafizur Rahaman

Theses and Dissertations

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging contaminants known for their persistence with widespread environmental and health concerns. Urban stormwater runoff could be a non-point pollution source that transports PFAS to receiving water bodies. This study analyzed types and concentrations of PFAS in stormwater runoff from Trenton and Glassboro, New Jersey, with samples collected from high- and low-traffic areas during precipitation events in February, June, July, and August 2024. Significantly higher concentrations of PFAS were identified in high-traffic areas than low-traffic areas (p< 0.05) in both cities for most sampling events, confirming the role of traffic in PFAS dispersal. To address PFAS contamination in stormwater runoff, this study evaluated the removal of six U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)-regulated PFAS compounds from synthetic stormwater runoff using aluminum-based water treatment residuals (Al-WTRs, by-products of the drinking water treatment process). The findings demonstrated that Al-WTRs exhibited high sorption capacities and low desorption rates for PFAS, particularly for long-chain PFAS compounds such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), supporting their potential as an economical and effective sorbent for stormwater PFAS management. Furthermore, the durability and sustained performance of Al-WTRs indicated their feasibility for future field-scale applications.

Fuzzy-Ahp Based Decision Support System For The Selection Of Optimal Maintenance Strategy For Meter Gauge Railway Infrastructure: A Review, Hamisi J. Maulid

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

There are many uncertainties and complexities associated with maintaining Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) infrastructure, which calls for a methodical approach to decision-making. The development and application of a fuzzy-AHP-based decision support system (DSS) to select the optimal maintenance strategy for the MGR are presented in this study. The review covers research from 2013 to 2023 and focusses on the use of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) and Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy-AHP) techniques in railway infrastructure maintenance. To manage the inherent uncertainties and subjective judgements involved in maintenance decision-making, the Fuzzy-AHP methodology combines fuzzy logic with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). …

Calibration Of Measurement Tools In The Experimental Test Rig For Hydropower Performance Evaluation, Ombeni J. Mdee

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The demonstration of a typical hydropower plant requires the development of a test rig with the installation of tools to measure the performance parameters. The measurement tools require a calibration process to improve the quality of recorded data. This study involved the calibration of traditional and automated measurement tools connected to the hydropower test rig through an Arduino microprocessor. The automated measurement tools included a pressure transducer, flow meter, digital tachometer, and torque transducer, while traditional measurement tools, including a pressure gauge, concrete water tank, contact tachometer, and force lever arm balance, were connected in the same test rig during …

A Review Of Lithium-Ion Battery Capacity Fade Deceleration At Power Fluctuations In Renewable Energy Systems, Isaac Gwayi

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Application of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries to store energy in renewable energy systems (RESs) is increasing due to their promising properties. Therefore, it is crucial to understand aging behaviours of Li-ion battery during RES life time as this directly affects cost of energy. Li-ion battery aging can be categorised into calendar aging and cycle aging. Calendar aging depends mainly on temperature and state of charge (SoC). In addition to temperature and SoC, cycle aging depends also on charge and discharge current rates and cut-off voltages. Higher current rates lead to faster Li-ion battery aging. It is necessary to identify appropriate battery …

Root Cause Analysis Of Performance Degradation For An Xyz Thermal Power Plant In Tanzania, Simon I. Marandu

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Thermal power plants in Tanzania have been experiencing performance degradation, typically arising from component and subsystem failures, which contribute to power system instability and unreliability. This paper presents a case study of the root causes of performance degradation of an XYZ thermal power plant. The study was conducted by reviewing plant documentations, including maintenance and operational data logbooks, and by standardising the approach through the adoption of ISO 14224:2016 for maintenance and reliability data exchange. Data evaluation was carried out using principal component analysis and scree plot analytical techniques to enhance the depth and accuracy of root cause identification. Additionally, …

The Royal Academy Of Engineering, Uk And The Enriching Of Engineering Education Training And Practice Programme In Sub-Saharan Africa, Bavo B. Nyichomba

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This paper elucidates initiatives taken by the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK, to overcome barriers in education and training in Sub-Sahara African higher learning engineering institutions. The said barriers include mismatches of curriculum, ineffectual teaching and learning and little exposure of academic staff to engineering practice. In order to overcome such barriers, the Royal Academy of Engineering established the two programmes in the region. The first one, Enriching Engineering Education Programme (EEEP) from 2014/15 to 2015/16 where the University of Dar es Salaam coordinated this programme as a hub for East African universities namely; Makerere University (Uganda), Moi University (Kenya), …

Effect Of Sorbitol Plasticizer On Bioplastics Properties Based On Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (Opefb) And Jackfruit Seed Starch, Nia Sasria, Vita Nur Afifah, Gusti Umindya Nur Tajalla

Makara Journal of Science

In bioplastics, natural materials that are easily decomposed are used to minimize plastic waste. In this research, the compositions used were cellulose from oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB), jackfruit seed starch, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a filler with sorbitol as a plasticizer. This study aimed to analyze the effect of a sorbitol plasticizer on bioplastic properties. The study began by extracting jackfruit seed starch and OPEFB cellulose. Subsequently, bioplastics were prepared by varying sorbitol, namely 0 (S – 0), 0.5 mL (S – 0.5), 1 mL (S – 1), and 1.5 ml (S – 1.5), with CMC 20%. …

The Dynamics Of Word-Of-Mouth Marketing: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach To Message Credibility And Consumer Engagement, Ali Nasirzonouzi, Carlos Gershenson

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

Word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing is a critical factor in the dissemination of information and adoption of products in social networks. This paper investigates the impact of two important factors message credibility and consumer engagement on WOM adoption dynamics using agent-based modeling (ABM). This study proposes a simple qualitative model to investigate how these factors influence adoption rates through both broadcast communication and peer-to-peer influence by simulating interactions on a spatially clustered network.

The findings show that increased message credibility significantly boosts adoption, achieving a balance between broadcast and social mechanisms. Also, consumer engagement primarily affects the adoption mechanism, shifting the effect …