Digital Commons Network^™

Climate Science Literacy: A Study Of Climate Programs' Usability, Amber Rochelle Williams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Literacy is an important facet of understanding how undergraduate college students comprehend climate science. This research, conducted at West Virginia University, examines the usability of climate data in three commonly used climate programs to reduce the prominent knowledge gap in climate science literacy about college students.

The objective of this research is to investigate the knowledge gap in climate science literacy by conducting focus group surveys to examine the usability of programs that use climate datasets. The three programs used in this research were the NOAA online tool, NASA’s Panoply data viewer, and GrADS programmable tool. The NOAA tool is …

Remotely Sensed Hydroclimatic Variability For Water Security In An Agricultural Basin, Ashish Kondal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Indus Basin has supported agricultural practices since the Harappan civilization (3000-1500 BC). Abundance of water has always supported agriculture in the region and built the Indus Basin as one of the major agriculture based economies of the world. The obvious dependency of agriculture on weather and the vagaries of climate emphasizes the necessity of a comprehensive hydro-climate study of the region. The role of climate change in the Indus Basin has always been a contentious issue. Groundwater depletion is evident in the region, and its steady and alarmingly declining rate has brought concerns for the future of agriculture in …

Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of Carbonate Waters In The Peters Mountain Region Of Monroe County, Wv, Emily A. Bausher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Water in Monroe County, WV is used extensively for public and private supply and requires quantification, chemical analysis, and assessment for contamination susceptibility. Over 250 springs were previously identified in the eastern side of Monroe County on or near Peters Mountain; 14 were continuously monitored in this study. Springs were grouped based on geologic and spatial distribution: interbedded clastic-rock springs on the mountain flanks, carbonate springs in the valley, and a thermal spring associated with the St. Clair thrust fault. Clastic and carbonate springs have calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate chemistries, neutral pHs and high alkalinities; the thermal spring has calcium-magnesium-sulfate-carbonate chemistry, low pH, …

Creating Space For Belonging Within The West Virginia Progressive Movement, Roger A. Jennette

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With the 2016 Presidential election come and gone, political activism within the United States has garnered more attention as political actors on the Progressive Left oppose the actions of the new administration. The West Virginia progressive movement is used as a case study of the national push towards progressive politics. Using participant diaries and a series of longitudinal interviews, this thesis explores the creation of spaces belonging within an activist organization to foster sustained involvement. The analysis points to the importance of creating a sense of belonging and the desire to ‘strive for better’ in a state that is often …

Analysis Of The Gas Production From Marcellus Shale Horizontal Wells Using Decline Curves, Dalal Alsaadoun

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Many challenges present themselves when production is being forecasted in ultra-low permeability unconventional reservoir systems. Some of the major challenges are the lack of understanding of the interaction among the fluid flow, the hydraulic fracturing, the reservoir characteristics in these complex systems, and the limited production history. Therefore, the production performance of the shale gas wells over the longer time periods has not been established. A familiar technique for predicting the future production rates, when the only available data are past production rates, is Decline Curve Analysis (DCA). Several DCA methods have been proposed for shale wells, but their application …

Study Of The Resonance Spectrums Of The Flute And The Effect Of Different Stable Vowels On Formant Tuning With Violin And Clarinet, Alyssa M. Schwartz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

"In the long history of scientific investigation of musical instruments, the flute has been given particular attention, primarily because of its apparent simplicity. Yet many of the physical factors that determine its behavior have not been well documented." This is especially true when it comes to modern understanding of the way in which changes in the shape of the oral cavity affect the resonance spectrum of the flute.;Creating different monophthongs, or stable-vowel positions, while playing the flute changes the spectral slope and strength of the overtones in the flute tone. This affects the ability of the flute to successfully blend …

Optimal Anteroposterior Position Of Maxillary Incisors In Caucasian Males Viewed From A Smiling Profile, Amer Shammaa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background and Objectives: Anteroposterior (AP) position of the maxillary incisors affects the harmony of a facial profile. Different methods have been suggested to evaluate the maxillary incisor AP position, including cephalometric analysis and soft-tissue analysis. Andrews suggested using a lateral smiling profile to evaluate the AP position of the maxillary incisors. The objective of this study was to investigate the optimal AP position of maxillary incisors in Caucasian males using Glabella Vertical (GV), a coronal plane tangent to soft tissue Glabella, as a reference line. In addition, an attempt was made to determine if there are differences in judged facial …

A Method Of Teaching English Speaking Learners To Produce Mandarin-Chinese Tones, Hui Shi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Learning Mandarin Chinese tones is a big challenge for English speaking learners. The average tonal production accuracy is reported to be about 70 percent for intermediate-level learners and 40 percent for beginning-level Chinese learners. The Chinese tonal proficiency significantly influences the learners' communicative effectiveness, including listening and speaking, but research often overlooks tonal production. This study proposed and tested a novel method of teaching English-speaking learners to pronounce Mandarin Chinese tones. This teaching method includes a Chinese tones bookmark, and a 30--50 minutes in-class training module. The research undertook five cycles of Design-Based Research (DBR) implementations with 31 public school …

Recruiting And Engaging Generation Z: An Integrated Marketing Communications Plan For West Virginia University Visitors Center, Kathryn (Kallie) Priscilla Nealis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this professional project is to provide a guide of marketing and communication strategies for organizations to implement in an effort to succeed in their goals involving improving overall success and awareness of the organization. The main component of this professional project is an integrated marketing communications (IMC) plan designed on behalf of the WVU Visitors Center and their IMC goals. Examined and outlined in this IMC plan is the target audience (Generation Z), as well as overall campaign objectives, creative strategies, media objectives and evaluation procedures that are grounded in and seek to expand upon the theoretical …

A Comparison Of Child Abuse Potential Inventory And Parenting Stress Index With Families In The Parent-Child Interaction Therapy And Treatment As Usual Groups, Keri B. Whitacre

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study compared Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) in a group format to a Treatment as Usual (TAU) group format within a community setting. PCIT is typically conducted individually with caregiver and child in a clinical setting. Results showed decreases on the Parenting Stress Index (PSI-SF), for both treatment groups over time with the PCIT group reporting less parental stress than the TAU group. However, there was no difference between groups over time on the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI). This study provides preliminary evidence for the efficacy of delivering PCIT in a community setting. The implication for child welfare clinicians …

Real-Time Energy Visualization Solutions For Light Commercial Businesses., Nathaniel Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent years, several real-time Energy Visualization (EV) systems have emerged in the market with specific applications for large industrial and commercial facilities and residential buildings. However, light commercial businesses have been neglected with only a few attempts for EV solutions. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a system that could provide a cost effective and flexible EV solution for light commercial businesses. The system consisted of monitoring hardware and three energy visualization dashboards. Testing and validation of the system was conducted using a focused group of participants consisting of energy managers, engineers, and other typical …

Canal Transportation After Instrumentation Utilizing Different Endodontic Access Design; A Comparative Study With Micro-Ct., Travis Moore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction Access cavity design is known to affect theefficiency of instrumentation. Canal transportation occurs primarily in the apical region and to the outside of curvature when dentin is removed in a single direction. The goal of all cleaning and shaping procedures is to preserve the original root canal anatomy while removing sufficient amounts of injured pulp tissue, microorganisms, toxins and instrumentation byproducts. It is understood that the desired shape of the finished root canal is a continuous tapering funnel from the coronal to the apex. The aim of this study is to construct detailed three-dimensional images of root canal systems …

Integrating Microscale Enzyme And Lectin Reactions Using Nanogel Assisted Capillary Electrophoresis, Srikanth Gattu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Protein glycosylation is one of the most prevalent post-translational modifications which plays an important role in determining the structure, stability, and function of proteins. Changes in glycosylation patterns are a hallmark of cancer and other diseases. Characterizing glycosylation is difficult because these structures vary in their linkage and monomer sequence, which gives rise to vast microheterogenity that could affect the function of the molecule. A novel method using capillary gel electrophoresis by integrating microscale enzymes and lectin reactions in the capillary was developed to verify glycan structure by analyzing monosaccharides. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) improves upon conventional methods of glycan structure …

The Principles And Rhetoric Of Autarky: Debate And Decision-Making In Early Colonial Kenya, Ian Michael Ferguson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study seeks to understand the decision-making process of the colonial government of the East Africa Protectorate by articulating the principles of autarky: financial independence, development, and effective occupation. The principles of autarky, which are both goal and process for the colonial government, strove to bring that government to a state of self-sufficiency, or autarky. These principles created their own rhetoric within official correspondence which dominated the decision-making process. By looking at three different periods, Foreign Office control, the transition to Colonial Office responsibility, and the Soldier Settlement Scheme of 1919, the importance of the principles and rhetoric of autarky …

Roofing Practices And Fall Prevention In The Construction Industry, Hadi A. Shishtar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Roofing is an important profession in the construction industry yet there is a lack of understanding of its safeness. It is generally believed that roofing is an occupation that can be easily practiced by anyone. However, there are many key factors that are associated with roofing, which may impact the lives of roofers who often face major risks at work. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), roofing is one of the leading causes of falling deaths among construction workers. The Bureau of labor statistics has reported that roofers are highly exposed to non-fatal injuries. They have also …

The Determination Of The Concrete Tensile Creep At Early Age Using The Ring Test, Tadamon Mohammed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, the modified double power law (MDPL) model is used to determine the tensile creep of concrete at an early age based on the ASTM C1581 restrained shrinkage ring test. Three concrete mixes using Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) were tested. The three concrete mixes were cast, and each underwent the ring tests up to cracking. Mechanical properties of concrete at the age of 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days were tested to find the compressive strength, tensile strength and Young’s Modulus of concrete. The strength tests results were obtained from both 4x8 inch and 6x12 inch cylinders. …

Understanding The Impact Of Stimulation Treatment On Gas Production From A Horizontally Drilled Marcellus Shale Well, Matthew Dean Carl Perrella

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Marcellus shale is one of the largest unconventional gas shale plays in the United States. It underlies much of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New York and even extends under Lake Erie and into Canada. The most effective methods to produce from this play is to drill horizontally into the shale formation and use hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing creates pathways for the hydrocarbon to flow from the shale into the wellbore. These lateral sections of the well are typically completed from toe to heel over a number of stages using a plug and perforate method.;This research focuses on a Marcellus …

Parental Knowledge Of Concussion: Evaluation Of The Cdc's "Heads Up To Parents" Educational Initiative, Teresa A. Rice

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: A majority of youth club sport organization coaches have well-established concussion knowledge gaps. Potential negative outcomes associated with sport-related concussion drive the need for resources to educate parents about prevention, recognition, and management of concussion in the youth athlete. Parents play a critical role in management of concussion for their child.;Purpose: This study aims to (1) investigate current knowledge of concussion among parents whose children age 5--18 years play a club sport and (2) identify effects of an online video versus online print educational intervention on concussion knowledge change and learning.;Methods: 140 parents whose children played a club sport …

Investigation Of Gas Slippage Effect And Geomechanical Effect On Gas Production Prediction And Hydraulic Fracture Design -- A Case Study Of Marcellus Shale, Courtney L. Rubin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Shale reservoirs play an increasingly important role in energy supply worldwide. Horizontal wells and hydraulic fracturing have created a new mandate for a better understanding of the resulted production amounts from these shale reservoirs. A parametric study, based on Marcellus shale laboratory Precision Petrophysical Analysis Laboratory (PPAL) experimental data, and reservoir simulation is conducted to understand the effects of gas slippage effect and the geomechanical effects on gas production prediction and completion design. Therefore by analyzing the critical conductivity of a reservoir prior to production it is possible to design a fracture treatment (i.e. proppant pumping strategy) which will have …

Perceptions Of Students, Faculty, And Staff Concerning Visitation Dogs On College Campuses, Brieanna Hughes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Temporal Bisection And Effects Of D-Amphetamine Administration In Lewis And Fischer 344 Rats, Marissa Turturici

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Temporal control concerns the discrimination of intervals of time. Individuals with various psychological disorders have shown differences in temporal control when compared to control populations. It is unknown whether and how temporal control might be linked with impulsivity, another measure that predicts problem behavior such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Because Lewis (LEW) rats reliably show greater impulsive choice relative to Fischer 344 (F344) rats, the present study examined responding in these two strains under a temporal-bisection procedure that assesses temporal control. In the temporal-bisection procedure, rats are trained to discriminate between two durations. Intermediate durations are subsequently presented to determine the …

Inclusion Of 9 Mm Firearm Type Using Quantitative Class Characteristics, Young Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The results of a data set of five models of 9 mm Luger caliber handguns suggest an algorithm such as the square of the Mahalanobis Distance as a step towards the creation of an electronic class characteristic database for cartridge cases to supplement the currently existing General Rifling Characteristic (GRC) database for bullets. The algorithm was validated using both hold-one out cross validation as well as on an entirely independent set of ground truth known cartridge cases which were blindly classified to mimic case work. A method for determining an objective threshold for inclusion onto a list for an investigator …

Standing In The Shadow Of Empire: Ideology In The Path To West Virginia Statehood, Kristen L. Wilkes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An empire of industry moved through West Virginia prior to the US Civil War, and saw a breed of capitalists and politicians who acquired control of land through purchase and through patent, developed control of the vote through industrial political influence, and encouraged the West Virginian to separate from an eastern Virginian society based in planter-elite agrarian society. The West Virginian who believed that self-sufficiency and subsistence farming could sustain his family saw his vote for statehood and separation from the Old Dominion transformed into an industrial coup. Land slowly but steadily slipped away from the hands of the mountaineer …

Durability Of Gfrp Composites Under Harsh Environments: Effect Of Ph And Temperature, Maria Martinez De Lahidalga De Lorenzo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent years, demand for Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Composites as a substitute of conventional materials has increased because of certain inherent advantages of FRPs over conventional materials such as concrete or steel. However, FRPs are also susceptible to degradation under both physical and chemical aging. To evaluate glass FRP composites aging behavior under harsh environments in a cost-effective manner, accelerated aging data are obtained under controlled lab environments, in short duration, to perform a correlation with data from naturally aged samples. Following the time-temperature superposition principle, the mechanical response in the field in a span of time of 75 …

Enhancing Online Security With Image-Based Captchas, Brian M. Powell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Given the data loss, productivity, and financial risks posed by security breaches, there is a great need to protect online systems from automated attacks. Completely Automated Public Turing Tests to Tell Computers and Humans Apart, known as CAPTCHAs, are commonly used as one layer in providing online security. These tests are intended to be easily solvable by legitimate human users while being challenging for automated attackers to successfully complete. Traditionally, CAPTCHAs have asked users to perform tasks based on text recognition or categorization of discrete images to prove whether or not they are legitimate human users. Over time, the efficacy …

A Census Of The Galactic Hii Region Population, William Paul Armentrout

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Predictive Content Of Portfolio Flows For The Real Economy, Golnaz Baradaran Motie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Using Incidental Teaching To Teach Mands To Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Katherine S. Robinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Children with autism display deficits in three core areas; communication, social interaction, and restrictive and repetitive behaviors. Deficits in communication often manifest in the form of maladaptive behaviors that serve to have the individuals needs and wants met. Additionally, children with autism may have difficulty generalizing learned skills to novel environments and with novel items. Naturalistic teaching procedures, such as incidental teaching, can promote generalization through the use of naturally occurring learning opportunities and reinforcers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate an incidental teaching procedure on the acquisition of both rate of manding behavior as well as a …

To Treat Or To Teach: Comparing Strategies To Reduce Escape-Maintained Behavior, Lucie M. Romano

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Differential negative reinforcement of alternative behavior (DNRA) reduces escape-maintained challenging behavior, but can result in lost instructional time. Instructional time could be maintained through interventions like curricular revision (CR), but the efficacy of CR is less established. We compared DNRA and CR for 3 children with age-typical intellectual functioning whose challenging behavior was maintained by escape from academic tasks. During DNRA, we taught the child to appropriately request a different, mastered task. During CR, we broke the original task into simpler components until the child mastered each component, but still permitted escape following challenging behavior. Curricular revision resulted in less …

A Long Short-Term Memory Neural Network For Improved Twins' Voice Differentiation, Stallone Bruno-Ray Sabatier

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although successfully implemented in certain situations, the reliability of speaker recognition (SR) decreases due to speaker and channel variability present between enrollment and evaluation samples, as well as the available length of speech utterances. The issue of speaker variability becomes more pronounced when the number of speakers in the evaluation set increases, as there is a higher probability that two voices may sound more alike. The differentiation of intra-twin pairs' voices can be beneficial to general SR because inclusion can simulate this effect. This is due to the fact that their shared voice similarities are comparable to the potential inter-speaker …