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The Effects Of An Exercise And Kinesiotape Intervention On Forward Headrounded Shoulder Posture And Scapular Dyskinesis, Lucas Klawiter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Context: Forward head and rounded shoulder posture as well as scapular dyskinesis are forms of improper posture that have been linked to neck and shoulder pain. Treatment for forward head posture (FHP), rounded shoulder posture (RSP), and scapular dyskinesis has consisted of an exercise protocol. Kinesiotape (KT) has recently been used as a treatment method but there is a lack of research on the effectiveness, or whether exercise or KT is better than the other. Objective: The objective of the study was to compare a KT intervention to a strengthening and stretching program for correction of FHP, RSP, and scapular …

Amplifier Design For Underground Anomaly Detection Using Naturally Occurring Ultra Low Frequencies, Dakota James Kirby

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Most high-frequency signals are unable to penetrate the Earth's surface and lower frequencies have a much higher chance of penetrating the surface. Ultra-low frequencies can be used to penetrate the Earth's crust, but the frequency and background noise are a large problem that prevents from detecting these low frequency signals. This thesis describes the design for a small and lightweight low-frequency amplifier that can receive low voltage signals and amplify them to a level that could be used to do further analysis. The proposed amplifier design was capable of handling inputs as low as 1 muV and amplifying them to …

Rehabilitation In The Punitive State: An Oxymoron? An Examination Of Rehabilitation And Punitive Practices In The United States, Jeri Kirby

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The extent and nature of incarceration has changed dramatically over the last 40 years in the United States. From 1980 to 2007, the American incarceration rate increased by 1,100 percent (BJS 2008). Much of this incarceration boom can be linked to the War on Drugs (WOD) and the punitive sentencing policies that developed from it. Understanding these punitive effects on individuals and communities and the challenges of prisoner re-entry requires us to consider the many levels of punishment that play a role in the United States correctional policies. Past research has considered the impact of the WOD policies on many …

Developing A Smart Proxy For Predicting The Fluid Dynamic In Dambreak Flow Simulation By Using Artificial Intelligence, Seyed Sina Hosseini Boosari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Multiphase flow simulations are essential methods for providing information such as the evolution of phase fraction (gas, liquid and solid), velocities, pressure, temperature and flow regimes at every time during a process. Dynamic flow simulations also help reservoir, drilling, and production engineers to develop a proper well design. DamBreak problem is one of the most well-known problems in computational fluid dynamics (CFD); it is a dynamic hydraulic phenomena and the numerical simulation requires sophisticated mathematical modeling. OpenFOAM, is used to run CFD simulations in this thesis.;One of the main issues in CFD is that the simulations are time-consuming. In this …

Dynamic Model And Estimator Development For A Smart Refractory Brick With Embedded Wireless Sensors For Gasifier Applications, Qiao Huang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The operating temperature is one of the most important variables for gasifier operation. A higher temperature can shorten the service life of the refractory lining. A lower temperature can reduce the extent of carbon conversion and disrupt the flow of molten slag in a slagging gasifier. Therefore temperature is one of the most important variable in a gasifier. In slagging gasifiers, molten slag can penetrate into the refractory lining leading to refractory spallation, undesired downtime, and costly replacement. Even though the temperature and extent of slag penetration are extremely important for the gasifier operation, they cannot be measured reliably by …

The Evolution Of Luminous Compact Blue Galaxies In Cosmos Between Z~0.0-1.0, Lucas Hunt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Luminous Compact Blue Galaxies (LCBGs) are bright, compact star forming galaxies that are common in the distant universe, but rare locally. In this thesis we have conducted studies tracing changes in the LCBG population between z = 0.0--1.0 in the COSMOS survey region. We used the luminosity function to show LCBG's contribution to the luminosity density is increasing between z = 0.0--1.0. From this we also find the number density of LCBGs is increasing by an order of magnitude from z = 0.0--1.0. Finally we show that 10% of galaxies brighter than MB = --18.5 are LCBGs at z ~ …

Empirical Genetic Algorithm Parameter Tuning Concerning The Synthesis Of Combinational Logic Circuits, Joshua Ward

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study identifies optimal parameter values for a genetic algorithm used in the synthesis of combinational logic circuits. Parameters used to obtain an initial solution circuit are examined as well as parameters used to optimize solution circuits. Finding an initial solution circuit was done using a fitness function that was less influential while optimizing solution circuits used a stronger fitness function. This allowed parameters to be studied under very different circumstances. It was discovered that parameters which maintained a higher genetic diversity and strayed farther from the concept of "Survival of the Fittest" produced better results in general.

Synthesis, Characterization, And Reactivity Studies Of Para-Substituted Triaryltin Cobaloximes, Elizabeth Marie Ward

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Several six-coordinate cobaloxime compounds containing a triaryltin ligand were synthesized and characterized. These cobaloximes include (4- t-BuPy)Co(DH)2Sn(C6H4-p -tolyl)3, (4-t-BuPy)Co(DH)2Sn(C 6H4-p-t-Bu)3, (NH3)Co(DH) 2SnPh3, and (4-t-BuPy)Co(DH)2Bn. (4-t-BuPy)Co(DH)2Sn(C6H4- p-tolyl)3 crystallized in the centrosymmetric triclinic space group P-1 (Z=4) with unit cell dimensions a = 13.2949(5) A, b = 17.7508(7) A, c = 18.2240(7) A, alpha = 107.1983(13)°, beta = 91.6597(13)°, gamma = 107.6992(12)°, and Volume = 3880.5(3) A 3. The structure was isostructural with other alkyl cobaloximes. Preliminary X-ray structure analysis determined that (NH3)Co(DH)2SnPh 3 had a NH3 ligand bound to the six-coordinate octahedral cobalt center and trans to the triaryltin ligand. The …

Precise Point Positioning Inertial Navigation Integration For Kinematic Airborne Applications, Ryan Watson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

UAVs have the potential for autonomous airborne remote sensing applications that require rapid response to natural hazards (e.g. volcano eruptions, earthquakes). As these applications require very accurate positioning, tightly coupled Global Positioning System (GPS) Precise Point Positioning (PPP) Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) are an attractive method to perform real-time aircraft positioning. In particular, PPP can achieve a level of positioning accuracy that is similar to Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS, without the need of a relatively close GPS reference station. However, the PPP method is known to converge to accurate positioning estimate more slowly when compared to RTK, a drawback of …

All The Single Ladies: Christina Of Markyate And The Importance Of Spiritual Guidance In Medieval England, Courtney Weaver

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis analyzes the Life of Christina of Markyate to illustrate how the pages of Christina's manuscript contain keys to a better understanding of issues of sex, gender, and religion in the Middle Ages, especially in regards of how space, enclosure, and spiritual guidance were used by medieval religious people to further their devotional practices. By explicating the nature of Christina's enclosure experiences, we see how her life serves as an example of the importance of spiritual guidance in medieval lives. Christina's recorded experience of enclosure can help us grasp the significant role that space played in helping advance opportunities …

Storage Capacity Estimation Of Commercial Scale Injection And Storage Of Co2 In The Jacksonburg-Stringtown Oil Field, West Virginia, Zhi Zhong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Geological capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) of carbon dioxide (CO2) in depleted oil and gas reservoirs is one method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and extending the life of the field. Therefore CCUS coupled with EOR is considered to be an economic approach to demonstration of commercial-scale injection and storage of anthropogenic CO2. Several critical issues should be taken into account prior to injecting large volumes of CO2, such as storage capacity, project duration and long-term containment. Reservoir characterization and 3D geological modeling are the best way to estimate the theoretical CO 2 storage capacity …

Selected Topics In Image Super-Resolution: Guided Image And Learning Representation, Wentian Zhou

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Obtaining high-resolution images is a fundamental challenge for many vision related tasks. It is highly desirable to develop effective and efficient super-resolution algorithms to enhance the spatial resolution of acquired images. However, estimating high-resolution images is an ill-posed problem where a large set of possible solutions exist. To make this inverse problem more tractable, it is often necessary to constrain the targeted high-resolution image with a priori information (i.e., in model-based approaches) or to assume the availability of additional training data (i.e., in learning-based approaches). In this dissertation, we propose to (i) use simultaneous-sparse-coding and machine learning techniques to incorporate …

The Treatment Of The Piano In Six Selected Chamber Works By Colombian Composers In The Twenty-First Century, Javier Camacho

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research project examines selected contemporary chamber-music works with piano by Colombian composers. It describes the different styles, techniques, pianistic elements, and pedagogical approaches present in: Rapsodia (Rhapsody) for clarinet and piano (2000) by Jorge Alejandro Salazar (b. 1978); A la Memoria de 21 Angeles (In memory of 21 Angels) for trumpet and piano (2014) by Mauricio Arias (b. 1984); Andromeda for violin and piano (2007) and Scorpius for soprano, violin and piano (2010) by Jorge Humberto Pinzon (b. 1968); Into the Silence for violin, clarinet and piano (2011) by Paola Marquez (b. 1978); and Dospianazo No. 1 (2011) by …

Examining Strain Propagation In The Lateral And Codominant Branch Attachment Using Digital Image Correlation, Robert T. Eckenrode Iv

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Static load testing of branches is a well-established method for examining attachment strength of trees. Information gathered from these experiments is used to better understand how branches fail, and predict how they are attached to their parent stem. Digital image correlation (DIC) is used to directly measure strain on the surface of materials during static load testing. By examining how strain moves through the branch attachment, a better understanding of how trees carry loads can also be attained. In these experiments, strain propagation in the branch connection zone of lateral and codominant stems was measured utilizing digital image correlation. In …

Effect Of Individual Cultural Speeches On Accuracy And Cultural Content Knowledge Of Intermediate Spanish Students, Guadalupe Madrid

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This quantitative study completed at an American university in Spring 2014 in intermediate Spanish classes measured if two individual cultural speeches (ICS tasks) had an effect not only on second language (L2) students' accuracy in Spanish during the oral presentation, but also their cultural content knowledge when answering the culture section of the final exam. The ICS task was presented in Spanish, orally without reading, so that students had the opportunity to speak Spanish and share cultural content knowledge with their classmates. The ICS task design was supported by The Robinson Cognition Hypothesis (2007), Ellis (2009) and Skehan and Foster's …

Modeling, Simulation And Decentralized Control Of Islanded Microgrids, Farideh Doost Mohammadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Modeling, Simulation and Decentralized Control of Islanded Microgrids by Farideh Doost Mohammadi This thesis develops a comprehensive modular state-space model of microgrids containing inverter-based Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). The model is validated and then used for small signal stability enhancement and voltage and frequency control. State space models of various microgrid elements are first derived, which allow for the inclusion of any possible elements such as current controlled inverters that are missing in the literature. Then a complete state space model is obtained to complement the models that are available in the literature and whose objectives are system analysis only …

Analysis Of The Production Data From Marcellus Shale Wells, Amanda Parrish

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The increasingly prevalent practice of unconventional technologies has called for the need for the critical analysis of production decline rates to meet economic targets. The high early time production returns and transient flow make matching a production curve to known methods of decline curve analysis problematic.

This research focuses on finding a technique that best fits a known production curve and then applying that technique to another well to check its accuracy. The goal is to find the earliest time of production data necessary to predict an accurate production curve over the lifespan of the well. This is essential to …

Effect Of Micro-Osteoperforations On Orthodontic Tooth Movement With Clear Aligner Treatment., Dobin Choi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background and Objectives: Micro-osteoperforation (MOP) is a relatively noninvasive procedure to expedite the rate of orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) by enahncing naturally occurring inflammatory response. This procedure is often combined with clear aligner treatment (CAT) in order to shorten the duration of aligner wear. However, the question yet remained whether the accuracy of OTM was maintained if the patients switched the aligners more frequently than recommended. The objectives of the study were to investigate the effect of MOPs on the accuracy of anterior OTM and to evaluate the differential effect of MOPs on gender, age, severity of the mal-alignment, and …

Higher Education Marketing Through Digital Community: Understanding The Motivations Of Joining And Participating In University-Sponsored Communities And The Effect On Yield., Evan C. Moore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As enrollment goals and student informational resources increase, universities are scrambling to be more competitive in the marketplace and implement more effective enrollment strategies. Digital closed online communities are one new method universities are using to reach students. Using an online survey, the authors investigated the motivations behind why students join these communities and how they participate in them. In addition, the research also tested how variables correlated to and predicted a student’s behavioral intention to yield, or enroll at, the university. Findings expand Situational Theory of Problem Solving literature and establish connections between certain attributes and enrolling at the …

A Study Of The Fast Radio Burst Population, Akshaya Rane

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are a new class of astrophysical phenomena discovered a decade ago that are characterized by extremely bright millisecond duration radio bursts originating in external galaxies. We have processed archival pulsar survey data obtained with the 64-m Parkes radio telescope in Australia. We used the single-pulse search method to search for pulsars, rotating radio transients (RRATs), and FRBs. RRATs are Galactic pulsars that emit sporadic pulses. We detected 20 known pulsars and one RRAT in this analysis but we did not find any FRBs. We combined this null result with the previous searches carried out with Parkes …

War On The Mind: Trauma And Coping Among Union Soldiers And Veterans, Kathleen Anneliese Logothetis Thompson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

"War on the Mind: Trauma and Coping in the Union Army," is a work of social, cultural, and military history and examines experiences of mental trauma in the Union Army during the war and among veterans in the post-war period. Without our modern definition of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Civil War soldiers had a very different view of how they were mentally experiencing the war. By looking at soldier accounts and the records of insane asylums it is clear that soldiers did have experiences of trauma and insanity during or related to their wartime service. However, those same asylum records, as …

Deep Extragalactic Neutral Hydrogen Surveys With The Green Bank Telescope, Nickolas M Pingel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Social Media, Celebrity Endorsers And Effect On Purchasing Intentions Of Young Adults, Kaitlin M. Davis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Through an online survey methodology, this study explored how the relationship between the three celebrity-based characteristics -- trustworthiness, attractiveness and expertise -- and Millennials' social media usage influences Millennials' purchasing intentions, or their likelihood to buy the product or brand being endorsed. Millennials were the focus of this study due to their involvement with social media, their pre-existing parasocial interactions with celebrities on social media and their increased likelihood of buying products endorsed by celebrities with the hope of being more like them.;The most significant finding revealed that the three celebrity-based characteristics -- expertise, trustworthiness and attractiveness -- are perceived …

Investigating Social Perceptions Associated With Water Quality In Morgantown, West Virginia, Jonas G. Leveque

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation investigates public perceptions of water quality in Morgantown, West Virginia. In recent years, water has become an increasingly critical issue in terms of quantity worldwide, and also in terms of quality. In developed countries such as the United States, water quality is often taken for granted by the general public. Nonetheless, recent water crises in Flint, Michigan and Charleston, West Virginia, are examples showing there are environmental risks associated with human activities. This dissertation explores the context of West Virginia, with coal mining that is decreasing and non-conventional oil and gas drilling that is increasing in the Appalachia …

Forecasting Automobile Demand Via Artificial Neural Networks & Neuro-Fuzzy Systems, Armin Niaki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this research is to obtain an accurate forecasting model for the demand for automobiles in Iran's domestic market. The model is constructed using production data for vehicles manufactured from 2006 to 2016, by Iranian car makers. The increasing demand for transportation and automobiles in Iran necessitated an accurate forecasting model for car manufacturing companies in Iran so that future demand is met. Demand is deduced as a function of the historical data. The monthly gold, rubber, and iron ore prices along with the monthly commodity metals price index and the Stock index of Iran are Artificial neural …

Modeling Of Wind Phenomena And Analysis Of Their Effects On Uav Trajectory Tracking Performance, Jessica Cristine Da Costa Siqueira

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The use of autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has increased greatly over the years and is predicted to increase even more in the future. Thus, it is essential that these vehicles are able to fly safely with adequate performance under normal and abnormal conditions. In this research effort, the objective was to create a wind model to analyze the effects of atmospheric phenomena on trajectory tracking control of UAVs. A simplified model was developed and implemented within the WVU UAV simulation environment in order to simulate atmospheric phenomena, such as, constant wind with turbulence, wind gust and wind shear. Graphical …

"Here There Is No Plague": The Ideology And Phenomenology Of Aids In Gay Literature, Michael Alan Buso

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project considers the social movements, historical memory, and politics of health to trace the way the literature of the AIDS epidemic both documents and discloses the lived experiences of a community struggling in the midst of an epidemic. It focuses on the literature of AIDS, analyzing the underlying ideologies of AIDS and articulating a phenomenology of AIDS that goes beyond the feminist or queer ones already considered in current scholarship. I argue that the literature of AIDS reflects various ideological fantasies about AIDS that, depending on political preconceptions and ontologies of identity, must, out of necessity, exclude certain ideas …

Operability-Based Design Of Energy Systems: Application To Natural Gas Utilization Processes, Juan C. Carrasco-Moraga

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Process operability emerged in the last decades as a powerful tool for the design and control of complex chemical processes. The design of such processes is a challenging task as they are represented by nonlinear models with large numbers of differential and algebraic equations that demand high computational effort for their solution. In particular, process operability was proposed as a method for verifying the ability of a process design, defined by the available input set, to reach an achievable output set that considers production targets. However, existing operability methods for nonlinear systems are limited by the problem size that they …

Growing Shrub Willow (Salix Spp.) On Newly Reclaimed Minesoil In Northeastern West Virginia, Bartholomew Caterino

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Shrub willow (Salix spp.) has been a focus of international efforts to develop renewable alternatives for fossil fuels and to sequester carbon from earth's atmosphere. One area of interest has been to plant and cultivate willow on reclaimed mine lands. West Virginia's coalfields provide significant land area for incorporating willow cultivation into reclamation. The objective of this study was to develop silvicultural treatments to overcome the most common properties of mine soils in Appalachia: high rock fragment content that often causes difficult planting, reduced nutrient availability, and low water-holding capacity. Cuttings of three shrub willow clones were planted with six …

Evaluating Instructive Feedback As A Maintenance Procedure During Discrete-Trial Instruction, Jessica M. Cheatham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Instructive feedback is a procedure that involves presenting secondary targets during a learning trial. The child is not required to respond to the secondary targets, and if the child does respond the therapist does not provide differential consequences. Instructive feedback has been shown to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of discrete-trial instruction for children with autism. We evaluated maintenance of previously learned skills when they were and were not presented as instructive feedback during teaching sessions. We used an adapted-alternating treatments design to compare three conditions, in which previously learned skills were presented as secondary targets five times per week, …