Digital Commons Network^™

Neutral Isn’T Neutral: An Analysis Of Misinformation And Sentiment In The Wake Of The Capitol Riots, Daniel Robert Walsh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

January 6th, 2021 was a significant moment in the history of the United States of America. Protestors stormed the Capitol building over the results of the 2020 presidential election in which Joseph R. Biden defeated incumbent president Donald J. Trump. The Capitol riots were partially incited by the presence of misinformation on social media and was an example of the power misinformation has. This study presented two questions. Question one pertains to the sentiment analysis of verified Twitter users and their sentiment towards Trump. Question two pertains to analyzing tweets from verified accounts for misinformation between the dates of January …

A Deeper Inquiry Into The Transitional Needs Of Student Veterans, Nathan Calvin Bridendolph Jr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous research revealed that veterans transitioning to post-secondary institutions have unique characteristics (PNPI, 2018; Wurster et al., 2013) and may suffer from a constellation of physical, psychological, and social problems that can impact their ability to perform to their full potential on campus (Ackerman et al., 2009; Alschuler & Yarab, 2016; Igielnik, 2019). Despite knowing the struggles student veterans (SVs) face when transitioning to campus, no studies were found that directly gain SVs’ input on what they believe will help their transition. The current study sought to gain a holistic perspective of SV needs by using the biopsychosocial model and …

Independent, Semi-Automated Classification Of Petrographic Features In Volcanic Rocks Using Fiji And Weka, Holly Danielle Pettus

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Traditional methods of collecting quantitative petrographic data from thin sections (modal mineralogy, size distribution, shapes, etc.) are time- and labor-intensive, and rarely have sample sizes adequate to statistically describe complex rocks (i.e. volcanic rocks). Although manual counting and measurements are now routinely supplemented by digital image analysis, the majority of quantitative petrographic studies still go through a manual digitization stage where object classes are traced before further analyses. This is a major rate-limiting step that reproduces the same problems of small n-values resulting from significant effort. We have valuated the potential and limitations of using the Trainable Weka Segmentation (TWS) …

Observational Measurement Of Attachment In Toddlers With Disruptive Behavior Using The Strange Situation Procedure And Attachment Q-Set, Corey C. Lieneman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Child-caregiver attachment is an important factor in healthy child development and is often targeted by early intervention programs. To assess the efficacy of these interventions, attachment must be accurately measured across the toddler years in populations referred for treatment of externalizing behavior problems. The Strange Situation Procedure (SSP; Ainsworth et al., 1978) and Attachment Q-Set (AQS; Waters, 1987) are empirically-validated measures of child-caregiver attachment, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. Previous research has reached mixed conclusions on relations between the observer-report AQS and SSP, depending on sample and study characteristics, and a review of the literature did not produce any …

A One-Session, Brief Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Workshop For Chronic Pain Patients: A One-Sample Pretest-Posttest Prospective Exploratory Study, Kelly Anne Thomas Ms

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chronic pain affects one in every four persons (NIH, 2010). For individuals residing in rural communities where chronic pain treatment is often not accessible (Artnak et al., 2011), a one-session brief mental health intervention is a critical healthcare need. More specifically, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for chronic pain is a novel treatment approach in need of more research (Society of Clinical Psychology, 2016). This current study contributes to the gap in the literature by implementing an ACT workshop in a rural healthcare setting for individuals with chronic pain. It was hypothesized that the workshop would increase adaptive coping mechanisms …

Powertrain Fuel Consumption Modeling And Benchmark Analysis Of A Parallel P4 Hybrid Electric Vehicle Using Dynamic Programming, Aaron Robert Mull

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As regulations on the emission of greenhouse gasses continue to tighten on the automotive industry, the production of hybrid electric vehicles has gained significant popularity in recent years. With the increase in production, there has been a parallel demand in the advancement of both mechanical hardware and control system implementation used in these vehicles. A critical factor in the efficient operation of a hybrid electric vehicle is the energy management strategy where the goal is to maximize the efficient use of fuel energy to propel the vehicle. Designing a fuel-efficient control system is a complex challenge due to the degrees …

A Role For Endothelial Tissue-Nonspecific Alkaline Phosphatase In Blood-Tissue Barrier Health And Disease, Allison L. Brichacek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sepsis is a disorder that targets the microcirculation with significant effects at blood-tissue barriers such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and gut-vascular barrier (GVB). Intestinal barrier dysfunction is thought to be one of the most important contributors to multi-organ dysfunction in sepsis. As a common site of infection, the impaired gut allows the dissemination of bacteria, which exacerbates the disease pathophysiology, and can lead to long-term morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms that influence altered barrier permeability in the GVB in sepsis and other inflammatory disorders are not well understood. Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) enzyme activity, which has been shown to …

Application Of Fiber Optics Das On Completion Design Optimization, Aliou Sylla

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Interstage communication during well stimulation reducing the effectivity of the well completion is known to be a concern in the oil and gas industry. The leading cause of this is fracture communication due to the presence of natural fractures where the formation is being hydraulically fractured. In this study, a technique was developed to map natural fractures, on a larger scale, underground to be able to avoid the high fracture intensity zones when hydraulically fracturing. This study developed a technique to optimize well completion designs by introducing the ability of locating natural fractures zones in the formation (Marcellus Shale) which …

Hearing Ourselves Speak: Finding The Trans Sound In The Ohio River Valley, Gwendolyn Patricia Saporito-Emler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis discusses at length the experiences of four interviewees, selected for being both musicians as well as transgender people. From the author’s shared perspective as a trans woman, this work addresses the issues and boons of being trans musicians. It reflects their experiences, both positive and negative, as well as provides conjectural analyses of the respondents’ shared stories. It identifies common themes, issues regularly experienced by trans people, and offers arguments on why ending this hate is so vitally essential.

Accuracy Of Implant Placement Utilizing Stereolithographic Guides Printed With And Without Cross-Arch Stabilization Struts, Caitlin Libby Dds

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of implant placement using stereolithographic guides printed with and without stabilization struts by comparing the post-operative position to the planned implant position.

Methods: A pre-operative cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) of a drillable maxillary model was obtained and data was uploaded into coDiagnostiX for preoperative planning. The implant position was planned in an edentulous space of #5 using a 3.3x10mm Bone Level Tapered (BLT) implant (Straumann). Ten surgical guides were designed utilizing a stabilization strut (Group A), while ten guides were designed without the stabilization strut (Group B). Twenty guides …

Evaluation Of Various Separation Techniques For The Removal Of Actinides From A Rare Earth-Containing Solution Generated From Coarse Coal Refuse, Deniz Talan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rare earth elements have emerged as a vital commodity due to their significance in the production of high-tech devices as well as their utilization in defense and military systems. They are deemed critical due to potential scarcity, supply constraints, and the lack of minable concentrations. Therefore, alternative sources are needed to meet the demand and continue manufacturing rare earth-required products. Coal and coal by-products, in that regard, have presented a significant opportunity and proven to contain a considerable amount of rare earths. However, toxic elements such as thorium and uranium are frequently seen in the same mineralization as rare earths. …

Evaluation Of A Low-Cost Uas And Phenocams For Measuring Grapevine Greenness, Timothy J. Hoheneder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Unpersoned aerial systems (UAS) could provide winegrowers with the potential to monitor vineyard productivity with ultra-high-resolution imagery and low operational costs. This ability could prove particularly valuable in the challenging cool-climate viticultural areas of Appalachia. Especially in this mountainous region of increasingly variable microclimates, there could be of great value from an ability to use UAS-measured greenness to monitor wine grape phenology and predict harvest quality and quantity. In this study, I assess how UAS-measured greenness relates to three complementary measures of field-based: leaf angle measurements, phenocam measured greenness, and leaf spectral measurements of greenness. After correlating these field-based measures …

“Remov[E] Us From The Bondage Of South Africa:” Transnational Resistance Strategies And Subnational Concessions In Namibia's Police Zone, 1919-1962, Michael R. Hogan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Between 1919 and 1962, the South African government implemented ever more restrictive segregationist and apartheid policies in South West Africa that attempted to control and monitor the social, political, and economic development of Namibians living in South West Africa’s Police Zone. This dissertation examines the transnational resistance campaigns and strategies developed by Namibians living in the Police Zone and their attempts to dissolve and frustrate the colonial state’s implementation of these policies. Particular focus is paid to such transnational institutions/actors as the League of Nations, the Universal Negro Improvement Association, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the United Nations, and international …

Employing Exoglycosidase And Transferase Enzymes In Capillary Nanogel Electrophoresis For The Determination Of N-Glycan Linkages And Enzyme Michaelis-Menten Constants., Lloyd Bwanali

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As a post translational modification protein glycosylation plays a crucial role in protein signaling, binding, kinetics and folding. In disease diagnosis and prognosis, monitoring glycosylation has been identified as a biomarker. Sialylation and sialic acid linkage in N-glycans are markers of cancers including liver, pancreatic and kidney cancer. Quantification of sialic acid linkage is analytically challenging because of the diverse linkages and the presence of heterogenous branching. A capillary electrophoresis method is reported that integrates a unique combination of enzymes and lectins to modify sialylated asparagine-linked glycans (N-glycans) in real time in the capillary so that N-glycan structures containing α2–6-linked …

Analysis On Combined Heat And Power, And Combined Heat And Power Hybrid Systems For Unconventional Drilling Operations, Diego G. Dranuta Ferrer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The United States (U.S.) has experienced a natural gas “boom” due to the development of unconventional shale plays, but well development is energy intensive. Operations use electric drilling rigs typically powered by either three high-horsepower diesel engines (HHPDE) or three dedicated natural gas engines (DNGE) and associated generators. From a first law analysis, HHPDEs peak at 42% efficiency at full load, while DNGE peak at about 30%. Most of the fuel energy is lost as heat rejected by the exhaust and radiators. Concurrently, during cold seasons rigs utilize boilers to provide steam throughout the rig to prevent freezing and provide …

Modified Firearm Discharge Residue Analysis Utilizing Advanced Analytical Techniques, Complexing Agents, And Quantum Chemical Calculations, William J. Feeney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The use of gunshot residue (GSR) or firearm discharge residue (FDR) evidence faces some challenges because of instrumental and analytical limitations and the difficulties in evaluating and communicating evidentiary value. For instance, the categorization of GSR based only on elemental analysis of single, spherical particles is becoming insufficient because newer ammunition formulations produce residues with varying particle morphology and composition. Also, one common criticism about GSR practitioners is that their reports focus on the presence or absence of GSR in an item without providing an assessment of the weight of the evidence. Such reports leave the end-used with unanswered questions, …

Analyzing Safety Audits To Improve Logging Safety Performance, George Daniel Nolan Jr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines logging safety audits to determine how different variables, and differing amounts of time between audits, affect the outcome of safety score performance. To collect the data for this study a three-page paper audit was used that examined five areas of the logging site which include: Personal protective equipment (PPE), general, felling, mobile equipment and, landing and loading.

The study analyzed 3 aspects of the audit which were the total score and the sub-categories of PPE and felling since they were the two heaviest weighted sections. The analysis only included audits that had a 5 percent or greater …

The Effects Of Dementia Knowledge On Dementia Worry, Attitudes, Social Comfort, Empathic Concern, And Personal Distress, Alexandria Rose Ebert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examined the effects of different types of dementia knowledge on attitudes and affective reactions towards persons with dementia. Work has demonstrated that individuals with higher levels of personhood-based knowledge have lower levels of personal dementia fear and higher levels of social comfort. However, to our knowledge, work has not examined dementia attitudes more broadly or differentiated causal relations among different forms of dementia knowledge and attitude outcomes. Participants (N = 334) aged 19-78 (M = 44.53, SD = 16.57) were randomized into one of five experimental conditions: (1) biomedical-knowledge (BK; read biological and medical facts about …

Can Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Improve Core Features Of Autism? Findings From A Comparison Of Pcit For Children With And Without Autism Spectrum Disorder, Robin C. Han

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although there is a small yet growing body of evidence supporting Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) as an effective treatment for disruptive behaviors among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; Scudder et al., 2019), further study is warranted, particularly with more robust methodology (e.g., larger sample sizes, comparison groups). Furthermore, preliminary studies have demonstrated improvements in symptoms of autism following the completion of PCIT, including improvements in frequency of child verbalizations (Hansen & Shillingsburg, 2016), caregiver report of social skills and social responsiveness (Zlomke et al., 2017), time spent in pretend toy play (Lieneman et al., 2019), and shared positive affect …

Does A Brief Mindfulness Induction Change Delay Discounting In Individuals With High Levels Of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms?, Cierra B. Edwards

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental illness characterized by obsessions and compulsions that cause significant distress and/or functional impairment. Delay discounting, the decline in value of a reward with the delay of its receipt, is linked to a range of maladaptive behaviors and mental disorders. Increased delay discounting is related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), reflecting that compulsive behaviors that aim to counteract obsessive thoughts are viewed as uncontrollable by the sufferer. We aimed to experimentally reduce delay discounting in individuals with high levels of obsessive-compulsive symptoms through a brief mindfulness induction. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to receive either a …

"A Long Life In Music:" The Career And Legacy Of Ann Schein, Anthony William Gray

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research paper is devoted to the life, career, teaching and legacy of the celebrated pianist Ann Schein. Having led a remarkable career spanning more than six decades, Schein was taught by such towering figures as Mieczysław Munz, Arthur Rubinstein and Dame Myra Hess and has in turn influenced countless musicians through her own teaching. This research paper includes a detailed portrait of Schein through a biography, an interview with Schein, and interviews with six of her former students from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University: Dr. Matthew Bengtson, Ms. Ya-Ting Chang, Dr. Inna Faliks, Dr. Mansoon Han …

Economic Burden Of Low-Value Healthcare On Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer: Statistical & Machine Learning Approaches, Ryan Fiano

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Adults with incident localized prostate cancer represent a large, medically complex population at risk for low-value care. Evidence-based guidelines recommend conservative management (CM) for localized prostate cancer patients with multimorbidity and limited life expectancy, however, 2 in 3 still choose treatment. This dissertation pursued three Aims to address research gaps related to healthcare practices associated with significant morbidity and economic burden on older men with incident localized prostate cancer: 1) examine the leading predictors of low-value healthcare practice of prostate cancer treatment for low-risk prostate cancer; 2) assess the role of patient‐reported experience with care on high-value prostate cancer management; …

Analysis Of Cell Signaling Perturbations In Response To Chronic Localized Infections, Amber Nicole Prince

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The tissue-level response to pathogens involves an intricate series of signal transduction events, influenced by immune and healing mediators that alert the host to danger and eliminate the infection. Disruptions to normal signaling events can compromise the host’s ability to respond and lead to the development of chronic infections that cannot be resolved without clinical intervention. Prolonged inflammation due to chronic infection can damage tissues and compromise healing processes, thus, the interactions of immune and healing mediators in signaling cascades are intimately linked to tissue health outcomes. Studying signaling networks relevant to these responses provided a more thorough understanding of …

Population Genetics Of A Reintroduced Fisher (Pekania Pennanti) Population In West Virginia, Caroline E. Harms

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fishers (Pekania pennanti) were reintroduced in West Virginia in 1969 with no population wide genetic analysis ever having been conducted. Genetic analysis of reintroduced populations is vital to assess genetic diversity as an indicative of population viability. My objective was to collect fisher samples throughout West Virginia, nearby states where fisher may be migrating (PA and NY), and the New Hampshire source population to provide a full genetic interpretation of the reintroduced West Virginia population. Genetic analysis was used to measure genetic diversity, admixture or delineation of subpopulations, and effective population size. Sample location and genetic data were …

Sustainability Key Performance Indicators For Mass Customization, Md Fahid Hasan Pulak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Today’s manufacturers are striving towards a more sustainable and customized product offering in their value chain to satisfy customer demand and compete on the marketplace. By adopting sustainability practices, companies are not only complying with environmental regulations but are strategically addressing the triple bottom line (TBL) of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic). Similarly, mass customization allows a company to better satisfy their customers by creating individualized products economically. Moving forward, it is important to better understand the relationship of these two competitive strategies. In order to assess the sustainability performance of mass customization, it is important to understand the appropriate …

Evaluating Social Media As A Medium Of Private Communication Through Steganographic Images, Kendall Weldon Coles

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Social media is a vastly used communication tool with billions of users worldwide. These social networks provide users the ability to share their ideas and thoughts through the messages, videos, and images that they post. The images that are shared can possibly be embedded with private messages through the use of a steganographic tool. The messages are embedded in a fashion that doesn’t change the visual appearance of an image. This allows for these types of images to hide in plain sight, which creates the possibility of someone communicating privately in a public social media setting. This project proved how …

Iot Malicious Traffic Classification Using Machine Learning, Michael Austin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although desktops and laptops have historically composed the bulk of botnet nodes, Internet of Things (IoT) devices have become more recent targets. Lightbulbs, outdoor cameras, watches, and many other small items are connected to WiFi and each other; and few have well-developed security or hardening. Research on botnets typically leverages honeypots, PCAPs, and network traffic analysis tools to develop detection models. The research questions addressed in this Problem Report are: (1) What machine learning algorithm performs the best in a binary classification task for a representative dataset of malicious and benign IoT traffic; and (2) What features have the most …

Deep Models For Improving The Performance And Reliability Of Person Recognition, Sobhan Soleymani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Deep models have provided high accuracy for different applications such as person recognition, image segmentation, image captioning, scene description, and action recognition. In this dissertation, we study the deep learning models and their application in improving the performance and reliability of person recognition. This dissertation focuses on five aspects of person recognition: (1) multimodal person recognition, (2) quality-aware multi-sample person recognition, (3) text-independent speaker verification, (4) adversarial iris examples, and (5) morphed face images. First, we discuss the application of multimodal networks consisting of face, iris, fingerprint, and speech modalities in person recognition. We propose multi-stream convolutional neural network architectures …

Application Of 3d Seismic Signal And Geomechanical Attributes For Subsurface Fracture Characterization: A Case Study In Clearfield County, Central Pennsylvania, Iman F. Zulkapeli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hydrocarbon exploration in unconventional reservoirs is highly risky due to the nature of the reservoirs and the variability in fractures and reservoir geomechanical properties in the subsurface. The reservoir needs to be fully characterized to avoid any complication such as frac hit, wellbore failure, blowout, or even a dry hole. The Clearfield reservoir produces an exceptionally low amount of gas, compared to the neighboring region in the proximity, which has been poorly understood. This raises the question as to what causes the reservoir to have low productivity.

This study focuses on the natural fracture characterization using high-quality 3D seismic signal …

The Joyful Path Of Lifelong Mastery Of The Piano, John Alan Rose

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Designed to function as a handbook for pianists, this research project is written in a friendly manner. Organized by theme, it contains a multiplicity of approaches that pianists at all levels can apply to their daily piano practice to help deepen the meaning and efficacy of their work. No matter what role the piano plays in your life, there is much in this document that will help you find joy as you discover new things about yourself through practicing the piano. From methods of practice to philosophies by established performers, this project has enough material to be kept within arm’s …