Digital Commons Network^™

2.8: Designing Visitor Experience For A Narrative-Oriented Exhibition, Kseniia Leshchenko

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis proposes interactive visitor experience with social media and fake news references at 2.8 thesis exhibition at West Virginia University. 2.8 refers to the distance between the United States and Russia borders in the Bering Strait and suggests that switching a point of view helps conflicting groups find common ground. By designing a space in such a way that a visitor constantly faces an alternative point of view, which in this case represents my own, I investigate whether this experience contributes to the viewers’ outlook change. Another aim is to see whether adding interactive elements to a show improves …

Deformation Correlations And Machine Learning: Microstructural Inference And Crystal Plasticity Predictions, Michail Tzimas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present thesis makes a connection between spatially resolved strain correlations and material processing history. Such correlations can be used to infer and classify prior deformation history of a sample at various strain levels with the use of Machine Learning approaches. A simple and concrete example of uniaxially compressed crystalline thin films of various sizes, generated by two-dimensional discrete dislocation plasticity simulations is examined. At the nanoscale, thin films exhibit yield-strength size effects with noisy mechanical responses which create an interesting challenge for the application of Machine Learning techniques. Moreover, this thesis demonstrates the prediction of the average mechanical responses …

Using Machine Learning And Traditional Statistics To Explore Retention And Knowledge Structure In Stem With An Emphasis On Physics, Cabot Alexander Zabriskie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Retention of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students is a serious problem as STEM graduation rates continue to lag the growing demand for the skills taught by these degree programs. Critical to fixing this “leaky pipeline” is investment in improving retention in the first two years of college study and increasing and maintaining the interest of K-12 students in STEM. This thesis will address this in three parts. The first is through evaluation of conceptual tests used to evaluate course improvements to determine the structure student knowledge measured by them. The second part uses machine learning to construct early …

Behavioral And Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Magl Inhibition In A Mouse Model Of Inflammatory Arthritis, Floyd Franklin Steele Iii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cannabinoids have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. For example, in preclinical models of acute inflammatory pain, cannabinoid receptor subtype 2 (i.e., CB_2, Table 1) agonists decrease paw inflammation and resulting pain. Yet, the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoid receptor manipulation in chronic inflammatory pain states are unknown. Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is the primary catabolic enzyme of the endocannabinoid (i.e., endogenous cannabinoid ligand) 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (i.e., 2-AG). Compounds that inhibit MAGL indirectly increase tissue levels of 2-AG by preventing its catabolism. MAGL inhibitors demonstrate efficacy in acute models of inflammatory/rheumatic disease. Thus, in this study, the MAGL inhibitor JZL184 was tested …

Character Morality, Enjoyment, And Appreciation: A Replication Of Eden, Daalmans, And Johnson (2017), Koji Yoshimura

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Much research on media entertainment seeks to explain why viewers enjoy and appreciate a variety of media content. Affective disposition theory suggests that media enjoyment results from perceptions of the morality of characters and viewers’ expectations for characters’ narrative outcomes. However, research has struggled to explain how characters with varying morality (i.e., not perfectly good or bad) entertain viewers. This study replicates a previous study conducted by Eden, Daalmans, and Johnson (2017) that investigated different types of morally ambiguous characters, using a typology of character types based on an online, collaboratively sourced typology.

Like the original study, this study found …

A Study Of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology, Emily Minor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Though the duodenum is the primary site of iron absorption, the colon also contains iron transporters and participates in iron absorption. The purpose of this study was to characterize colonic iron absorption in control patients and those with ulcerative colitis (UC), a disease that frequently results in iron deficiency. Using RT-qPCR and western blot analysis, we found that colonic expression of the apical iron importer, divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), is equal to duodenal expression. However, colonic expression of ferroportin 1 (FPN1), an iron exporter, is only about one-quarter that of the duodenum. Patients with active ulcerative colitis were found …

Stigma, Attitudes, And Intentions To Seek Mental Health Services In College Student-Athletes, Robert C. Hilliard M.S.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous researchers have found several factors that act as barriers to college student-athletes seeking mental health services (López & Levy, 2013; Moore, 2017). One common factor throughout these studies is stigma, which is known to be associated with less favorable attitudes toward seeking help (Moreland et al., 2018). However, researchers have not explored how stigma and attitudes might influence intentions to seek counseling and actual help-seeking behaviors in student-athletes. Additionally, there is a dearth of research identifying the topics for which student-athletes are most willing to seek help. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to investigate predictors of mental …

The Impact Of Using Selected Art Therapy Approaches On Students Diagnosed On The Autism Spectrum (As) Or With Behavioral Disabilities (Bd) In An Elementary School Art Classroom., Amie Dawn Perriello

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Students with autism and behavior disorders frequently have a difficult time communicating with their teachers and peers. Art can serve as a vehicle for communication while supporting strengths and encouraging self-esteem. Yet few art teachers have the specialized training needed to work with students on the spectrum, and we are often times left to our own intuition and devices on how to deal with these students. These students deserve greater individualized education, yet this can present a unique challenge to any classroom art teacher who does not have the training to deal with students who come from these special populations. …

Intelligent Malware Detection Using File-To-File Relations And Enhancing Its Security Against Adversarial Attacks, Lingwei Chen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With computing devices and the Internet being indispensable in people's everyday life, malware has posed serious threats to their security, making its detection of utmost concern. To protect legitimate users from the evolving malware attacks, machine learning-based systems have been successfully deployed and offer unparalleled flexibility in automatic malware detection. In most of these systems, resting on the analysis of different content-based features either statically or dynamically extracted from the file samples, various kinds of classifiers are constructed to detect malware. However, besides content-based features, file-to-file relations, such as file co-existence, can provide valuable information in malware detection and make …

Analyzing Satisfiability And Refutability In Selected Constraint Systems, Piotr Jerzy Wojciechowski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation is concerned with the satisfiability and refutability problems for several constraint systems. We examine both Boolean constraint systems, in which each variable is limited to the values true and false, and polyhedral constraint systems, in which each variable is limited to the set of real numbers R in the case of linear polyhedral systems or the set of integers Z in the case of integer polyhedral systems. An important aspect of our research is that we focus on providing certificates. That is, we provide satisfying assignments or easily checkable proofs of infeasibility depending on whether the instance …

Explanatory And Causality Analysis In Software Engineering, Yasser Ali Alshehri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Software fault proneness and software development efforts are two key areas of software engineering. Improving them will significantly reduce the cost and promote good planning and practice in developing and managing software projects. Traditionally, studies of software fault proneness and software development efforts were focused on analysis and prediction, which can help to answer questions like `when’ and `where’. The focus of this dissertation is on explanatory and causality studies that address questions like `why’ and `how’.

First, we applied a case-control study to explain software fault proneness. We found that Bugfixes (Prerelease bugs), Developers, Code Churn, and Age of …

Experimental Design, Testing, And Evaluation Of Methods To Improve The Efficiency And Reduce Emissions From A Small Two-Stroke Natural Gas Engine, Christopher Joseph Ulishney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Decentralized power generation is a research area of interest due to possible improvements in electrical generation efficiency and grid resilience. Two-stroke engines are simple, inexpensive, power dense systems that could serve as the prime-movers for combined heat and power (CHP) systems. In addition, such systems could be fueled on natural gas (NG) that is readily available to serve as a reliable fuel source in most households. However, most two-stroke engines are inefficient and produce excessive emissions. This research focused on methods to simultaneously improve engine efficiency and decrease emissions from a 34 cc air-cooled, two-stroke engine retrofitted to operate on …

Three Essays On Urban And Health Economics, Hyunwoong Pyun

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Measurement Methods Of Dual Tobacco Use Behaviors: Cigarettes And Smokeless Tobacco, Colleen N Warren

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Examining The Co-Occurrence Of Engagement And Self-Referencing In The Context Of Narrative Persuasion, Julia K Weiss

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Exploration Of A Smart Glasses Teleconference System For Virtual Instructional Coaching, Kristina Zaccaria

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Changes In Best Management Practices Monitoring And Enforcement And Their Impact On Forestry In West Virginia, William Mccormick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

The Bobcats Of West Virginia: How Many And Where Are They?, Thomas F Rounsville Jr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Psychosocial Development Of Junior Hockey Players, Alexander John Sturges

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Salvaging The Style Of Frei Aber Einsam In The Music Of Brahms: Proposing A Historically Informed Performance Practice For The Three Sonatas For Violin And Piano Of Johannes Brahms, Opp. 78, 100, And 108, Phillip Alexander Ducreay

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis explores scholarship relevant to assembling a historically informed performance practice of Brahms’s three Violin Sonatas, Opp. 78, 100, and 108 in the nineteenth-century Germanic violin tradition of which, Joseph Joachim was its greatest proponent. This inquiry, which primarily examines surviving evidence of Joachim, his pedagogical ilk, and the circle of Brahms, engages with a variety of 19th and early 20th century Germanic musical and textual evidence, including nineteenth-century musical editions, correspondence and other archival materials, and early recorded performances to propose a historically informed style. In presenting this historiography of materials relevant to forming a historically informed interpretation …

Adherence To Masculine Norms And Perceived Paternal Nurturance As Predictors Of Selfcompassion, Steven J. Craig

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of A State-Of-The-Art Gnss Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring Technique, Shannen Daly

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

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

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

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

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Dispositional Optimism And Autonomic Reactivity During Difficult And Easy Stress Tasks, Daniel Stephenson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Studies examining the association between dispositional optimism and autonomic reactivity to stress have yielded mixed results, with some studies finding associations between optimism and less reactivity, some studies finding no association between optimism and reactivity, and some finding that optimism was associated with greater reactivity. One factor not considered previously in this literature is difficulty of the stressful task employed to elicit autonomic reactivity. The current study was based on Carver and Scheier's Behavioral Self-Regulation Model (Carver & Scheier, 2000), that states that optimists are more likely to persist in overcoming challenging obstacles than pessimists. The current study investigated whether …

Development Of Hydraulic Models, Mass Transfer Models, And Dynamic Models Of Solvent-Based Carbon Capture Processes With Uncertainty Quantification And Validation With Pilot Plant Data, Anderson Soares Chinen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

To accelerate the development and commercial deployment of CO2 capture technologies, computational tools and models are being developed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy's Carbon Capture Simulation Initiative (CCSI). The CCSI process modeling team was tasked with developing a "gold-standard" model that will serve as a definitive reference for benchmarking the performance of solvent-based CO2 capture systems under steady-state and dynamic conditions over a large operating-range. The main three areas that this work focused on are: development of the hydrodynamic and mass transfer submodels for a monoethanolamine (MEA) solvent system, uncertainty quantification of these submodels, development of …

Pilot Testing Of A Geomorphic Landform Design Reclamation Using A Vegetative Layer With Short Paper Fiber Amendment On An Abandoned Coal Refuse Pile In Appalachia, Levi Cyphers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Over 3,000 abandoned mine lands in the Appalachian regions of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky and are in need of reclamation. This research tested an alternative cap and cover reclamation design using short paper fiber as a soil amendment in a coarse coal refuse vegetation layer. Short paper fiber is the solid residuals extracted from the paper manufacturing process, and treated as waste. Short paper fiber is a nutrient dense material that has been successfully tested as a soil amendment in soils. The intent of the vegetation layer was to support grass growth and persistence, stabilize the site, and reduce …

Effects Of Topography On Near-Roadway Particulate Matter Concentrations And Diesel Emissions, Andrew D. Epperly

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of topography on the concentrations of particulate matter near heavily trafficked roadways. Particulate matter is an attractive tracer for diesel emissions and these emissions have been linked to a variety of negative health effects. Much research has been conducted to characterize particulate matter emissions near roadways, however this work has been conducted on relatively flat terrain. This study was conducted within a valley in the Appalachian Mountains to see if the alternate terrain influenced the size of the particulate matter plume near a roadway.;Particulate matter concentrations were collected and compared …

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 …