Digital Commons Network^™

Drought Effects On Biofuel Feedstock Production By Populus Trichocarpa, Marvin Jacob Wright

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As the world population continues to increase, so does the need for sustainable sources of fuel. Biofuels are of particular interest and could be an economically feasible fuel source given the right conditions. Populus trichocarpa, is a rapidly growing plantation species that, in addition to having a fully sequenced genome available for study, displays a wide range of phenotypic traits among genotypes. By analyzing these differences in both plantation and more controlled greenhouse settings, we aimed to discover which genotypes performed the best under drought conditions, and which physiological mechanisms granted them that high performance. In the field, differences in …

Developing Collaborative Skills In Piano Students, Linxi Yang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research paper explores how to develop collaborative skills in piano students at the college level. It offers a brief history of collaborative study and performance, describes the specifics of working with singers and instrumentalists in duo, chamber and large ensemble repertoire, and includes musical examples and selected resources. This paper is intended to enrich the activities of teachers and collaborative pianists through the description and application of specific skills and to provide pathways for effective professional collaborations.

The Investigation Of Novel Bovine Oocyte-Specific Long Non-Coding Rnas And Their Roles In Oocyte Maturation And Early Embryonic Development, Jaelyn Zoe Current

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Early embryonic loss is a significant factor in livestock species' infertility, resulting in an economic deficit. In cattle, the in vivo fertilization rate is ~90%, with an average calving rate of about 55%, indicating an embryonic-fetal mortality rate of roughly 35%. Further, 70-80% of total embryonic loss in cattle occurs during the first three weeks after insemination, particularly between days 7-16. Growing evidence indicates that the oocyte plays an active role in regulating critical aspects of the reproductive process required for successful fertilization, embryo development, and pregnancy. However, defining oocyte quality remains enigmatic. Recently, many have abandoned the notion that …

Effects Of Light/Dark Cycle Shifts On Delay Discounting, Katya A. Nolder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Shift-work conditions are a necessity for the constant provision of certain medical, industrial, and commercial services in modern society. Shift work is associated with the increased risk of many negative health outcomes, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, reproductive issues, and cancer. Shift workers experience multiple levels of circadian-rhythm disruption, which may increase maladaptive decision making, and this may mediate the relation between shift work and negative health outcomes. Circadian-rhythm disruptions can be systematically investigated in the basic laboratory, and one type of procedure involves changing the light/dark cycle in the animal vivarium. The current study investigated effects of light/dark …

Material Characterization Of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (Tpu) And Thermoplastic Elastomers (Tpe) For Development Of 3d-Printed Surrogate Organs For Medical Training, Anastasia Elizabeth Lucci

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cadaveric specimens are a necessary, albeit limited, resource for training medical students on basic surgical skills. The availability of surrogate 3D-printed organs would readily allow access to resources that could reduce or potentially eliminate the need for cadaveric specimens or, at a minimum, provide students the opportunity to practice with 3D-printed surrogates before transitioning to those specimens. This research focuses on determining which thermoplastic material most closely mimics mechanical properties such as hardness and stiffness of human organs and allows 3D printing surrogate organs to be used as safe, educational tools. Relatively “soft” materials such as thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) and …

Methane Emissions Produced By Pneumatic Devices And Produced Water Tanks On Natural Gas Wellsites, Benjamin William Thornton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

Methane Emissions Produced by Pneumatic Devices and Produced Water Tanks on Natural Gas Wellsites

Benjamin W. Thornton

In recent years, more scrutiny has been placed on the release of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) by the oil and gas industry in North America as climate concerns increase. In the coming years, stricter regulations proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning the release of GHGs will further direct attention to GHG emissions quantification, modeling, and overall reduction. Active natural gas wellsites employ production equipment that routinely emits methane during normal operation. Production equipment often includes, but is not limited to, gas …

Deadly Divisions: Class And Stigma As Fundamental Social Causes Of Spatial Health Inequalities, Misty Lee Harris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this dissertation is to investigate how class and stigma influence spatial inequalities in health across the US, from the structural to the individual level. Class, stigma, and subsequent access to capital resources are not equally distributed across the US. Women, poor, and minority populations continue to have unequal access to capital resources across the country, though this is spatially determined. Similarly, while there are health inequalities along the same social cleavages at the national level, they differ significantly across localities. Research has not paid enough attention to the fundamental social causes of inequities, resulting in the inability …

Energy Conversion In Plasmas Out Of Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium: A Kinetic Theory Perspective, Mahmud Hasan Barbhuiya

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study of energy conversion in collisionless plasmas that are not in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) is at the leading edge of plasma physics research. Plasma constituents in such systems can exhibit highly structured phase space densities that deviate significantly from that of a Maxwellian. A standard approach has emerged in recent years for investigating energy conversion between bulk flow and thermal energy in collisionless plasmas using the non-LTE generalization of the first law of thermodynamics. The primary focus is placed on pressure-strain interaction (PS) term, with a particular emphasis on its non-LTE piece called Pi − D. Recent studies …

What’S Long About Long John Silver: Anormative Masculinities And Histories In Robert Louis Stevenson’S Treasure Island, David V. Riser

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Historical queer and transgender experiences have been obscured by the dominant narrative of history. However, these experiences surface in works of fiction. This thesis analyzes affective responses to constructions of queer masculinity in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Affects of disgust and desire in Treasure Island, and in the popular history of Treasure Island, reveal a proto-queer transgender experience found in 19th-century maritime fiction. These affects demonstrate a fear that there is no reproductive futurity in queer masculinity while producing narratives of queer masculinity. This production makes historical queer and transgender experiences legible, and allows contemporary queer readers to navigate …

Evaluation Of The Dynamic Indicators Of Basic Early Literacy Skills (Dibels 8th Edition) Measures For Use With The Energy Express Summer Literacy Program, Maria Boki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examines the suitability of the DIBELS 8^th edition assessment for use within the scope and context of the Energy Express summer literacy program. The 6-week summer program helps children in grades K-5 from rural and low-income West Virginia communities improve or maintain their reading levels over the summer months. Standard, grade-appropriate DIBELS 8^th subtests were administered to 1,065 participants at the beginning and end of Summer 2022. The resulting pre- and post-scores were cross-referenced with demographic data and attendance rates from 20 counties and 35 sites in West Virginia. They were then analyzed for correlations …

Learning Representations For Novelty And Anomaly Detection, Ranya Almohsen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The problem of novelty or anomaly detection refers to the ability to automatically

identify data samples that differ from a notion of normality. Techniques

that address this problem are necessary in many applications, like in medical

diagnosis, autonomous driving, fraud detection, or cyber-attack detection, just to

mention a few. The problem is inherently challenging because of the openness of

the space of distributions that characterize novelty or outlier data points. This is

often matched with the inability to adequately represent such distributions due

to the lack of representative data.

In this dissertation we address the challenge above by making several …

Enhancing The Forensic Comparison Process Of Common Trace Materials Through The Development Of Practical And Systematic Methods, Meghan Nicole Prusinowski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An ongoing advancement in forensic trace evidence has driven the development of new and objective methods for comparing various materials. While many standard guides have been published for use in trace laboratories, different areas require a more comprehensive understanding of error rates and an urgent need for harmonizing methods of examination and interpretation. Two critical areas are the forensic examination of physical fits and the comparison of spectral data, which depend highly on the examiner’s judgment.

The long-term goal of this study is to advance and modernize the comparative process of physical fit examinations and spectral interpretation. This goal is …

Mapping Infiltration In An Urbanizing Mixed-Land-Use Watershed With Multi-Temporal Satellite Imagery, Sarah J. Higgins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Digital soil mapping (DSM) is a field of soil science that aims to improve traditional soil maps by producing higher resolution predictive maps of soil properties using spatial environmental data. DSM has historically relied primarily on static environmental covariates—such as slope gradient, slope aspect, and other topographic variables derived from digital terrain models—for predicting static soil properties, like soil texture. Advancements in satellite imagery and statistical modeling improve the accuracy of digital soil maps by incorporating multi-temporal data that can capture landscape-scale change over relatively short periods of time. Adding these dynamic environmental covariates may be especially useful for spatial …

Synergies Between Residents: Evaluating Support And Concerns Of Recreation And Tourism Economic Development Within The Monongahela National Forest Region, Morgan R. Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tourism has continually been presented as a growing economic sector around the world. Having become an area of increased interest for diversifying rural economies, tourism is an attractive alternative to the declining traditional economic engines of rural communities like agriculture, forestry, and mining. Rural destinations have become increasingly attractive to outside visitors who seek to pursue activities embedded within the local culture and distinctive attractive assets available in rural regions. The USDA has recognized the increasing importance of recreation and tourism economies as an emerging or priority area of national need and an effective means for rural development. Even with …

A Program Evaluation Of The West Virginia University Health Science Center Interprofessional Education First-Year Curriculum, Kathryn Lynn Smalley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: The Interprofessional Education (IPE) First-Year Program was started at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center in 2013 with the goal of providing participants introductory knowledge of the IPE Core Competencies as defined by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC). This program transfers 16 different disciplines out of their isolated educational silos and allows them to learn about, for, and with one another. Participants are introduced to foundational knowledge through several didactic sessions over the course of an academic year. Although the program has been increasingly incorporated by many health sciences disciplines since its inception, it has never officially …

Enabling Technologies For Chemical Synthesis: I. Selective Microwave Heating; Ii. Synthesis And Regioselective Cyclotrimerizations Of Tethered 1,6-Diynes, Amir Tavakoli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Reaction discoveries, method developments, and technology advancements lie at the heart of synthetic organic chemistry. These innovations are essential for creating and manipulating complex molecules, which are the building blocks of many important chemical compounds, including pharmaceuticals, materials, and agrochemicals. Here, we first describe new methods to prepare neopentylene-tethered (NPT) 1,6-diynes which are valuable substrates for reaction discovery and target-oriented synthesis, especially in benzannulation strategies toward illudalane natural products. NPT 1,6-diynes have been employed as coupling partners in cyclotrimerization reactions for the synthesis of highly substituted benzene rings which present a persistent challenge in chemical synthesis and are underrepresented scaffolds …

Identification Of Rockmass Deformation And Lithological Changes In Underground Mines By Using Slam-Based Lidar Technology, Francisco Eduardo Gil Hurtado

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In mining, hazards causing rib and roof fall accidents generally develop with time. The development of a hazard depends on factors like geology, excavation geometry, overburden stress, and mining-induced stresses. Hazard mapping in an underground mine is essential for roof and rib stability assessment. However, often it is neither practical nor economical to inspect and map vast areas of mine workings with limited personnel. New technologies, recently, have been adopted in the mining industry that can solve this problem. Advances in LiDAR technology and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms have led to the development of portable and mobile laser …

Giving Power To Corporate Social Responsibility: A Case Study Of The Organization-Public Relationship Between A Public Utility And Its Community Stakeholders, Rhyanna C. Wiethe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this research is to examine how, if at all, relationships between public utility companies and their stakeholders changes following a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, and based on the results, how can companies restructure their initiatives to better serve their publics in order to build stronger, more positive relationships. A multi-method case study using in-depth interviews and two content analyses (a social media analysis and a news coverage analysis) was used to explore the relationship between a public utility company and a community affected by the implementation of a CSR initiative. The findings suggest that the relationship …

Rad Rivers In Rad Places: Characterizing The Historical And Future Whitewater Resources In Select Regions Of The United States, Melissa D. Shafer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Outdoor recreation is a highly profitable industry in the United States. In 2021, outdoor recreation accounted for $454.0 billion, or 1.9% of the current-dollar gross domestic product for the nation. Many states have benefited financially from focusing on promoting their outdoor recreation and natural resources. Whitewater (WW) paddling has been a recreational activity since the 1950s. In 2007 there were an estimated 1.2 million participants in whitewater kayaking. As of 2020, that number increased to 2.6 million, doubling the number of participants. WW resources can be leveraged to reshape local and regional economies. The framework developed in this study provides …

An Assessment Of The Forensic Aspects Of Genetic Genealogy, Sarah Hester

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Forensic genetic genealogy has grown in both popularity and controversy in recent years. The genetic information comes from large numbers of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Polymorphism variations can be traced through familial lineage, determining how closely individuals are related to each other based on the similarities and differences in SNPs within their DNA. Polymorphisms account for approximately 85% of human variation. Genealogy and ancestry determination companies trace the lineage of a person back through multiple generations using polymorphisms. As more individuals submit their DNA for analysis the genealogical profile databases continue to grow in size. Law enforcement uses genealogical …

An Empirical Analysis Of Algorithms For Simple Stochastic Games, Cody William Klingler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis presents the findings of a computational study on algorithms for Simple Stochastic Games (SSG). Simple Stochastic Games are a restriction of the Shapley stochastic model motivated by their applications in AI planning, logic synthesis, and theoretical computer science. This thesis seeks to empirically assess the performance of these algorithms to compensate for their lack of strong complexity results. Where applicable, we include both variations of algorithms where stable strategies are computed by a linear-programming and naive approach. These algorithms are evaluated on random inputs, in addition to specific difficult cases that were identified experimentally. We are interested in …

Beneficial Impacts Of Nod-Like Receptor X1(Nlrx1) Agonism In Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation, Mena Mansy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: The regulation of inflammation at the cellular and molecular level is a crucial aspect of homeostasis that is often overlooked, and most treatment options are limited to antibiotics and symptom management drugs. The development of novel molecular-targeted therapy options downstream of pathogen recognition receptors will fulfill the unmet need for therapy to effectively regulate excessive inflammation. NLRX1 is a unique NOD-like receptor that is anti-inflammatory in nature; it has been shown to negatively regulate the NF-kB pathway and has been involved in the pathology of a plethora of inflammatory disorders. This makes NLRX1 an emerging therapeutic molecular target for …

Using Extended Two-Step Floating Catchment Area To Map Children’S Level Of Access To Physical Books In West Virginia, Heather A. Maxey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The state of West Virginia lacked a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of the availability of physical books across the state. Access to reading material is vital to a child’s educational development as well as lifelong learning beyond childhood. To guide policy decisions and planning for outreach which addresses reading levels and beyond, I mapped levels of access stemming from socioeconomic barriers, spatial barriers, and an integrated index of both types of barriers. To map spatial access, I utilized a modified Extended Two-Step Floating Catchment Area model, deriving techniques from Hong et al’s 2023 article addressing access for health care in WV. …

Source Credibility And Trust Of Media Information Based On Gender Of Reporter, Madison R. Urse

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An experiment was used for this study to explore if the gender of a reporter impacts perceived source credibility and thus trust in information. Previous research has shown how gender biases can affect how topics are covered, reported on, perceived and marketed in the journalistic world. Modern media and newsrooms are meant to mirror reality as they convey information to the public, yet women continue to be gatekept out of reporting on certain types of news. Further, changes in the mode of delivery of news are also impacting the journalism landscape. Thus, this study employed a digital stimulus to explore …

Dynamic Modeling, Data Reconciliation, Parameter Estimation, And Health Monitoring Of A Supercritical Power Plant, Katherine Grace Hedrick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With the introduction of a larger portion of renewable sources of power coming onto the U.S. power grid in recent decades, the operational strategy of coal-fired power plants has changed significantly to focus more on flexibility in response to the changing energy market. This has naturally led to different operational challenges. Many of these challenges are focused on the boilers within these plants, as they are producing more emissions and experiencing increased damage during load-following, which in turn leads to increased costs from penalties for not achieving emission standards or maintenance costs as boilers accumulate damage from the cycling behavior. …

The Impact Of Fracture Properties On Adsorbed Gas Production From A Marcellus Shale Horizontal Well, Valcia Mildreth Vasco Bulule

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

In addition to the gas present in the pores of the rock, shale also contains gas in the adsorbed state within the surface of the organic matter within the formation. As the free gas is produced, the pressure in the reservoir depletes, causing the adsorbed gas to be released, complementing the gas production. At the same time, the pressure reduction leads to increase in the effective stress causing shale compaction. The shale compaction negatively impacts the permeability and hydraulic fracture conductivity. This study aimed to investigate the impact of hydraulic fracture characteristics on the adsorbed gas recovery and, ultimately, …

Physics Infused Lstm Network For Track Association Based On Marine Vessel Automatic Identification System Data, Tasmiah Haque

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In marine surveillance, a crucial task is distinguishing between normal and abnormal vessel movements to timely identify potential threats. Subsequently, the vessels need to be monitored and tracked until necessary action can be taken. To achieve this, a track association problem is formulated where multiple vessels' unlabeled geographic and motion parameters are associated with their true labels. These parameters are typically obtained from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) database, which enables real-time tracking of marine vessels equipped with AIS. The parameters are time-stamped and collected over a long period, and therefore, modeling the inherent temporal patterns in the data is …

The Effects Of E-Cigarette Aerosol On The Force Degradation Of Elastomeric Chain: An In Vitro Pilot Study, Nicholas David Palmer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background and Objectives

An ideal orthodontic force system should exert continuous light force. An orthodontist has the option to utilize different systems for closing orthodontic extraction space. A commonly used method when closing extraction space is to utilize orthodontic elastomeric chain. Energy Chain® (Rocky Mountain Orthodontics, Franklin, IN) allows for less deformation of shape following the initial stretch, more consistent force, and less force degradation over time. The mouth is a harsh environment that experiences daily changes in pH and temperature. These changes cause elastomeric chain to experience increased force degradation. The creation of the JUUL® (JUUL Labs, San Francisco, …

You've Got A Friend: Social Factors And Depressive Symptoms In Older Adults, Erika A. Fenstermacher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Depression in late life has been associated with disability, lower quality of life, increased mortality, and increased risk of suicide (Fiske et al., 2009; Rodda et al., 2011). Research suggests that functional disability, which is often brought about by a medical condition, may precede depressive symptoms and may be a major factor for older adults developing depression (Ormel et al., 2002). Social support can be beneficial for both emotional and physical health (Fiori & Jager, 2021). Numerous studies found evidence that social networks, perceived and subjective social support, and satisfaction with support received moderated the relation between health problems and …

Confluence: Evaluating The Individual Learning Outcomes Of A Combined Citizen Science And Environmental Education Project, Evan A. Harms

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Citizen Science has moved beyond a methodological tool for ecologists to crowdsource data to a novel platform for environmental and informal science education. However, few studies document the individual learning outcomes of citizen science as an educational tool, particularly in youth or extension education. This quantitative study focused on evaluating the individual learning outcomes of an environmental education and citizen science non-formal learning experience about water quality.

In this study, an existing lesson plan using four sequenced activities was adapted for use with West Virginia 4-H summer camps in 2022. Potential outcome areas were first identified from foundational environmental education …