Digital Commons Network^™

Wild And Wonderful: How Both A Local And National Newspaper Framed West Virginia Leading Up To The 2016 Election, Emily Grace Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

During the 2016 Presidential election, journalists from all over the country flocked to West Virginia to try to understand the draw to then-candidate Donald Trump. There is a well-documented history of outsiders flooding the state and its surrounding Appalachian states to attempt to make sense of the current political situation, all while operating off of stereotypes and preconceived notions about the people of the Mountain State. This study aims to determine how stereotyping and the concept of framing or othering — when in-groups create out-groups — were used by a local West Virginia paper, as well as a national newspaper …

A Case Study Investigating Therapy Methods Used By Speech Language Pathologists Working With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Julia Byers Van Volkenburg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was an in-depth examination of the experiences of five speech language pathologists (SLPs) working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) during language therapy sessions. This case study aimed to better understand the various therapy techniques being used by the SLPs through interviews and a reflective journal kept by the researcher. It also sought to examine the ways those therapy techniques may have included creative dramatics. Through thematic analysis, major and minor themes emerged from the interviews. The main theme of the study was the importance of individualizing therapy for students with ASD. Individualizing therapy was supported by …

Occurrence, Mating Strategy, And Pathogenicity Of Members Of Nectriaceae In Central Appalachia, Cameron Michael Stauder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Members of the Nectriaceae occupy many ecological niches including dominant canker pathogens, such as Neonectria ditissima and N. faginata. These two pathogens contribute to the decline of American beech (Fagus grandifolia) forests across the Appalachian Mountains due to beech bark disease (BBD). Interestingly, N. ditissima represents a well-known canker pathogen many hardwood species, while N. faginata has not been observed outside of BBD. Additionally, N. faginata occurs at higher incidences than N. ditissima in BBD stands. Nectriaceae in Central Appalachia were surveyed as to further characterize the diversity and possibly identify a non-beech host of N. faginata. …

Comparative Study Of Model-Based And Learning-Based Disparity Map Fusion Methods, Douglas E. Kerr Jr.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Creating an accurate depth map has several, valuable applications including augmented/virtual reality, autonomous navigation, indoor/outdoor mapping, object segmentation, and aerial topography. Current hardware solutions for precise 3D scanning are relatively expensive. To combat hardware costs, software alternatives based on stereoscopic images have previously been proposed. However, software solutions are less accurate than hardware solutions, such as laser scanning, and are subject to a variety of irregularities. Notably, disparity maps generated from stereo images typically fall short in cases of occlusion, near object boundaries, and on repetitive texture regions or texture-less regions. Several post-processing methods are examined in an effort to …

In Vitro Assessment Of Deleterious Impacts Of Organomodified Nanoclays And Their Incinerated Byproducts On Human Cells, Andrew Philip White

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Organomodified nanoclays (ONCs: i.e., smectite clays with different organic coatings), act as nanofillers in applications ranging from automotive, to aerospace, and biomedical implementations. Because of their large utilization, ONC industry is projected to be a U.S. $3.3 billion industry by 2023. However, emerging studies showed that ONCs and ONC-nanocomposites could harbor health risks upon pulmonary exposure and along their life cycle, namely during synthesis, handling, use, manipulation, and disposal. Specifically, the potential for exposure and adverse effects on human health primarily includes release of dry particulate during handling, manipulation, release during use, and release during the end-of-life disposal or recycling …

The Role Of Genotype In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Resistance To 4-Methylcyclohexanemethanol, Michael C. Ayers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The chemical 4-methylcyclohexanemethanol (MCHM) spilled in the Elk River near Charleston, WV in January 2014, impacting the drinking water of 300,000 residents. Initial studies on MCHM following the spill attempted to characterize its toxicological effects in animals, but largely ignored characterization of its effects on cellular pathways and metabolism. In this study, I used this chemical as a novel stressor for the model eukaryote S. cerevisiae to explore the relationship of genotype and stress phenotypes. Initial exploration characterized the stress phenotype of MCHM in yeast through growth assays, cell cycle analysis, and transcriptomic data. MCHM exposure caused cells to arrest …

Behavior Coaching In Pennsylvania Schools Implementing School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports At The Universal Tier One Level, Lisa Anderson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a multi-tiered system of student support that emphasizes the use of positive behavior strategies for a school’s students. Schools are adopting SWPBIS because it gives staff the opportunity to teach desired behaviors to students and emphasizes the enhancement of instructional time by minimizing disruptions. SWPBIS uses a support framework that includes a building-level behavior coach and a core team made up of an administrator, parent(s), and professional school staff. Staff and student training is bridged with implementation efforts to sustain a positive school climate and prevent student behavior problems. The SWPBIS coach …

The Interplay Of Progestins, Matrix Metalloproteinases, And The Aging Brain, Keyana Nicole Porter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Progestins are synthetic hormones that are designed to mimic the biological actions of progesterone. They, however, possess other pharmacological actions and properties, in addition to their progestational activities. Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (MPA) is a progestin used globally in the hormonal contraceptive, Depo Provera®, by women in their reproductive prime and is a major compound found in hormone therapy (HT) formulations used by menopausal women. MPA is used by approximately 1 in 5 adolescents and adult women in the United States who are sexually active. Globally, nearly 48 million women utilize injectable contraceptives to prevent pregnancy, with most users utilizing MPA as …

Disquiet Depictions, Olivia L. Oddo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This written document is the accompanying thesis for my Master of Fine Arts exhibition - Disquiet Depictions. Presented within the exhibition was a collection of paintings, ranging from acrylic to mixed media. As someone living with both anxiety and panic disorder the symptoms that I have experienced, as well as the coping mechanisms that I have practiced, all influenced the paintings displayed within this exhibition. Imagery included self-portraiture across a variety of emotional expressions felt during moments of sporadic fear and happiness, vibrant geometric patterns serving therapeutic purposes, and subtle medication symbolism. Collectively, these paintings provide a visual journey into …

Exploring The Challenges Of Social Integration Within An Upper-Level Public Relations Classroom, Tabitha Hayley Dyer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite three decades of literature that has explored the gender imbalance of public relations at a professional level, there is a dearth of information addressing if or how these experiences are informed at a collegiate level. Accordingly, this study examines if the gender imbalance impacts students in the upper-level public relations classroom, and the similarities and differences exist between other single-gender dominant programs including nursing and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) using three dimensions (i.e., role strain, teamwork, and overall social environment) as a comparison. Using qualitative in-depth interview data collected from 13 junior- and senior-standing public relations students …

The Effect Of Newspaper Closure On Local Media Ecology, Cody David Nespor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

On August 31, 2019, the local newspaper of Youngstown, Ohio, The Vindicator, ceased publication after 150 years. The Vindicator’s closure left Youngstown as the largest city in the United State without a major newspaper. As local newspaper closures become more and more common across communities, there are questions on how, and if, the coverage and content those newspaper provide to their communities can be replaced or will simply be lost forever. This study has three research questions. Question one pertains to the amount of original reporting that will exist without The Vindicator. Questions two asks about the amount of locally …

Three Essays In Applied Econometrics: Understanding Population Changes, Samuel P. Taylor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This body of work consists of three research projects developed around a central theme – what might cause a person to leave the place where they live? As a native and resident of West Virginia, this question is not a purely academic one. My region has long struggled with how to retain our “best and brightest” in the face of challenging socio-economic conditions. Looking at the question differently, understanding what negative influences may exist to cause a person that might otherwise have remained in a place to leave, could provide large influences on policy and strategy for retention of residents …

Review Of Established And Emergent Methods For The Production Of C4 Olefins, James Matthew Koval

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Current production of C₄ olefins is dominated by naphtha cracking and butane dehydrogenation, but significant research interest is developing in alternate feedstocks due to an abundance of inexpensive natural gas and bioethanol. The current C₄ olefin production methods are costly, make use of already-depleted petroleum resources, and are often hazardous to workers, which forms the impetus for investigation into alternative methods and assessment of their viability as a future means of olefin production. Methods of natural gas conversion to higher order hydrocarbons are discussed, including Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and oxidative methane coupling, each of which could form the first …

Production Allocation Of Reservoir Layers Using Data-Driven Reservoir Modeling, Semaa Alessa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The pros of having a commingled layer scheme would be considered high with successful reservoir management. If not, the cons will impact the production drastically as unfortunate consequences may result in reservoir fluids communication, well integrity issues, and production termination. Although the plane requires optimizing production with minimal capital investments and operating expenses, it is an enormous challenge considering commingled layers frequent surveillance and workover requirements.

As the value of information is a decision tool for the surveillance frequency, the oil industry often uses static assumptions as an economical replacement of dynamic measurements such as KH static modeling. However, the …

Genetic And Biochemical Characterization Of Ergot Alkaloid Synthesizing Fungi And Their Symbionts, Matthew Duane Maust

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ergot alkaloids are fungal tryptophan derived toxins which affect mammalian circulation and neurotransmission. These compounds are biosynthesized by a conserved genetic pathway, known as the ergot alkaloid synthesis (EAS) pathway by fungi belonging to the ascomycete families Trichocomaceae and Clavicipitaceae. Several Ipomoea species and related plants in the morning glory family harbor vertically transmitted symbiotic fungi in the genus Periglandula, also members of Clavicipitaceae, that produce ergot alkaloids. Metabolomic analysis of seeds identified a previously uncharacterized glycoside form of the pharmaceutically important ergot alkaloid, ergonovine. Several species belonging to the fungal genus Metarhizium have recently been shown to have the …

The Costume Design Process For The Phantom Tollbooth, Chloe Elizabeth Cappuccilli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis will give an account of the costume design process for The Phantom Tollbooth at West Virginia University. Specifically, the responsibilities of the role of Costume Designer, from initial meetings to final production. This document will include research about child psychology that inspired the primary design process, specifically the influence of children’s dreams, and their relationship to toys. This information was utilized to create designs explicitly for children’s theatre audiences. I will present and evaluate the costume designs, including the design evolution until the final production. Detailing the process of costume construction while working with a costume shop. Visual …

A Phenomenological Photovoice Exploration Of Female Exercisers’ Experiences Of Their Body In Fitness Center Environments, Katherine E. Fairhurst

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

For many women, the relationship with their body and exercise is complex. Exercise can have positive effects on body image, however, not all women appear to benefit positively from all types of exercise. To date, body image research has focused on exercise as an activity and less so on the context in which exercise is performed. Women frequently exercise in fitness centers as young adults which, unfortunately, is associated with body dissatisfaction. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach with Photovoice methodology, we explored young adult women’s lived body experiences while exercising in fitness centers. A purposive sample of 11 …

Confirmation Of Tdm Capabilities In Modeling Compartmentalized Wag Eor, Anthony William Morrow

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Data-Driven Reservoir Modeling (DDRM), commonly referred to as Top-Down Modeling (TDM), is a relatively new and cutting-edge approach to the traditional numerical reservoir modeling and simulation techniques. DDRM uses artificial intelligence and machine learning in tandem to construct full-field models using measured data instead of calculations that refer to equations derived from averaged values and type curves. TDM allows all of the measured data from a field to be combined and used towards generating predictions of the production on a well by well basis for a specific field. Due to TDM not using the traditional physics-based approach, it is subjected …

Comparative Study Of The Fife And Drum Blues Traditions Of Othar Turner And The Preservation, Development, And Innovation Of Sharde Thomas And The Rising Stars Fife And Drum Band, Donnie Ryan Jobe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Othar Turner held the Fife and Drum Blues traditions of North Mississippi for decades. Since his passing in 2003, his granddaughter Sharde Thomas has taken over as the keeper of these traditions. The musical characteristics of Othar are still present in Sharde’s music today, however her interpretations have shaped these current traditions. This research discusses heritage and folklore theories of scholars Rodney Harrison, Martha Sims, and Martine Stephens as a lens to evaluate Sharde’s musical interpretations and compares them to Othar’s last recordings before his passing. This document provides a model for how these musical characteristics and interpretations relate and …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of An Educational Intervention Focused On Adolescent Vaping Among Rural Middle School Students, Holly F. Fitzwater

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), sixty deaths due to the use of electronic cigarettes or other vaping products have been reported to date. Vaping has become viewed as a safe alternative to traditional cigarette smoking, particularly in the adolescent population. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends education by primary care clinicians to prevent initiation of tobacco products among adolescents. In order to combat this health disparity in America’s youth, intervention by the nursing profession is necessary. An educational session and interactive game were implemented by a school-based family nurse practitioner in order to change the …

On Body Mass Index Analysis From Human Visual Appearance, Min Jiang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the past few decades, overweight and obesity are spreading widely like an epidemic. Generally, a person is considered overweight by body mass index (BMI). In addition to a body fat measurement, BMI is also a risk factor for many diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes, etc. Therefore, BMI is important for personal health monitoring and medical research. Currently, BMI is measured in person with special devices. It is an urgent demand to explore conveniently preventive tools. This work investigates the feasibility of analyzing BMI from human visual appearances, including 2-dimensional (2D)/3-dimensional (3D) body and face data.

Motivated …

An Interactive Mobile Equipment Task-Training With Virtual Reality, Lazar Zujovic

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Improving the quality of equipment training for the Heavy Equipment Operators (HEO) is a critical task in the ever-lasting effort to improve safety and eliminate equipment-related injuries in mining environments. Traditional miner training includes the use of hardcopy documents and video instructions. However, modern mobile and computer technology offers tremendous potential to improve the training process. One major responsibility for the heavy-machine operators is proper machine inspection. Establishing new training methods that utilize modern technologies—such as 360-degree images, videos, and Virtual Reality—and implementing computers for training purposes have a potential to help new operators learn how to conduct proper machine …

The “Other” Teacher: Understanding The Experience Of Graduate Teaching Assistants In Neoliberal Teacher Education Settings, Jing Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, I critically examine how graduate teaching assistants’ (GTAs’) experiences are discursively shaped by the exercise of power in neoliberal higher education contexts and hence, to reveal the hidden aspects of educational institutions, which are central to our understandings about the meaning of truth, fairness, and equity embedded in neoliberal academic settings. To understand the experiences of graduate teaching assistants in this neoliberal teacher education setting, the major research questions of this study explore how the different identities that GTAs possess influence their interactions with the neoliberal higher education context and how they navigate as well as resist …

Barriers And Facilitators Of Seeking Psychological Help For Muslims In The United States, Sarah R. B. Milam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Due to increased social, cultural, and political struggles for Muslims in the United States (MUS), affordable, accessible, and culturally appropriate mental health care is important for these individuals (Aloud & Rathur, 2009). MUS are an underrepresented group that use mental health services at low rates (Ciftci, Jones, & Corrigan, 2013; Khan, 2006). MUS, especially those with mental health concerns, hold a number of stigmatized identities, often including their race and ethnicity, religion, and mental health status that can result in discrimination (Ciftci et al., 2013). The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to self-stigma for seeking psychological …

The Impact Of The Global Financial Crisis On Visitation To The Monongahela National Forest: An Activity-Based Segmentation Approach, Connor Braxton Akers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Research on recreational use market segments and trends are essential for determining how tourism businesses can better meet the needs of their customers and find new target markets especially during challenging times. The purpose of this study is to determine how recreation participation has changed over five years on the Monongahela National Forest following the world financial crisis in 2008. Data used for this research were collected with the National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) surveys in fiscal years 2009 and 2014. NVUM surveys are onsite interviews conducted at the end of a visit. The surveys produce descriptive information about visitors. …

The Fight Is Still On: An Ethical Analysis Of The American Civil Liberties Union’S Partisan Rhetoric In The Trump Era, Emily Charlotte Gerber

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The 2016 U.S. presidential election of Donald Trump generated a newfound surge in political advocacy that greatly benefitted certain nonprofits and grassroots organizations. One of these organizations was the American Civil Liberties Union, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to protecting and defending civil liberties and rights in the U.S. The ACLU received an unprecedented number of donations following Election Day and has since pursued an aggressive campaign against President Donald Trump.

In order to explore this phenomenon, this thesis analyzed the ACLU’s rhetoric between Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump (both Republicans) and between Presidents Barack Obama (Democrat) and Donald …

Performance Study Of Five Different Cabin Air Filters In The Laboratory And On-Road Drive, Fahad Alqahtani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One of the aims of installing ventilation filters in a car is to prevent vehicle occupants from inhaling potentially harmful aerosols emanating from the environment. Vehicle cabin filters are essential in ensuring that a vehicle's air conditioning system provides clean air to its occupants. The purpose of the cabin filter is to improve air quality inside the car to provide better comfort and better protect occupants from experiencing unwanted respiratory problems. Using cabin filters in air conditioning systems is a common practice in modern vehicle manufacturing. Scientists and engineers are continually seeking new ways of improving the efficiency and effectiveness …

Using Ai And Machine Learning To Indicate Shale Anisotropy And Assist In Completions Design, Cole E. Palmer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Operating companies in the unconventional Marcellus shale play have all faced a similar and problematic issue, while attempting to produce natural gas over the last decade. Companies have quickly realized that not every perforation along their horizontal wells are producing gas. In fact, producing perforations are only ranging from 15%-70% of the total perforations along the horizontal wellbore [1]. This unexplained issue results in millions of dollars in lost revenue per well, in addition to the sunk cost of paying for completions that are not actually yielding any produced gas.

What is causing these perforations to have no produced gas? …

Top-Down Model Development Using Data Generated From A Complex Numerical Reservoir Simulation With Water Injection, Yvon Andrea Martinez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Numerical simulation and data-driven modeling are two current approaches in engineering reservoir modeling. Numerical reservoir simulation attempts to match past production history by modifying reservoir properties of the model. After multiple computationally intensive trial and error efforts, accurate history matches are identified. These history matches are used by project management for production forecasting purposes. Data-driven reservoir modeling utilizes measured data and is, therefore, free of assumptions that are often included in numerical reservoir simulations. Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms are technologies implemented in the development of a data-driven reservoir model with efforts to learn fluid flow through porous media …

It’S All Fun And Games Until Somebody Dies: Grief, Mortality Salience, And Coping In Meaningful Permadeath, Mckay Steven West

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Because part of the enjoyment of video game experiences is rooted in their ability to afford players to fail but still reattempt gameplay with relatively little consequence, the appeal of playing games with permadeath seems paradoxical. This dissertation proposed that players’ motivations for playing these games with permadeath stem from an enhanced sense of appreciation garnered by players through the meaningfulness of permanent character death, rather than just through simple, hedonic enjoyment. Enhanced appreciation was expected to arise from permadeath through the grief players experienced toward the loss of their characters and through their contemplation of their own mortality. Grief …