Digital Commons Network^™

100 Days In Appalachia: Publication Building Toolkit, Kassandra Taylor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This is an analysis of the multimedia news outlet 100 Days in Appalachia. It is an attempt to examine the publication in order to further understand the purpose, the successes and the contributions it has made to journalism. 100 Days in Appalachia is delivering groundbreaking journalism from the heart of the region Appalachia, to help change perceptions about a part of the country that is widely misunderstood. This analysis will use 100 Days in Appalachia as a guideline to develop a journalists' toolkit for other communities throughout the United States to create a publication. It will also use information and …

What The Frost Killed, Allison Semele Blair

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

What the Frost Killed is the culmination of two years spent memorializing the dead plants and animals of my immediate surroundings. Primarily focusing on birds who die as a result of human activity, I seek to pay attention to and elevate the individual victims of a systemic problem. Inspired by Ancient Greek tragedy, I engage with the ethical dilemmas inherent in our collective actions to express the strange, beauty of these unsung deaths.;My thesis body of work draws on a decade of research exploring the intersection between political history and ancient tragic literature. As I studied these stories written in …

Ex-Vivo Model For Muscle Exposure To Tumor Cell Conditioned Media, Ikttesh K. Chahal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cancer-induced cachexia is a severe condition resulting in muscle wasting, muscle dysfunction, and an overall increased morbidity and mortality. The cachectic condition is often attributed to altered metabolism, aberrant activation of signaling pathways, and changes in the microenvironment of the skeletal muscle (SKM) through exposure to various host-derived and tumor-derived paracrine factors, delivered through the blood circulation. Previous data from our lab has shown that an increased signaling of Interleukin-15 (IL-15) results in enhanced oxidative capacity, promotion of a more oxidative phenotype and attenuation of muscle fatigue. This effect of IL-15 has yet to be characterized in a cancer-induced model …

Focus On The Child: Preventing The Intergenerational Transmission Of Eating Disorders And Dieting Behavior, Elizabeth Claydon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

PURPOSE: There is a paucity of research exploring individuals' recall of parental dieting behavior, engagement in "fat talk", or criticism of weight or eating behavior in childhood. This dearth of literature exists in both community samples and in clinical populations of eating disorder patients. There is also limited information on women with a history of eating disorders and their pregnancy experience or anticipation of their pregnancy experience. This dissertation focuses on the aforementioned areas in order to develop the research literature further to understand whether parental feedback (such as parental comments or parental dieting) is associated with health outcomes such …

Three Essays On Public Information And Security Prices., Chen Gu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation includes three essays examining the role of public information in financial markets. The first essay examines informed trading before natural gas inventory announcements. Natural gas futures prices start moving in the “right” direction about 90 minutes before the announcement. The empirical results show that the difference between the median forecast of analysts with high historical forecasting accuracy and the consensus forecast can be used to predict inventory surprises and some of the pre-announcement drift. Because both individual analyst forecasts and consensus are available to Bloomberg subscribers prior to official release time, our results suggest that informed trading before …

Antibacterial Activity Of Current Endodontic Repair Materials Against Enterococcus Faecalis., Michael A. Tran

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Root canal perforations caused by pathologic or iatrogenic means have been shown to cause serious complications leading to overall tooth loss. Bacterial infection of the affected site results in failure of the root canal as well as an inflammatory response leading to the destruction of supporting tissues. Although a multitude of endodontic repair materials have been tested over the past several decades, recent introduction of bioceramic materials have shown favorable outcomes to repairs. Bioceramics not only exhibit excellent biocompatibility, but also may possess antibacterial properties due to their strong alkaline pH. The aim of this in vitro study was …

Automotive Crisis: Volkswagen's Emissions Scandal & Response Strategies., Kelsey Plute

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study is to explore the use of crisis communication strategies (i.e. Coomb’s Situational Crisis Communication Theory and Bradford & Garrett’s Communicative Response Model) by examining Volkswagen’s key messages in U.S. commercial ad campaigns, individual vehicle commercials, and print ads before, during and after the emissions scandal. The content analysis also identified these specific crisis response strategies in the company’s 2015 through 2018 annual reports, press releases and letters to the company shareholders.

Beef Cattle Effluent Treatment In A Denitrifying Bioreactor., Bethani Chambers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Excess nutrient runoff, nitrates and phosphates, has led to the development of algal blooms and hypoxic zones worldwide. Based on a report from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation nearly half of all nutrient sources originate from agricultural production with a quarter of this resulting from improper management of manures. This project focuses on a novel adaption of a denitrifying bioreactor, which has demonstrated removals of agricultural nutrients, which may have implications on the treatment of manure nutrients. These subsurface bioreactors work by providing a substrate, usually wood based, to act as a carbon source to support denitrifying bacteria which in turn …

Communicated Sex Roles And Gender Identity Gaps., Janelle Vickers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Using Communication Theory of Identity (CTI) and the Bem Sex Role Index (BSRI), this study addresses the potential impact of societally-created, gendered expectations on the satisfaction of emerging adults. Two hundred twenty-nine undergraduates at a large mid-Atlantic university participated in the study by completing an online survey assessing gender, identity, and a relationship with a close other of their choosing. Results replicate previous research using CTI, which suggests that identity gaps relating to gender are dissatisfying. Specifically, gaps at the personal-enacted, personal-relational, and the newly-created personal-personal levels were negatively related to participant satisfaction, and personal-relational gaps were negatively correlated with …

Songbird Response To Forest Disturbance Due To Unconventional Shale Gas Development In The Marcellus-Utica Region: A Multi-Scale Analysis., Laura S. Farwell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, I evaluated impacts of unconventional shale gas development, or the combined use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (i.e., fracking), on forest land cover and breeding songbirds in the Marcellus-Utica shale region. Since 2005, extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus-Utica shale has increased exponentially in the central Appalachians, an area of high conservation value for global biodiversity. Although there has been an increase in research on the effects of shale gas development in the region, the industry is still relatively new in the eastern U.S. and much is still unknown about biological and environmental impacts. In …

Understanding The Novice Decision-Making Process In Forensic Footwear Examinations: Accuracy And Decision Rules, Madonna A. Nobel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The reproducibility of experienced-based forensic pattern interpretation is founded on the notion that domain-specific knowledge can be successfully distributed and applied among experts within a group. This assumption persists, even when the examination is complicated by variations in case circumstances, such as impression clarity and totality, as well as media, substrate, collection mechanism and enhancement. While it is further theorized that many of these factors (as well as additional confounding factors) are at play during an examination, the manner and extent to which these sources of variability affect the examination of footwear evidence remain unclear. In order to explore this …

Midterm 2018 And Targeting Latino Community Through Misinformation And Disinformation Online, Manjul Shrestha

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

How has the Latino community been targeted by digital propaganda during the 2018 midterm elections in the US? How might this affect their involvement in and around the election? This thesis starts to answer these questions through a data analysis on two of the most prominent and popular social media platforms for political discussion: Twitter and Reddit. This study analyzed people’s posting patterns over time, the digital traces of the individuals pushing the majority and most popular content, and Latino candidates’ interaction on Twitter. This research provides evidence that on Twitter there are two main actors discussing Latinos and politics: …

Characteristics Of Activated Carbons Produced From Herbaceous Biomass Feedstock, Oluwatosin Jerry Oginni

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Energy security and environmental protection are at the forefront of research due to the forecasted depletion of fossil fuel reserves and the growing concern of its adverse environmental impacts. The use of renewable sources for energy applications has centered on the use of biomass feedstocks and this include from herbaceous, woody, agricultural waste, forest residues and municipal wastes. The thermochemical conversion (pyrolysis) of these biomass feedstocks has potential to produce liquid fuel, a solid residue (biochar) and non-condensable gas. The biochar is primarily composed of renewable porous carbon and other inorganic compounds. The biochar is used for soil amendment, adsorption …

Detection Of Buried Non-Metallic (Plastic And Frp Composite) Pipes Using Gpr And Irt, Jonas Kavi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research investigated alternative strategies for making buried non-metallic pipes (CFRP, GFRP, and PVC) easily locatable using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). Pipe diameters up to 12" and buried with up to 4 ft. of soil cover were investigated. The findings of this study will help address the detection problem of non-metallic pipelines and speed the adoption of composite pipes by the petroleum and natural gas industry. The research also investigated the possibility of locating buried pipes transporting hot fluids using Infrared Thermography (IRT).

Results from the study have shown that, using carbon fabric and aluminum tape overlay on non‑metallic pipes …

Medical Celebrity In Eighteenth-Century Britain, Katherine Richards

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Medical Celebrity in Eighteenth-Century Britain argues that the cultural mechanisms responsible for creating and sustaining celebrity culture helped create and sustain commercialized medicine in eighteenth-century Britain. I identify the process by which celebrity and medical culture impact one another as a sociocultural phenomenon that I term medical celebrity. The following chapters present four case studies of how medical celebrity impacted the development of the medical profession, the medical market, cultural representations and perceptions of health and illness, and the patient experience. I engage with the work done by scholars in contemporary and early celebrity studies to shed light on the …

Unequal Influence: The Impact Of Inequality On Trade Policy, Brian William Fitzpatrick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Trade was a central issue in the 2016 US presidential election, with both major party candidates debating how trade impacts American workers. However, the current literature on trade policy outcomes and inequality has insufficient measures of public opinion on trade. I examine the varying roles the public and interest groups play in the trade policy formation process as inequality changes in democratic societies. I expect, as inequality increases, the public and mass based interest groups will have less resources to expend on influencing policymakers. Also, as inequality increases economic elites’ and business interest groups’ resources will increase, and they will …

A Test Of Perseverance: Creating The Scenic Design For The Three Musketeers, Lindsay Maiorano

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document is an account of the scenic design process for the West Virginia University School of Theatre & Dance's 2018 production of The Three Musketeers by Catherine Bush. It details the entire scenic design process, including script analysis, research, and design meetings, as well as the processes of construction, scenic art, and technical rehearsals. It illustrates the transformation of a series of renderings and models, which ultimately evolved to the finalized version of the scenic design.

Creating Space For Belonging Within The West Virginia Progressive Movement, Roger A. Jennette

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With the 2016 Presidential election come and gone, political activism within the United States has garnered more attention as political actors on the Progressive Left oppose the actions of the new administration. The West Virginia progressive movement is used as a case study of the national push towards progressive politics. Using participant diaries and a series of longitudinal interviews, this thesis explores the creation of spaces belonging within an activist organization to foster sustained involvement. The analysis points to the importance of creating a sense of belonging and the desire to ‘strive for better’ in a state that is often …

Spatial And Temporal Analysis Of Surface Water Quality In Relation To Marcellus Shale Gas Development In The Northern Panhandle Of West Virginia, Rachel Yesenchak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pre-existing water chemistry data available from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection were used to examine temporal changes in surface water quality related to the onset of Marcellus Shale gas drilling activity in the state of West Virginia. Drilling is concentrated in the northwestern portion of the state. Watersheds were delineated for twelve discrete stream sampling locations in the Upper Ohio-Wheeling HUC-8 sub-basin, where shale gas drilling is prevalent. Kruskal-Wallis tests were deployed to compare pre- and post-drilling concentrations of conductivity, chloride, and total suspended solids for each location. Increased concentrations of these parameters are associated with surface water …

Using Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning To Develop Synthetic Well Logs, Marwan Mohammed Alnuaimi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There has been an increase in the need for energy in the recent past. Oil and gas stand as the source of energy that are widely used. The oil and gas reservoirs are targeted for the purposes of field development. The conventional methods of reservoir characteristics require computing techniques that are unique and complex, some of which are labor and time intensive. Mohaghegh argues that all efforts must be tried and made possible to apply Petroleum Data analytics in production and management of reservoir so as to earn a maximum return (Mohaghegh, Shale Analytics, 2017). Different methodologies have been applied …

Design And Optimization Of A 1 Kw Stirling Engine, Garrett Tyler Rinker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Stirling engines are often overlooked as a means of energy conversion, though its versatility offers many advantages. Since it is an external combustion engine, it can be supplied with heat through the combustion of a variety of fuels. Its maintenance- and degradation-free aspects, as well as its excellent turn down ratio, make it a suitable candidate for applications such as remote power generation, combined heat and power (CHP), cryogenics, solar power, and even space exploration. The continual advancement of additive manufacturing (AM) offers opportunity to potentially further improve the already efficient Stirling cycle. This dissertation presents the design and optimization …

Con El Nopal En La Frente, Tessa Lee Martinez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This MFA thesis addresses work completed and presented in a thesis exhibition at West Virginia University as well as significant influences and events that relate to process and concept. Con el Nopal en la Frente consists of several ceramic sculptures that reference elements of a landscape typical in southwest Texas. Using symbols and phrases that are common along the Texas-Mexico border, this thesis and supporting exhibition investigates contemporary expressions of xenophobia. During my years away from home, the presence of microaggressions and racist remarks, said both intentionally and unintentionally, was common. This was new to me. Often times, those saying …

Routine Regrets: Over Disclosure And Self-Violations Of Privacy In Social Media Spaces, Matthew P. Hartwell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A cognitive application of the theory of ritualized media is applied to computer mediated communication to explain unintended consequences of routinization in social media spaces connected to patterns of use and network growth, creating an increased opportunity for self-violations of privacy. While The unintentional self-violation of a digital user's privacy of information, thoughts, and behavior in part stems from interconnected structural components of a user's networks as well as the situational constraints they experience while utilizing social media. This study found that as networks increased in complexity, both in volume and diversity, SNS users experienced a higher likelihood of posting …

Nanocellulose From The Appalachian Hardwood Forest And Its Potential Applications, Masoumeh Hassanzadeh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFCs) are nanoscale fibers of high aspect ratio that can be isolated from a wide variety of cellulosic sources, including wood and bacterial cellulose. With high strength despite of their low density, NFCs are a promising renewable building block for the preparation of nanostructured materials and composites. To fabricate NFC-based materials with improved mechanical and chemical properties and additional new functionalities for different applications, it is essential to tailor the surface properties of individual NFCs. The surface structures control the interactions between NFCs and ultimately dictate the structure and macroscale properties of the bulk material. This research was …

Creating The Need To Serve: How West Virginia Spontaneous Disaster Relief Volunteers' Motivations And Experiences Influence Their Willingness For Continued Volunteerism*, Erin Hudnall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Spontaneous volunteerism, or emergent volunteer behavior, is characterized by an individual's actions of impulsively offering volunteer services immediately following the occurrence of a natural disaster or community tragedy, such as a flood or terrorist attack. This type of volunteerism differs from traditional volunteer activities that are usually preplanned and not related to a recent tragedy. It is unclear what types of motivations spur individuals to volunteer after a disaster, whether spontaneous volunteers' experiences lead to willingness for continued volunteerism in the future, and whether motivations and experiences differ significantly by context. To study this phenomenon, spontaneous volunteers who offered help …

Listening For Yes: Consent In The Contemporary Country Love Song, Phoebe E. Hughes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document investigates contemporary country music of the late 2000s to 2010s, looking specifically at how consent is represented in the songs of solo male artists from this time period. Constructing the framework of "Consent Songs," this document provides three different category of Consent Song: Hypothetical, Real-Life, and Breakup. Employing perspectives from popular music studies, as well as gender and sexuality studies, this document looks at representations of masculinity, sexuality, and various methods of authenticity in contemporary country music. In so doing, the lack of consent being represented in this body of music becomes apparent.

A Work Flow And Evaluation Of Using Unmanned Aerial Systems For Deriving Forest Stand Characteristics In Mixed Hardwoods Of West Virginia, Henry Liebermann

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Forest inventory information is a principle driver for forest management decisions. Information gathered through these inventories provides a summary of the condition of forested stands. The method by which remote sensing aids land managers is changing rapidly. Imagery produced from unmanned aerial systems (UAS) offer high temporal and spatial resolutions and have added another approach to small-scale forest management. UAS imagery is less expensive and easier to coordinate to meet project needs compared to traditional manned aerial imagery. This study focused on producing an efficient and approachable work flow for producing forest stand board foot volume estimates from UAS imagery …

Skeletal Muscle Arteriole Dysfunction And Microvessel Density In Metabolic Syndrome And Depression: How Exercise Can Be Used As An Intervention, Kayla Whitney Branyan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examined the effect of unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) on peripheral microvessel function in healthy and metabolic syndrome (MetS) rodents, and whether exercise training could prevent the vascular dysfunction associated with UCMS. Our initial hypothesis was that: 1) LZRs exposed to UCMS would have peripheral microvascular dysfunction similar to that evident in the OZRs controls due to a reduction in NO bioavailability and an increase in ROS production; 2) the comorbidity between MetS exposed to UCMS will exacerbate the already existing peripheral microvascular dysfunction; 3) exercise could limit the peripheral microvascular dysfunction by decreasing oxidative stress and …

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

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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

Painting The Horizon: A Look At Art, Community, And Identity In Appalachia, James Gooch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Removal Notice – Gooch, James Painting the Horizon: A Look at Art, Community, and Identity in Appalachia:

https://doi.org/10.33915/etd.7181 ; https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/7181

Removed to protect the privacy of project participants.

Painting the Horizon: A Look at Art, Community, and Identity in Appalachia highlights the lives and careers of five native West Virginian artists from around the state. Focusing on the many ways art has enriched their personal lives, this professional multimedia project also seeks to demonstrate how these individuals—as mentors and teachers—are using art to generate positive change, a stronger sense of community, and revolutionize the cities and towns they call home. …