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Impact Of Particle Injection On Gas Flow At Elevated Pressure: A Numerical Study, Ansan Pokharel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Modeling of a turbulent two-phase gaseous-solid flow still faces challenges. The present study is devoted to two-phase flow in an annular pipe (hollow cylinder) operating at an elevated pressure of 15 bar and moderate Reynolds numbers of circa 6 x 10³. The influence of the various factors – such as the particle loading, the interaction between the phases, and turbulent dispersion – on the flow dynamics is systematically studied by means of the computational simulation employing the ANSYS FLUENT commercial package. To be specific, particle loading with a volumetric fraction of 1.2 % is defined as high particle …

An In-Depth Investigation Of The Effects Of Work-Related Factors On The Development Of Knee Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Construction Roofers, Amrita Dutta

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Construction roofers have the uppermost likelihood of developing knee musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Roofers spend more than 75% of their total working time being restricted to awkward kneeling postures and repetitive motions in a sloped roof setting. However, the combined effect of knee-straining posture, roof slope and their association to knee MSDs among roofers are still unknown. This dissertation aimed to provide empirical evidence of the effects of two roofing work-related factors namely, roof slope and kneeling working posture, on the development of knee MSDs among construction roofers. These two factors were assessed as potential to increase knee MSD risks in …

Accessing The Functional Capabilities Of The Tick Microbiome Through Metagenomics, Darin Lee Shrewsberry Jr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The black-legged tick Ixodes scapularis is a common ectoparasite of animals and an obligate blood feeder, attaching to a host animal and taking a blood meal once per life stage (i.e. 3 times during its life). Unfortunately for the tick, blood represents a nutrient poor diet largely consisting of lipids and proteins but notably lacking in essential nutrients such a B vitamins (e.g., biotin, riboflavin, niacin) Other exclusive blood feeders such as the tsetse fly harbor symbiotic bacteria that provision B-complex vitamins to their host. I. scapularis harbors Rickettsia buchneri an endoparasitic bacterium that intriguingly possesses two copies of a …

Assessment Of Heat Stress For Outdoor Work Conditions In Saudi Arabia, Jamal Alanazi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Outdoor workers have an increased risk of heat stress in Saudi Arabia since it is one of the hottest places in the Middle East. Recently, the government decided to limit outdoor work hours during the months of June, July, and August every year, and banned working under the direct sunlight from 12:00 to 03:00 p.m., although outdoor workers in the petroleum, natural gas, or emergency maintenance work industries are exempt from this prohibition. Traditionally, the efforts by safety and health professionals to mitigate work-related heat injury has been directed toward the assessment of environmental heat stress (e.g., wet-bulb globe temperature), …

Resilience In The Mountains: Exploring The Labor And Motives Of Food-Caregiver Women Repairing Broken Food Systems In West Virginia Communities, Heidi Lynn Gum

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Over the past four years the Food Justice Lab, now housed within the Center for Resilient Communities at West Virginia University, hosted a series of food access planning workshops across the state of West Virginia. Mobilizing more than 200 participants, the Nourishing Networks workshop training program was designed to build grassroots capacity for food system change. Eighty-percent of workshop participants were women and dialogues recorded at these events revealed how women are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity and disproportionately labor to repair a broken food system. Women in West Virginia are not only growing food, feeding their families, selling it …

Stable Aggregate Dynamics And Carbon Storage In Acidified Forest Soils: Influence Of Atmospheric Deposition And Conifer Conversion At The Fernow Experimental Forest, J E. Kemner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research explored effects of ecosystem change from increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition and stand conversion from mixed-species hardwood to Norway spruce in three experimental watersheds at the Fernow Experimental Forest (FEF). I measured soil aggregation and organic matter (OM) content to investigate the influence of forest fertilization in Watershed 3 (WS3), a hardwood forest receiving (NH₄)₂SO₄ fertilizer, versus Watershed 7 (WS7), a natural hardwood forest. I compared WS7 to Watershed 6 (WS6), a converted Norway spruce (Picea abies) monoculture. I quantified WS6 and WS7 C and N ecosystem pools, including vegetation biomass, …

Developing A Biophilic City Through Natural Land Transformation Analysis And Geodesign: The Case Of Purbachal New Town, Bangladesh, Udday Shankur Datta

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan regions in the world. To solve the ever-increasing need for housing and to reduce the pressure of the population from the capital city, the Purbachal satellite city was planned. It is the biggest planned township in Bangladesh with an area of over 25 square kilometers. Purbachal is situated at the confluence of the Shitalakhya and Balu rivers. Historically a low-lying wetland, Purbachal has gone through a rapid transformation in past decades. The water bodies around the area have been filled in to create new developable land. Through remote …

Assess The Performance Against Ets And Pm1 And Evaluate The Users’ Experiences Of Comfort Of Nasal Filters, Ibrahim Almuhaidib

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Many cities around the world experience severe air pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 7 million people die annually from exposure to small airborne Particulate Matter (PM) that is found in atmospheric pollution. Particulate matter in atmospheric pollution is one of six classifications of common air pollutants and is typically referred to as PM₁ and PM_2.5. Particulates designated as PM₁ and PM_2.5 refer to particles having aerodynamic diameters of 1 or 2.5 micrometer (µm), respectively. These size ranges of particles are the most commonly found in air pollution. It is hard to differentiate …

The Host Gatekeeper: Using The Flagellar Pathway To Understand Symbiont Host Adaptation, Adam R. Pollio

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The acquisition of microbial partners is a strategy used by a diverse group of arthropods to overcome ecological barriers that might normally make certain niches uninhabitable. The unique phylogenetic opportunities attainable from the natural experiment of the Sodalis-allied clade allow for better understanding of how molecular structures evolve through time. Here, we focus on the evolution of the flagellar synthesis pathway, due to its complexity and ability to diverge in response to ecological pressures. We used this molecular pathway and natural experiment to show that normal evolutionary outcomes associated with symbiosis (i.e., genome reduction) do not explain the predicted conservation …

State Regulatory Heterogeneity And Clean Water Act Compliance, Quinn R. Beeson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research evaluates the impact of state regulations regarding Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance on wastewater and drinking water violations in the continental United States from 2007 to 2017. Using data collected from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), community characteristics and state regulations are analyzed for their effects on CWA compliance. We use count data analysis techniques and annual county-level data on CWA and Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) violations from wastewater and drinking water facilities in the United States. The results show that total violations are higher when an additional state CWA regulation is implemented. One year after a …

A Machine Learning And Data-Driven Prediction And Inversion Of Reservoir Brittleness From Geophysical Logs And Seismic Signals: A Case Study In Southwest Pennsylvania, Central Appalachian Basin, Tobi Micheal Ore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In unconventional reservoir sweet-spot identification, brittleness is an important parameter that is used as an easiness measure of production from low permeability reservoirs. In shaly reservoirs, production is realized from hydraulic fracturing, which depends on how brittle the rock is–as it opens natural fractures and also creates new fractures. A measure of brittleness, brittleness index, is obtained through elastic properties of the rock. In practice, problems arise using this method to predict brittleness because of the limited availability of elastic logs.

To address this issue, machine learning techniques are adopted to predict brittleness at well locations from readily available geophysical …

Allopurinol Alters The Expression Of Cytokines And Mediators Of Immune Cells In The Systemic 2 Tissue By Decreasing Plasma Urate., Lundrim S. Marku

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diminished levels of urate have been linked to oxidative stress in birds and mammals. Urate, a major antioxidant that lowers reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), is thought to ameliorate the effects. The relationship between reduced urate, the immune system and the pathogenesis of the intestine, the liver or the brain has not been well characterized in avians. Moreover, recent studies have proposed that an increased permeability in the intestine due to some insult can induce inflammation in peripheral organs such as the brain. Allopurinol, a relatively toxic purine analogue that serves as a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, reduces urate levels which can …

Analysis Of Factors Influencing The Stationarity Of Surface Electromyography Signals Measured In Non-Fatigued Shoulder Muscles, Hui Ci

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A reduction in the % stationarity of surface electromyography (SEMG) signals with respect to the initial or fresh condition is used to predict localized muscle fatigue. However, factors other than muscle fatigue can also influence the stationarity of SEMG signals. This study was aimed at analyzing the effect of various work/task related factors on the stationarity of SEMG signals obtained from non-fatigued shoulder muscles. Twelve participants were recruited for data collection and each one performed 120 trials characterized by the combination of 2 shoulder angles (60° and 120°), 2 planes of exertions (sagittal and scapular), 3 force levels (0lb, 2.5lb, …

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 …

Clincial Translational Science Research Of The Functional Role Of Large Conductance Potassium Channels In Selective Destruction Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Gina Sizemore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

The preliminary background that puts this research into context is threefold; it is the aggressive nature of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), the complexity surrounding its pathology, and the significant lack of targeted treatment for this disease. To clarify the focus of my research, I have concentrated on identifying a targeted treatment for TNBC. In the process, I have identified cycles of reciprocity between treatment, clinical diagnosis, staging, and pathology that will be addressed in smaller papers. However, the weight of this work is in the discovery of a novel target for triple negative breast cancer. The value of …

A Spatially Distributed Investigation Of Stream Water Temperature In A Contemporary Mixed-Land-Use Watershed, Jason P. Horne

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Stream water temperature is an important physical variable that influences many biological and abiotic water quality processes. The land-use/land-cover (LULC) types and corresponding variability in stream water temperature (Tw) processes in contemporary mixed-land-use watersheds necessitate research to advance management and policy decisions. Water temperature was analyzed from 21 gauging sites using a nested-scale experimental watershed study design. Results showed that forested land use was significantly negatively correlated (α = 0.05) with mean and maximum Tw. Agricultural land use was significantly positively correlated (α = 0.05) with maximum Tw except during the spring season. Mixed development and Tw were significantly correlated …

Scaling-Based Robust Predictions Of Periodic Stream Water Quality Variables Across The Contiguous U.S., Mohammad Abu Zafer Siddik

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Stream water quality is at the core of the biological and ecological health of streams and rivers. Subject to the environmental variation and in-stream metabolic activities, key water quality indicators such as dissolved oxygen (DO), water temperature (Tw), and chlorophyll a (Chl a, an indicator of primary productivity) typically follow a concave-shaped diurnal cycle. Variation and changes in climatic drivers (e.g., solar radiation, air temperature, and pressure), land uses, and hydrologic variables lead to a high spatiotemporal variability in stream water quality. The spatiotemporal variation challenges the development of robust models for predictions across large scales (e.g., county, state, country), …

Assessment Of Protein Quality, Lipid Metabolism, Hepatic Transcriptome And Safety Of A Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix) Derived Sarcoplasmic Protein Powder., Derek Cole Warren

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fishery resources are currently operating either near optimal yield or at levels with elevated risk for fish stock depletion. A solution for overcoming limitations of natural fish resources is through utilization of less desirable fish species and fish processing by-products. Water-soluble sarcoplasm proteins consist of 25 – 30% of protein in carp, are lost in wash water during processing and can be recovered and freeze-dried to produce a protein-rich powder (CSP). The objective of this project was to evaluate the protein quality and safety of CSP, assess diets consisting of CSP or commercial milk proteins effects on lipid metabolism, and …

Review Of Modern Nondestructive Testing Techniques For Civil Infrastructure, Shabnam Khanal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The repair and maintenance of aging infrastructures, in the United States alone, are estimated to have backlogs of trillions of dollars. This has posed widespread concerns about the existing and proposed infrastructures to adequately sustain the quality of life in the near future. Efficient and cost-effective approaches, such as nondestructive testing (NDT), are therefore required to better shape our future. Various NDT techniques have been developed over the past two decades with cutting-edge advances towards investigation and condition assessment of civil infrastructures. While the performance of NDT techniques has reached unparalleled heights, limitations remain. On one side, are the instrument …

Innovative Fe(Iii)-Dosed Anaerobic Biological Treatment System: From Fe And S Biogeochemical Reactions To Engineering Process, Musfique Ahmed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In moving toward more sustainable wastewater management, anaerobic treatment is gaining increasing popularity due to its simplicity, low energy requirement, low sludge production and less emission of greenhouse gases compared to typical aerobic wastewater treatment systems. Electron acceptors such as nitrate, sulfate, and CO₂ have been used in various anaerobic processes for removal of organic matters from wastewater under anoxic or anaerobic environments. In energy producing regions, ferric iron, Fe(III), is a predominant element in iron containing wastes such as acid mine drainage (AMD) and coal ash, which can potentially be used as a source of iron in novel …

Does Hope Moderate The Effects Of Financial Distress In Adolescent Resiliency?, Miles E. Payne

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Little is known about the influence that hope may have on adolescent outcomes despite financial distress. This study considered financial distress as a risk factor in testing the moderating ability of hope on adolescent prosocial behavior and anxiety (PSB). Adolescents (n = 500) ranging from 11.00 – 16.00 years of age completed in-home questionnaires two years apart. Results indicated a direct effect between PSB and hope. However, analyses revealed no moderated effects, as controlling for prior levels of PSB or anxiety accounted for most of the variance. Although hope may be beneficial to PSB, the stability from prior levels …

Integrated Techno-Economic And Life Cycle Analyses Of Biomass Utilization For Value-Added Bioproducts In The Northeastern United States, Yuxi Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A multi-stage spatial analysis was first conducted to select locations for lignocellulosic biomass-based bioproduct facility, using Geographical Information System (GIS) spatial analysis, multi-criteria analysis ranking algorithm, and social-economic assessment. A case study was developed to determine locations for lignocellulosic biorefineries using feedstocks including forest residue biomass and three energy crops for 13 states in the northeastern United States. In the entire study area, 11.1% of the counties are high-suitable, 48.8% are medium-suitable for biorefinery siting locations. A non-parametric analysis of cross-group surveys showed that preferences on biorefinery siting are homogeneous for experts in academia and industry groups, but people in …

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 …

Comparing And Linking Organic Carbon And Iron In Soil And Headwater Stream In A Pasture And A Forest Catchment In A Central Appalachian Region, West Virginia, Lili Lei

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Continued global warming and surface water brownification are two main environmental issues which have attracted attention and are related to soil organic carbon (SOC) cycling. Iron oxides differ in reducibility and thus have essential roles in regulating SOC preservation and remineralization in soil and transport of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from soil to surface water. In the central Appalachian region, anthropogenic disturbances are increasing, which leads to major issues of soil degradation and depletion of SOC concentrations. Cropland and pasture soils are subject to intense disturbances compared to the forest soil, which may lead to differences in SOC fractions and …

Experiences Of Arts And Humanities Students Engaging In Undergraduate Research, Carinna F. Ferguson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Deemed an important pedagogical tool by the Boyer Commission Report more than 20 years ago, undergraduate research (UR) has been found to increase students’ academic performance, retention, and pursuance of higher degrees. However, much of the existing literature on UR has focused primarily on student participation outcomes in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields while disregarding those in other concentrations. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of arts and humanities students participating in UR by describing (1) their research activities, and (2) the meaning and value they assign to research. Two sets of interviews were …

Relating Recharge Mechanisms To Chemical Changes In An Updip Appalachian Coal Mine Discharge: A Case Study From Lambert Run, West Virginia, Matthew Lewis Bell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Impaired drainage from active and abandoned mines degrades the water quality of receiving streams and aquifers. Coal mine drainage (CMD) has been studied for decades in Appalachia, but unknowns and uncertainties are still present, including the influence of mine hydrogeology on the outflow chemistry of above-drainage mines. To evaluate the influence of recharge type on above-drainage mine chemistry, samples were collected every two weeks at a CMD outflow treatment system in Harrison County, West Virginia.

Samples were collected to measure geochemical changes taking place in the mine workings and along the flowpath of the passive treatment system. Samples were divided …

Grainyhead-Like 2 Sensitizes Cells To Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity And Promotes The Interferon Response, Ian Philip Macfawn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Our research determined that the epithelial master transcription factor Grainyhead-like 2 (GRHL2) promotes sensitivity to Natural Killer (NK) cell-mediated killing, and modulates the interferon I (IFN-I) response of epithelial cells. Immune surveillance by NK cells constitutes a major selective pressure for circulating tumor cells. Epithelial (GRHL2-expressing) cells exhibited significantly higher rates of NK conjugation, a crucial step in direct cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Mechanistically, GRHL2 upregulates expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), a cell surface molecule critical for NK to target cell synaptogenesis. GRHL2 epigenetically regulates gene expression, and we found that GRHL2 mutant proteins unable to interact with the epigenetic …

Comparison Of Skeletal And Dentoalveolar Changes Between Two Bone-Borne Maxillary Expanders, Mohamad Sarraj

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Bone-borne maxillary expander (BBME) are designed to provide additional anchorage to widen the maxillary arch for patients who exhibit maxillary transverse deficiency. One form of BBME is the hybrid BBME which uses mini-implants (bone-borne) and posterior teeth (tooth-borne) as anchorage for maxillary expansion. The other form of BBME is absolute BBME which only uses mini-implants as anchorage. It is not clear in the literature if there is a difference in skeletal and dental changes with these two types of expanders. The objective of this study was to compare the skeletal, dentoalveolar, and periodontal changes between the hybrid and the …

Evidence Of Y Chromosome Long Non-Coding Rnas Involved In The Radiation Response Of Male Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells, Tayvia Brownmiller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the number one cause of cancer related mortality in the United States and worldwide. Advanced and therapeutically resistant lung tumors contribute to the high rate of mortality from NSCLC, therefore there is a need for new methods of diagnosing and treating this disease. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to be a crucial component of human molecular biology, regulating nearly every cellular pathway from chromatin condensation to transcription and translation. Furthermore, many lncRNAs have been classified as oncogenes or tumor suppressors, highlighting the various molecular mechanisms they are involved in regarding the formation …

Breast Cancer Associated Muscle Fatigue: Novel Targets To Improve Survival And Quality Of Life, Hannah Elizabeth Wilson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Women diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) currently represent the largest group of cancer survivors in the United States, accounting for over 20% of those living after a cancer diagnosis. Most BC survivors report an unusual degree of fatigue, which can present prior to diagnosis and continue for many years after treatment cessation. Recent studies show that deficits in muscle function predict shorter survival in cancer, perhaps due to the fact that fatigue is known to reduce a patient’s tolerance to anti-cancer therapies. Therefore, improving muscle function in BC patients has the potential to improve both quality of life and survival …