Digital Commons Network^™

Assessment Of Tapered Diamond Bur Cutting Efficiency Of Dental Zirconia, Dhari Alenezi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objectives: To evaluate the cutting efficiency, measured by rate, of tapered diamond burs with different grit sizes on sintered yttrium stabilized zirconia.;Methods: Seven types of tapered diamond burs with different grit sizes and with a 1.4 mm diameter were tested against sintered Yttrium stabilized zirconia blocks using an air-turbine handpiece and 0.9 N of cutting force. The burs utilized were: super coarse 181 microm, super coarse 150 microm, coarse 151 microm, coarse 125 microm, medium 107 microm, medium 100 microm and DuraCut 151 microm. Ten samples of each bur type were used. Depth of the cuts was measured by a …

Environmental Controls, Similitude, And Scaling Of Stream Dissolved Oxygen Across The Pacific Coast Of U.S.A, Filmon Araya

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a key indicator for water quality and the general health of stream ecosystems. However, the dynamics of stream DO is controlled by myriad interacting environmental drivers. This thesis investigates the major environmental drivers, emergent similitude (similarity leading to parametric reductions), and scaling of stream DO across the Pacific Coast of U.S.A. The research was conducted by assembling a dataset for 1998--2015 at 35 water quality monitoring stations of U.S. Geological Survey and Environmental Protection Agency. Pearson correlation matrix, principal component analysis, and factor analysis were employed to identify the interrelations and groupings of stream DO and …

An Exploration Of Paul Bowles' Piano-Solo Pieces, Juan Carlos Rios Betancur

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research paper provides a general overview of the piano-solo literature by the American composer Paul Frederic Bowles (1910-1999). Thanks to recent contributions, this repertoire is now available in recordings and musical scores as it has never been before.;This paper is divided into two sections. The first covers the biography of Paul Bowles and his musical achievements as a composer, along with his research into the folk music of Morocco and his literary writings as a music critic for the journal Modern Music and for The New Herald Tribune. The second part is about Bowles' piano-solo output, divided thematically into …

Medicine Bag: An Autoethnographic Account Of Learning To Use Memory And Indigeneity As Resources In College Advising, R. Saya Bobick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Autoethnography was used to investigate lived experiences of self to connect the individual to the cultural (Ellis et al., 2011). My life's recollections were gathered together in a metaphorical personal medicine bag. The use of memory work and storytelling/histories helped to "reframe the old understandings of history and memory" (Clare & Johnson, 2000, p. 210). The conceptual framework was situated within an autoethnographic approach that included three components. The first component was Indigenous ideas, which included memory as a process of decolonization, telling stories past-present-future, and oral traditions/histories. The second included feminist ideas about memory with descriptions of memory work …

Detecting The Onset Of The Bulk Crystal Plasticity Transition In Face Centered Cubic Metals Using Nanoindentation, Ryder Bolin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present thesis showcases the investigation of nanoindentation at ultra-low depths (<500nm), for the study of the origin and initiation of crystal plasticity in a number of Face Centered Cubic (FCC) metals: Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), and Aluminum (Al) in single crystalline or polycrystalline form. Nanoindentation was carried out using a Berkovich tip, and indentations were carried out in the nano-regime of polycrystalline FCC metals and single crystalline Cu and Al. Two custom-built four-point bending apparatuses were used to apply in-plane tension on all samples during indentation. Samples were indented using both displacement and load controls, in order to both carefully estimate the hardness and plasticity noise as a function of depth and applied in-plane tension. The noisy character of crystal plasticity manifests itself through nanoindentation pop-in events, which are abrupt and stochastic plastic displacements during the initial stage of plasticity. I discuss and demonstrate indentation size effects induced and/or promoted by the in-plane stress in FCC materials. The hardness analysis shows a statistically inverse dependence on in-plane stress for small depth indentation and I discuss the consistency of the effects in both the hardness and pop-in events among the various FCC crystals studied. Finally, I discuss a novel approach to detect the onset of pop-in noise in a realistic sample without special treatment and demonstrate its consistency for Cu single crystalline samples.

Development Of An Emissions Monitoring Methodology Using On-Board Nox Sensors And Revision To Current In-Use Emissions Regulatory Protocols, Berk Demirgok

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Measurement of in-use emissions from heavy-duty (HD) vehicles under real-world operation has been widely performed by using portable emissions measurement system (PEMS). PEMS serve as an accurate and lightweight emissions measurement system to evaluate in-use emissions from HD vehicles. However, emissions measurement using PEMS instrumentation can be time consuming and labor intensive. Advantage of utilizing already existing on-board sensors such that they can potentially provide an alternative measurement methodology to the PEMS. A successful implementation of an on-board NOx sensor-based methodology for assessing in-use NOx emissions will allow for a cost-effective and simplified approach to monitor real-world, NOx emission rates. …

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

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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

Welding Fume Exposure And Lung Cancer: Evidence Of Lung Toxicity And Tumor Promotion From In Vivo Studies In Aj Mice, Lauryn Falcone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Welding fumes were recently reclassified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) based on sufficient epidemiological evidence and limited evidence in animals. It is estimated that 11 million workers worldwide weld full-time, and an additional 110 million have had some type of welding-related exposure. Welding exposures are complex because of the diversity of welding modalities used in the workplace; these modalities include exposures to non-carcinogenic and/or carcinogenic metal containing fumes.;The objective of this dissertation was to determine which welding fumes and their component metals are the most toxic and have the greatest …

Lynne Ramsey, Violist: Biography, Pedagogical Background, Teaching Techniques, And Career Advice, Ignacio Cuello

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research document explores teaching methods, career advice, and major influences that shaped the professional course of the violist Lynne Ramsey. Ramsey teaches viola at the Cleveland Institute of Music and is first assistant principal viola in the Cleveland Orchestra. For over thirty years, she has taught countless viola students in the US while maintaining a full-time performance career.

The introductory chapter covers Ramsey’s biographical and educational backgrounds during her time as a student of Ramon Scavelli, David Dawson, and Karen Tuttle. It is worth mentioning that Tuttle was the primary student of one of the best-known violists in …

How Will Anthropogenic Valley Fills In Appalachian Headwaters Erode?, Miles Reed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mountaintop removal/valley fill (MTR/VF) coal mining in the Central Appalachian region has created the most extreme anthropogenic landscape on Earth by lowering ridges and infilling headwater stream valleys. No studies have attempted to detail erosional processes active on MTR/VR landforms. A combination of field work and LiDAR data observations documents erosional features on MTR/VF landscapes. Landscape evolution modeling explores future possibilities in valley-filled catchments. LiDAR data also allows for the quantification of valley-filled catchment alteration with statistically significant differences in both drainage density and depression storage capacity between "less disturbed" and valley-filled catchments. Field and LiDAR data observations show that …

Investigation Of Gas Slippage Effect And Geomechanical Effect On Gas Production Prediction And Hydraulic Fracture Design -- A Case Study Of Marcellus Shale, Courtney L. Rubin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Shale reservoirs play an increasingly important role in energy supply worldwide. Horizontal wells and hydraulic fracturing have created a new mandate for a better understanding of the resulted production amounts from these shale reservoirs. A parametric study, based on Marcellus shale laboratory Precision Petrophysical Analysis Laboratory (PPAL) experimental data, and reservoir simulation is conducted to understand the effects of gas slippage effect and the geomechanical effects on gas production prediction and completion design. Therefore by analyzing the critical conductivity of a reservoir prior to production it is possible to design a fracture treatment (i.e. proppant pumping strategy) which will have …

Transforming Undergraduate Stem Education: Reforming Classrooms By Training Current And Future Faculty, Karen E. Bailey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the absence of formal pedagogical training, educators tend to teach the way they were taught, using traditional lecturing. Numerous studies have shown that engaging students in active learning improves student learning and retention of knowledge. Reforming STEM education has become a national imperative. Since the turn of the millennium, many initiatives have sprung forth in response to a growing awareness of the need for reform in post-secondary biology education. The National Academies Summer Institutes (NASI) is one such initiative. The Summer Institutes provide training in evidence-based strategies for biology educators from primarily research universities where lecture-based teaching in large …

A Long Short-Term Memory Neural Network For Improved Twins' Voice Differentiation, Stallone Bruno-Ray Sabatier

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although successfully implemented in certain situations, the reliability of speaker recognition (SR) decreases due to speaker and channel variability present between enrollment and evaluation samples, as well as the available length of speech utterances. The issue of speaker variability becomes more pronounced when the number of speakers in the evaluation set increases, as there is a higher probability that two voices may sound more alike. The differentiation of intra-twin pairs' voices can be beneficial to general SR because inclusion can simulate this effect. This is due to the fact that their shared voice similarities are comparable to the potential inter-speaker …

Engineering The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Through Infiltrating The Porous Electrodes, Bryan Jackson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

A Numerical Investigation Of Natural Gas-Diesel Dual Fuel Engine Combustion And Emissions Using Cfd Model, Yu Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Existence Of Global Solutions For Nonlinear Magnetohydrodynamics With Finite Larmor Radius Corrections, Fariha Elsrrawi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

We discuss the existence of global solutions to the MHD equations where the effects of finite Larmor radius corrections are taken into account. Unlike the usual MHD, the pressure is a tensor and it depends on not only the density but also the magnetic field. We show the existence of global solutions by the energy methods. Our techniques of proof are based on the existence of local solution by Semigroups theory and a priori estimates.

Effect Of Natural Gas Fuel Composition On Gaseous And Particle Numbermass Emissions From A Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Engine Used In Unconventional Well Development Operations, Sashank Jammalamadaka

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Natural gas (NG) reserves have been discovered in abundance with the aid of various technological advancements in the field of directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Prime movers of unconventional well development were previously identified to be over-the-road (OTR) trucks, drilling engines, and hydraulic stimulation engines. The increased NG reserves have driven the industry to shift from using diesel fueled engines to natural gas engines. This allows the industries to take advantage of the produced natural gas to be directly used as energy source to fuel the prime movers involved with unconventional well development.;The primary objective of this study is to …

Signal Fusion And Semantic Similarity Evaluation For Social Media Based Adverse Drug Event Detection, Hameeduddin Irfan Khaja

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent advancements in pharmacovigilance tasks have shown the usage of social media as a resource to obtain real-time signals for drug surveillance. Researchers demonstrated a good potential for the detection of Adverse Drug Events (ADEs) using social media much earlier than the traditional reporting systems maintained by official regulatory authorities like the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Existing automated drug surveillance systems have used various types of social media channels and search query logs for monitoring ADE signals.;In this thesis, we address two key performance issues related to automated drug surveillance systems. The first is to improve the …

Self-Leadership's Impact On Work Engagement And Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: A Moderated Mediated Model, Kevin G. Knotts

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation will test a model of self-leadership that involves direct relationships with work engagement and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), mediating mechanisms of emotional exhaustion and organizational commitment, and a moderating variable of perceived organizational support. The proposed model that will be examined can be seen in Figure 1. Work engagement has received prominent attention within the organizational behavior and human resources field, yet there has been scant detail paid to how self-leadership strategies may influence an employee's level of work engagement. In addition, OCBs have also received prominent attention within these fields, yet there is again a gap remaining …

Preference And User Experience With Powered Air- Purifying Respirators In Healthcare Workers In A Simulated Work Environment: A Pilot Study, Lauren Macdowell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) are protective devices commonly utilized by healthcare workers in environments with infectious airborne diseases. A review of the current PAPR literature indicated a shortage of studies that focus on user experience of PAPRs and the types of PAPRs that healthcare workers prefer. This study focused on three different PAPR models: the MAXAIR CAPR RTM 710, the 3M(TM) Versaflo (TM) TR-600-ECK and the 3M(TM) Air-Mate(TM). A typical hospital patient work environment was simulated at the West Virginia Simulation Training and Education for Patient Safety on West Virginia University's Health Sciences Campus. Eight subjects total were recruited and …

An Experimental Investigation Of The Banana Dehydration Process., Donnique Kim Denise Sherman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Drying food is one of the well-known methods of food preservation. Food preservation methods, like drying, slow down the deterioration of foods as well as prevents the growth of microorganisms. Food preservation allows for an extension of shelf life and prevents food from spoiling. The method used in this study is known as convective or direct drying. As the ambient air heats up from a convective source the relative humidity reduces which accelerates the drying force and decreases drying time. The reduction in relative humidity allows for moisture to move from the food, such as banana chips, to the air. …

A Study Of The Durability In Class-M Concrete Due To Chlorid Permeability, Amelia Suzanne Riley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The service life of reinforced concrete structures is dependent on the integrity of the steel within the concrete. Over time, due to exposure, chloride and other minerals can penetrate the concrete. Once these materials get to the reinforcing steel, the chloride and oxygen start to corrode and deteriorate the steel. This deterioration will cut the service life of a bridge down dramatically. To prevent this, the permeability of concrete was studied to determine the service life of one of the new Class-M concretes and a Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) mix designs; both developed to produce higher quality concrete. This paper looks …

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 …

Comparison Of Emissions Measurement Between A Sensor-Based Compact Emissions Meter And A Standard Pems, Jordan Matthew Leatherman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The emissions produced by diesel engines are detrimental to human health, and the environment. To reduce these harmful emissions, engine manufacturers have used exhaust after treatment systems. The main objective of these after-treatment systems is to reduce exhaust emissions with minimal impact on an engines performance. The increase in emission regulations resulted in the need for a portable device to measure emissions. Portable emissions measurement systems (PEMS) are used to ensure engines comply with regulations in the real world. Although these systems are portable and can be installed on a vehicle they are bulky, expensive and time consuming to install. …

Plasmon-Enhanced Optical Sensing By Engineering Metallic Nanostructures, Peng Zheng

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The world’s booming population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050 causes enormous stresses on environmental safety, food supply, and healthcare, which in return threatens human civilizations. One of the most promising solutions lies at innovating point-of-care (POC) sensing technologies to conduct detection of environmental hazards, monitoring of food safety, and early diagnosis of diseases in a timely and accurate manner. The discovery of surface-enhanced spectroscopy in the 1970s has significantly stimulated research on light-matter interaction which gives rise to enhanced optical phenomena such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), plasmon-enhanced fluorescence (PEF), and particularly, they have found enormous applications in …

Production And Economic Analyses Of Woody Biomass Utilization For Energy, John Edward Vance

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A mechanized harvest system combined with whole-tree chipper producing mixed hardwood chips was investigated on two harvesting sites in the central Appalachian region, USA. Production and machine rate data of the operations were collected through time-motion study, with chipping time elements categorized into feeding, chipping, and loading. Chipping cycles averaged 21.5 minutes to produce 23.54 green tons per truckload, providing an hourly rate of 65.82 green tons/PMH (41.1 dry tons) by the whole-tree chipper. Total cycle time including truck delivery averaged 183 minutes, giving an hourly rate of 7.7 green tons/PMH (4.8 dry tons/PMH). The hourly cost of the harvesting …

Algorithmic Issues In Some Disjoint Clustering Problems In Combinatorial Circuits, Zola Nailah Donovan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As the modern integrated circuit continues to grow in complexity, the design of very large-scale integrated (VLSI) circuits involves massive teams employing state-of-the-art computer-aided design (CAD) tools. An old, yet significant CAD problem for VLSI circuits is physical design automation. In this problem, one needs to compute the best physical layout of millions to billions of circuit components on a tiny silicon surface. The process of mapping an electronic design to a chip involves several physical design stages, one of which is clustering. Even for combinatorial circuits, there exist several models for the clustering problem. In particular, we consider the …

The Microvascular And Systemic Effects Of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle Exposure: A Physiological Perspective, Alaeddin Bashir Abukabda

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO₂) are one of the most widely used engineered nanomaterials (ENM). Their ubiquitous inclusion warrants a more thorough understanding of their toxicity, particularly in sensitive populations such as pregnant women and the developing fetus.

The aim of the first study was to determine the most sensitive segments of the vasculature to pulmonary ENM exposure. Macrovascular function was investigated in the thoracic aorta, common femoral artery and 3^rd order mesenteric arterioles using wire myography. Microvascular function was assessed in 4^th and 5^th order mesenteric arterioles via pressure myography. Nano-TiO₂ exposure induced impairments …

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 …

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 …