Digital Commons Network^™

On Factors That Influence User Interactions With Social Media Spam: Empirical Exploration Based On A Survey And Experiment, Thomas J. Kyanko

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis explores various factors that influence whether or not users of social media platforms will interact with spam. The research is based on using survey and experimental approaches. The survey looked at several spam related behaviors: ability to identify spam, tendency to interact with spam, and tendency to report spam. In total 256 responses were analyzed, which were collected by an online survey system. Results of the survey show that education about spam did not correlate with changes in behavior, even when users reported that the education had an effect on them. Several other factors, commonly thought to be …

Investigation Of A Neural Network Approach In Modeling And Diagnostics Of An Engine-Out Nox Sensor, Zackery S. Layhew

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this study was to develop a method for fault detection of an engine-out oxides of nitrogen (NOx) sensor. The aim of the developed method was not only to isolate a fault with the NOx sensor, but to also diagnose faults in other engine subsystems that may result in higher engine-out NOx production. The developed fault diagnostics are aimed at providing reliable, accurate determinations of sensor output, in-lieu of physical sensors.;The data for the development of numerical models in this study was derived from in-use emissions data of a 2014 Freightliner equipped with a 2013 Cummins ISX15 engine. …

A Photogrammetry Program For Physical Modeling Of Subsurface Subsidence Process, Yujia Lian

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Safe and economic longwall coal extraction requires a good knowledge of overburden strata characteristics and understanding of overburden strata movement in response to the full extraction mining. Subsidence induced overburden movement will affect overlying mining, surface and subsurface water bodies, and methane emission and migration in the overburden strata. Therefore, an understanding of subsurface strata movement is essential for optimal layout of multiple seam mining, protecting water resources, and designing of gob hole patterns for longwall degasification.;Physical simulation experiments play an important role in mining engineering research by allowing visual observations of strata movement in the mining process. In recent …

Evaluation Of Small Tree And Shrub Plantings On Reclaimed Surface Mines In West Virginia, Alexis Monteleone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hundreds of acres of mined land are reclaimed annually in West Virginia (WV) and are planted with hardwood tree species. Forestry and wildlife post-mining land uses require the planting of specific tree species designated by the individual mine permit and planting plan, which generally includes planting of commercially-valuable hardwood species. Establishment and growth of fruit- and nut-producing small tree and native shrub species has not been studied for reforestation plantings on surface mines. Though these species are not generally planted as part of forestry reclamation, they are commonly found in forest ecosystems of WV and are often an important component, …

On Some Parabolic Type Problems From Thin Film Theory And Chemical Reaction-Diffusion Networks, Fatma Naser Ali Mohamed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation considers some parabolic type problems from thin film theory and chemical reaction-diffusion networks. The dissertation consists of two parts:;In the first part, we study the evolution of a thin film of fluid modeled by the lubrication approximation for thin viscous films. We prove an existence of (dissipative) strong solutions for the Cauchy problem when the sub-diffusive exponent ranges between 3/8 and 2; then we show that these solutions tend to zero at rates matching the decay of the source-type self-similar solutions with zero contact angle. We introduce the weaker concept of dissipative mild solutions and we show that, …

Physical Property Modeling Of Solvent-Based Carbon Capture Processes With Uncertainty Quantification And Validation With Pilot Plant Data, Joshua Cole Morgan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The US DOE's Carbon Capture Simulation Initiative (CCSI) has a strong focus on the development of state of the art process models to accelerate the development and commercialization of post-combustion carbon capture system technologies. One of CCSI's goals is the development of a rigorous process model that may serve as a definitive reference for benchmarking the performance of solvent-based CO2 capture systems, using aqueous monoethanolamine (MEA) as a baseline. Among the requirements of this process model is the development of its component submodels (e.g. physical properties) from relevant bench-scale data. Moreover, the process model must take into account parametric uncertainty …

An Area-Based Calculation Of The Analysis Of Roof Bolt Systems (Arbs), Aanand Nandula

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this research is to develop a software tool, which will assist in the area-wide calculation of ARBS while incorporating more detailed/accurate stress, varying CMRR and intersection span inputs. This tool imports the overburden, abutment and multiple-seam stresses as obtained by the boundary-element program LaModel and is converts them to a "pseudo-depth" which is used as the depth input to the ARBS calculations. In addition, available geologic data at the mine can be used to determine an area-based CMRR, and mine design information can be used to determine an area-based intersection span for input to the calculation. This …

Deep Features Based Hierarchical Classification Scheme For Face Recognition In Heterogeneous Environments, Neeru Narang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation investigates the advantages and limitations of the heterogeneous problem of matching infrared long-range, night time face images against their visible counterparts. The contributions of the thesis are three-fold. First, a multifeature scenario dependent fusion scheme is developed, where Gabor Wavelets, Histogram of gradients (HOG) and Local binary patterns (LBP) feature descriptors are empirically selected. Next, a set of fusion score level schemes are developed and applied before face matching. The developed fusion scheme results in 54 percent point (pp) higher recognition performance than the baseline established using a commercial and a set of academic face matchers. Second, to …

Using A Species Distribution Model And Site-Specific Microclimatic Variables To Model Presence Of Spodic Soil Properties And Relative Occurrence Rate Of Picea Rubens (Red Spruce) To Inform Red Spruce Management, Adrienne Nottingham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Red spruce restoration efforts in the central Appalachians are of interest to land managers because of the reduced current extent and the numerous ecosystem services provided by red spruce forests. These land managers require information regarding the best places to focus restoration efforts. Studies attempting to locate optimal locations for red spruce restoration have been conducted to in the central Appalachians, most of which utilize modeling. In particular, podzolization, a soil formation pathway present under conifer vegetation in the central Appalachians has been used to help select areas for red spruce restoration. The effectiveness of using recent podzolization (as evidenced …

An In Vivo Evaluation Of Pulmonary Immune Response And Toxicity Following Combined Respiratory Exposure To Crystalline Silica And Diesel Particulate Matter, Breanne Yingling Farris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Crystalline silica (SIL) and diesel particulate matter (DPM) are each well-recognized for their potential to cause pulmonary toxicity following inhalation. However, these particulates have also been identified as coexisting in mixtures of respirable aerosols at a variety of industrial settings: mining, oil and gas extraction, construction, road construction, tunneling, excavation, foundry, and sandblasting. In order to characterize the potential for increased pulmonary health effects when these particulates are inhaled in a mixture, a battery of acute and subacute in vivo exposure studies were conducted. The current studies examined co-exposure to SIL and DPM at doses that were derived from field …

An Investigation Of Factors Affecting Willingness To 'Introduce The Elephant In The Room', Mackenzie Michael Festa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One way of maintaining the quality of an accounting firm's practice is for its professionals to speak up when violation of policies and procedures is perceived or observed. Accounting firms operate as a high performance workplace, which can produce an abusive supervisory environment. I employ a quasi-experimental methodology to explore how accountants respond to a violation of policies and procedures when an abusive supervisor is present. I examine how the presence of a mentoring relationship independent of the supervisory assignment influences the protege's willingness to voice a perceived violation. The findings indicate that abusive supervisory behaviors suppress voicing behaviors of …

Information Centric Strategies For Scalable Data Transport In Cyber Physical Systems (Cpss), Ajay Krishna Teja Kavuri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) represent the next generation of computing that is ubiquitous, wireless and intelligent. These networked sens- ing systems are at the intersection of sensing, communication, control, and computing [16]. Such systems will have applications in numerous elds such as vehicular systems and transportation, medical and health care systems, smart homes and buildings, etc. The proliferation of such sensing systems will trigger an exponential increase in the computational devices that exchange data over existing network infrastructure.;Transporting data at scale in such systems is a challenge [21] mainly due to the underlying network infrastructure which is still resource con- strained …

Aggregating Deep Features For Image Retrieval, Mohammad Eiad Kazkaz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Measuring visual similarity between two images is useful in several multimedia applications such as visual search and image retrieval. However, measuring visual similarity between two images is an ill-posed problem which makes it a challenging task.This problem has been tackled extensively by the computer vision and machine learning communities. Nevertheless, with the recent advancements in deep learning, it is now possible to design novel image representations that allow systems to measure visual similarity more accurately than existing and widely adopted approaches, such as Fisher vectors. Unfortunately, deep-learning-based visual similarity approaches typically require post-processing stages that can be computationally expensive. To …

Amplifier Design For Underground Anomaly Detection Using Naturally Occurring Ultra Low Frequencies, Dakota James Kirby

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Most high-frequency signals are unable to penetrate the Earth's surface and lower frequencies have a much higher chance of penetrating the surface. Ultra-low frequencies can be used to penetrate the Earth's crust, but the frequency and background noise are a large problem that prevents from detecting these low frequency signals. This thesis describes the design for a small and lightweight low-frequency amplifier that can receive low voltage signals and amplify them to a level that could be used to do further analysis. The proposed amplifier design was capable of handling inputs as low as 1 muV and amplifying them to …

Investigation Of Energy Consumption And Characteristics Of A Battery Electric Vehicle, Jacob Hill

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electric vehicles are becoming more popular for manufacturers as emissions restrictions for internal combustion engine (ICE) powered vehicles become tighter. The primary objective of this study was to characterize a battery electric vehicle (BEV) with respect to energy consumption as well as emissions from the battery or propulsion system. It was also desired to compare the BEV to internal combustion engine (ICE) powered vehicles in its class considering greenhouse gases, as well as energy economy, miles per gallon (MPG), and miles per gallon equivalent (MPGge) efficiency.;Tesla is a forerunner in BEVs. The approach they took in making their battery pack …

Developing A Smart Proxy For Predicting The Fluid Dynamic In Dambreak Flow Simulation By Using Artificial Intelligence, Seyed Sina Hosseini Boosari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Multiphase flow simulations are essential methods for providing information such as the evolution of phase fraction (gas, liquid and solid), velocities, pressure, temperature and flow regimes at every time during a process. Dynamic flow simulations also help reservoir, drilling, and production engineers to develop a proper well design. DamBreak problem is one of the most well-known problems in computational fluid dynamics (CFD); it is a dynamic hydraulic phenomena and the numerical simulation requires sophisticated mathematical modeling. OpenFOAM, is used to run CFD simulations in this thesis.;One of the main issues in CFD is that the simulations are time-consuming. In this …

Dynamic Model And Estimator Development For A Smart Refractory Brick With Embedded Wireless Sensors For Gasifier Applications, Qiao Huang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The operating temperature is one of the most important variables for gasifier operation. A higher temperature can shorten the service life of the refractory lining. A lower temperature can reduce the extent of carbon conversion and disrupt the flow of molten slag in a slagging gasifier. Therefore temperature is one of the most important variable in a gasifier. In slagging gasifiers, molten slag can penetrate into the refractory lining leading to refractory spallation, undesired downtime, and costly replacement. Even though the temperature and extent of slag penetration are extremely important for the gasifier operation, they cannot be measured reliably by …

Effect Of Non-Equidiffusivity On Premixed Flame Propagation In Obstructed Channels, Gbolahan Idowu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Continuous fire safety hazards stimulate in-depth learning and understanding of what causes an initially slow premixed flame (deflagration) front to accelerate and eventually detonate. Such flame acceleration (FA) and deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) are intriguing phenomena that have both fundamental interests and practical relevance. On one hand, it is the desire to prevent FA and DDT to avoid or, at least, mitigate unwanted explosions or fires. On the other hand, FA and DDT can be utilized, constructively, in the novel energy-efficient combustion technologies such as micro-combustors, pulse-detonation or rotation-detonation engines. A flame accelerates in tubes or channels, with acceleration being most …

Wildlife In An Anthropogenically-Driven World: How Humans Have Shaped The Distribution, Genetic Composition, And Gene Expression Of North American Forest Hawks (Genus: Accipiter), Meghan K. Jensen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Humans are causing drastic environmental change on a global scale and this trend strongly influences the evolution of species. It is also becoming clear that tolerances to anthropogenic disturbance varies widely among organisms. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms by which wildlife cope with humans is a pressing question in modern ecology. North America's forest raptors (Genus: Accipiter) are a useful model for investigating the effects of humans on wildlife species. All three Accipiter species experienced historic demographic declines as a result of anthropogenic activities, yet each species has rebounded differently since these declines. One species in particular is now exploiting urban …

Evaluation Of Energy Efficiency Performance Of Heated Windows, Hari Swarup Jammulamadaka

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study about the evaluation of the performance of the heated windows was funded by the WVU Research Office as a technical assistance award at the 2014 TransTech Energy Business Development Conference to the Green Heated Glass company/project owned by Frank Dlubak. The award supports a WVU researcher to conduct a project important for commercialization. This project was awarded to the WVU Industrial Assessment Center in 2015.;The current study attempted to evaluate the performance of the heated windows by developing an experimental setup to test the window at various temperatures by varying the current input to the window. The heated …

Simulation Of Venturi Tube Design For Column Flotation Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Wan Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Froth flotation is one of the most important methods in mineral processing. Previous studies have found that using cavitation bubbles reduces both energy consumption and operating costs. Hydrodynamic cavitation is the most economical method used for creating tiny bubbles for flotation. In this study, the efficiency of cavitation bubble generating devices and their geometry design is analyzed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD).;To optimize the geometric design of the venturi tube, a response surface method was conducted for evaluating the effect of six important parameters affecting the efficiency of the venturi tube. Critical velocities of cavitation of different designs were compared. …

Empirical Genetic Algorithm Parameter Tuning Concerning The Synthesis Of Combinational Logic Circuits, Joshua Ward

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study identifies optimal parameter values for a genetic algorithm used in the synthesis of combinational logic circuits. Parameters used to obtain an initial solution circuit are examined as well as parameters used to optimize solution circuits. Finding an initial solution circuit was done using a fitness function that was less influential while optimizing solution circuits used a stronger fitness function. This allowed parameters to be studied under very different circumstances. It was discovered that parameters which maintained a higher genetic diversity and strayed farther from the concept of "Survival of the Fittest" produced better results in general.

Performance Practice And Overview Of Selected Piano Works Of Barbara Kolb, Chiao Su Joyce Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Barbara Kolb (b. 1939), one of the many lesser-known American avant-gardes, composed several unique works that symbolize what we consider American Art Music of late 1970s. Kolb survived with short periods of college institutional teaching and sustained her musical life mostly with commissions, scholarships, and award recognitions for her tremendous compositional output. The biographical information in this study gives several perspectives of Kolb's personal life: her persistence to pursue a career in music and also to maintain a private life. To serve as a reference for piano instructors or performers, this work journals performance challenges, options, and technical concerns with …

Precise Point Positioning Inertial Navigation Integration For Kinematic Airborne Applications, Ryan Watson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

UAVs have the potential for autonomous airborne remote sensing applications that require rapid response to natural hazards (e.g. volcano eruptions, earthquakes). As these applications require very accurate positioning, tightly coupled Global Positioning System (GPS) Precise Point Positioning (PPP) Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) are an attractive method to perform real-time aircraft positioning. In particular, PPP can achieve a level of positioning accuracy that is similar to Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS, without the need of a relatively close GPS reference station. However, the PPP method is known to converge to accurate positioning estimate more slowly when compared to RTK, a drawback of …

An Insulating Constriction Dielectrophoresis Based Microfluidic Device For Protein Biomolecules Concentration, Peng Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sample enrichment or molecules concentration has been considered as an essential step for sample processing and biomarker detection recently in many applications involving miniaturized devices aiming at biosensing and bioanalysis, including the development of specialized tests for the detection of specific proteins and antibodies in human blood with the help of microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip devices. Among all the means involved to achieve this aim, dielectrophoresis (DEP) is increasingly employed in molecule manipulation and concentration because it is non-destructive and ensures high efficiency. However, there are still constraints on implementing the required functions using the dielectrophoresis technique in the devised micro-scale …

Selected Topics In Image Super-Resolution: Guided Image And Learning Representation, Wentian Zhou

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Obtaining high-resolution images is a fundamental challenge for many vision related tasks. It is highly desirable to develop effective and efficient super-resolution algorithms to enhance the spatial resolution of acquired images. However, estimating high-resolution images is an ill-posed problem where a large set of possible solutions exist. To make this inverse problem more tractable, it is often necessary to constrain the targeted high-resolution image with a priori information (i.e., in model-based approaches) or to assume the availability of additional training data (i.e., in learning-based approaches). In this dissertation, we propose to (i) use simultaneous-sparse-coding and machine learning techniques to incorporate …

Modeling, Simulation And Decentralized Control Of Islanded Microgrids, Farideh Doost Mohammadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Modeling, Simulation and Decentralized Control of Islanded Microgrids by Farideh Doost Mohammadi This thesis develops a comprehensive modular state-space model of microgrids containing inverter-based Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). The model is validated and then used for small signal stability enhancement and voltage and frequency control. State space models of various microgrid elements are first derived, which allow for the inclusion of any possible elements such as current controlled inverters that are missing in the literature. Then a complete state space model is obtained to complement the models that are available in the literature and whose objectives are system analysis only …

Analysis Of The Production Data From Marcellus Shale Wells, Amanda Parrish

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The increasingly prevalent practice of unconventional technologies has called for the need for the critical analysis of production decline rates to meet economic targets. The high early time production returns and transient flow make matching a production curve to known methods of decline curve analysis problematic.

This research focuses on finding a technique that best fits a known production curve and then applying that technique to another well to check its accuracy. The goal is to find the earliest time of production data necessary to predict an accurate production curve over the lifespan of the well. This is essential to …

Hydraulics And Well Control Complications In Unconventional Shale Laterals, Tawfik A Elshehabi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Deep Extragalactic Neutral Hydrogen Surveys With The Green Bank Telescope, Nickolas M Pingel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.