Implementation Of A Neural Network Execution Framework For Generalized And Cross-Platform Deep Learning Deployment And Inference On Spacecraft Systems, Rafael Polanco Segovia

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent advances in hardware and software technology have made it possible to implement more resource-demanding deep learning algorithms in constrained hardware environments. This creates opportunities to use deep learning for aerospace applications on increasingly smaller aerospace vehicles. This work presents the implementation of a Neural Network Execution Framework (NNEF), which aims to provide a cross-platform and reusable framework to deploy and execute trained neural networks for deep learning aerospace applications. The NNEF executes any neural network inference process regardless of the original deep learning framework in which it was created, for supported flight software platforms, and space-like computer boards. Users …

Green Bank Chime/Frb Outriggers Commissioning And Analog System Development, Kholoud Sharif Tag Alkhatem Khairy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The main objective of this thesis is to document the development and commissioning of the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment. (CHIME) outrigger at the Green Bank Observatory. (GBO) in Green Bank, WV. This novel cylindrical wide-field radio transient telescope is currently operating in conjunction with CHIME. The CHIME outrigger at GBO aims to contribute significantly to the field of radio astronomy, with implications for both Fast Radio Burst. (FRB) science and broader astronomical research. The construction and commissioning of the CHIME outrigger at the GBO mark a pivotal step forward in pursuing high-precision wide-field detection and localization of radio transients, …

Watershed-Level Survey Of Antimicrobial Resistance From Onsite Wastewater Systems, Trey Franklin Clark

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has quickly become one of the largest global health and development threats. Research related to environmental modes of transmission of AMR has accelerated in recent years, and the US Environmental Protection Agency is particularly interested in this emerging contaminant. Knowledge of how onsite (decentralized) wastewater treatment systems contribute to this issue is lacking, so this research serves to analyze and quantify the environmental dissemination of AMR and fecal contamination from these sources at a watershed level while using statistical analysis to assess relationships between physiochemical, spatial, and sampling parameters. This research surveyed four watersheds …

Development Of Novel Carbohydrate-Based Nanoparticles For Precision Drug Delivery, Krystal Ann Hughes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nanoparticle-based drug delivery has made tremendous advancements in the last decade. However, several critical factors, including precision drug delivery at the site of interest, long-term storage stability, and controlling release profiles of drugs in the systemic circulation, need to be addressed for successful clinical translation of nanomedicine. This dissertation presents novel carbohydrate-based nanoparticles that achieve precise intracellular delivery and therapeutic release at the disease site. We present the formulation and optimization of polymeric and polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles that enable precision intracellular delivery and passive accumulation of therapeutics in the bone marrow. Intracellular delivery is highly impactful and sought after. One …

Three Essays On Sustainability Economics, Hélène Flore Nguemgaing

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As global economies face increasing resource dependencies and supply chain challenges, it becomes essential to understand the vulnerabilities that threaten economic stability. This dissertation investigates three empirical issues in agribusiness and critical minerals using econometric models to estimate the following: 1) the impact of supply chain disruptions on stock market returns during COVID-19; 2) the extraction of rare earth elements from acid mine drainage treatment by investigating the impacts of ownership and legislation in West Virginia and Pennsylvania; 3) China-to�FOBb (Free-on-Board) price transmission in rare earth elements markets: a copula-based dynamic tail dependence analysis.

The first essay evaluates how events …

Influence Of Deck Area And Average Daily Traffic On The Deterioration Of Bridge Superstructures., Faysal Ahamed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are responsible for maintaining approximately 623,000 bridges across the United States. Effective bridge management requires a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing structural deterioration. Numerous studies have explored the effects of average daily traffic (ADT) and deck area (DA) on bridge deck deterioration. Given the interdependence between bridge decks and superstructures, it is plausible that ADT and DA significantly influence superstructure condition ratings and deterioration trends. However, their impact on superstructures remains insufficiently studied. In addition, existing studies primarily focus on overall bridge deterioration without adequately differentiating between superstructure designs and materials and maintenance authorities. …

Molecular Insights Into The Impact Of Bone Marrow Stroma, Cb-6644 Inhibition Of The Ruvbl1/2 Complex, And Cebpβ On Regulating Drug Sensitivity In Multiple Myeloma, Sebastian Adam Dziadowicz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Multiple myeloma (MM), is a hematological cancer originating in plasma cells. Currently multiple myeloma represents a significant clinical challenge due its incurable nature mainly due to inevitable drug resistance. MM is characterized by abnormal plasma cell proliferation within the bone marrow and production of abnormal immunoglobulin resulting in a plethora of physiological abnormalities. Although a rare malignancy, MM accounts for 1% of all cancers and currently has five-year survival rate of around 50%. Utilizing a combination of laboratory experiments and bioinformatics techniques, this dissertation examines multiple layers of MM physiology in the context of regulating drug resistance or sensitivity. First, …

An Epidemiological Study Of Finger, Hand, And Wrist Injuries In The Department Of Air Force And Us Workers, Melody Kay Gwilliam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

An Epidemiological Study of Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries in the Department of Air Force and US workers

Melody Gwilliam

Background and Objectives: Fingers, hands, and wrists (FHW) are the leading injured body parts in work-related injuries in the United States (U.S.) and in the U.S. Department of the Air Force (DAF). There has been limited research on risk factors for FHW injuries. Workers across all industries are at risk for these injuries. The objectives of these studies are to 1) describe and compare FHW injuries among enlisted, officer, and civilian U.S. Department of the Air Force (DAF) …

Framework For Development Environment Selection In Digital Twin Applications, Carlos Dodero Fernandez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Digital Twin (DT) technology, a cornerstone of Industry 4.0, facilitates real-time synchronization between virtual models and physical manufacturing systems, enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making. However, its widespread adoption is hindered by the absence of standardized methods for selecting Development Environments (DEs) for DTs, compounded by challenges in cost, interoperability, and connectivity with Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) protocols. This thesis proposes a Systematic Selection Framework to address this gap, offering a structured methodology to evaluate DEs based-on visualization quality, scalability, interoperability, and cost-effectiveness for manufacturing applications. The framework categorizes and compares sixteen DEs into Game Engines, Robotics Engines, and Simulation …

Efficient And Test-Time Adaptive Visual Object Tracking In The Wild, Ram J. Zaveri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tracking a single object, given the location at the first frame, has been an ongoing challenge in the vision community for decades. Most recent approaches provide reasonably good performance, especially when benchmarked on in-distribution (ID) datasets, i.e., on the testing portion of the same datasets used for training. However, they incur high computational costs and hardware constraints, making their deployment in the wild for mobile, autonomous, and IoT applications still challenging. Efficient visual trackers address the efficiency aspect of such bottlenecks; however, they tend to overfit to their training distributions and lack generalization abilities, resulting in them performing well on …

Delineating Underground Geological Formations: An Integrated Lidar And Camera-Based Approach For Enhanced Feature Identification In Poorly Lit Mining Environments, Timothy James Batchler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Underground mining environments present challenges in accurately identifying geological formations and potential hazards due to poor lighting conditions and confined spaces. Traditional imaging methods often fall short, making it difficult to detect critical geological features such as limestone, shale, and other rock formations. This research addresses these challenges by integrating camera imagery with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data to improve geological formation detection in poorly lit mining settings.

LiDAR, with its ability to generate high-resolution three-dimensional models in low-light or dark conditions, offers a promising solution to these limitations. By combining LiDAR’s precise 3D models with camera imagery, the …

Computational Approaches For Diagnosing Neurological Impairments And Restoring Functional Movement, Serhii Bahdasariants

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Movement is the primary means by which the nervous system converts intention into interaction with the environment. Voluntary limb motion enables standing, walking, reaching, and grasping—actions that underpin self‑care, communication, and economic participation. When diseases or injuries disrupt the pathways that couple neural commands to muscle forces—whether through cortical stroke, spinal cord injury, or peripheral nerve damage—mechanical outcomes such as weakness, loss of coordination, and ultimately reduced mobility emerge. These impairments cascade into secondary complications, increased dependence on caregivers, and diminished quality of life. Quantifying how the lesion alters the mechanics of movement is therefore essential for designing targeted interventions …

Efficacy Of Salmonella Surrogate Enterococcus Faecium In Poultry And Mash Broiler Feed, Corey Waitman Coe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation investigates the efficacy of Enterococcus faecium as a surrogate for Salmonella in validating thermal inactivation processes during poultry feed manufacturing and meat processing. The research encompassed three studies evaluating microbial kinetics in mash broiler feed, reconstructed ground chicken, and predictive modeling approaches to improve food safety interventions. In the first study, the thermal resistance of nalidixic acid-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium and E. faecium was compared in mash broiler feed heated at 75–95°C. Results demonstrated that E. faecium exhibited significantly greater heat resistance than Salmonella, with longer shoulder times, greater tailing effects, and higher D-values, supporting its use as …

Modeling And Simulation Of Carbon-Neutral Strategies For Methanol Production, Omar Almaraz Barrios

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Methanol is a versatile chemical that can be used as a fuel, a solvent, a feedstock for other chemicals, and a hydrogen carrier. Methanol production from natural gas, which is mainly composed of methane, is a well-established process that involves steam reforming, methanol synthesis, and methanol purification. However, this process is energy-intensive and emits large amounts of carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming and climate change. Therefore, there is a need for alternative methods of methanol production that are more efficient and environmentally friendly. The overall objective of this research is to develop simulation models of two novel methanol …

Long-Term Trends In Brook Trout Production And Large Wood In West Virginia Headwater Streams, Halden D. Edwards

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Projects which monitor long-term trends in ecosystems are uncommon but extremely important in the management of fish and wildlife populations. By assessing the health of a population or community over multiple temporal scales, these projects provide true insight into population success that cannot be elucidated through short-term studies. Long-term projects are also instrumental in assessing the effects of disturbance events as they provide valuable baseline information which can be compared to data collected post-disturbance. Even more importantly, long-term studies can help identify crucial changes in the health and success of imperiled and invaluable species to improve and focus conservation efforts. …

Dynamically Scaling Biomimetic Robots Through Parallel Viscoelastic Actuators, Foster Olaf Holmquist

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Robots provide a unique proving ground for testing scientists’ understanding of neuromuscular systems. Synergistically, mimicking biological control laws and mechanics could offer robotics the robust and adaptive locomotion of animals. Previous work has utilized the wealth of research on insect biomechanics to develop scaled robotic models but doing so presented a problem: while these robots’ larger scale has simplified manufacturing, the scale has also shifted its mechanics from those of the modeled organisms. While animals walk, forces are generated that describe their mechanics and influence motor control. The musculoskeletal structure and stretch of muscles result in viscous and elastic forces, …

Reactive Model-Free Control For Underactuated Vehicles Operating In Resource-Constrained Environments, Austin Lane Sponaugle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Buoyancy-driven, underactuated vehicles offer a compelling solution for long-duration autonomous operations in constrained environments. By leveraging buoyancy to generate lift, these vehicles can remain aloft for extended periods with minimal power requirements, making them well-suited for applications in atmospheric monitoring, planetary exploration, and communications. However, their limited actuation authority, strong coupling with environmental forces, and operating domains introduce significant control challenges, including nonlinearity, sensitivity to external disturbances, and limited observability.

This work investigates the design and implementation of lightweight, reactive model-free control strategies that enable robust autonomy in such constrained settings. A digital Extremum Seeking Controller (ESC) is first implemented …

Comparative Analysis Of Electrode Encapsulation Reliability: Planar Vs. Thermoformed Interdigitated Neural Electrodes In Biomedical Engineering, Tatum Peyerl

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Durable dielectric encapsulation is crucial for the long-term function of implantable neural electrodes; however, the reliability of curved, thermoformed coatings remains underexplored. This study addresses that gap by comparing planar (non-thermoformed) and thermoformed interdigitated neural electrodes (IDEs) encapsulated in Polyimide-2611. Both device types underwent accelerated in vitro aging in phosphate‑buffered saline (PBS) at 67 °C for approximately 91 days, simulating two years of physiological exposure. Post-accelerated aging evaluation included electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) from 0.1 Hz to 100 kHz to monitor moisture‑induced leakage, and high‑voltage breakdown testing under saline immersion to assess dielectric strength. After aging, all electrodes maintained impedance …

Demonstrating The Potential Of Biophilic Design, Sustainable Site Initiatives, And Regenerative Landscape Design To Transform Neglected And Underutilized Spaces Into Vibrant, Eco-Friendly Hubs In Mckeesport Pennsylvania., Chinweuba Stephen Kikanme

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

McKeesport is a city located along Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, about 13 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It is part of the River metropolitan area. McKeesport, once a thriving center of steel production, is now facing significant challenges associated with industrial decline, urban blight, flood hazard, population decline, brownfield sites and environmental degradation. However, the transformation of neglected spaces within the city into sustainable and vibrant urban hubs offers a powerful opportunity for revitalization. By incorporating natural elements such as green roofs, urban agriculture, and native plant restoration, this project seeks to create spaces that not only …

From Bobcat To Bursts: Multi-Messenger Constraints On Supermassive Black Holes And Binaries, Jessica Sydnor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) are a natural consequence of hierarchical galaxy formation and evolution. When galaxies merge, their central supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are expected to form bound pairs that evolve from kiloparsec to sub-parsec separations under the influence of dynamical friction, stellar scattering, and gas dynamics. Ultimately, these SMBHs reach the regime where gravitational wave emission dominates and drives the final inspiral and coalescence. Understanding the formation, evolution, and observational signatures of SMBHBs is critical to advancing multi-messenger astrophysics, particularly in the era of pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) and the upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), which opens …

Leveraging Physiological Signal Activity And Self-Report Data To Assess Students’ Trust In “My Friendly Mind” App And Its Impact On Their Mental Health Knowledge: A Mixed-Method Phase 1 Clinical Trial Focusing On Depression And Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder From Human Factors Standpoint., Yeganeh Shahsavar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mental health issues have become a significant global public health concern, especially among younger generations. The growing number of mental health challenges, combined with limited access to quality care, makes the problem even worse. Studies reveal that over 70% of individuals worldwide in need of mental health services do not receive appropriate care. Digital health technologies have the potential to enhance mental health services by making them more accessible and affordable. Despite the increasing popularity of mental health mobile applications (mHealth), there remains a lack of robust evidence of their effectiveness and the level of user trust, particularly in areas …

White Paper And Black Water: Environmental Control Of Labor In Appalachian Paper Mill Communities, Matthew C. Powell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In several small Appalachian communities, the West Virginia Pulp & Paper Company dominated the local landscape. The company stripped the mountainsides of spruce trees for pulpwood and used rivers for industrial processes and waste disposal. The small towns along these rivers and between these mountains relied on paper mills for employment. Corporate control over the natural environment, and water more specifically, was a necessary requirement for paper production, but also acted as a source of power over employees and their communities. When paper workers sought to organize, the company responded by leveraging their control over the environment against them to …

The Effect Of Carrier Type And Material Used On Results Of 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane Application To Teeth, Jonathon Logan Williams Dds

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: The formulation of a pulpal diagnosis is crucial to prescribe appropriate treatment recommendations for endodontics. The application of a cold stimulus to the tooth’s surface utilizing the refrigerant 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (R-134a) is a common way to obtain a pulpal diagnosis. Cotton as a form of applicator is used to absorb the R-134a and create a temperature change in the pulp. There is limited research if there is a better material than cotton to generate this cold response. No studies to date have been found to determine if a sponge as an applicator would generate a more significant cold response than …

Repeatability And Reproducibility Of Minutiae Mark-Up, Lyrek Lockley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study investigated the repeatability and reproducibility of minutiae mark-up. The use of fingerprints as a mode of identification has been around for thousands of years with contributions from figures like Sir William Hershel, Thomas Taylor, Henry Faulds, Sir Francis Galton and many more. Latent fingerprint impressions can be deposited by the perpetrator of a crime on a variety of surfaces at a crime scene. Many times, fingerprints are the most widely recovered and used evidence from a crime scene. Once fingerprints are collected, they go through the analysis, comparison, evaluation, and verification (ACE-V) process. This study will focus on …

Simulation Of Annpet For Neural Network Training And System Performance Benchmarking, Pete Martone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Monte Carlo (MC) simulations are often used to provide insight into complex physical phenomenon. They can generate realistic results without the necessity to construct costly and complex apparatus. The ultimate value of these simulations depend on how accurately the physics can be modeled and if a sufficient volume can be produced to account for statistical variance. In medical imaging device development, MC simulations of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners have typically been used to model the performance of new systems. The imaging group in the Department of Radiology have developed a unique detector design for a pre- clinical PET scanner …

Reclaiming Revolutionary Relics: How Nineteenth-Century Americans Used George Washington’S Objects To Understand The Civil War, Abbi E. Smithmyer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

By combining cultural, memory, and material culture studies, this dissertation examines the ways objects associated with George Washington became instruments within the proxy war over whether the United States or the Confederacy best represented the American Revolutionary era’s principal values of liberty and equality. Exploring monuments, statues, historic homes, relics, and mementoes, as well as antebellum speeches and schoolbooks, letters, diaries, military orders, newspapers, and memoirs, this work demonstrates how the relics linked to Washington and the nation’s founding shaped how the Civil War generation thought about America’s past.

The 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States has …

Nuclear Reactions: Making Sense Of The Accident At Three Mile Island, Jordan Emily Bennett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis examines the causes and consequences of the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island in March of 1979. First detailing the event, this thesis then examines activist narratives following the accident, with a particular focus on women’s “motherist” activism in the community outside the plant, before turning to questions of memory and the creation of a public memory of survivorship in the community surrounding the plant. In considering these questions, this thesis seeks to shed light on the differences between official and communal narratives of the accident in an effort to understand the impacts that the partial meltdown at …

Improving Large Scale Face Recognition With Identity Codes, Mohammad Saeed Ebrahimi Saadabadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite significant advances in deep face recognition, current systems face several practical challenges in real-world scenarios. These include high computational cost of training on large-scale datasets, inefficient use of metric space, and mismatch between training and evaluation frameworks. This dissertation addresses these limitations through three completed studies. The first part presents a research effort aimed at addressing the computational bottlenecks of large-scale FR training. This work proposes a framework that replaces conventional scalar identity labels with structured identity codes, \ie, sequences of tokens optimized to preserve semantic and metric separation. The formulation is designed to reduce the computational cost of …

Non-Lethal Sampling Methods For Fish Health Assessments Using Smallmouth Bass Micropterus Dolomieu, Lindsey Nicole Hartzell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the early 2000s, fish kills of different species, including smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu, were reported in areas of the Potomac River drainage, including the Shenandoah River in Virginia. Since the first reports of fish kills and lesions affecting smallmouth bass, they have continued to show signs of adverse health effects. Additionally, in some areas of the Potomac River drainage, population declines have occurred, and lethal sampling is discouraged. To develop a holistic, integrative approach to assess fish health, Smallmouth Bass were collected and sampled using non-lethal techniques at three sites within the Shenandoah River drainage, VA and one …

Neural Network-Based Image Compression, Atefeh Khoshkhahtinat

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The rapid advancement of information technology and the exponential growth of digital communication have significantly increased the demand for efficient data compression techniques that reduce storage requirements, minimize bandwidth consumption, and accelerate data transmission—without substantially compromising data quality. This dissertation addresses these challenges by investigating and developing advanced learned image compression (LIC) methods, with a particular focus on lossy compression for both natural images and scientific imagery obtained from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission. Traditional image compression standards—such as JPEG, JPEG2000, BPG, and HEVC—rely on manually engineered transforms and heuristic rules, which often lack the adaptability required to accommodate …