Digital Commons Network^™

Regional Correlation And Depositional History Using Well Log And Core Data Of The Middle Devonian Marcellus Poseidon 8m Well, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Usa, Emily R. Jackson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Marcellus Shale is the largest natural gas producing formation in the Appalachian basin, and as such, presents a unique opportunity for continued research on an area that is critical to meeting the energy needs of the current society. Although the Marcellus has historically been extensively researched, acquisition of well log and core data from the Marcellus Poseidon 8M well in Westmoreland County, PA, allows for application of a new method of data integration, which was utilized in this project to specifically understand the depositional environment and create a correlation with other study wells throughout the basin. This integration was …

A Case Study Investigating Therapy Methods Used By Speech Language Pathologists Working With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Julia Byers Van Volkenburg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was an in-depth examination of the experiences of five speech language pathologists (SLPs) working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) during language therapy sessions. This case study aimed to better understand the various therapy techniques being used by the SLPs through interviews and a reflective journal kept by the researcher. It also sought to examine the ways those therapy techniques may have included creative dramatics. Through thematic analysis, major and minor themes emerged from the interviews. The main theme of the study was the importance of individualizing therapy for students with ASD. Individualizing therapy was supported by …

Population Genetics Of A Reintroduced Fisher (Pekania Pennanti) Population In West Virginia, Caroline E. Harms

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fishers (Pekania pennanti) were reintroduced in West Virginia in 1969 with no population wide genetic analysis ever having been conducted. Genetic analysis of reintroduced populations is vital to assess genetic diversity as an indicative of population viability. My objective was to collect fisher samples throughout West Virginia, nearby states where fisher may be migrating (PA and NY), and the New Hampshire source population to provide a full genetic interpretation of the reintroduced West Virginia population. Genetic analysis was used to measure genetic diversity, admixture or delineation of subpopulations, and effective population size. Sample location and genetic data were …

Natural Gas Conversion To Value-Added Chemicals By Microwave Catalytic Processes, Brandon Robinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ethane is the second-largest component in natural gas and is typically separated out to minimize condensation in the pipelines. The technical difficulties and cost associated with the transportation and the storage of ethane have led companies to start burning natural gas to produce power or flaring which attributes to the global CO₂ emission problem. The conversion of ethane to higher-value liquid products is of increasing importance so that the natural gas can be safely utilized and cost-effectively transported. Existing commercial technologies used to convert ethane to liquid chemical products are typically based on the indirect syngas route, such as …

“The Entire Army Says Hello”: Common Soldiers’ Experiences, Localism, And Army Reform In Britain And Prussia, 1739-1789, Alexander S. Burns

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation fundamentally questions the state of the field regarding militaries, state building, and narratives of modernity in the Kingdoms of Britain and Prussia. An examination of military stereotyping, common soldiers’ correspondence, religion, localism, and army reform all suggests that the British and Prussian militaries were mutually-intelligible and similar, not radically different. This similarity has broad implications for the modern history of these two European states. Britain was not on a straight road to whiggish parliamentary progress, and Prussia was not on a straight road to militarism and authoritarian rule. Rather, in second half of the eighteenth century, both of …

"A Long Life In Music:" The Career And Legacy Of Ann Schein, Anthony William Gray

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research paper is devoted to the life, career, teaching and legacy of the celebrated pianist Ann Schein. Having led a remarkable career spanning more than six decades, Schein was taught by such towering figures as Mieczysław Munz, Arthur Rubinstein and Dame Myra Hess and has in turn influenced countless musicians through her own teaching. This research paper includes a detailed portrait of Schein through a biography, an interview with Schein, and interviews with six of her former students from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University: Dr. Matthew Bengtson, Ms. Ya-Ting Chang, Dr. Inna Faliks, Dr. Mansoon Han …

Initial And Advanced Stages Of Microbiota Establishment Within The Tsetse Fly, Miguel Eduardo Medina Munoz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Symbiosis is a long-term physical association between two or more species, although little is known regarding its evolutionary origins, particularly at the genetic level. Tsetse flies are the vector of African trypanosomes, causative agents of Human and Animal African Trypanosomiases. Tsetse provide an ideal model for studying initial and advanced stages of symbiosis. Tsetse have a simple digestive tract microbiota primarily consisting of two bacteria; the ancient mutualist Wigglesworthia glossinidia and the recently acquired Sodalis glossinidius. This work presents a chronological study in evolutionary terms of the history of a microbial-insect association. First, I present concepts on symbiosis and …

Discriminative Stimulus Effects Of Cannabidiol Oil In Rats, Rebecca L. Chalme

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the major centrally active phytocannabinoid components of cannabis, and has been approved by the FDA only for the treatment of two rare seizure disorders. However, CBD has been touted as a potential treatment for anxiety in place of more traditional treatments like benzodiazepines. Although there is some evidence of anxiolytic effects of CBD, its suitability as a substitute for benzodiazepines is unknown. This experiment was designed to assess to what extent CBD shares interoceptive discriminative-stimulus properties with the anxiolytic chlordiazepoxide (CDP), a benzodiazepine. In the present experiment, a range of doses (0-333.3 mg/kg) of over-the-counter …

Evaluation Of Dental And Skeletal Changes With Sequential Distalization Of Maxillary Molars Using Clear Aligners: A Preliminary Study, Minh Phi Nguyen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Class II malocclusions can be treated with appliances such as the pendulum appliance or distal jets to distalize maxillary molars to achieve a Class I molar relationships. It is not clear in the literature whether these clear aligners can distalize maxillary molars, dental tipping, or translation. The objective was to evaluate the dental and skeletal changes in three planes spaces using CBCT scans and compare the treatment changes with a control group of subjects. Methods: Eight Class II division 1 malocclusions patients treated with maxillary molar distalization using clear aligners. Twelve molars were evaluated for tooth movement in three …

Single And Multi-Photon Laser Induced Fluorescence For Electric Thruster And Fusion Applications, Thomas E. Steinberger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Single and Multi-photon Laser Induced Fluorescence for Electric Thruster and Fusion Applications

Thomas Edward Steinberger

Laser-based diagnostics are increasingly sought after to investigate a variety of plasmas due to their non-perturbative capabilities. Specifically, laser induced fluorescence (LIF) provides a highly localized and precise spectroscopic technique to measure absolute density, temperature, and bulk flow. In this work, LIF and two-photon absorption laser induced fluorescence (TALIF) are used to investigate electric propulsion and fusion-relevant plasmas, respectively. Ion velocity distribution functions (IVDF) of singly ionized atomic iodine (I II) are measured for the first time and lineshape characteristics are presented for the diagnosis …

Speaking Music: A Historical Study Of Edwin Gordon's Music Learning Theory, David M. Alfred

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Music Learning Theory, conceived, researched, and developed by Dr. Edwin Elias Gordan, has been on the periphery of music education for decades and is the only extant comprehensive theoretical framework that fully addresses the development of music literacy from early childhood through maturity. The concurrent research gap suggests that a Fordist approach may exist throughout music education – one that insists upon behavioral goals, direct instruction, and educational, artistic, and ideological exclusivity. This historical study elucidates Gordan’s work in order to understand the stages and processes that are like spokes of a wheel between his idea of audiation at the …

A One-Session, Brief Acceptance And Commitment Therapy Workshop For Chronic Pain Patients: A One-Sample Pretest-Posttest Prospective Exploratory Study, Kelly Anne Thomas Ms

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chronic pain affects one in every four persons (NIH, 2010). For individuals residing in rural communities where chronic pain treatment is often not accessible (Artnak et al., 2011), a one-session brief mental health intervention is a critical healthcare need. More specifically, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for chronic pain is a novel treatment approach in need of more research (Society of Clinical Psychology, 2016). This current study contributes to the gap in the literature by implementing an ACT workshop in a rural healthcare setting for individuals with chronic pain. It was hypothesized that the workshop would increase adaptive coping mechanisms …

Enacting Sustainability In Footwear Product Development, Mary Samantha Hale

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The apparel and footwear industry's negative environmental impacts have companies facing scrutiny as consumer environmental consciousness increases (Brewer, 2019). Apparel and footwear companies are scrambling to develop sustainable initiatives with more consumers demanding they be held accountable for their actions. The industry has focused on recycling, raw materials sourcing, and reducing production waste during product development for more sustainable outcomes. This qualitative case study explores how sustainability as an abstract corporate initiative affects footwear companies and product development processes. The best way to explore how companies engage and execute sustainable practices in their product development process is by examining it …

Meeting The Mental Health Needs Of Student-Athletes: A Descriptive Study Of Practitioners And Their Perspectives, William C. Way Iii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Efforts are being made to promote mental health awareness and destigmatize help-seeking behavior among student-athletes (e.g., Kern et al., 2017). The availability and visibility of practitioners with specialized training in sport psychology can facilitate these efforts (e.g., Flowers, 2007; Carr, 2007; McDuff et al., 2005). However, some student-athletes have observed that the clinical sport psychology (CSP) practitioners who are available to them are being stretched thin (Way et al., 2020). In the context of collegiate mental health more broadly, many campus counseling centers are struggling to meet the demand for clinical services (e.g., Kafka, 2019). Research on the experiences and …

Development Of Collision Resilient Drone For Flying In Cluttered Environment, Al Mahmud

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The use of multi-rotor aerial vehicles, also known as drones, has increased significantly in the last decade due to their ease of use and applicability to an extended range of functions. Therefore, the importance of making these vehicles safe, for both themselves and the people around them, has also increased. A clear solution to this problem is the development of algorithms that generate collision-free paths using different sensors. However, even with such onboard computation, avoiding a collision is not always possible. Thus, the use of a protective structure (cage) around the aerial vehicle is a solution to keep it safe …

Accuracy Of Digital Impressions At Varying Implant Depths: An In-Vitro Study, Vivia Sequeira

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Implants placed at variable depths may vary the amount of visible scannable surface of a scan body. Intraoral scanner technology uses advanced optical principles to record the surface of the scan body to accurately capture the implant position.

Purpose: To investigate the effect implant placement depth has on the accuracy of digital implant impressions using an intraoral scanner.

Materials & Methods: A partially edentulous gypsum master model was fabricated to allow the positioning of a single implant analog at different depths. Four groups based on the planned implant depths of 0, 3, 6 and 7mm and corresponding visibility of …

Refining The Sedimentology And Geochemistry Of The Mid-Permian Blaine Formation Of The Rebecca K. Bounds Core From Greeley County, Kansas, Brigitte Petras

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Red siliciclastics and evaporites of Permian Nippewalla Group in mid-continental US were deposited in western equatorial Pangea. Previous studies of these rocks record Permian air temperatures as high as 73 °C, saline lake waters with a pH as low as ~1, and sedimentology that shows arid conditions. This current study conducts detailed sedimentological observations and geochemical analyses of the Blaine Formation of the Nippewalla Group. The Rebecca K. Bounds core from west-central Kansas is used to interpret the depositional environments and diagenetic history of the Blaine Formation.

The lithologies of the Blaine Formation, listed in order of most to least …

Valorization Of Xylan In Agroforestry Waste Streams, Harrison Appiah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Valorization of Xylan in Agroforestry Waste Streams.

Harrison Appiah

Microwave-assisted deep eutectic solvent and gamma-valerolactone metallic chloride catalyzed conversion of xylan to furfural were investigated using a 2x3 factorial experimental design at two levels of percent microwave power, reaction time, and catalyst concentration. The levels of each factor studied were (20%, 60% microwave power, 2, 4 minutes, and 10, 20mg) respectively. The effect of three metallic chloride catalysts (LiCl, FeCl3.6H20, CuCl2) on the conversion of xylan to furfural was also investigated. The gamma-valerolactone-ferric chloride sent system exhibited the highest mean yield of furfural (56.50%). The next highest furfural yield of …

The Joyful Path Of Lifelong Mastery Of The Piano, John Alan Rose

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Designed to function as a handbook for pianists, this research project is written in a friendly manner. Organized by theme, it contains a multiplicity of approaches that pianists at all levels can apply to their daily piano practice to help deepen the meaning and efficacy of their work. No matter what role the piano plays in your life, there is much in this document that will help you find joy as you discover new things about yourself through practicing the piano. From methods of practice to philosophies by established performers, this project has enough material to be kept within arm’s …

Identifying The Technical And Teacher Skills Needed By In-Service Teachers To Effectively Teach An Agricultural Mechanics Course In West Virginia, Coleton Todd Payne

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Agricultural mechanics remains one of the largest content sections in school-based agriculture education (SBAE). Therefore, in-service and pre-service teachers need to be effective in teaching agricultural mechanics to their students (Burris et al., 2005; Hainline & Wells, 2019). A number of studies (McKim & Saucier, 2011; Saucier et al., 2014) have identified the importance of safety in agricultural mechanics laboratories, but not the content skills specifically needed to teach the courses. The only areas of content that most new in-service teachers possess are those of basic woodworking and basic metal working. This study bases its theoretical framework off of the …

What Is The Cost Of Sadness? Age Differences In Risky Medical Decision Making, Jenna M. Wilson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

It's unknown how a sadness induction affects risky decision making within the medical domain, as well as whether the cognitive appraisal tendencies of uncertainty and situational control, which are theorized to underlie sadness, explain why sadness is related to subsequent decision making. Additionally, although initial work suggests that age differences in risky decision making may not exist within the medical domain, this limited work has only used one measure of risky medical decision making (e.g., Butler et al., 2012; Hanoch et al., 2018; Rosman et al., 2013). The first aim of the current study was to examine the effect of …

Barriers Of Volunteerism For Coaches Of Collegiate Division I Swimming Programs, Richard Allen West

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Barriers to volunteerism are not researched often or concretely in specific volunteer populations. The aim of this project was to find agreement among a group of potential executive level volunteers in coaching to identify the most impactful and prevalent barriers preventing them from volunteer service. A Delphi study was utilized to identify and find consensus for these barriers as identified by the 30 collegiate swimming coaches who participated. A verification interview was administered to add further clarity to the results and allow participants to speculate as to methods to overcome the barriers listed. Key findings included the themes of dedicated …

Comparing Spanish L2 Use Of Regional Phonemes After Study Abroad In Spain And Mexico, Katherine R. Lindley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study analyzed the use of regional phonemes by native-English speakers before and after spending a year abroad in either Spain or Mexico. The variables selected were the interdental voiceless fricative [θ] and the uvular voiceless fricative [χ], along with their variations. Semi-structured oral interviews were used to elicit data before their sojourn and at the end of their stay. Results show that many participants used [θ] and [χ] more after spending a year in Spain and participants preferred [s] and [h] after spending a year in Mexico. Data on social networks were collected throughout the study for the …

'Deporte Y Cambio Social': Women's Empowerment Sdp Program In Mexico, Sofia Espana Perez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mexico is ranked as the second lowest country in the world in labor force participation, and income and wage disparities specific to women (Gender Gap Report, 2019). “Deporte y Cambio Social” was a train-the-trainer sport-based program grounded in the Social Change Model (SCM; HERI, 1996) that used soccer as a vehicle to explore women empowerment and leadership development in Mexico. Three semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with 18 Mexican women (n = 10) and men (n = 8; Mage = 23) coaches who completed the program. Using a social constructivist framework, reflexive thematic analysis was used to examine the …

From Inner Segment To Outer Segment: Palmitoylation Of Photoreceptor Na+, K+-Atpase And The Importance Of Prcd In Photoreceptor Outer Segment Morphogenesis, Emily R. Sechrest

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Photoreceptors are specialized neuroepithelial cells which are optimized for efficient capture of light and initiation of visual transduction. These cells have several compartments which are very important for proper visual function and segregation of cellular processes, including the outer segment (OS), inner segment (IS), nucleus, and synapse. The IS houses all of the cellular organelles and biosynthetic molecular machinery the cell requires and is the site of protein synthesis. The light-sensing OS is a highly modified, primary cilium, which contains many stacks of double membranous discs which house proteins required for formation and maintenance of OS structure, as well as …

A Foundation For Collaboration: An Analysis Of Robert Schumann’S Dichterliebe, Op. 48, Kailang Zhan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This paper provides an analysis of Robert Schumann’s Dichterliebe offering historical information and insights into each of the sixteen songs. The analysis includes the English translation of the texts and discussion of the form of each song as well as highlights of the special moments of harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic structure in relation to Schumann’s setting of each poem. The analysis provides a foundation for collaborative skills for the singer and pianist for the study and performance of Dichterliebe. In addition, the paper includes brief biographies of Robert Schumann and Heinrich Heine and background information on the poetry and …

Deep Learning Architectures For Heterogeneous Face Recognition, Seyed Mehdi Iranmanesh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Face recognition has been one of the most challenging areas of research in biometrics and computer vision. Many face recognition algorithms are designed to address illumination and pose problems for visible face images. In recent years, there has been significant amount of research in Heterogeneous Face Recognition (HFR). The large modality gap between faces captured in different spectrum as well as lack of training data makes heterogeneous face recognition (HFR) quite a challenging problem. In this work, we present different deep learning frameworks to address the problem of matching non-visible face photos against a gallery of visible faces.

Algorithms for …

In Vitro And In Vivo Toxicological Evaluation Of Emissions From The Fused Filament Fabrication Three-Dimensional Printing, Mariana T. Farcas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fused filament fabrication (FFF), a three-dimensional (3-D) printing process, is an emerging technology that has recently gained wide popularity among both consumers and manufacturers. As filament is heated to above its glass transition temperature in a 3-D printer, a portion may undergo thermal decompostion, which releases ultrafine particles (UFP) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with potential adverse respiratory health effects are released into the air. This study's central hypotheses is that emissions generated during 3-D printing are toxic and exposure to these emissions induces pulmonary and systemic adverse health effects. Considering that currently, limited understanding is available on the health …

A Deeper Inquiry Into The Transitional Needs Of Student Veterans, Nathan Calvin Bridendolph Jr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous research revealed that veterans transitioning to post-secondary institutions have unique characteristics (PNPI, 2018; Wurster et al., 2013) and may suffer from a constellation of physical, psychological, and social problems that can impact their ability to perform to their full potential on campus (Ackerman et al., 2009; Alschuler & Yarab, 2016; Igielnik, 2019). Despite knowing the struggles student veterans (SVs) face when transitioning to campus, no studies were found that directly gain SVs’ input on what they believe will help their transition. The current study sought to gain a holistic perspective of SV needs by using the biopsychosocial model and …

Dynamic Modelling And Control Of Grid-Level Energy Storage Systems, Sai Pushpitha Vudata

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The focus of this work is on two energy storage technologies, namely pumped storage hydroelectricity (PHS) and secondary batteries. Under secondary battery technologies, two potential technologies for grid-scale storage, namely high-temperature sodium-sulfur (NaS) battery and vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB), are investigated. PHS is a largescale (>100 MW) technology that stores and generates energy by transporting water between two reservoirs at different elevations. The goal is to develop a detailed dynamic model of PHS and then design the controllers to follow the desired load trajectory accurately with high efficiency. The NaS battery and VRFB are advanced secondary batteries which …