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Coupling Numerical Simulation And Pattern Recognition To Model Production And Evaluate Carbon Dioxide Injection In Shale Gas Reservoir, Amirmasoud Kalantari-Dahaghi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Massive multi-cluster, multi-stage hydraulic fractures have significantly increased the complexity of the flow behavior in shale. This has translated into multiple challenges in the modeling of production from shale wells.

Most commonly used numerical techniques for modeling production from shale wells are Explicit Hydraulic Fracture (EHF) and Stimulated Reservoir Volume (SRV). Model setup for the EHF technique is long and laborious and its implementation is computationally expensive, such that it becomes impractical to model beyond a single pad. On the other hand, identifying the extent and conductivity of SRV is a challenging proposition. SRV technique is commonly used to simplify …

Three Essays On Analysts' Earnings Forecast Dispersion And Stock Returns., Jorida Papakroni

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation comprises three empirical essays that tackle various issues concerning the pricing implications of analyst earnings forecasts and stock recommendations for U.S. stocks over the period 1993-2011. In the first essay, our objective is to test the overvaluation explanation of the forecast dispersion anomaly conditioning on analyst stock recommendations. Our hypothesis is that future returns are higher (lower) for stocks that currently receive more buy œsell recommendations and have a lower (higher) level of forecast dispersion. We find strong evidence that the forecast dispersion in analysts earnings is an important factor in the explanation of returns, once we adjust …

A Survey Of Selected Intermediate-Level Chamber Repertoire With Piano From 1750 - 1900., Duangruthai Pokaratsiri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research paper, "A Survey of Selected Intermediate-Level Chamber Repertoire with Piano from 1750 - 1900, is a reference guide to available pieces suitable for performance and study both in the private studio and at the college level. The chamber works surveyed are duos and trios only, which include strings (violin and cello) and/or woodwinds (flute, oboe and clarinet) with piano as well as works for two pianos, all with piano parts at the intermediate level. This paper provides a listing of intermediate-level chamber music, original works and movements from larger pieces, that can be valuable for piano teachers, students, …

West Virginia Physical Education Teacher Perceptions Of State Mandated Fitnessgram® Testing And Application Of Results, William M. Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background/Purpose: In response to concerns with increasing rates of childhood obesity, many states have enacted policies that affect physical education. A commonly used approach is state mandated fitness test administration in school-based settings. While this approach is widely debated throughout the literature, one area that lacks research is teachers attitudes toward this fitness testing and the application of results in their professional practice. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of West Virginia physical education teachers toward the mandated use of the FITNESSGRAM® and to gain a better understanding of how the resultant data are employed to …

Forensic And Toxicological Applications Of Franz Diffusion Cells Assessed By Gas Chromatograhy Mass Spectrometry And Ion Mobility Spectrometry., Jordan Wade Moran

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The first portion of this work evaluated the efficacy of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) as a tool for determining remediation success at clandestine methamphetamine laboratory sites. Specifically, limits of detection (LOD), limits of quantitation (LOQ), and matrix effects were investigated as relevant to typical remediation sites and situations. The recoveries of pseudoephedrine and methamphetamine from a range of various surfaces likely to be found in a clandestine laboratory were examined. Portable IMS instruments with thermal desorption were found to be a reliable tool for evaluating the degree of remediation if sufficient procedural and instrumental controls are put into place. In …

Ion Transport Across Nano-Microchannel Interfaces., William Albert Booth

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Finite element numerical simulations are used to examine the effects of various parameters on synthetic charge-selective nanochannel systems in series with microchannels. In particular the origins of uidic ionic current rectification and the transient development of such systems in response to electric potential biases is explored. The origin of current rectification is these systems is found to be asymmetric concentration polarization. This leads to diffusion layers that form in response to an applied bias . The asymmetric diffusion layers may have 1D and higher dimensional origins. The systems are found to change over three time scales each associated with a …

Determining Faculty Perception Of Ownership Rights Of Online Course Content In Higher Education, Carrie J. White

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With the ever increasing growth in the number of online courses offered by institutions of higher education, determining ownership of the content of these courses is becoming an important consideration. Many institutions have intellectual property policies in place that are either vague, outdated or non-existent when determining copyright ownership to online courses. Faculty members who are creating these courses are many times investing their own intellect into the course content, which would traditionally invoke copyright ownership over that content. However, courses being offered to students in an online format have created some confusion as to ownership rights over those courses. …

Mechanisms Of Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis In The Developing And Mature Bovine Corpora Lutea An In-Depth Study To Promote Scientific Literacy Through The Use Of Primary Literature In An Introductory Biology Course, Marietta Felicidad Wright

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although it is generally accepted that calcium is an intracellular mediator of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2alpha) actions on luteal cells, studies attempting to define the mechanisms of calcium homeostasis in bovine corpora lutea (CL) are lacking. The increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) induced by PGF2alpha in steroidogenic cells from mature CL is greater than in those isolated from developing CL. Our long-term hypothesis is that differences in signal transduction associated with developing and mature CL contribute to the increased efficacy of PGF2alpha to induce a calcium signal capable of mediating luteal regression in mature CL. Specifically, these studies were …

"We Do The Same Work As The Men Did": The Development Of Working-Class Feminism In The Glass And Pottery Industries Of West Virginia, 1930-1970, Virginia C. Young

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Union women fought sex discrimination and opened the workplace for all women through their use of 1963's Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Scholars often attribute their success to well-known EEOC sex discrimination cases, such as those against the steel industry and Southern Bell. Yet much of the fight against sex discrimination in the workplace came not from "famous" EEOC cases but, rather, from lesser-known incidents in which union women filed shop-floor grievances to challenge sex discrimination. Moreover, many union women used grounds other than the new federal anti-discrimination laws to make their …

Impact Of Retrograde Condensation On Production In The Ohio Utica Point Pleasant, John Hooks

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this thesis was to study the sensitivity of production in the Ohio Utica Point Pleasant play to retrograde condensation. To accomplish this two fluid models were created for a rich and lean gas condensate and two base models were created to reflect the anticipated geologies where these reservoir fluids will be encountered. A single hydraulically fractured horizontal well was placed in both models. Experimental parameters of well length, stage spacing, hydraulic fracture properties, bottom hole pressure (BHP) controls, and fluid models adjusted for pore confinement effects were varied and tested over a series of simulations. The Peng-Robinson …

An Experimental And Numerical Investigation Of Nitrogen Dioxide Emissions Characteristics Of Compression Ignition Dual Fuel Engines, Shiyu Liu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Detailed experimental research was conducted to explore the impact of the addition of gaseous fuels, including H2 and natural gas (NG), and engine load on the emissions of NO2, NO, and NOx from dual fuel engines. The addition of less than 2% of H2 or NG was shown to dramatically increase the emissions of NO2 until a maximum level of NO2 emissions was reached. The increased NO 2 emissions were due to the conversion of NO to NO2. The maximum NO2/NOx ratio obtained with the addition of H2 was 3.2 to 5.0 times that of diesel operation. The maximum NO …

The Role Of Polyglutamine Expansion And Protein Context In Disease-Related Huntingtin/Lipid Interactions., Kathleen Anne Burke

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Huntington's Disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is defined by the accumulation of nanoscale aggregates comprised of the huntingtin (htt) protein. Aggregation is directly caused by an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) domain in htt, leading to a diverse population of aggregate species, such as oligomers, fibrils, and annular aggregates. Furthermore, the length of this polyQ domain is directly related to onset and severity of disease. The first 17 amino acids on the N-terminus (N17) and the polyproline domain on the C-terminal side of the polyQ domain have been shown to further modulate the aggregation process. Additionally, N17 appears to have …

Efficacy Of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy With Parents With Intellectual Disability., Karishma Chengappa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Parents with intellectual disability are faced with the challenges of parenting as well as with having to deal with cognitive difficulties and limited financial and social supports. Deficits in parenting ability often are associated with poor child outcomes such as developmental delays, mental health concerns, neglect, and disruptive behavior disorders. Parents with intellectual disabilities frequently come under the scrutiny of child protective services for neglect and inadequate parenting and are often overrepresented in child maltreatment proceedings. When given systematic skills training using applied behavior analysis, these parents have been shown to improve a narrow range of basic child care skills. …

Athletic Administrators' Preferred Characteristics Of Sport Psychology Positions In Ncaa Athletics: A Consumer Market Analysis., Ian J. Connole

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study utilized a consumer marketing approach to investigate the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) market for sport psychology positions. Athletic administrators’ preferences for sport psychology positions were compared based on time commitment, affiliation, payment, services, and clients. Results indicated that services and affiliation were the most important characteristics. Specifically, athletic administrators found positions that were designed for part-time athletic department employees, providing both mental health and performance focused services, paid via annual salary, and working with athletes, teams, and athletics staff members as the most attractive positions; a market simulation suggested over twothirds of the sample would interested in …

"Thir They Byen Thralls…" Chaucer's Boethian Poems And Usk's "Testament Of Love": Foundations Of English Prison Literature., Phillip Scott Dennis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fourteenth-century English society bore witness simultaneously to a marked increase of dedicated prison spaces and a proliferation of imaginative writing in English. Volumes of study have focused on the social implications of carceral practice, and many studies have also been dedicated to the rapid development of English as a literary and philosophical vehicle in the late Middle Ages. This study seeks to bridge these areas of scholarship by focusing on the political implications of early English prison writing. Close readings of Chaucer's "Boethian texts and Thomas Usk's Testament of Love, matched for their close overlaps in subject matter, audience, dates …

An Environmental History Of Malawi's 'Island In The Sky': The Mulanje Cedar And Imperial Forestry In British Nyasaland, 1890-1964., Kathleen J. Fichtel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Mulanje cedar is a unique and endangered tree that is found only within the confines of the Mt. Mulanje Forest Reserve in southeastern Malawi. This dissertation examines the relationship between scientific forestry as introduced by British experts and the role and status of the endangered cedar. The British, like forest experts and other natural scientists today, believed the tree to be in danger of imminent demise. Economic expediency made it so that the tree was harvested by colonial officials from the beginning though they attempted to replace what they had taken. This did not work. Throughout the past century, …

Evaluation Of A Pilot Project To Validate Self-Reported Weights In Adult Patients Undergoing Surgical Interventions., Joanna Fletcher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Many adults are unaware of their actual body weight, and those who are aware have a tendency to inaccurately report. Anesthetic drugs, like many other drugs, are weight based, some on ideal and some on actual body weight, depending upon the drug. There is a risk of inaccurately dosing medications during the anesthetic event if the medications are dosed based upon an inaccurate body weight. Literature indicates that self-reported patient weights are inaccurate for many reasons. Additionally, estimates of patient weight by healthcare providers are inaccurate. The majority of drugs used in anesthesia are weight based. It is very clear …

Reservoir Simulation For Production Of Methane From Gas Hydrate Reservoirs Using Carbon Dioxide/Carbon Dioxide+Nitrogen By Hydrateressim., Nagasree Garapati

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Natural gas hydrate reservoirs are likely to contain more carbon than in all other fossil fuel reserves combined. Different techniques currently being proposed for production of CH4 from hydrate deposits include depressurization, thermal stimulation and inhibitor injection. These processes involve the dissociation of hydrate and the release of significant volumes of water, which may cause geomechanical stress on the reservoir leading to subsidence. A series of experimental studies over the decade reviewed the feasibility of using CO2/CO2+N2 gas mixtures to recover CH4 gas from the hydrates, which serves the dual purpose of CO2 sequestration and production of CH4 while maintaining …

Effects Of Stereotype Threat On Adolescents' Math And Visual-Spatial Performance., Lisa M. Didonato

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent research suggests that the gender gap in math performance is closing (Else-Quest, Hyde, & Linn, 2010; Hyde, Lindberg, Linn, Ellis, & Williams, 2008). However, negative stereotypes about girls’ math abilities are still widely held (Bhanot & Jovanovic, 2005; Bleeker & Jacobs, 2004). The gender gap in visual-spatial skills, or the ability to reason about and manipulate mental pictures, still exists in that boys outperform girls on visual-spatial tasks. The current study drew from literature on stereotype threat (i.e., the risk of confirming negative stereotypes about a specific group; Steele, 1997) to investigate the impact of negative math stereotypes on …

Development Of Hg1-Xcd Xse For 3rd Generation Focal Plane Arrays Using Molecular Beam Epitaxy., Kevin Doyle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hg1-xCd xSe grown on nearly lattice-matched GaSb substrates could serve as a new basis for infrared detector development. The preparation of the GaSb substrate surfaces and the growth of ZnTe1-xSex buffer layers via molecular beam epitaxy were investigated. ZnTe and ZnTe1- xSex layers were grown on GaSb substrates prepared with atomic hydrogen cleaning. The lattice constant of ZnTe1-xSex was tuned by controlling the ratio of Se/Te beam equivalent pressures, and ZnTe1- xSex was found to be lattice-matched to GaSb for x=0.01. Confocal photoluminescence measurements indicated that ZnTe0.99Se0.01 layers grown on GaSb have dislocation densities ∼7x104 cm-2, indicating that ZnTe0.99Se0.01/GaSb provides …

How Teachers' Perceptions Impact Their Implementation Of Response To Intervention., Mary F. Kakascik

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the impact of effective instructional strategies, evidence-based curricula, and professional collaboration upon implementing a Response to Intervention program. Qualitative research methods, including interviews and lesson plan document analysis comprise the research data from seven teachers and one administrator. This study is designed to enrich the existing body of descriptive data on teacher perceptions, especially with regard to their professional practice, expertise, and judgment within a Response to Intervention system. The results of this study provide insight into teachers’ perspectives after experiencing this educational transformation. The research provides professional knowledge and practical experience that extends beyond the general …

Europeanization Of Minority Policies Under Conditionality: A Comparative Study Of Latvia, Bulgaria And Turkey., Emel Elif Tugdar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study analyzes the impact of domestic factors on the Europeanization of minority protection policies in Latvia, Bulgaria and Turkey. The study argues that domestic conditions have significant impact on the decision of the candidate states on fulfilling the EU requirements in the field of human rights issues during the candidacy period. The study specifically analyzes the impact of ‘governments’, ‘significant institutions’ and ‘mobilization of ethnic minorities’ as domestic factors during the time frame between the official candidacies to accession to the European Union. The methodology combines a review of official European Union documents such as progress reports, accession documents …

None But The Bravest Of Men: Violence And Popular Sovereignty In Revolutionary War Veteran Narratives., James M. Greene

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Starting with Ethan Allen's 1778 captivity narrative, the Revolutionary War veteran narrative became a small, but popular, subgenre of early American life writing. In this project, I argue that the genre encouraged a myth of the republican citizen-soldier in the early United States that supported the delegation of popular sovereignty toward the institutional management of a strong central government. As a synecdoche for a continental body politic, the Revolutionary veteran appeared as both the source of sovereignty as a citizen and an agent of this authority as a soldier. The genre has typically been understood as one that appeals for …

Impulsivity And Suicidal Ideation Or Attempt In Younger And Older Adults, Elizabeth C. Price

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rates of suicidal behaviors vary over the lifespan, but little research has focused on developmental aspects of suicidal behaviors and associated risk factors. Previous studies suggest that young people who attempt or die by suicide are likely to be generally impulsive. 108 community-dwelling older adults age 60 and older and 498 undergraduate students ages 18-30 completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies -- Depression Scale, the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, and the Suicidal Behaviors Scale -- Revised. The hypothesis was that the relation between impulsivity and suicidal ideation or attempt, in the context of depressive symptoms, would be stronger in younger adults …

Development Of A Powertrain Control Algorithm For A Compound-Split Diesel Hybrid-Electric Vehicle, Douglas Alan Ward

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goal of this research was to develop a unique powertrain control algorithm for a diesel-powered compound-split hybrid crossover utility vehicle (CUV) and evaluate the fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions benefits that can be realized compared to existing non-hybrid, gasoline-powered CUVs. This was achieved through the implementation of engine on/off functionality, regenerative braking, and electric-only drive. The research was conducted in conjunction with the university's participation in EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge, an inter-collegiate advanced vehicle engineering competition focused on developing alternatively powered vehicles in the interest of providing improved fuel efficiency and reduced tailpipe emissions while maintaining useful vehicle …

Three Essays On Institutions, Financial Markets And Foreign Direct Investment, Tuan Viet Le

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation is composed of three essays in financial economics and development economics. The underlying theme in three essays is about the impact of institution quality on financial markets and foreign direct investment (FDI). There are five chapters included in this dissertation. Chapter one is the introduction. Chapter two of my dissertation investigates the connection between freedom of the press and equity returns in emerging market firms. Freedom of the press is argued to affect systematic risk in financial markets and thus, has impact on returns of financial assets. The study reveals that there is significant connection between freedom of …

The Influence Of Self-Reported Family Functioning On Depression Symptom Severity And Psychological Well-Being In Treatment-Seeking Older Adults, Patricia M. Bamonti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Among treatment-seeking older adults, positive social ties are related to depression outcomes prospectively. Less is known regarding the role of negative social ties in relation to depression and well-being outcomes among patients in treatment. The current study adds to this literature through the cross-sectional and prospective examination of patients' appraisal of family members perceived criticism in relation to self-reported depressive symptom severity and psychological well-being In addition, potential moderators of these relations were examined, including personality variables (Neuroticism and Conscientiousness), cognitive functioning, and living status. adults 60 years of age and older newly (< 1 month after intake session) receiving treatment for depressive or anxious symptomatology at a university-affiliated outpatient clinic as part of an on-going study that assessed depression and decision-making in late life. Results demonstrated that individuals with increased perceived criticism also had greater depressive symptom severity, at least measured at one point in time. Perceived criticism failed to predict change in depression symptom severity in the prospective analyses. Similarly, perceived criticism was associated with lower psychological well-being in the cross-sectional analyses; however, perceived criticism failed to predict change in psychological well-being in prospective analyses. No significant interactions were found with perceived criticism, suggesting at least in the current study, personality variables, cognitive functioning, and living status did not qualify the relation between perceived criticism and depression symptom severity or change in depression symptom severity over time. EI was not significantly associated with depression symptom severity and psychological well-being cross-sectionally and prospectively, after controlling for perceived criticism and perceived social support from family. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Stream Restoration: Project Evaluation And Site Selection In The Cacapon River Watershed, West Virginia, Jonathan L. Pitchford

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Stream restoration is being conducted throughout the world at unprecedented rates to address stream channel degradation and water quality concerns. Natural Channel Design (NCD) is a common method used for restoration and has received governmental endorsement; however, the effects of NCD on channel stability and ecosystem functioning are poorly studied. We examined the effects of a reach-scale NCD project on channel stability, riparian vegetation, and water quality along the Cacapon River, West Virginia using a before-after-control-impact design and determined that restoration increased the abundance and diversity of woody vegetation, but had minimal effects on streambank stability and water quality. Increased …

Novel Engineered Nanostructured Complex Oxide For High Temperature Thermoelectric Power Generation, Diego F. Palacio

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Thermoelectric power generators are a promising technology that can produce electrical power directly from waste heat emitted in energy production and consumption systems. The essential component of thermoelectric generators is the thermoelectric material which performs the energy conversion process. In order to make thermoelectric devices to be considered a significant contributor to US energy infrastructure, it is essential first to foster improvements in high performance thermoelectric materials. They must possess not only a high conversion efficiency, but also need be composed of nontoxic and abundantly available elemental materials having high chemical stability in air up to 800-1000 K. In comparison …

Variables That Predict Burnout Among Sex Offender Treatment Providers: Work Setting, Gender, Work Hours, Jennifer Pravlik

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Psychological treatment of the sexual offender population continues to be an arduous task for therapists. There is evidence that many therapists will experience burnout at some point during their careers. Providing treatment in a burned out state can cause harm to the therapist, client, and community (Barnett, Baker, Elman, & Schoener, 2007). It is necessary to determine the variables that influence burnout in order to increase awareness and to address the variables at an organization and personal level in order to identify therapists that may be at risk of burnout. In this I study examined the relationship of variables identified …