Digital Commons Network^™

Fit To Be Tied: Social Network Structures And Evaluation Apprehension, Andrew L. Nicholson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In everyday life, people are typically connected to others, and these variably strong connections facilitate social influence related to a range of phenomena, from shaping body image and, impacting self-esteem to shaping behaviors through exhibiting social norms. Although the strongest ties (those most intimate and influential) can be very important to a person, there can also be a fear of judgement (i.e., evaluation apprehension) in those relationships. In online social networks, the relationship between tie strength and evaluation apprehension may emerge differently than in offline spaces due to affordances of social media, the asynchronous nature of computer-mediated communication, and the …

Enhancing Student Perceptions Of Middle Eastern People And Culture Through Music, Dance, Folk Literature, Culture, And Virtual Field Trips, Jason A. Noland

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study aimed to build on previous research by creating a multidisciplinary unit of study incorporating music, dance, folk literature, and cultural highlights that originate from the Middle East - coupled with virtual field trips to areas in the region to give greater depth to the students' understanding of the Middle East and its people. The study was completed with rural upper-elementary students in West Virginia who were participating in a summer program aimed at low-income students to assist them in increasing or maintaining reading levels over summer break, as well as providing two meals a day. Initial and endpoint …

Influence Of Sex And Blood Collection Method On Innate Immune Response Following Lipopolysaccharide Administration In Sheep, Hoda Nikpour

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Wethers and ewes were used to study the effect of catheter or repeated venipuncture on circulating cortisol and leukocyte concentrations and physical behaviors following administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a gram-negative bacteria cell wall component. Animals were injected with LPS or saline, as a control, to induce an innate immune system response. In addition, blood leukocytes and cortisol levels were studied to determine the effect of sex on immunological and stress responses. Thirty-eight mature Dorset and Suffolk wethers and ewes were assigned into one of four treatment groups: 1.) no-catheter + LPS treated ewes (n=5) and wethers (n=4) that were restrainted …

Fashioning A Soldier: Male Clothing, Union Volunteers, And The Adaptation Of A Soldierly Image, Robert W. Novak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite hundreds of images of Union soldiers and countless accounts by veterans of their appearance during the Civil War, little is known as to how and why the soldiers looked the way they did throughout the conflict. The generalized image that emerges from the war centers around the four-button fatigue blouse prescribed in the 1861 regulations that was issued to every Union soldier at some point during the war. In understanding the origins of the fatigue blouse's design and the impact it had on the image of the ideal soldier in America through the end of the nineteenth century, greater …

Thiazole Vs. Thiophene: Heterocycle Effects On The Properties Of Fused-Ring Conjugated Materials, Eric James Uzelac

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Conjugated polymers and related molecular materials comprise a field of materials chemistry focused on the development of semiconducting organic plastics that find use in applications such as organic solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes. The optical and electronic properties of these molecules, such as absorption and emission of light, can be tuned through engineering at the molecular level. However, many of the current molecules of choice suffer from high-lying frontier orbitals, which results in a mismatch of energy levels to common components of electronic devices along with potential oxidative instability, constraining device performance in real environments. To rectify these issues, …

Carbon Nanotubes-Based Lateral Flow Biosensor For Sensitive And Rapid Detection Of Dna Sequence, Xiaoguang Zhang

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Sensitive detection for DNA has drawn great attention in plenty of different areas such as genetics therapy and basic discovery research. Recently, nucleic acid lateral flow biosensor (NALFB) has gained considerable attention for DNA analysis. Compared with the traditional immunoassays, NALFB has these advantages: short assay time and a low cost. In this thesis, we report a carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-based NALFB for rapid and sensitive detection of DNA. Amine-modified DNA detection probe was covalently immobilized on the CNTs via diimide-activated amidation between the carboxyl groups on the CNTs surface and amine groups on the detection DNA probes. Sandwich-type DNA hybridization …

Chronic Illness And Physicians' Referrals To Psychologists: A Pilot Study, Nicole O'Barto-Trainer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Chronic Care Model (CCM) is an evidenced based healthcare management system that encompasses a multidimensional approach to healthcare for the treatment of patients with chronic conditions. A component of this model is collaborative care. The tenets of the biopsychosocial model are central to collaborative care and evidenced-based health care interventions. These interventions provide integrated, patient-centered healthcare delivered by a multidisciplinary healthcare team. Recent research has indicated that psychologists can play a vital role on such teams. The purpose of this exploratory pilot study was to subject the Biopsychosocial Endorsement Questionnaire (BEQ) to preliminary statistical analysis and to pilot its …

Syntheses Of Functionalized Cycloparaphenylenes, Furan-Containing Cycloparaphenylenes, And Related Thiophene-Containing Fused Carbon Nanohoop, Behzad Farajidizaji

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Synthetic pathways for preparing furan-containing cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs) bearing 10, 12, and 15 aromatic units in the macrocyclic ring structures were developed. Several important steps used in these syntheses are the Suzuki--Miyaura cross-coupling reaction between the L-shaped building block and 2-furanylboronic ester the nickel-mediated homocoupling reaction to incorporate two and three 2,2'-bifuran-5,5'-diyl units into functionalized [6]- and [9]cycloparaphenylene (CPP) precursors. Oxidative aromatization of the precursors with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ) under mild conditions led to the formation of fully aromatized furan-containing cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs).;The Diels--Alder reaction between the parent benzyne or 3,6-dimethoxybenzyne with furan-2,5-diyl units incorporated into functionalized [8]CPP macrocycle followed by reductive deoxygenation …

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 …

Altruism And Life Satisfaction Among Lgbt Older Adults, Boaz Kahana, Eva Kahana, Tirth Bhatta, Minzhi Ye, Jiao Yu

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Altruistic attitudes have been found in our prior longitudinal studies to promote positive affective states and life satisfaction in late life (Kahana, Bhatta, Lovegreen, Kahana and Midlarsky 2013). Such attitudes reflect a willingness to help others and an orientation characterized by generosity of spirit. It may be anticipated that such qualities are easier to maintain for older adults who are well integrated members of society and who do not face stigma and discrimination. In this chapter, we extend our research interest in altruism and in prosocial behaviors to LGBT older adults, who had encountered adversity and lack of acceptance in …

Evaluating Treatment Integrity Failures During Timeout From Play, Apral P. Foreman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Timeout is an effective behavior-reduction strategy with considerable generality. There are several recommendations about how to implement timeout. However, little research has investigated how timeout is implemented under natural conditions, or how timeout-implementation errors impact its effectiveness. Thus, our study attempted to address two aims. The first aim was to observe how teachers implemented timeout with their students. To address this aim (Experiment 1), we completed naturalistic observations of teachers who were implementing timeout during play. We collected data on how frequently the teachers implemented timeout following problem behavior (omission integrity), and how frequently teachers implemented timeout following responses not …

Together Belize, Dylan Neururer

Architecture Theses

Developing countries are at times plagued by natural disasters, struggling economies, and inadequate housing. Many times other nations send support such as food, workers and/or supplies. Although this aid is sent with good intentions and can help; it often does have some unintended negative consequences. These negative consequences are caused by a lack of understanding unique cultural factors that are intensely intertwined with every society. Belize, a Central American country is known for it’s high crime rates, dense gang population and poor building quality in the more southern portion of Belize City. These gangs comprise of school dropouts, non-working members …

The Recovery Of St. James: The Journey To Wholeness For The Broken And Addicted, Diedrich Harms

Architecture Theses

In the City of Butte, Montana, a rough and economically depressed area, the first hospital of the region now sits in ruin. The Old St. James Hospital will be taken from its current damaged state and transformed into a space that may house and heal a community. The renovation of the building will contribute to a program of recovery, in the same way the patient is transformed. The addict, a modern leper, abandoned by society, will inhabit peeling fragments and broken edifices within the St. James. Memories embodied in the old along with the new renovation will wrap the addict …

Horizons - Bridging The Finite And Infinite To Rekindle Mankind's Cosmic Affinity, Aaron Warner

Architecture Theses

Since its dawn, mankind’s revolutionary inventions have drastically influenced culture, redfining standing standards and practices for the sake of progress. The 21st century is just beginning, with many major technological developments shaping, influencing, and inspiring coming generations. Such developments include the increasing public knowledge of the Cosmos, and the increasingly captivating digital media, which is proving to be a cornerstone of current culture. Architecture can embody such developments, embracing the shift from traditional methods and ideals. By doing so, it can itself also become a cornerstone in culture, providing space for meaningful gathering, learning, and enlightenment.

A Delphi On Drowning Prevention Education Research, Adam Bradley Katchmarchi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: The World Health Organization's Global Drowning Report (2014) listed action steps to reduce drowning globally, with the last action step highlighting the need to address priority research with well-designed studies. While drowning injury and fatality rates remain largely unchanged in recent years in the United States, existing research has not developed a supportive foundation to identify priority research questions.;Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a 3-round Delphi procedure to determine and prioritize future research questions associated with drowning prevention education in the United States.;Design & Methodology: This research employed a 3-round Delphi procedure to (1) survey …

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 …

Urban Thaw: Encouraging Human Connection Within A Winter City, Austin Foss

Architecture Theses

What makes urban life possible is human interaction. Without it, cities would not thrive. It has become increasingly easier for residents of cities to stay indoors and neglect the environment and people around them. In smaller cities in the north, this becomes more prominent with less population, and even more prominent during winter when the weather is less than ideal. In this urban design project, I will be focusing on multi-family housing, gathering space, and outdoor winter activity. The area I have chosen to explore this typology and topic is Grand Forks, North Dakota, specifically the downtown area. This area …

High Touch, Andrew Kellner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This written thesis is the supporting documentation for High Touch, my Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition. The exhibition seeks to define my personal expression of beauty through domestic pottery that seeks to both elevate and celebrate mundane life experiences.;The research underpinning my thesis explores the connections between object and user. The use of pottery, particularly in the home, has the ability to breed familiarity, consolation, comfort and security. It is only when pots are put into service within the household that an affinity for the object is achieved and its unique character is revealed. These moments cannot be codified …

The Effects Of An Exercise And Kinesiotape Intervention On Forward Headrounded Shoulder Posture And Scapular Dyskinesis, Lucas Klawiter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Context: Forward head and rounded shoulder posture as well as scapular dyskinesis are forms of improper posture that have been linked to neck and shoulder pain. Treatment for forward head posture (FHP), rounded shoulder posture (RSP), and scapular dyskinesis has consisted of an exercise protocol. Kinesiotape (KT) has recently been used as a treatment method but there is a lack of research on the effectiveness, or whether exercise or KT is better than the other. Objective: The objective of the study was to compare a KT intervention to a strengthening and stretching program for correction of FHP, RSP, and scapular …

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 …

Rehabilitation In The Punitive State: An Oxymoron? An Examination Of Rehabilitation And Punitive Practices In The United States, Jeri Kirby

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The extent and nature of incarceration has changed dramatically over the last 40 years in the United States. From 1980 to 2007, the American incarceration rate increased by 1,100 percent (BJS 2008). Much of this incarceration boom can be linked to the War on Drugs (WOD) and the punitive sentencing policies that developed from it. Understanding these punitive effects on individuals and communities and the challenges of prisoner re-entry requires us to consider the many levels of punishment that play a role in the United States correctional policies. Past research has considered the impact of the WOD policies on many …

Leakage Evaluation Of Three Endodontic Sealers Used In A Single-Cone Technique: A Study Using Bioluminescent Bacteria, Sean M. Horan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction.;After proper chemomechanical disinfection and obturation of a root canal system, the next important goal in endodontic therapy is obtaining an adequate coronal seal. If the coronal seal becomes compromised, it is difficult to decide whether the root canal system should be re-treated. This decision should be made based on the ability of the root canal filling to resist bacterial contamination and on the length of time the seal has been compromised.;The root canal system should be filled in three dimensions, typically with a combination of gutta percha and sealer. One obturation method that has seen a revival in recent …

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 …

Response To Professor Holper's Article, "Redefining 'Particularly Serious Crimes' In Refugee Law", Fatma Marouf

Faculty Scholarship

An individual who faces a significant risk of persecution in her home country is barred from asylum in the United States if she is convicted of a “particularly serious crime” (“PSC”). Despite the grave consequences of such a conviction, there is relatively little scholarship exploring how a PSC should be defined. The term, which comes from the UN Refugee Convention, was incorporated into the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1980.

Professor Holper’s article, Redefining “Particularly Serious Crimes” in Refugee Law, makes an important contribution to the literature by showing how the historical trajectory of the PSC definition mirrors the “severity …

The Evolution Of Luminous Compact Blue Galaxies In Cosmos Between Z~0.0-1.0, Lucas Hunt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Luminous Compact Blue Galaxies (LCBGs) are bright, compact star forming galaxies that are common in the distant universe, but rare locally. In this thesis we have conducted studies tracing changes in the LCBG population between z = 0.0--1.0 in the COSMOS survey region. We used the luminosity function to show LCBG's contribution to the luminosity density is increasing between z = 0.0--1.0. From this we also find the number density of LCBGs is increasing by an order of magnitude from z = 0.0--1.0. Finally we show that 10% of galaxies brighter than MB = --18.5 are LCBGs at z ~ …

Borrowed Past: Reexamining High-Density Housing In South Korea, Elliott Klinger

Architecture Theses

South Korea has made a lot of progress in the last 6 decades; from being one of the poorest countries to having the 11th largest economy in the world. The country transformed rapidly after the Korean War and today represents one of the most technological and modern countries on earth. However, this transformation did not happen without sacrifices. The rapid economic growth and urbanization led to a shortage in housing within the cities. To accommodate the influx of new residents, traditional Korean homes, called Hanoks, were leveled, along with thousands of years of history, to make room for faceless apartment …

Prytaneion Rediscovered: The Contiguity Of Cultural Fragments, Joshua Highley

Architecture Theses

The project explores the relationship knowledge plays in the development of communities today. By defining a space in the downtown area of St Paul, Minnesota dedicated to the exploration of cultural and historic fragments, the thesis projects the aspirations of the city and defines a direction. The building provides space for artistic activity, including theaters, galleries, and tools for 3D fabrication and other arts. The building gives direction to artistic endeavors by reconciling its own context in the city and reflecting the socio-political stories within through space for new discussions, presentations, and creations.

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 …

Restoring Veterans Through Companionship: The Study Between Rural And Urban Context, Jacob Haack

Architecture Theses

How does design differentiate between rural and urban sites? If the parameters are set and the same program is used for each, which context will be more successful? This thesis focuses on two issues that affect the entire country: the rising number of veterans suffering from PTSD and an excess amount of stray dogs and over-crowding in animal shelters. This thesis creates a new building typology; a rehabilitation center that takes in Veterans affected by traumatic experiences combined with a no kill animal shelter for dogs. The veterans will train the dogs to be service dogs. It has been proven …