Digital Commons Network^™

Social Comparison Theory: The Effects Athletic Influencers Have On An Appalachian Generation Z Men Audience, Aaron David Dickens

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Many studies have highlighted how social comparison can influence self-efficacy for exercise, body dissatisfaction, and motivation to exercise, especially on social media; in addition, several studies have supported how attitude toward exercise and confidence toward exercise correlate with one another. However, these dependent variables have not been examined in the context of Generation Z men in Appalachia. Despite the lack of literature on this demographic, it is important to study Generation Z Appalachian men because of the frequent health problems this demographic faces, such as obesity. Therefore, this pretest-posttest between-subjects lab experiment investigated how an athletic influencer on social media …

Bedrock Channel Geometry: Meter To Micron Scale Controls On Fluvial Incision, Nicholas J. Colaianne

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The relative resistance of various rock types to incisional processes vary widely and the properties governing bedrock erodibility are poorly understood. Lithologic properties influencing erodibility are the culmination of a rock’s depositional, diagenetic, and exhumation processes. Difficulty identifying a convenient physical proxy for erodibility suggests examining evidence of these processes holistically may offer insight into the role of each in setting a rock’s resistance to incisional forces. In this study we use measured channel geometries along a short stretch of the Dry Fork, WV hosting three distinct lithologic settings to infer relative erodibility against measured and observed fluvial, lithologic, and …

Advancing Carbon Sequestration Through Smart Proxy Modeling: Leveraging Domain Expertise And Machine Learning For Efficient Reservoir Simulation, Iman Oraki Kohshour

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Geological carbon sequestration (GCS) offers a promising solution to effectively manage extra carbon, mitigating the impact of climate change. This doctoral research introduces a cutting-edge Smart Proxy Modeling-based framework, integrating artificial neural networks (ANNs) and domain expertise, to re-engineer and empower numerical reservoir simulation for efficient modeling of CO₂ sequestration and demonstrate predictive conformance and replicative capabilities of smart proxy modeling.

Creating well-performing proxy models requires extensive human intervention and trial-and-error processes. Additionally, a large training database is essential to ANN model for complex tasks such as deep saline aquifer CO₂ sequestration since it is used as the …

We Didn’T Know: How A Mid-Career Research Project Taught Us About Disability, Advocacy, And Ourselves, Lee Ann Fullington, Jill Cirasella

Publications and Research

We—Lee Ann and Jill—are mid-career faculty librarians at different campuses of the City University of New York (CUNY), and we are both hard of hearing. Lee Ann has bilateral hearing loss and uses two hearing aids; Jill has single-sided hearing loss and uses only one. However, even with hearing aids, which do not restore normal hearing, our hearing loss complicates our lives at work and in the broader world. This chapter describes how we found community in each other, how our conversations about hearing loss led to a mid-career research collaboration, and how that collaboration launched us into a larger …

Staging A Musical Self Through Paper, Canvas, And The Screen: A Taxonomy Of Musicians’ Self-Portraits From The Renaissance To The Digital Age, Antoni Pizà

Publications and Research

Abstract:

Musicians have engaged in visual self-representation at least since the Renaissance and have continued the tradition to modern times with contemporary practices including selfies and generative technology and AI art. The practitioners include so-called classical composers (Schoenberg is a well-known case) and performers (Caruso, for instance), but also pop singers and musicians (Joni Mitchell and Patti Smith, among others). The media used varies from oil on canvas to drawings on paper, from traditional photography to digital media. In some instances, there are grave, pompous self-representations, but caricatures also abound (e.g., Donizetti). There are also some miscategorized self-portraits (i.e., portraits …

Leveraging Data Science To Promote Sustainable Resource Recovery From Organic Waste Streams In Rural Regions, Mohammed Tamim Zaki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Conventional organic waste management practices such as landfilling contribute to global warming and degrade environmental and human health. Alternatively, organic waste can be treated to recover energy, nutrients, and carbon through resource recovery technologies. Data science could benefit such technologies by improving their efficiency through data-driven process modeling along with reducing environmental and economic burdens via life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA), respectively.

A critical review of 616 peer-reviewed articles published during 2002–2022 was conducted on the use of data science methods in resource recovery from organic waste. Although applications of machine learning (ML) methods have drastically increased …

Evaluation Of Changes In Cellular Behavior Upon Exposure To Selected Analytes Used In Synthetic Applications, Olivia L. Rose

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are organic crystalline hybrids that have been used for a variety of applications from catalysis to gas storage and drug delivery. Studies have shown that generally, while such frameworks are more biocompatible than similar aspect ratio nanostructures, they are also more prone to transformation and disintegration due to their flexible and fragile nature as resulted from the structure assembly and implemented structure-function relationships. With extensive previous literature showing that materials with nano dimensions such as carbon nanotubes, quantum dots and other nanomaterials have unique physicochemical properties that lead to increased biosystems’ reactivity. With increasing concerns regarding adverse …

Final Report: Conceptualizing Ethics, Authenticity, And Efficacy Of Simulations In Teacher Education, Carrie Wilkerson Lee, Liza Bondurant, Bima Sapkota, Heather Howell, Yvonne Lai

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This working group was a continuation of working groups in 2019 and 2021 that initially aimed to focus on equity in simulations of practice in mathematics teacher education. We began by discussing our conceptualizations of simulations and equity. Next, we reflected on the lack of work that currently exists at the intersection of simulations and equity as well as our limited collective expertise in this space. We proposed the following areas of potential research: Access, Design, Affective Domains, Teaching Practices, Assessment, Critical Conversations. Attendees self-selected into focus groups and met to discuss their current work and how future work could …

The Monster-As-Slayer In Blade (1998): Blade And Posthuman Identity, Cassandra Pennings

English

Blade (1998) features an African American half-vampire whose goals seem contradictory: save the humans that would fear and hate him. A new character trope, the monster-as-slayer, is introduced in the movie’s eponymous hero, Blade, the half-vampire half-human private eye. Via this trope, the movie explores contradictions in its hero’s identity and motivations, leaving audiences in suspense throughout the film. Although there are examples of the monster-as-slayer in other media, Blade seems to begin this trend for modern film by combining classic elements of the vampire with new science fiction approaches. The result is the creation of a show-stopping posthuman superhero …

Radiogenomics Of C9orf72 Expansion Carriers Reveals Global Transposable Element Derepression And Enables Prediction Of Thalamic Atrophy And Clinical Impairment, Luke W. Bonham, Ethan G. Geier, Daniel W. Sirkis, Josiah K. Leong, Eliana Marisa Ramos, Qing Wang, Anna Karydas, Suzee E. Lee, Virginia E. Sturm, Russell P. Sawyer, Adit Friedberg, Justin K. Ichida, Aaron D. Gitler, Leo Sugrue, Michael Cordingley, Walter Bee, Eckard Weber, Joel H. Kramer, Katherine P. Rankin, Howard J. Rosen, Adam L. Boxer, William W. Seeley, John Ravits, Bruce L. Miller, Jennifer S. Yokoyama

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) within C9orf72 is the most common genetic cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Thalamic atrophy occurs in both sporadic and familial FTD but is thought to distinctly affect HRE carriers. Separately, emerging evidence suggests widespread derepression of transposable elements (TEs) in the brain in several neurodegenerative diseases, including C9orf72 HRE-mediated FTD (C9-FTD). Whether TE activation can be measured in peripheral blood and how the reduction in peripheral C9orf72 expression observed in HRE carriers relates to atrophy and clinical impairment remain unknown. We used FreeSurfer software to assess the effects of C9orf72 HRE and clinical diagnosis (n …

Restoring Forgotten Land: Degraded Land Restoration, Matthew Timothy Jacobson

Landscape Architecture Theses

This thesis will explore the potential of using phytoremediation techniques to reduce PM2.5 pollution in Detroit. The city of Detroit has a long history of industrialization and, as a result, faces significant air pollution challenges. PM2.5 pollution, in particular, has been linked to numerous health problems, including heart and lung diseases. Phytoremediation offers a promising solution to this problem, using plants and their associated microorganisms to remove pollutants from the air and soil. This thesis also includes a design proposal for a community center at the abandoned Packard Plant in Detroit. The design incorporates phytoremediation elements, such as phyto walks …

Sustainably Symbiotic: A Study Using Lichen Biomimicry To Design A Sustainable Multi-Use Campground In Cavalier County, Nd, Xantippean Lonewolf

Landscape Architecture Theses

Evaluating if designing a multi-use campground using biomorphic design relating to LICHEN could benefit the overall camping experience. The Pembina Gorge near Walhalla, North Dakota was determined as the design setting. The analysis exploration hopes to provide proficient lichen inspired campground layouts and design methods by utilizing characteristics of native lichens and the geographical and geological areas lichen thrive on. Using ArcGIS layers created from research, I will design a sustainable and educational lichen-style campground that informs users with wayfinding signage that are directional, regulatory, identification based and informational. Interpretative signs will connect users with historical and educational photos of …

Crossing Paths: Landscape Planning For Human-Wildlife Balance, Benjamin J. Smail

Landscape Architecture Theses

Design methods to reconnect the Salish and Kootenai people, as well as those permitted to visit, to their ancestral lands and historical/cultural sites as well as the safe and efficient movement of native animal species throughout the valley is the goal of this research. Constraints will first be identified in understanding how this reconnection works with the hurdles of current and future urban development, private property, watersheds (historical and current), agriculture, and historical landmarks. Next, typological studies of other efforts in wildlife mobility will be compared with current funding opportunities and their preferences in a ‘program matrix’. This program matrix …

Original Public Meaning, Lawrence B. Solum

Faculty Scholarship

“Original public meaning” has become increasingly important in constitutional discourse. This Article investigates the nature of original public meaning in three steps. First, each word in the phrase “original public meaning” is explicated and clarified. The word “original” represents the idea that the meaning of the constitutional text is fixed at the time each provision is framed and ratified. The word “public” signifies that the relevant meaning is ordinary meaning, the understanding of the text conveyed to the public at the time each provision was framed and ratified. The word “meaning” refers to the set of ideas (concepts and propositions) …

Novel Techniques Using Graph Neural Networks (Gnns) For Anomaly Detection, Priya Joseph

Computer Science

This paper explores 2 new mechanisms that leverage graphs for anomaly detection. The novelty in approach one is to leverage the global attention capability of transformer architecture using a Graph Attention Network (GAT) with Chebyshev Laplacian for representation. This method leverages the GAT to learn attention weights for the graph features obtained through Chebyshev expansion of the Laplacian. This method focuses on capturing higher-order graph features with reduced computational complexity and utilizing attention mechanisms for improved feature relevance in detecting anomalies. The second approach leverages Fisher information to find anomalous graphs with ChebNet module for graph analysis. The ChebNet module …

Digital Deception And The Illusion Of Choice: How Dark Patterns Undermine Informed Consent Gdpr, Wajeeha Khan

Computer Science

Our investigation builds on prior research to examine global e-commerce data privacy, focusing on compliance with GDPR and CCPA laws introduced in 2018 and 2020. This study reveals uneven adherence to GDPR and CCPA regulations across e-commerce platforms, underscoring the persistent use of dark patterns. UK and French sites lead in GDPR compliance at 85% and 80%, while U.S. sites showed 65% adherence to CCPA. Turkish websites displayed a surprising 85% - 95% compliance with European standards. In contrast, South African platforms showed a low 30% compliance, often utilizing implicit consent methods. These findings expose significant gaps and inconsistencies in …

Unmasking Barriers In The Delivery Of Preconception Counseling And Contraception Provision For Patients With Type 1 Or Type 2 Diabetes, Layla A Abushamat, Lauren Sayres, Rebecca Jeffers, Chloe Nielsen, Linda A Barbour, Adnin Zaman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Sovereign Wealth Funds, Corporate Governance, And Corporate Performance, Feiyu Liu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation comprises three chapters regarding the impact of sovereign wealth fund (SWF) investments on target firms’ corporate governance, cost of debt, and corporate social responsibility performance.

The first chapter is entitled “The Corporate Governance Consequences of Small Shareholdings: Evidence from Sovereign Wealth Fund Cross-Border Investments.” This chapter shows that firms’ corporate governance decrease following SWF cross-border investments. This impact holds for small SWF cross-border equity investments only, and is stronger for firms that are weakly governed and for those located in jurisdictions with weak shareholder protection. The negative relation is more pronounced when SWFs’ home countries have lower-quality investor …

Evaluation Of The Dynamic Indicators Of Basic Early Literacy Skills (Dibels 8th Edition) Measures For Use With The Energy Express Summer Literacy Program, Maria Boki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examines the suitability of the DIBELS 8^th edition assessment for use within the scope and context of the Energy Express summer literacy program. The 6-week summer program helps children in grades K-5 from rural and low-income West Virginia communities improve or maintain their reading levels over the summer months. Standard, grade-appropriate DIBELS 8^th subtests were administered to 1,065 participants at the beginning and end of Summer 2022. The resulting pre- and post-scores were cross-referenced with demographic data and attendance rates from 20 counties and 35 sites in West Virginia. They were then analyzed for correlations …

Enhancing The Forensic Comparison Process Of Common Trace Materials Through The Development Of Practical And Systematic Methods, Meghan Nicole Prusinowski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An ongoing advancement in forensic trace evidence has driven the development of new and objective methods for comparing various materials. While many standard guides have been published for use in trace laboratories, different areas require a more comprehensive understanding of error rates and an urgent need for harmonizing methods of examination and interpretation. Two critical areas are the forensic examination of physical fits and the comparison of spectral data, which depend highly on the examiner’s judgment.

The long-term goal of this study is to advance and modernize the comparative process of physical fit examinations and spectral interpretation. This goal is …

Techno-Economic Analysis And Optimization Of Hydrogen And Mechanical Energy Storage Systems, Pavitra Senthamilselvan Sengalani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The increasing significance of renewable energy sources is thrusting the load cycling of fossil-fueled power plants (FFPP), designed to operate under nominal-load conditions. Integration of energy storage systems (ESS) with the FFPPs such as hydrogen energy storage (HES) and mechanical energy storage facility such as compressed air energy storage (CAES) shows the potential to minimize the levelized cost of electricity during high demand scenarios and also minimize the negative impacts of off-design FFPP operation. The deployment of energy storage facilities at the FFPP level have considerable potential advantages as they can be exploited within the existing equipment items and facilities …

Negative Forces In Consumption: Their Unpleasant But Undeniable Influence On Consumers, Yumei Mu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An unfortunate reality of consumer behavior is that it has a negative side: Consumers can experience negative emotions (Harrison-Walker, 2019); firm-consumer relationships can grow sour (Do, 2019); and so on. Already quite prevalent, negative forces in consumption have only increased lately because of the COVID-19 pandemic (Gaydos, 2020). Given the pervasiveness of negative forces in consumer behavior, it is very important for consumer psychologists to study them. To that end, the three essays in this dissertation explore wide-ranging facets of negative forces in consumer behavior and, collectively, greatly augment the field’s understanding of the behaviors, processes, and outcomes comprising the …

Mapping Infiltration In An Urbanizing Mixed-Land-Use Watershed With Multi-Temporal Satellite Imagery, Sarah J. Higgins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Digital soil mapping (DSM) is a field of soil science that aims to improve traditional soil maps by producing higher resolution predictive maps of soil properties using spatial environmental data. DSM has historically relied primarily on static environmental covariates—such as slope gradient, slope aspect, and other topographic variables derived from digital terrain models—for predicting static soil properties, like soil texture. Advancements in satellite imagery and statistical modeling improve the accuracy of digital soil maps by incorporating multi-temporal data that can capture landscape-scale change over relatively short periods of time. Adding these dynamic environmental covariates may be especially useful for spatial …

Analytical Heat Transfer Modeling Of The Microwave Heating Process: A Focus On Carbon Black, Craig Offutt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electronic waste (e-waste) has become a significant environmental issue due to the rapid advancement of technology, increasing demand for electronic devices, and shorter lifespan of electronics. One critical step in processing the e-waste involves ball milling as a means of preparing the recycling e-waste for the recovery of critical materials. Ball milling is a technique that involves the mechanical crushing and grinding of electronic waste to reduce its size and improve its reactivity during recovery. Our focused recovery technique is based on a microwave recovery technique of these critical materials from e-waste. The size and distribution of the e-waste with …

Not A Do-Or-Die Affair: Freelance Journalists In Nigeria And Ethical Dilemmas, Tolulope O. Olasoji

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study explores the ethical dilemmas Nigerian freelance journalists face and their implications for their work. It will use in-depth interviews with select freelance journalists. Several studies have established that ethical concerns are rife in—and indeed the bane of—journalism in Nigeria. However, these pieces of research reflect the reality across conventional newsrooms, where, ideally, there is some organizational structure and support. No scholarly attention has been given to freelance journalists, otherwise known as entrepreneurial journalists, due to their autonomous nature, to understand the ethical dilemmas they may be entangled in primarily. This study seeks to address this gap in research. …

Development Of A Model Sustainability Management Plan For The City Of Morgantown, West Virginia, Caitlyn Elizabeth Lewis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This report has been prepared to demonstrate the research for a model planning document with a focus on sustainability in Morgantown, WV. It discusses the role of three categories in the context of sustainability and proposes a design solution for selected areas of concern throughout the City of Morgantown in order to demonstrate opportunities for a sustainable approach toward resolution for city officials.

The City of Morgantown, West Virginia, is a college town along the Monongahela River with a backstory of industrialism that is echoed by many other places in Appalachia. However, distinctively, in Morgantown 25,000 college students populate the …

A Program Evaluation Of The West Virginia University Health Science Center Interprofessional Education First-Year Curriculum, Kathryn Lynn Smalley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: The Interprofessional Education (IPE) First-Year Program was started at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center in 2013 with the goal of providing participants introductory knowledge of the IPE Core Competencies as defined by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC). This program transfers 16 different disciplines out of their isolated educational silos and allows them to learn about, for, and with one another. Participants are introduced to foundational knowledge through several didactic sessions over the course of an academic year. Although the program has been increasingly incorporated by many health sciences disciplines since its inception, it has never officially …

Evaluating The Degradation Relationship Between Latent Print Impressions And Touch Dna Under Varying Environmental Conditions, Katrina M. Rupert B.S.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Latent prints have been processed as a source of touch DNA evidence in the hopes of attaining partial or even full DNA profiles. However, the relationship between the latent quality and the DNA quality has not yet been fully explored, resulting in gaps in understanding how the two are connected. A common source of touch DNA is from latent print evidence, which is typically processed and photographed at a scene, and subsequently processed for DNA in the laboratory. However, there is skepticism in the forensic community around touch DNA as laboratory procedures are often manipulated beyond standard operating procedures to …

Enabling Technologies For Chemical Synthesis: I. Selective Microwave Heating; Ii. Synthesis And Regioselective Cyclotrimerizations Of Tethered 1,6-Diynes, Amir Tavakoli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Reaction discoveries, method developments, and technology advancements lie at the heart of synthetic organic chemistry. These innovations are essential for creating and manipulating complex molecules, which are the building blocks of many important chemical compounds, including pharmaceuticals, materials, and agrochemicals. Here, we first describe new methods to prepare neopentylene-tethered (NPT) 1,6-diynes which are valuable substrates for reaction discovery and target-oriented synthesis, especially in benzannulation strategies toward illudalane natural products. NPT 1,6-diynes have been employed as coupling partners in cyclotrimerization reactions for the synthesis of highly substituted benzene rings which present a persistent challenge in chemical synthesis and are underrepresented scaffolds …

Living Your Best Life: The Mindful Pursuit Of Student-Athlete Thriving, Andrew Augustus

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Thriving, or the concurrent experience of healthy well-being and high-level performance, may serve as a valuable construct when studying the optimal student-athlete experience and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to positively impact well-being and performance. The purpose of the present study began to examine the impact of an MBI for improving student-athlete experiences of thriving via a quasi-experimental longitudinal design. NCAA Division II student-athletes (n = 55) from three sports were randomly assigned to either a control or a 7-session MBI. While comprehensive measures of thriving did not yield significant change for those in the MBI relative to …