Digital Commons Network^™

Machine Learning Maintenance Costs Prediction Model For Heavy-Duty Alternative Fuel And Diesel Vehicles, Esteban Fernandez Villar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles (MHDVs) are essential to global logistics and transportation. Around 77% of these vehicles are diesel-powered due to its powertrain mechanical characteristics that make them reliable and energy efficient. However, the environmental implications of diesel combustion, particularly its direct contribution to air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, have increased the interest in alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). These alternatives include Natural Gas (NG), Propane, Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), each presenting unique benefits and challenges in terms of required fueling infrastructure, energy efficiency, environmental impact, and total cost of operation (TCO). Maintenance costs …

Puberty-Associated Changes In Kiss1r, Mc3r, And Mc4r In The Ewe, Ashleigh Caitlyn Thomson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The neural mechanisms that control the onset of puberty are not completely understood. In livestock, the onset of puberty relies on an increase in gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin neurons (KNDy) and their receptors, Kiss1r, NK3R, and KOR, respectively, are important regulators of puberty. Previous data from our laboratory has shown that KNDy neurons may be responding to other inputs, including the melanocortin system, that will affect the timing of puberty. Given this, we examined kisspeptin receptor (Kiss1r) mRNA expression in GnRH neurons as well as examining melanocortin 3 and 4 receptor …

Advances In Machine Learning Aided Seismic Interpretation And Inversion For Subsurface Characterization, Tobi Micheal Ore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Geophysical data are used to “remotely sense” the subsurface to illuminate structures, stratigraphy, and features that are of interest in the exploration for energy, suitable storage for carbon dioxide, geothermal development, and environmental considerations. The interpretations of these data typically are regarded as partially an art, as it depends on the experience of the interpreter. This is further exacerbated with the big data era as this data is large and takes several days, even longer, to manually interpret. To bridge this gap of speed and subjective bias, machine learning has been successfully applied to automate the geophysical interpretation process. This …

A Randomized Need-Supportive Intervention With U.S. Youth Hockey Coaches, Diane Benish

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Coach behaviors impact several essential athlete factors such as the quality of athlete motivation and psychological functioning and yet, many youth coaches remain untrained in motivation and athlete-centered principles. This study’s aim was to explore the efficacy of a need-supportive intervention on youth hockey coaches’ attitudes toward, and reported use of, need-supportive and/or need-thwarting approaches. Participants included 25 youth hockey coaches randomly assigned to an intervention or delayed control condition. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, the intervention included four sessions within which coaches learned how to adopt need-supportive coaching strategies and reduce need-thwarting tactics. A mixed-methods approach guided the evaluation of …

Kinetic Study Of Oh Radical Reactions With Cyclopentenone Derivatives, Patrick Kipkoech Rutto

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Conjugated a, b-unsaturated carbonyl compounds like cyclopentenone play a significant role in various environmental processes. These compounds are formed in combustion and Earth’s atmosphere from the oxidation of cyclic ketones such as cyclopentanone. Once formed under oxidative conditions, cyclopentenone may react with presence of free radicals like OH in the atmosphere molecules to form vinoxy type resonantly stabilized radicals. The presence of free radicals species like OH, O2 in the atmosphere can react with these molecules resulting into intermediate products that dissociate to give final products. Experimental and theoretical investigations in the reactions of cyclopentenone derivatives with these small free …

Choir Teacher Agency And Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, Kaitlyn Schramm

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) (Paris, 2012) is an educational framework that nurtures and sustains students’ cultural competencies and identities. Scholars have recognized the need for practices that sustain and nurture cultural identities and ways of knowing music in the music classroom (Abril, 2009; Bond, 2014; Good Perkins, 2018; Salvador & Culp, 2022; Shaw, 2016). Culturally sustaining teachers reimagine curriculum entirely and place students' cultural assets at the center “as targets of learning to be sustained” (Lee, 2017, p. 262), explored, honored, extended, and critically problematized (Lee, 2017; Paris, 2012; Samy Alim et al., 2020). In choral classrooms, this often involves …

Site, Seasonality, And Satisfaction: A Tourism Marketing Study In Pocahontas County, West Virginia, Lillian E. Oles

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tourism in the United States has become a key player in the economy as supported by the National Travel and Tourism Office. Specifically, West Virginia has proven to play its part, with Pocahontas county sitting as one of the top contributors. This rural area, which provides tourism opportunities year-round could fall victim to seasonality, preventing development and growth for the region. The Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau works to stay on top of this, however, even creating the basis for this study by partnering with researchers at West Virginia University to perform a visitor profile and economic impact analysis. …

Investigating The Effect Of Using Humorous Threats In Recreation Area Rules Signage To Influence Behavioral Intentions, Jacob Timothy Vargas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Communicating the importance of rules and warnings to visitors of recreational parks through signage can be difficult. However, it is one of the most important things to keep visitors safe. Oftentimes, these signs use fear of punishment or injury to discourage certain behaviors. According to studies following the Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM), using threats can backfire and cause visitors to use maladaptive fear responses to counteract a threat message if the content is too extreme or too psychologically close. Humor is a versatile tool that can be used to grab attention, temper perceptions, and influence decision-making. Comedians like Jon …

The Names Of All Wild Things: Field Guides And Environmental Thinking, Frank Izaguirre Phd

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The project first traces the earliest origins of natural history writing, surveying how natural history writing from antiquity presented and categorized the living world, and then how the rise of print culture and growing popularity of natural history writing would facilitate the rise of European empires. Values and conventions emerged that would later feed into the field guide, like the pairing of text and illustration to aid identification and the decontextualizing of plants and animals from their environments.

Near the end of the nineteenth century, the field guide genre emerged. Some wildly popular books, mostly written by women, emphasized the …

Isometric Force-Time Characteristics Of Different Positions In The Clean In Weightlifters, Kyle G. Rochau

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the sport of weightlifting, the ability to produce force known as strength is of great importance. Coaches can implement strategies to help their weightlifters increase their maximal strength levels such as performing full lifts like the snatch and clean & jerk or performing derivatives of those movements such as a clean pull from the knee or a mid-thigh pull. Performing weightlifting derivatives helps strengthen key technical positions in the full lifts, aiding their success. Having muscular weakness in these positions may be detrimental to the success of a lift. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the weightlifting …

Effects Of Commission Errors On Behavior Intervention Plan Outcomes, Olivia Brianne Harvey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

When implemented well (with fidelity), behavior intervention plans (BIP) improve student outcomes. Teachers tend to implement BIPs with poor overall fidelity, but little is known about the specific errors occurring during BIP implementation or the subsequent impacts these errors have on student outcomes. One possibility is that teachers learn what strategies suppress challenging behavior and implement those strategies regardless of what is written in the formal BIP. These added intervention components, termed commission errors, have not yet been evaluated in the context of BIP implementation. The proposed studies will begin to address these gaps. During Study 1, we …

Anamnesis, Kristian Thacker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

My work examines the duality of living in Appalachia and cherishing its picturesque environment; while being complicit in its ongoing destruction via industry and resource extraction. Composed of my own photographs and selections from the Farm Security Administration archives, this body of work presents a vision of the region that’s purpose extends beyond value judgments. Rather, it considers the manmade and natural environments of Appalachia holistically, each one integral to the experience and understanding of the other. Following the same aesthetic choices I make in my professional practice as a photojournalist, I blur the boundary between art and documentation. In …

Use Of Interlaboratory Studies For The Development Of Consensus-Based Criteria For The Elemental Analysis Of Electrical Tapes, Lacey M. Leatherland

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tape evidence is often used in criminal cases involving violent crimes, kidnappings, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and drug trafficking. This evidence can reveal potential links between suspects, items, or scenes. The forensic examination of electrical tape can provide investigative leads or offer support to alternative hypotheses evaluated in the courtroom. A conventional analytical scheme includes microscopic examination, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM-EDS), and Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Elemental analysis of electrical tapes is commonly achieved using SEM-EDS; however, recent scientific literature suggests that this analysis can evolve from using SEM-EDS to …

How Virtual Reality Simulations Prepare Teachers In Teacher Preparation Programs For Inclusive Classrooms, Lorilei G. Thompson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Teacher preparation programs are ever evolving based on research and student needs. The use of technology, such as virtual reality (VR), is at the forefront of education to help provide opportunities for teacher candidates to practice teaching in a semi-authentic classroom environment of students with and without exceptionalities. VR is a way for teacher candidates to practice teaching in a structured and conceivably less stressful environment in comparison to a real brick and mortar inclusive classroom. This qualitative study utilizes interviewing with video cuing for two novice teacher participants who went through the same inclusive education course at a major …

Light Wavelength Modulates Search Behavior Performance In Zebrafish, Matthew Reid Waalkes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Long-term internal states drive many behaviors in animals. Zebrafish is a common vertebrate model conducive to finding the neural coding to these behaviors. In the Horstick lab, the larval zebrafish light search behavior is central to our research. This behavior, which is the locomotor response to the loss of light in larval zebrafish, is controlled by multiple neural populations that drive different internal states. The sensory neurons initially responsible for this behavior are photosensitive due to the expression of light-absorbing proteins called opsins. Opsins vary in the ranges of wavelengths of light that they absorb, and are expressed in distinct …

Benefits And Barriers Of Using Prefilled Precedex Syringes In The Operating Room: A Cost Comparison, Ashley White

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

According to a report published by the Institute of Medicine, at least 44,000 and possibly up to 98,000 Americans die each year because of medical errors in hospitals. More than 7,000 of those deaths are from medication errors alone (Stucki et al., 2013). Anesthesia providers in the operating room (OR) are at even greater risk to commit medication errors due to their easy access to medications and their autonomy to make independent choices for medication administration. A small rural community hospital in Pennsylvania lacks a protocol for Precedex preparation. Evidence-based research show the benefit of prefilled ready-to-administer syringes, but the …

Three Essays In Urban And Regional Economics, Bryan Khoo Wyng Wai

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation "Three Essays in Urban and Regional Economics" contains three chapters which explore urban and regional economics. The first chapters focuses on examining the effect of stadiums on congestion; the second chapter on the effect of military base closures on the housing market; and the third chapter is a meta-analysis on historical instrumental variables.

The first chapter examines the effect of National Football League games on traffic congestion in Cincinnati, Ohio; Seattle, Washington; and Santa Clara, California during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. By linking sporting events to traffic congestion, this paper provides the mechanism for stadiums generating additional …

Evaluating The Impact Of Ergonomic Interventions On Reducing Knee Musculoskeletal Disorder Risks During Residential Roof Shingle Installation: A Phase-Level Analysis, Nazia Zerin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The prevalence of knee musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among roofers due to awkward kneeling postures during shingle installation is a well-recognized concern. While knee-saving interventions like knee savers (KSs) and knee pads (KPs) have shown the potential to reduce MSD risks, their effectiveness across different phases of shingle installation remains unknown. The objective of this study is to assess how interventions of KSs and KPs alleviate the risks of MSDs in the knees during various phases of shingle installation. These phases include (1) reaching for shingles, (2) placing shingles, (3) grabbing a nail gun, (4) moving to the first nailing position, …

Ethics In Action: Exploring B Corporation Certification, Value Congruence, And Empathy Within Organizations, Jiahui Lu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation is comprised of three studies. It explores ethical practices within organizational settings from three different perspectives: a macro perspective, an individual perspective, and a micro-level interaction perspective. The first study examines the earnings management behavior of B Corporation managers, providing a macro view of how an external corporate certification may address the broader issue of business ethics. The findings of this study contribute to the legitimacy of B Corporations and our understanding of the relationship between corporate social responsibility and earnings management. The second study investigates the effect of value congruence on employee whistleblowing at for-profit social mission …

Influence Of Scaling And Root Planing With Minocycline Microspheres On Clinical Outcomes Of Patients With Periodontitis, Nupoor Sandeep Kulkarni

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Scaling and root planning (SRP) has been established as a “gold-standard” non-surgical initial treatment for periodontitis. Along with SRP, some systemic adjuncts like systemic antibiotics were used in the past to gain maximum benefits of SRP by reducing the need for further periodontal surgeries. Due to some drawbacks of systemic antibiotic use, like “transient antibiotic resistance”, “non-adherence” and “insufficient concentrations in the periodontal pockets to be clinically effective”, there was a shift towards the use of local antibiotic adjuncts to SRP like minocycline, tetracycline, chlorhexidine etc. Minocycline is a semi-synthetic tetracycline derivative which is available in a powder form, …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Crime Scene Measuring Techniques, Lauren M. Fagan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Crime scene mapping is the process of measuring and fixing items present in the crime scene to obtain a detailed to-scale map of the scene as found by the crime scene investigators. When bloodstain patterns are present, investigators must analyze the bloodstains to assist in determining where the blood-shedding event occurred. The volume of origin is determined through a manual stringing method that is labor-intensive and destructive.

Technological advancements have been made in other fields, such as land surveying, and were adopted by law enforcement-related fields. These advancements include electronic terrestrial scanners, like the total station, and three-dimensional scanners, like …

Cleaning And Characterization Of Chemical Vapor Deposited Graphene For Nanoelectronic Device Development, Sakib Ishraq

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nanoelectronic devices based on graphene are a promising technology that combines the sensitivity and specificity of ion and element recognition with the accuracy and precision of electronics. The detection principle is based on the interaction of the target molecules with the nanodevice surface, which generates a measurable electrical signal. In the current study, graphene and its derivatives, synthesis and fabrication of high quality, good uniformity, and low defects graphene have been investigated as they are critical for high-performance and highly sensitive devices. Among many synthesis methods, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), have been used that needs to be transferred from the …

Building Better Biofuel Crops: A Field Evaluation Of Transgenic Populus Modified To Improve Feedstock Performance For Bioenergy Use, Molli Elisabeth Coombs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A transition away from fossil fuel use is necessary for the future of energy production, and biofuels are a renewable energy option that can mitigate the impacts of fossil fuels through lowered carbon emissions and possible carbon sequestration. In order to successfully compete with fossil fuels, the production of biofuels must be sustainable and cost effective. Populus species are a biofuel crop used for bioenergy conversion from lignocellulosic biomass that have been proposed for use in feedstock plantations on marginal lands, which would avoid competition with agricultural production. Two challenges of feedstock production being faced are recalcitrance to chemical processing, …

Comparing Resurgence Following Positive And Negative Reinforcement Using A Human-Operant Approach, Abbie Cooper

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Resurgence is a type of relapse that consists of the recurrence of a previously eliminated response following worsening reinforcement conditions for an alternative response. Resurgence can occur following a history of positive or negative reinforcement; however, no previous evaluations have directly compared resurgence following these processes. In the present set of experiments, college students responded on a computer program to earn points (positive reinforcement) and to avoid losing points (negative reinforcement). Experiment 1 evaluated resurgence when both target and alternative responses were maintained by the same reinforcer class (i.e., in the positive-reinforcement component the target and alternative responses were positively …

Measuring And Modeling Riparian Wetland Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity, Nutrient Concentrations And Shallow Groundwater Dynamics In An Appalachian Mixed Land Use Catchment, Bidisha Faruque Abesh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The paucity of research on accurate predictions of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), spatiotemporal analysis of nutrient concentrations relative to water source types (stream and shallow groundwater (SGW)), water flow directions, and land use in riparian wetlands of Appalachian mixed land use catchments underscored the need for this study. Additionally, the lack of SGW flow simulations and stream-SGW interactions using three-dimensional (3D) numerical models (i.e., MODFLOW) in these riparian wetlands further highlighted the research gap. Observed data including soil properties, Ksat, surface water (SW) and SGW levels, and nutrient concentrations, including nitrate (NO3-N), nitrite (NO2-N), ammonium (NH4-N), orthophosphate (PO43-P), total nitrogen …

Evaluating The Role Of Glucocorticoids On The Host Response To Helicobacter Pylori Infection, Sara Druffner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Helicobacter pylori infection is the number one risk factor for gastric cancer development. Roughly 50% of the world’s population is infected with H. pylori, though only 1-3% of those infected will develop cancer. H. pylori drives chronic inflammation that creates the requisite environment for carcinogenesis, yet it remains unclear why some individuals develop cancer and others do not. Most mechanistic studies are done in mice, however H. pylori is not a natural mouse pathogen. Research is typically done either with mouse-adapted strains of …

Are Two Heads Better Than One? Investigating The Influence Of Collaboration On Creativity, Alexander Knopps

Psychology

Creativity and collaboration are considered fundamental skills for student success in STEM Education (Karimi & Pina, 2021) and are consistently among the top-ranked skills for employers (Flaherty, 2021). To assess creativity, the Remote Association Task (RAT) is an increasingly used tool to measure creative problem-solving (Wu et al., 2021). However, no research has systematically investigated the effectiveness of working collaboratively versus individually using this measure. The current research evaluates how collaboration impacts creative problem-solving using the RAT. Participants worked collaboratively or individually to solve 20 RAT problems (Experiments 1-2) and completed a later, individual test that involved the same 20 …

A Quality Improvement Initiative To Reduce Preanalytical Blood Gas Errors, Layla Haver Newbrough

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

Introduction: Laboratory testing is one of the most commonly performed procedures in healthcare and resulting data are paramount to clinical decision making. Background: Preanalytical blood gas laboratory errors often stem from the incorrect recording of a patient’s fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) within the laboratory collection application. Incorrect FiO2 may cause erroneous results or delays in reporting results that have the potential to negatively impact patient safety and medical management.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to reduce the occurrence of preanalytical blood gas laboratory errors. Methods/Interventions: This initiative combined modification of the laboratory collection application …

Reconstructing Δ14c Production Events Using Tree Rings: Does Tree Physiology Affect Estimates Of Atmospheric Δ14c?, Meagan Rory Walker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cosmic rays and solar energetic particles (SEP) bombard the Earth’s geomagnetic field, posing a threat to satellites, space stations, and human space exploration. These rays and particles also produce radiocarbon (¹⁴C) in Earth’s atmosphere, thus records of past ¹⁴C concentration in the atmosphere may be indicative of past cosmic and solar activity. Rapid increases in the concentration of atmospheric radiocarbon ¹⁴C, (Miyake events) first identified in tree rings, are thought to be a result of solar eruptive activity triggering the release of solar energetic particles, though the precise nature of past events remains unresolved. The first …

Gating Of Food And Non-Food Information From Working Memory, Emily Johnson

Psychology

Prior research has suggested that biased attention towards food cues in the environment may contribute to the onset and maintenance of binge eating. Here, we examine whether individuals who report high levels of binge eating also have difficulty keeping task-irrelevant food-related information out of working memory (WM). To investigate this, we used the contralateral delay activity (CDA), a neurophysiological measure reflecting the amount of information held in WM. Experiment 1 confirmed differences in behavioral performance and CDA amplitude when holding one versus two items in WM and between stimulus type (food vs. non-food). Experiment 2 replicated these behavioral findings but …