Modeling Of Inverter-Based Microgrid For Small-Signal And Large-Signal Stability Analysis, Vishal Verma

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Integration of inverter-based resources (IBRs) such as solar photovoltaic, wind, and battery storage, is both a boon and a bane for electric power systems. On one hand, IBRs have helped in making electrical energy a clean (carbon-free) source of energy. On other hand, the dynamics of IBRs have changed the way power system studies have been carried out. With the advantages IBRs offer over conventional resources, it is assumed that a small distribution power system (microgrid) will have a 100% IBRs penetration in the future. Such a microgrid can operate in grid-connected mode or in an islanded mode. Both modes …

A Narrative Inquiry Into The Influence Of School Shooting Survival On College Transition And Experience, Jayne M. Piskorik

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There is an extensive body of school-related shooting research exploring causes, how to recognize a threat, and what preparedness measures are effective (Lee et al., 2020; Muchert, 2007). However, there is insufficient research on how the broader context of school-related shootings in American society has influenced college-aged students. The purpose of this study was to tell the story of how students have been influenced by their experience surviving the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting during their transition to and performance in higher education. Narrative inquiry provided a deeper understanding through narrative retelling of the perceptions, decisions, and experiences …

Implementation Of Stress Management And Resiliency Training To Address Nursing Burnout In A Neuroscience Critical Care Unit, Jessica May Marie Hughes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the United States, over one-third of nurses experience symptoms of burnout (Reith, 2018). If left unchecked, poor stress management and resiliency skills can contribute to nursing burnout, leading to costly employee turnover. Stress management and resiliency training (SMART) provides the tools necessary to develop resiliency, improve stress management and decrease burnout (Resilient Option, 2020). Nursing staff under the age of 36, who work in a Neurosciences Critical Care Unit (NCCU) demonstrate lower resiliency scores and a higher risk of burnout. This project aimed to evaluate: (a) the effects of a SMART program on the wellbeing of nursing staff in …

Standardized Postoperative Handoff Tool To Improve Handoff Quality, Haley Durkacz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

Effective communication between healthcare providers is an essential element in the delivery of safe patient care. Loss of relevant information can occur during all phases of patient care but is most inclined to occur during the handoff from the operating room to the postoperative anesthesia care unit (PACU). Evidence has indicated that the transfer of patients by anesthesia providers remains informal and brief despite practice guidelines. When pertinent details are omitted during the anesthesia handoff there is a potential increase for medical errors, delayed treatment, and patient harm. The purpose of this project was to analyze the use of …

A Quality Improvement Initiative Regarding Ondansetron In The Prevention Of Spinal Anesthesia-Induced Hypotension, Kassidy Dell Nutter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Spinal anesthesia is an excellent choice as the primary anesthetic for lower abdominal, perineal, and lower extremity procedures. Spinal anesthesia boasts several distinct advantages over general anesthesia. However, it is important to note that spinal anesthesia does not come without risk. The most common adverse reaction of spinal anesthesia is hypotension. Anesthesia providers use several methods to combat the hypotension that is so commonly associated with spinal anesthesia. One emerging trend to prevent spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension (SAIH) is the administration of ondansetron, a serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine3 antagonist. Evidence has shown that the administration of ondansetron just prior to spinal anesthesia administration …

A Quality Improvement Initiative For Intraoperative Low Dose Ketamine Utilization In Thoracotomy, Jason Wampler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The challenge of postoperative pain control following a thoracotomy is well noted among anesthesia providers. The intraoperative utilization of low-dose ketamine in several patient populations, including those undergoing a thoracotomy, has been deemed a viable intervention in the multi-modal analgesia plan at not only reducing postoperative pain scores for patients, but also reducing opioid consumption. This quality improvement project sought to increase provider awareness of this intervention among anesthesia providers in a community hospital with a goal to influence a practice change. This was completed using a pre-post design centered around an educational in-service, with an additional 60-day follow-up survey …

An Anesthesia-Based Quality Improvement Initiative To Decrease Opioid Administration Via Esmolol Administration, Fredrick J. Hanna

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation are routine procedures that occur within the surgical setting. Fentanyl is currently administered for attenuating the hemodynamic response to intubation. Opioid-sparing alternatives have been identified with aims of improving patient outcomes, such as esmolol. Purpose: The project’s purpose was designed to improve anesthesia provider familiarity, perception, and consideration of esmolol as a non-narcotic alternative for attenuating the hemodynamic response to intubation and prompt an increase of esmolol administration within this setting. Interventions: Surveys were conducted before and after an educational in-service, offered to anesthesia providers, demonstrating esmolol as an efficacious alternative to fentanyl. Additionally, an …

A Review Of Biomechanics Of Arterial Stent Implants, Joshua Collin Yurek

Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

This work looks to provide a review of modern stents by evaluating the need for them as well as providing a detailed engineering analysis of the conditions they are subjected to. It is estimated that over two million of these devices are implanted in patients annually. Of those implanted, a majority are used in the treatment of arteriosclerosis. This disease causes arterial walls to thicken and toughen leading to restricted blood flow and in extreme cases, complete loss of circulation. Arteriosclerosis and complications arising from it form a leading cause of death in the developed world. Although there are a …

Characterization Of A Lab-Scale Polymethylmethacrylate And Gaseous Oxygen Hybrid Rocket, Porter Dixon

Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

Hybrid rockets are a type of chemical rocket propulsion where the reactants are in different phases. Historically, hybrid rockets have been underutilized in the aerospace industry. However, due to their simple nature, they are easy to construct and test. Research on hybrid rocket propulsion was conducted using optically clear polymethylmethacrylate and gaseous oxygen with a nozzle designed to achieve Mach 2. Characterization was performed using combustion simulations available from NASA and measurements with pressure transducers, thermocouples, a load cell, and high-speed cameras. The test stand and hybrid rocket itself were designed by previous senior design groups. From the results, performance …

Working Knowledge: Catalogers And The Stories They Tell, Amanda Belantara, Emily Drabinski

Publications and Research

Cataloging librarians make myriad choices every day as they create the metadata necessary for information retrieval. Each record represents an interaction between the cataloger and the systems they work within and, sometimes, against. Their work is highly constrained by standardized machine-readable fields and codes, controlled subject terms, and classification schema. In the exploratory research project Catalogers at Work, the authors use sound recording to reveal the complex yet hidden negotiations embedded in library catalog records.

La Musique Dans Les Cultures Tech. La Synthèse Modulaire En Temps De Covid-19, Eliot Bates

Publications and Research

Depuis 1996, la synthèse modulaire matérielle est passée d’une pratique artisanale de fabrication d’instruments de niche soutenue par un petit nombre de musiciens, à un phénomène transnational, une véritable culture tech. Malgré cet engouement, elle n’a pas donné naissance à de nouveaux genres musicaux populaires, et il n’est pas certain que la « musique », quelle que soit sa définition, soit ce qui rassemble les amateurs de synthèse modulaire. Ce texte a deux objectifs : tout d’abord, il présente les résultats d’une recherche en cours menée en ligne et dans plusieurs pays concernant le rôle des objets technologiques dans la …

“It Wasn’T Just About Learning How To Speak Spanish”: Engaging Histories Of Oppression And Enslavement In Spanish Heritage Language Education, Tania Avilés, Anthony J. Harb

Publications and Research

We present a curricular intervention in elementary Spanish heritage language in a Hispanic serving institution located in the US Northeast (Bronx, NYC), that aims to contextualize Latinx students’ experiences and perceptions of Blackness within broader histories of oppression and enslavement. Our practice brings together critical Latinx pedagogy and critical approaches to Spanish heritage language education to facilitate sociohistorical consciousness for both language instructors and students through the use of open-access Latinx archival resources. We outline a three-week unit designed using the First Blacks in the Americas online collection curated by the City University of New York Dominican Studies Institute. During …

Network Slicing In 5g: Admission, Scheduling, And Security, Raneem Jassim Alghawi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the past few decades, there was an increase in the number of devices that have wireless capabilities such as phones, televisions, and home appliances. With the high demand for wireless networking, the fifth generation (5G) of mobile networks was designed to support the different services of new applications. In addition, one of the technical issues that 5G would evolve is the increase in traffic and the need to satisfy the user’s experience. With the evolution of wireless networking and 5G, Network Slicing has been introduced to accommodate the diverse requirements of the applications. Thus, network slicing is the concept …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Alcohol Use Trajectories In College Students, Rebekah Lynn Damitz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Heavy alcohol use during college can result in numerous negative outcomes (e.g., accidents, worse academics, risky sexual behaviors, etc.). Understanding the risk-factors associated with elevated alcohol use in college are needed so prevention and/or interventions can be implemented to inhibit such dangerous behavior. Adverse childhood experiences have been identified as one key factor in the initiation and escalation of alcohol use, but there is limited research on samples that are in emerging adulthood. Specifically, the transition to college is a time when many students escalate drinking and can form the basis for longer term drinking patterns. It is not yet …

Low- And High-Wattage Vaping During Pregnancy Influence Aortic Structure And Function In Rat Offspring, James Ian Frazier

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are being marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, yet the health consequences of e-cig usage (also called vaping) are still being investigated. E-cigs are easily customized for user preferences. For example, the choice of flavors, nicotine concentration, and/or the temperature (i.e., wattage) used to heat the e-liquid can be selected in many devices. Emerging evidence suggests that vaping during pregnancy impairs cerebral vascular function in rodent offspring. In this study, we sought to investigate the potential effects of changes to e-cig device wattage (i.e., 5W vs. 30W) with maternal vaping during pregnancy on vascular …

Evaluation Of A Comprehensive Diabetes Mellitus Protocol At A Rural, Federally Qualified Health Center In Southern West Virginia, Hannah D. Davis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects nearly 34 million Americans. In rural Appalachia, the population is affected disproportionately at a rate of 14% compared to the national average of 10%. Diabetes is a lifelong, chronic condition managed best by a multidisciplinary team-based approach to achieve optimal disease control. Best practices in the care of diabetes support the use of evidenced based care protocols and leveraging technology to decrease the burden of disease. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common type, making it the focal population for evaluation.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to …

Air-Assisted Communications Using Line-Of-Sight Links, Shaikha A. Alkandari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recently, there has been a rapid increase in the use of air-assisted communications involv-
ing the use of airborne platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In air-assisted
networks, the UAVs can act like base stations in a traditional cellular network as long as an
appropriate backhaul is available. Alternatively, the UAVs could serve as relays, for instance,
connecting two ground-based users who are within range of the UAV. UAVs have the benefit
of being deployed and reconfigured rapidly and on demand.
Meanwhile, there has been a trend towards the use of higher and higher frequencies,
including those in millimeter-wave …

Psychosocial Influences On And Behavioral Characteristics Of Young Adult Food Addiction, Rachel A. Wattick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction. Research on food addiction has increased in recent years, but there are few studies focusing on college-attending young adults, who may be at risk of developing food addiction due to the stress of the college environment. Additionally, causes and characteristics of food addiction are under-explored.

Aim. This dissertation aims to 1) determine the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and other early life influences on the development of food addiction in college-attending young adults and 2) determine the psychosocial and behavioral characteristics of young adults with food addiction.

Methods. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was used for aims 1 …

Combinatorial Approaches For Effective Design, Synthesis, And Optimization Of Enzyme-Based Conjugates, Jordan Scott Chapman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The specificity and efficiency with which enzymes catalyze selective chemical reactions far exceeds the performance of traditional heterogeneous catalysts that are predominant in industrial applications such as conversion of commodity chemicals to value-added products, fuel cells, and petroleum refinement. Moreover, biocatalysts exhibit exceptionally high product turnover at ambient conditions with little health and environmental burden. These advantageous qualities have led to the prolific use of enzyme catalysis in pharmaceutical, detergents, and food preservation industries wherein their use has greatly reduced waste generation, Unfortunately, the full slate of benefits that enzymes can impart to a broader range of chemical processes is …

A Domain Adaptation Approach For Segmenting Cell Instances In Microscopy Data, Matthew R. Keaton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Automated cellular instance segmentation is a process that has been utilized for accelerating biological research since before the deep learning era, and recent advancements have produced higher quality results with less effort from the biologist. Most current endeavors focus on completely cutting the researcher out of the picture by generating highly generalized models. However, these models invariably fail when faced with novel data and effectively opt to miss out on the full capabilities of deep learning in pursuit of this goal. In our work, we demonstrate how, with even a minimal amount of annotated data, dominant approaches in this space …

Investigating The Marketing Language Among Online Retailers Of Violin Strings To Determine The Implied Aesthetic, Kira Kay Browning

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The aim of this research is to determine if language in the advertising of violin strings is acting as an exclusionary tool in favor of a Western art music “sound” produced by “classical” violinists. It posits that the marketing of strings to violinists is a topic laden with unacknowledged biases and values of musicians within Western art music. The aesthetic values attached to playing Western art music for the violin in the United States are passed on through pedagogic practice and acculturation of language. Product descriptions for strings in the United States employ language which adheres to these cultural values …

Evaluating The Validity And Reliability Of Textile And Paper Fracture Characteristics In Forensic Comparative Analysis, Zachary Bailey Andrews

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In a comparative forensic analysis, an examiner can report that a physical fit exists between two torn or separated items when they realign in a manner unlikely to be replicated. Due to the common belief that it is unlikely that two unrelated fractured objects would match with distinctive characteristics, a physical fit represents the highest degree of association between two items. Nonetheless, despite the probative value that this evidence could have to a trier of fact, few studies have demonstrated such assumptions' scientific validity and reliability. Moreover, there is a lack of consensus-based standard protocols for physical fit comparisons, making …

Incidence Of Cancer, Depression, And Economic Burden Of Prescription Nsaids Among Older Adults With Osteoarthritis: Statistical And Machine Learning Approaches, Nazneen Fatima Mohammed Umer Shaikh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding the role of chronic inflammation among older adults is critical because of its implications on chronic inflammatory conditions as well as its interaction with anti-inflammatory medications. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a heterogeneous multi-faceted joint disease with multi-tissue involvement of varying severity, and increasing evidence demonstrates a key role of chronic inflammation in its pathogenesis. Approximately 30 million adults in the United States have OA, and it is reported that a large proportion (43%) of them are older than 65 years. OA is typically treated using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for minimizing pain and reducing inflammation. NSAIDs have consistently shown clinically …

Healing Gardens For Assisted Living Facility At Cortland Acres, Thomas, Wv, Pooja Keshav Pawar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The affection humans feel for nature is called biophilia. Connecting with nature helps in healing. The connection with nature can be established by incorporating biophilic elements like air, water, plants, and views of nature into the design. (Kellert,2018). According to Kaplan’s Attention Restoration theory, exposure to nature improves focus and the ability to concentrate. (Kaplan,1989)

Connecting with nature provides to be helpful in health care facilities for frail elderly, people with Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias, Hospice care facilities, Mental and Behavioral Health Facilities, and Assisted living facilities. (Marcus,2013)

The aim of this project is to create comfortable, safe, and accessible …

Face Recognition With Attention Mechanisms, Qiangchang Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Face recognition has been widely used in people’s daily lives due to its contactless process and high accuracy. Existing works can be divided into two categories: global and local approaches. The mainstream global approaches usually extract features on whole faces. However, global faces tend to suffer from dramatic appearance changes under the scenarios of large pose variations, heavy occlusions, and so on. On the other hand, since some local patches may remain similar, they can play an important role in such scenarios. Existing local approaches mainly rely on cropping local patches around facial landmarks and then extracting corresponding local representations. …

What Is The Perceived Self-Efficacy Of Defined Job Competencies For West Virginia University Extension Faculty?, Lacey Dawn Seckman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The central mission of the Extension Service is to diffuse knowledge and resources developed by teaching and research experts at land grant universities to clientele within local communities (Cummings, et al., 2015; Hall & Broyles, 2016; Seevers & Graham, 2012). Making sure faculty are prepared to carry out their roles in all aspects to serve their clientele is key to quality Extension programs. Extension faculty can come from various backgrounds, interests, and expertise, all of which are influencers of self-efficacy. Having defined competencies for employees in Extension can help express what to expect in this job day-to-day. McClelland (1973) described …

Essays On Clean Water Act And Safe Drinking Water Act, Sharaban Tahura Anica

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation empirically examines three issues related to CWA and SDWA: 1) Financial Assistance and Environmental Compliance; 2) Financial Assistance Priorities from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; and 3) Drinking Water Compliance during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Using the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System compliance and the Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF) data for wastewater treatment plants in nine states between 2010 and 2018, chapter 2 examines a) the effect of non-compliance on the distribution and size of awarded CWSRF loans, and b) the effects of the CWSRF provision and award size on post-funding compliance. Funded facilities are found to …

Synthetic Methods For Improved Scope And Efficiency Of Copper-Catalyzed Regioselective Alkene Boracarboxylation, Steven William Knowlden

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The synthesis of carboxylic acids is important to the chemistry community, owing to the broad applicability of these compounds as fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Method development over the last decade has focused on the preparation of carboxylic acids through transition metal catalysis utilizing CO₂ as a C1 synthon. Copper-catalyzed heteroelement(bora and sila)-carboxylation protocols provide functional group rich carboxylic acid products, yet remain underdeveloped and thus underutilized. Consequently, catalytic reductive difunctionalization methodologies in which CO₂ and B(pin) (pin = pinacolate: 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-butanediolate) are installed across the double bond of a vinyl arene were recently developed. These boracarboxylation protocols provided novel, …

Advancing Compound Detection And Identification Using Vibrating Sharp-Edge Spray Ionization, Anthony Paul Debastiani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Advancing Compound Detection and Identification Using Vibrating Sharp-Edge Spray Ionization

Anthony Paul DeBastiani

‘Omics consists of various areas, including genomics, proteomics, lipidomics, and metabolomics with a goal of detection and identification of biomolecules present within each of these classes within an organism. Current omic analytical methods include the use of mass spectrometry (MS) coupled with various separation techniques, including liquid chromatography (LC), with the use of heated nebulization gas assisted electrospray ionization (HESI). Although the rapid progress in LC-MS platform development has lead to significant enhancements in omic studies, significant limitations in the detection and identification of low abundant species …

Integrated Large Discontinuity Factor, Lamodel And Stability Mapping Approach For Stone Mine Pillar Stability, Mustafa Baris Ates

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this research is to develop a software tool that integrates the large discontinuity factor (LDF) and the Boundary Element Method software (BEM), LaModel, to allow stone mine operators to assess the impact of the large discontinuities on local pillar stability. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published design guidelines for underground stone mines to guide the industry in designing pillar and roof support. These guidelines emphasize the impact of large, angular discontinuities on pillar strength. Esterhuizen et al. (2011) derived the large discontinuity factor (LDF) to account for the impact of discontinuities on pillar stability …