Nuclear Reactions: Making Sense Of The Accident At Three Mile Island, Jordan Emily Bennett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis examines the causes and consequences of the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island in March of 1979. First detailing the event, this thesis then examines activist narratives following the accident, with a particular focus on women’s “motherist” activism in the community outside the plant, before turning to questions of memory and the creation of a public memory of survivorship in the community surrounding the plant. In considering these questions, this thesis seeks to shed light on the differences between official and communal narratives of the accident in an effort to understand the impacts that the partial meltdown at …

Revitalizing The Urban Riverfront: Redesigning The West End Bridge In Pittsburgh,Pa For Sustainable Multi-Use Connectivity And Public Space Creation., Mina Kargari Rezapour

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Urban waterfronts are critical assets for cities, offering opportunities for ecological restoration, public engagement, and multi-modal transportation. However, many riverfronts remain underutilized due to infrastructure barriers and lack of accessibility.

Pittsburgh’s riverfront is dynamic asset that supports recreation, cultural expression, and community interaction. The Three River Heritage Trail Loop, a visionary project led by River Life over the past 20 years, seeks to connect diverse neighborhoods and natural assets along the city’s rivers. At the heart of this initiative is the West End Bridge, serving as the bookend and a pivotal gateway to complete the loop and critical link for …

Evaluation And Identification Of Novel Viruses In Wild Fishes Using Varied Molecular Biology Techniques, Clayton Douglas Raines

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Viruses are among the most abundant biological entities on Earth, yet their diversity and ecological roles in aquatic vertebrates, particularly fishes, remain poorly characterized. This dissertation advances fish virology through integrative approaches that combine historical context, molecular diagnostics, and genomic discovery. A novel hepadnavirus (ApHBV) was identified in asymptomatic Alosa pseudoharengus, emphasizing the prevalence of subclinical infections in migratory forage species. In Catostomus commersonii, transcriptomic profiling revealed sexually dimorphic immune responses to hepatitis B and C-like viruses, highlighting complex host-pathogen dynamics. In Micropterus nigricans, next-generation sequencing uncovered a novel nackednavirus and multiple adomaviruses within hyperpigmented lesions, expanding …

An Analysis Of Usopc National Governing Body Policies Related To Body Pressures, Body Image Concerns, And Eating Pathology, Sarah Margaret Sadler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Athletes are often exposed to body pressures in sport environments (Voelker & Reel, 2020), which can contribute to body image concerns and eating pathology (Petrie & Greenleaf, 2007, 2012) with lasting consequences for performance and well-being. Although research has highlighted the harmful impacts of these concerns, and has called for a broader investigation into the sources of athletes’ experiences of these concerns (Voelker et al., 2022), little is known about the role of sport organizations in influencing athletes’ body pressures, body image concerns, and eating pathology. Using a descriptive qualitative research design within a post-positivist paradigmatic approach, the current study …

Neurobiological Variables Mediating The Relationship Between Breast Cancer And Sleep Disruption, Brittany Domenique Elliott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neurobiological Variables Mediating the Relationship between

Breast Cancer and Sleep Disruption

Brittany D. Elliott, MS

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in women, with more than two million new cases diagnosed world-wide each year. Improvements in screening technology and diagnostics have increased survival rates, but cancer-associated sleep disruptions persist for the majority of breast cancer survivors well beyond the treatment period. In addition to reducing quality of life, reduced sleep quality is associated with greater incidences of affective dysfunction, reduced treatment efficiency, aggressive cancer progression, increased symptom severity, and increased mortality by all causes. Thus, identifying the variables …

Improving Large Scale Face Recognition With Identity Codes, Mohammad Saeed Ebrahimi Saadabadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite significant advances in deep face recognition, current systems face several practical challenges in real-world scenarios. These include high computational cost of training on large-scale datasets, inefficient use of metric space, and mismatch between training and evaluation frameworks. This dissertation addresses these limitations through three completed studies. The first part presents a research effort aimed at addressing the computational bottlenecks of large-scale FR training. This work proposes a framework that replaces conventional scalar identity labels with structured identity codes, \ie, sequences of tokens optimized to preserve semantic and metric separation. The formulation is designed to reduce the computational cost of …

Non-Lethal Sampling Methods For Fish Health Assessments Using Smallmouth Bass Micropterus Dolomieu, Lindsey Nicole Hartzell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the early 2000s, fish kills of different species, including smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu, were reported in areas of the Potomac River drainage, including the Shenandoah River in Virginia. Since the first reports of fish kills and lesions affecting smallmouth bass, they have continued to show signs of adverse health effects. Additionally, in some areas of the Potomac River drainage, population declines have occurred, and lethal sampling is discouraged. To develop a holistic, integrative approach to assess fish health, Smallmouth Bass were collected and sampled using non-lethal techniques at three sites within the Shenandoah River drainage, VA and one …

Longitudinal And Ensemble Modeling Of Beef Cattle Feed And Water Intakes, Nathan El Blake

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Beef cattle production remains a cornerstone of global food systems, providing highly bioavailable protein and essential micronutrients that are difficult to secure from plant-based foods alone. Yet this production is also resource-intensive, requiring substantial land, feed, and water inputs while contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Efficiency of dry matter intake (DMI) and water intake (WI) is central to both productivity and sustainability, but accurate measurement of these traits—particularly in grazing systems—remains a major limitation. National WI standards continue to rely on pen-level data collected in the 1950s, while most existing DMI prediction equations perform poorly when applied beyond the …

Neural Network-Based Image Compression, Atefeh Khoshkhahtinat

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The rapid advancement of information technology and the exponential growth of digital communication have significantly increased the demand for efficient data compression techniques that reduce storage requirements, minimize bandwidth consumption, and accelerate data transmission—without substantially compromising data quality. This dissertation addresses these challenges by investigating and developing advanced learned image compression (LIC) methods, with a particular focus on lossy compression for both natural images and scientific imagery obtained from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission. Traditional image compression standards—such as JPEG, JPEG2000, BPG, and HEVC—rely on manually engineered transforms and heuristic rules, which often lack the adaptability required to accommodate …

Assessing And Predicting The Impact Of A Retrofitted Methane Mitigator On Non-Road Large Natural Gas Engines Using Artificial Neural Networks, Augustine Thomas Ojo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

ASSESSING AND PREDICTING THE IMPACT OF A RETROFITTED METHANE MITIGATOR ON NON-ROAD LARGE NATURAL GAS ENGINES USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS

Augustine Thomas Ojo

Methane emissions from the oil and gas sector present a pressing environmental and economic challenge, given methane’s high global warming potential and the considerable volumes of unutilized gas lost from industrial processes. This study investigates the impact of a retrofitted methane mitigation system, the Methane Mitigator (M²), on fuel consumption and engine-out emissions in non-road, four-stroke natural gas-powered, lean-burn engines and develops predictive Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models to estimate the resulting engine-out emissions and fuel …

Development And Applications Of Capillary Vibrating Sharp-Edge Spray Ionization Coupled With Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (Cvssi-Apci), Madison Elizabeth Pursell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mass spectrometry (MS) is a technique that is used in fields in which both complex and non-complex mixtures are analyzed. The state-of-the-art ion sources that are utilized for MS are being demonstrated to be functional for direct infusion of samples as well as for use with online separations. However, ion sources, such as electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) can encounter problems such as ion suppression and an inability to ionize based on size and/or polarity, respectively. Further these sources are bulky and require gas flow, heat sources, and additional high voltage power supplies for optimal performance. …

Microbial And Plant Biodiversity In Appalachian Agroecosystems And Their Implications For Soil Health, Kinsey Reed Close

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The sustainability of agricultural landscapes depends on understanding the complex interactions between plants, soil, and microbes. In Appalachia, a region shaped by complex terrain and long histories of human and ecological interaction, small family farms produce hay, livestock, and row crops. These agroecosystems, though often treated as “artificial” by many ecologists, have the potential to support both food production and biodiversity conservation if managed with an understanding of ecological complexity. This dissertation examines how plant and microbial diversity interact with soil and management to influence nutrient cycling, soil health, and long-term resilience in Appalachian agricultural systems. A literature review revealed …

Synthetic Data–Driven Early Prediction Framework For Acute Kidney Injury In Patients Receiving Vancomycin And Ceftazidime/Avibactam, Maryam Ramazani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: The nephrotoxic risks of combining ceftazidime/avibactam (AVI) with vancomycin (VAN) remain underexplored, despite both agents independently being linked to acute kidney injury (AKI). This study assessed the risk of AKI associated with concurrent VAN and ceftazidime/avibactam (VAN-AVI) therapy and developed synthetic data models to enable early prediction of AKI.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis using electronic health record data from hospitalized adults between 2015 and 2022. The incidence of AKI was compared among patients receiving VAN-AVI or VAN in combination with piperacillin/tazobactam (VAN-TPZ) versus VAN monotherapy. AKI was defined as a composite of de novo and recurrent AKI …

Parametric Analysis Of Proppant Selection Impact On The Hydraulic Fracture And Productivity Of Extended-Reach Marcellus Shale Wells, Nicholas Hunter Lapinski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hydraulic Fracture Proppant is the gateway to reservoir connectivity, allowing for decades of natural gas production from hydraulically fractured wells in the Marcellus Shale. The proper selection of proppant can have major ramifications on the productivity of the extended-reach Marcellus shale wells. The proppant penetration into the induced fracture attempts to close the gap between the realistic non-uniform fracture conductivity and the idealistic uniform fracture conductivity. Consequently, the more proppant residing within these fractures, the more likely the proppant is to resist crushing due to the compaction. Phenomena, Advancements have been made to create more durable proppant types or proppant …

Dynamic Force Feedback Controller Improves Metrics Of Stepping In A Biomimetic Robot Leg, Isabella Mae Kudyba

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Force feedback is a type of robotic control where forces are measured, fed back into the control system, and actuation is adjusted to compensate for environmental forces, with the goal of quick and precise limb positioning in walking. Robots of today use single force sensors (e.g. pressure sensitive pads, load cells) per leg which are often bulky, expensive, and susceptible to crosstalk. Walking robots often employ model predictive controllers or policy controllers trained through reinforcement learning (RL) to actuate their limbs, but these methods are time and energy consuming. Biomimetic robots offer an alternative approach, investigating biological theories with the …

Toward A University-Led Community Indicator Project For West Virginia, Daniel Carson Eades

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rural communities across the United States are experiencing profound social and economic transitions that demand innovative, asset-based approaches to community development (CD). This study responds to calls from West Virginia (WV) community development practitioners, funders, and university leaders for a standardized, contextually relevant framework to assess and track community well-being. The objective of this study was to develop a university-led community indicator project in West Virginia (WV CIP) that incorporates best practices recognized by the literature as critical to successful community-based indicator projects, specifically, the identification of scientifically and normatively grounded indicators rooted in a conceptual framework (the Community Capital …

The Position Of The United States Of America Vis-A-Vis The Question Of Western Sahara: Assessing The Role Of Think Tanks In The Conflict, Hamid Baadeche

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

The Position of the United States of America Vis-à-vis the Question of Western Sahara: Assessing the Role of Think Tanks in the Conflict

Hamid Baadeche

Think tank organizations, particularly in the United States, have become a prominent feature of the political landscape. They act as advocates for specific policies that they consider beneficial for the country or a particular societal group. They function as a primary source of information, which they then aim to transform into well-informed policies and sound decisions. They are referred to as "the revolving doors," "idea brokers," and "idea factory." As such, their foremost objective …

The Impact Of Skew On The Flexural Behavior Of Press-Brake-Formed Tub Girders, Matthew Allan Weatherholt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) is a group of bridge and buried soil steel structure industry leaders who have joined together to provide educational information on the design and construction of short span steel bridges in installations up to 140 feet in length. Press-brake-formed-tub-girders (PBFTGs) were developed by a technical working group within the SSSBA in response to a rising demand for rapid infrastructure replacements for short span bridge applications. PBFTGs are produced from structural steel plate and can be finished as weathering steel or galvanized. After being cold bent to the appropriate shape, shear studs are welded …

Synergetic Effect Of Cellulose And Chitosan Polymers In Cancer Treatment, Grace Peterson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research explores the development of a biocompatible, natural drug delivery system designed for targeted cancer therapy. Lung cancer cells are used in these particular tests, but further research indicates treatment could be used for various cancer types. Traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy are often limited by poor selectivity for tumor cells, causing significant damage to healthy tissues. The study proposes a dual-layered delivery system, utilizing Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) as the core material and a charge-reversible chitosan shell to encapsulate and target cancer drugs. CMC, with its water solubility and ability to form stable gels, serves as a stable drug …

Fundamental And Applied Investigation Of Ammonia Combustion: Characteristics And Emissions At Relevant Ic Engine Conditions, Luis Fernando Alvarez Correa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ammonia (NH3) is regarded as a promising fuel for future carbon-free power and propulsion systems due to its high hydrogen content, ease of storage, and existing infrastructure. Despite these advantages, NH3 exhibits inherently poor combustion characteristics, including low laminar burning velocity, high ignition energy, narrow flammability limits, and sluggish chemical kinetics. These limitations were solved in prior research by blending NH3 with hydrogen (H2) or hydrocarbons, which improved reactivity but introduced trade-offs such as increased complexity, safety concerns, or carbon emissions. Consequently, there remains a significant lack of fundamental and applied research on neat NH3 combustion, particularly under engine-relevant conditions …

Replicating The Functionality Of Ghost Knifefish Cerebellar Feedback Using Synthetic Nervous Systems, Sheldon Paul Cj Johnson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sensory inputs allow animals to perceive, react, and adapt to an environment. However, the sensory information received by the body, such as visual, auditory, and proprioceptive information, could become overwhelming, thus overloading the brain. Yet, animals can process all this information by canceling redundant signals from their surroundings, allowing them to be more sensitive to novel or unexpected signals in their environment. Each species (i.e., birds, fish, mammals) has its own way of using and filtering sensory information, from auditory to locomotion adaptivity. Cerebellar circuits contribute to sensory filtering in a variety of systems. In particular, research on Ghost knifefish …

Characterization Of Properties And Defects Of Alternative Matrix Materials For 3d Printed Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites, Noah Darren Osborne

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, has the potential to transform the production of end-use parts by facilitating the creation of complex shaped, low-volume components that are expensive to manufacture using traditional methods. However, thermoplastic polymer matrices currently utilized in 3D printing of carbon fiber composites, often lack the mechanical properties needed for aerospace applications. To address this issue, researchers have developed fiber-reinforced 3D-printed composites using an innovative two-step process which involves printing 3D preforms using fused deposition modeling, followed by compression molding. However, most previous work involves the use of nylon-based polymer matrices while there are a number …

Rational Design Of Small Molecules Targeting Mitochondrial Redox Proteins, Matheus Barbosa Belchior

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Reactive oxygen species play a crucial role in many cellular processes. Despite being a natural byproduct of cellular metabolism, overexpression of these species causes damage to the cell, leading to cell dysfunction. Central to the regulation of these highly reactive molecule is the mitochondria. Impairment in its function has been associated with oxidative stress within the cell. Herein, a ligand-based and structure-based approach to design new small molecules to inhibit mitochondrial redox proteins associated with oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species. In the first project two molecules were synthesized and characterized as potential monoamine oxidase B inhibitors. Results showed two …

Identifying The Role And Influence Of Interleukin-27 On The Neonatal Immune Response, Jordan Kane Vance

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The first month of life is a critical and vulnerable developmental stage, characterized by a heightened risk of life-threatening infections. Each year, 1.3 million newborns succumb to neonatal bacterial sepsis. The immune system during the neonatal period has unique features that lead to inefficiencies at clearing infection. Early life immunity is characterized by a Th2-biased profile with decreased IL‑12, IFN-γ, and TNF-α, along with increased IL‑6 and IL‑23. Additionally, IL‑27, an immunosuppressive cytokine, is also elevated during this period and further contributes to susceptibility to infection. Early diagnosis and intervention are critical in administering effective care in newborns and there …

A Difference-In-Differences Investigation Of The Impact Of State-Mandated Campus Carry Laws In Texas On Violent Campus Crime Rates, Ryan Matthew Gibson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study is to examine the potential impact of state-mandated campus carry laws on sexual misconduct and other violent crime statistics at public, four-year institutions. The study focuses on the state-mandated campus carry law put into effect in Texas starting in 2016 to analyze whether or not it had an impact on campus crime rates. Findings of the study showed that reported campus crime increased at Texas institutions post-2016 at a larger rate than the states that explicitly ban campus carry. Due to a lack of data on the number of individuals carrying guns on campuses in …

Artificial Engineering Intelligence Proxy Modelling For Numerical Reservoir Simulation Of Co2 Injection, Mohammad Altahow

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

Artificial Engineering Intelligence Proxy Modelling for Numerical Reservoir Simulation of CO2 Injection

Mohammad Altahow

This study uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to improve the speed and efficiency of reservoir simulations for CO₂ storage applications. Numerical reservoir simulators, such as CMG, provide accurate predictions but demand extensive computational time and resources, making them impractical for rapid scenario analyses. To tackle this challenge, I developed a Smart Proxy Model using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) within the Improve software platform to replicate the results of numerical reservoir simulations conducted with CMG.

The framework predicts key reservoir performance indicators, including …

Exploring The Ruminal Microbiome And Its Impacts On Feed Efficiency In Beef Cattle, Taylor Simone Sidney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The ability for beef cattle to utilize feed efficiently is a critical determinant for both economic and environmental sustainability in livestock production. However, despite extensive research, the complex microbial ecosystem within the rumen and its relationship to feed efficiency remain incompletely understood. This dissertation explores the physiological and microbial foundations of feed efficiency by characterizing how rumen microbial communities and their functions differ among beef cattle with divergent residual feed intake (RFI) phenotypes and how the RFI status of beef cattle influenced their response to dietary interventions such as supplementation with a Bacillus-based feed additive. In the first study, …

Applications Of Deep Learning For Optimizing Fingerphoto And Latent Fingerprint Biometrics, Amol Sanjay Joshi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fingerprint-based biometric recognition remains one of the most dependable and widely adopted approaches for identity verification due to its permanence and distinctiveness. Recent advancements in mobile and contactless imaging have extended fingerprint acquisition beyond controlled environments into unconstrained, real-world conditions through fingerphotos, contactless fingerprint images captured by digital or smartphone cameras. While this paradigm shift enhances accessibility and user convenience, it introduces significant technical challenges. Variations in illumination, focus, and motion blur often degrade ridge patterns, making accurate feature extraction and matching more difficult. Similarly, in forensic applications, latent fingerprints, incomplete or smudged prints lifted from surfaces, pose unique challenges …

Weakly Reversible Deficiency Zero Realizations Of Polynomial Dynamical Systems, Neal Ryan Buxton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Weakly reversible, deficiency zero (WR0) systems form a large class of polynomial ODEs modeling chemical reaction networks. Their behavior is exceptionally stable: they have unique positive steady states, which are locally asymptotically stable (they are also conjectured to be globally asymptotically stable). This powerful result (the Deficiency Zero Theorem) applies to a large class of high dimensional, nonlinear polynomial dynamics, and is independent of the choice of parameters in the model. In this dissertation we present two algorithms that expands the scope of the Deficiency Zero Theorem to:

1. Networks with WR0 realizations, i.e. networks that are not necessarily WR0 …

Pancreatic Cancer In Appalachia: An Examination Of Detection, Associated Factors, And Provider Experiences With A Focus On West Virginia, Melissa Mae Elder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

Pancreatic Cancer in Appalachia: An Examination of Detection, Associated Factors, and Provider Experiences with a Focus on West Virginia

Melissa M. Elder

Introduction: The Appalachian population accounts for a substantial proportion of the United States and are uniquely susceptible to health care disparities. The Appalachian Regional Commission has reported on the inequities found within the Appalachian region as part of its formal establishment in 1965. When compared to the Non-Appalachian U.S., Appalachia experiences a higher incidence of chronic disease such as diabetes, cancer, lung, and liver disease; mortality from diseases of despair constituting prescription drug, alcohol, illegal drug use, …