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Microfluidic 3d Gradient Generator For Studying Tubulogenesis, Bhargavi Thotakura Jan 2014

Microfluidic 3d Gradient Generator For Studying Tubulogenesis, Bhargavi Thotakura

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tubulogenesis and Angiogenesis is an important process in the formation of new blood vessels, and play a vital role in many physiological and pathological processes, such as cancer metastasis. To study this process in the laboratory, versatile, reliable and affordable assays are essential. The objective of this thesis work was to develop a microfluidic three-dimensional (3D) gradient device, which embedded collagen within the device for generating chemical gradient through it, and investigated it as a useful research tool for angiogenesis study with endothelial cells forming branching tubes inside the collagen.;With the enormous growth of microfluidic technologies, the scope for creating …


Planning Development: International Experts, Agricultural Policy, And The Modernization Of Nigeria, 1945-1967, Bekeh Utietiang Jan 2014

Planning Development: International Experts, Agricultural Policy, And The Modernization Of Nigeria, 1945-1967, Bekeh Utietiang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The period after the Second World War was a significant moment in British colonialism in Nigeria. It was the height of the decolonization movements in many of Britain's colonial holdings and was the cradle of what David Low and J. M. Lonsdale call the "second colonial occupation." This occupation in which the British government carried out expansive development policies was an intentional attempt to wrestle with social unrest due to the neglect of the social welfare of the people during the Great Depression and in the period thereafter. Such a development vision was represented by the passage of the 1940 …


Reinforcing Effects Of Near Wins In Extinction And Concurrent-Chains Procedures, Nathaniel Rice Jan 2014

Reinforcing Effects Of Near Wins In Extinction And Concurrent-Chains Procedures, Nathaniel Rice

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

No abstract provided.


Effects Of D-Amphetamine On Temporal Control In A Peak-Interval Procedure In Lewis And Fischer 344 Rats, Meagan E. Follett Jan 2014

Effects Of D-Amphetamine On Temporal Control In A Peak-Interval Procedure In Lewis And Fischer 344 Rats, Meagan E. Follett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study assessed temporal control in LEW and F344 rats using a peak-interval procedure, in which fixed-interval (FI) trials were randomly presented with peak-interval (PI) trials, during which the interval was extended and no reinforcement was delivered. The peak time, or the average time at which response rates were the highest, was compared to the FI value as a measure of temporal control across three FI/PI conditions (10/30, 30/90, 60/180 seconds). There were no significant differences in temporal control as assessed by the PI procedure between LEW and F344 rats across three different conditions as well as following acute …


Implications Of Nedd9 On Aurka Activity: A Biomarker For Sensitization And Therapeutic Target In Solid Tumors, Ryan Joseph Ice Jan 2014

Implications Of Nedd9 On Aurka Activity: A Biomarker For Sensitization And Therapeutic Target In Solid Tumors, Ryan Joseph Ice

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The spread of cancer, known as metastasis, is the major cause of relapse and inability to cure disease. Invasion of cancer cells into neighboring tissue and to distant sites allows cancer cells to evade therapeutic agents, due to the low therapeutic penetration of certain tissues such as the central nervous system, and eliminates the feasibility of resection; which is why the study of pro-metastatic proteins is of great urgency, one such protein is NEDD9. NEDD9 is overexpressed in various tumor types and is correlated with poor prognosis due to a more invasive and metastatic phenotype. NEDD9 serves as a scaffolding …


The Development Of An Insect Succession Model Suitable For Time-Since-Death Statistics, Anne E. Perez Jan 2014

The Development Of An Insect Succession Model Suitable For Time-Since-Death Statistics, Anne E. Perez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

For academic carrion insect succession studies to be applicable to forensic casework, the study must provide statistically defensible postmortem interval (PMI) estimates. Multiple statistical approaches have been used to describe insect succession, but no study to date has been able to determine a confidence interval about a succession based PMI estimate. The ability to reject PMI values, and thereby create a confidence interval is determined by statistical power, of which sample size is a positive correlate. A proposed model established prospective sample sizes for desired levels of statistical power, indicating a target sample size of ~50 carcasses for estimating PMI …


Microfluidic Gradient Device For Studying The Mesothelial Cells' Migration And Effects Of Carbon Nanotubes Chronic Exposure, Hanyuan Zhang Jan 2014

Microfluidic Gradient Device For Studying The Mesothelial Cells' Migration And Effects Of Carbon Nanotubes Chronic Exposure, Hanyuan Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cell migration is one of the crucial steps in many human physiological events and diseases, including cancers. Recent studies have shown that carbon nanotubes (CNTs), like asbestos, can induce accelerated cell growth and invasiveness that contribute to their mesothelioma pathogenicity. Malignant mesothelioma is a very aggressive tumor that develops from cells of the mesothelium, and is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos. CNTs have similar structure and mode of exposure to asbestos. This has raised a particular concern regarding the potential carcinogenicity of CNTs, especially in the pleural spaces, which are key target tissues for asbestos-related diseases.;In this thesis, …


Analysis And Comparison Of Clothoid And Dubins Algorithms For Uav Trajectory Generation, Mohanad Al Nuaimi Jan 2014

Analysis And Comparison Of Clothoid And Dubins Algorithms For Uav Trajectory Generation, Mohanad Al Nuaimi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The differences between two types of pose-based UAV path generation methods clothoid and Dubins are analyzed in this thesis. The Dubins path is a combination of circular arcs and straight line segments; therefore its curvature will exhibit sudden jumps between constant values. The resulting path will have a minimum length if turns are performed at the minimum possible turn radius. The clothoid path consists of a similar combination of arcs and segments but the difference is that the clothoid arcs have a linearly variable curvature and are generated based on Fresnel integrals. Geometrically, the generation of the clothoid arc starts …


Design, Fabrication, And Control Of An Upper Arm Exoskeleton Assistive Robot, Reza Shisheie Jan 2014

Design, Fabrication, And Control Of An Upper Arm Exoskeleton Assistive Robot, Reza Shisheie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Stroke is the primary cause of permanent impairment and neurological damage in the United States and Europe. Annually, about fifteen million individuals worldwide suffer from stroke, which kills about one third of them. For many years, it was believed that major recovery can be achieved only in the first six months after a stroke. More recent research has demonstrated that even many years after a stroke, significant improvement is not out of reach. However, economic pressures, the aging population, and lack of specialists and available human resources can interrupt therapy, which impedes full recovery of patients after being discharged from …


Effects Of Paired Housing And Acute D-Amphetamine On Delay Discounting In Lewis And Fischer 344 Rats, Marissa Turturici Jan 2014

Effects Of Paired Housing And Acute D-Amphetamine On Delay Discounting In Lewis And Fischer 344 Rats, Marissa Turturici

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Lewis (LEW) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats are two genetically different strains that differ in impulsive choices made in a delay-discounting task. An operational definition of impulsive choice is a choice of a smaller-sooner reinforcer over a larger-later reinforcer. Research using LEW and F344 rats has housed rats singly. Studies have shown that paired housing influences impulsive choice, but it is not known if paired housing affects impulsive choice in the LEW and F344 strains specifically. The present study compared impulsive choice in pair-housed LEW and F344 rats to archival data from singly housed LEW and F344 rats. Impulsive choices …


Effects Of Ethanol On Pigeons' Near-Win Responding In A Slot-Machine Analog, Alexander A. Ward Jan 2014

Effects Of Ethanol On Pigeons' Near-Win Responding In A Slot-Machine Analog, Alexander A. Ward

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In slot machine play, near wins are losses that are visually similarity to wins and increase gambling persistence, but provide no reinforcer. To measure effects of ethanol on near-win responding, pigeons pecked for food in a slot-machine analog following ethanol administration. In any given trial, one of four outcomes was signaled by consecutive presentations of red or green key lights, followed by a white "collect key." Three red lights signaled a win and three green lights signaled a loss. Two red lights followed by a green light signaled a near win. On winning trials, food was delivered 5 s after …


A New Gaussian Process Method For Modeling And Design Of Multi-Source Data In Exposure-Response Toxicology Studies, Kai Wang Jan 2014

A New Gaussian Process Method For Modeling And Design Of Multi-Source Data In Exposure-Response Toxicology Studies, Kai Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One of the most fundamental steps in risk assessment is to quantify the exposure-response relationship for the material/chemical of interest. This work develops a new statistical method, referred to as SKQ (stochastic kriging with qualitative factors), to synergistically model exposure-response data, which often arise from multiple sources (e.g., laboratories, animal providers, and shapes of nanomaterials) in toxicology studies. Compared to the existing methods, SKQ has several distinct features. First of all, SKQ integrates data across multiple sources, and allows for the derivation of more accurate information from limited data. Second, SKQ is highly flexible and able to model practically any …


Roles Of Nitric Oxide And Shear Stress In The Regulation Of Microvessel Permeability In Intact Rat Mesenteric Venules, Sulei Xu Jan 2014

Roles Of Nitric Oxide And Shear Stress In The Regulation Of Microvessel Permeability In Intact Rat Mesenteric Venules, Sulei Xu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mechanical forces have been indicated to play important roles in the regulation of inflammatory cell interaction with endothelium resulting in localized leakage formation and contributing to many disease-associated microvascular dysfunctions. However, most of the mechanical force related studies were conducted in vitro. The underlying mechanisms are still controversial. There is a need to investigate how shear stress regulates the endothelial cell (EC) signaling and related vascular barrier function using intact microvessels with experimental conditions closely replicating in vivo situations. The overall aim of my dissertation is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of how shear stress and nitric oxide …


Transsynaptic Delineation Of The Rabbit Eyeblink Premotor Pathway: Identifying Anterior Interpositus Neurons And Their Synaptic Changes As A Function Of Learning, Jimena Gonzalez-Joekes Jan 2014

Transsynaptic Delineation Of The Rabbit Eyeblink Premotor Pathway: Identifying Anterior Interpositus Neurons And Their Synaptic Changes As A Function Of Learning, Jimena Gonzalez-Joekes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The main goal of this dissertation was to identify eyeblink projection neurons of the anterior interpositus nucleus (AIN) and to examine learning-specific changes in excitatory and inhibitory somatic synapses after eyeblink conditioning (EBC). In order to identify the specific subset of AIN neurons involved in EBC, a retrograde transneuronal viral tracer was injected into the eyelid (orbicularis oculi muscle) of the rabbit to reveal hierarchical chains of synaptically connected neurons involved in the eyeblink response. Experiment 1 was designed to provide a complete delineation of the rabbit eyeblink premotor pathway and to characterize the multiple neuronal types in the AIN …


The Impact Of Religion On Minority Identity And Community: A Case Study Of Russian Orthodoxy And The Russian Minority In Estonia, Elizabeth Cleary Jan 2014

The Impact Of Religion On Minority Identity And Community: A Case Study Of Russian Orthodoxy And The Russian Minority In Estonia, Elizabeth Cleary

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Minority groups and their integration and inclusion into the greater society are important political and sociological concerns for many states. This is especially true for the states that more recently regained their independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The realm of religion has remained largely untapped as an area in which minority identity can be cultivated and expressed or used as a platform towards productively integrating or isolating minority members.;This thesis seeks to contribute to the scholarship on this underdeveloped topic of how religion, minority identity, and issues of integration intersect. Its key questions are a) whether religion …


Face Recognition With The Rgb-D Sensor, Cesare Ciaccio Jan 2014

Face Recognition With The Rgb-D Sensor, Cesare Ciaccio

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Face recognition in unconstrained environments is still a challenge, because of the many variations of the facial appearance due to changes in head pose, lighting conditions, facial expression, age, etc. This work addresses the problem of face recognition in the presence of 2D facial appearance variations caused by 3D head rotations. It explores the advantages of the recently developed consumer-level RGB-D cameras (e.g. Kinect). These cameras provide color and depth images at the same rate. They are affordable and easy to use, but the depth images are noisy and in low resolution, unlike laser scanned depth images. The proposed approach …


Cultural Identity, Vocational Development, And The Meaning Of Work Among Appalachian Coal Miners: A Qualitative Study, Susan Chamberlain Jan 2014

Cultural Identity, Vocational Development, And The Meaning Of Work Among Appalachian Coal Miners: A Qualitative Study, Susan Chamberlain

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study I explore what coal mining means to underground miners in Appalachia, and how these meanings interact with participants' cultural and vocational identities. Using narrative data from eight underground coal miners, the study investigates the connections between cultural values, career, and personality. These connections are singularly intertwined in Appalachia, where economic and social landscapes have been heavily influenced by coal mining for over a century. The resulting relationships have blurred the lines of identity among career, family, and community. This qualitative study is based on data from semi-structured interviews; participant language was analyzed using grounded theory to create …


Peripheral Challenge With A Viral Mimic Elicits Seizure Hypersusceptibility, Lindsay Tanis Michalovicz Jan 2014

Peripheral Challenge With A Viral Mimic Elicits Seizure Hypersusceptibility, Lindsay Tanis Michalovicz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Seizure syndromes are common neuropathologies associated with epilepsy, metabolic disturbances, stroke, traumatic brain injury, heat stroke, fatigue, drug overdose and several other conditions. Peripheral inflammatory conditions have emerged as important comorbid factors in seizures. We found that peripherally restricted acute phase response (APR) elicited by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of a viral mimic, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (PIC), renders the brain hyperexcitable as seen from profoundly exacerbated kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures. This hypersusceptibility was protracted for up to 72 h. Neither blood plasma transfer from PIC challenged mice nor injection of two highly expressed blood cytokines, IL-6 and IFNbeta, were able to recapitulate …


Floodplain Mapping In Response To Surface Mine Reclamation, Erin E. O'Leary Jan 2014

Floodplain Mapping In Response To Surface Mine Reclamation, Erin E. O'Leary

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Surface mining and the associated reclamation cause changes in land use and land cover. This change can affect the hydrologic balance. In some cases, an increase in number and magnitude of flood events is observed both on site and in surrounding areas. This research analyzed the hydrologic effects downstream of a reclaimed surface mine, considering the impact of an alternative reclamation technique. Geomorphic landform design (GLD) is a reclamation method that considers the development mature landform shapes to help create a long-term hydrologic balance. Flood maps were created for the pre-mined condition and compared to maps created for three reclamation …


Taxonomy Of The Allium Cernuum Complex In Appalachia, Rodney David Dever Jan 2014

Taxonomy Of The Allium Cernuum Complex In Appalachia, Rodney David Dever

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study incorporates morphological, anatomical, common garden and breeding system research to investigate whether Allium allegheniense and A. oxyphilum merit species status distinct from A. cernuum. Herbarium label information was recorded for 1,065 specimens and twelve quantitative and qualitative morphological traits were analyzed using univariate and multivariate techniques. The number and arrangement of scape vascular bundles was observed from nine populations (three from each species). Scapes were sectioned freehand, stained, and examined via light microscopy.;Forty-five plants of the Allium cernuum complex were collected in West Virginia and North Carolina for a common garden study to observe trait variation and phenology. …


Understanding The Mechanism Of Hard Metal (Wc-Co) Toxicity: In Vitro Studies And In Vivo Exploration, Andrea Lynn Armstead Jan 2014

Understanding The Mechanism Of Hard Metal (Wc-Co) Toxicity: In Vitro Studies And In Vivo Exploration, Andrea Lynn Armstead

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hard metals, such as tungsten carbide cobalt (WC-Co), are frequently used for a number of industrial applications such as surface coatings for heavy machinery and tools. In particular, WC-Co coatings are prevalent in mining and drilling applications where extensive, repetitive use of these tools causes wear over time. In enclosed environments, WC-Co wear particles become airborne and present an occupational inhalation hazard. It is known that inhalation of WC-Co "dusts", composed of nano- and micro-sized WC-Co particles, contributes to the development of hard metal lung disease and increased risk for lung cancer; however, the relationship between acute WC-Co toxicity and …


Protecting The Faithful From Their Faith: A Proposal For Snake-Handling In West Virginia, Robert W. Kerns Jr. Dec 2013

Protecting The Faithful From Their Faith: A Proposal For Snake-Handling In West Virginia, Robert W. Kerns Jr.

West Virginia Law Review

In the hills of Appalachia sing the hymns of the faithful, preaching a belief in the handling of snakes to prove loyalty to God. In West Virginia, persons may take up poisonous reptiles and pass them amidst crowds in the name of religion without legal restraints. While other states prohibit snake- handling in the name of safety, West Virginia law remains void on the issue. This Article introduces the practice of snake-handling and examines the risks posed by taking up poisonous animals whose bite may cause serious injury or death. This Article then suggests how the West Virginia law may …


The Paradoxes Of Restitution, Mark A. Edwards Dec 2013

The Paradoxes Of Restitution, Mark A. Edwards

West Virginia Law Review

Restitution following mass dispossession is often considered both ideal and impossible. Why? This Article identifies two previously unnamed paradoxes that undermine the possibility of restitution: the time-unworthiness paradox and the collective responsibility paradox. After developing these ideas, the Article examines them in the context of a particularly difficult and intractable case of dispossession and restitution. The Article draws upon interviews with restitution claimants whose stories reveal the paradoxes of restitution.


Temporal, Spatial, And Environmental Influences On The Demographics And Harvest Vulnerability Of American Black Bears (Ursus Americanus ) In Urban Habitats In New Jersey, Pennsylvania And West Virginia, Andrew Tri Dec 2013

Temporal, Spatial, And Environmental Influences On The Demographics And Harvest Vulnerability Of American Black Bears (Ursus Americanus ) In Urban Habitats In New Jersey, Pennsylvania And West Virginia, Andrew Tri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

To date, no research studies in the eastern United States have addressed the spatial ecology of black bears (Ursus americanus) in urban and suburban habitats, and there is limited information regarding black bear space use, habitat selection, and harvest vulnerability. I assessed the harvest vulnerability, home range size, and spatial ecology of black bears in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in collaboration with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The major objectives of my study were to identify and quantitatively assess: (1) if black bears shift …


Altered Hemodynamic Control In The Skeletal Muscle Microcirculation In The Metabolic Syndrome: The Emergence Of A New Attractor, Joshua Thomas Butcher Dec 2013

Altered Hemodynamic Control In The Skeletal Muscle Microcirculation In The Metabolic Syndrome: The Emergence Of A New Attractor, Joshua Thomas Butcher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Peripheral vascular disease is a pathological disease state whereby the peripheral vascular system becomes progressively limited in its ability to adequately perfuse extremities despite increases in metabolic demand. One of the primary risk factors for development of peripheral disease is the Metabolic Syndrome. It is the presentation of three simultaneous comorbidities, with obesity being the most common denominator in most metabolic syndrome patients, but also including a pro-inflammatory state, pro-oxidant state, pro-thrombotic state, increased blood pressure, atherogenic dyslipidemia, or insulin resistance. Currently, the population of the United States is approximately 75% overweight, obese, or extremely obese and the prevalence of …


Effects Of Estrogen In An Aged Animal Model Of Stroke, Rachel L. Leon Dec 2013

Effects Of Estrogen In An Aged Animal Model Of Stroke, Rachel L. Leon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In 2000, approximately 10 million women were taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for alleviation of menopausal symptoms. A number of prior animal studies also suggested that HRT may be neuroprotective and cardioprotective as well. Although estrogen is neuroprotective in young adult animal models of stroke, clinical trials demonstrate that estrogen increases the incidence and severity of stroke in aged women. We have previously shown that experimental stroke pathophysiology differs between young adult and aged rats. In the first study, we show that aged rats treated with 17beta-estradiol had significantly increased infarct volumes compared to placebo-treated aged rats. Young adult rats …


Introduction To Pasture Ecology, Edward Barrow Rayburn Dec 2013

Introduction To Pasture Ecology, Edward Barrow Rayburn

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

WVU-Extension fact sheet


Red-Headed Woodpecker Habitat Selection And Breeding Ecology On Fort Drum Military Installation, New York, Jacob L. Berl Dec 2013

Red-Headed Woodpecker Habitat Selection And Breeding Ecology On Fort Drum Military Installation, New York, Jacob L. Berl

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) populations have declined range-wide over the past 40 years, although the causal mechanisms implicated in the observed declines remain poorly understood. Population decline has been most severe at the periphery of their range, particularly in the northeastern United States, coinciding with a region where there is little information regarding red-headed woodpecker habitat use or demography. A detailed knowledge of habitat requirements and population dynamics is prerequisite for the effective conservation and management of imperiled wildlife populations, and this knowledge gap likely precludes informed management decisions for red-headed woodpeckers in the northeastern portion of their range. In …


Improving Opportunities For Small Flock Egg Production And Proper Evaluation Of Glucanase For Commercial Poultry, Angela Elsie Lamp Dec 2013

Improving Opportunities For Small Flock Egg Production And Proper Evaluation Of Glucanase For Commercial Poultry, Angela Elsie Lamp

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Consumers of pastured hen eggs have justified paying an associated premium price because they perceive animal welfare, sustainability, and nutrition are enhanced compared to conventionally produced eggs. The objective of Study 1 (Chapter 2) was to implement practical management strategies to increase eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid ( DHA) composition of eggs (Experiment 1) and to determine if the same diet formulation would produce an enhanced EPA and DHA egg composition and effect hen health when pasture access and hen breed varied (Experiment 2). For Experiment 1, four dietary treatments were utilized: 1) Basal, 2) Basal + 0.5% Sardine …


Grazing Impacts On Sediment Production And Runoff From Single And Mixed Species Grazing, Brittany Parks Dec 2013

Grazing Impacts On Sediment Production And Runoff From Single And Mixed Species Grazing, Brittany Parks

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With growing human populations, we need to produce more food. Food production requires growing crops and raising livestock with existing and suitable land resources, potentially causing nutrient (phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N)) pollution. For purposes of this study, the runoff potential for the mixed and single species grassland grazing will be examined. Mixed species grazing refers to cattle and sheep grazing concurrently in the same area; while single species grazing refers to cattle grazing alone. Understanding the environmental effects of mixed grazing as compared to a single species grazing systems will help to improve farming and agricultural practices that increase …