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How College Instructors Use Social Media For Instruction, Benson Njoroge Jan 2016

How College Instructors Use Social Media For Instruction, Benson Njoroge

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The use of social media has increased tremendously in recent years with many sectors using it for the purpose of communicating, sharing ideas, gathering information and stating opinions. The use of social media has trickled down into education with instructors using it for teaching and learning. This study used Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction as a framework to investigate the types of social media applications used, and how they are specifically used for instructional purpose in colleges. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze data. Results indicated that about 31% of instructors use different social media types …


Targeting The Peripheral Immune System As A Source Of Precision Stroke Biomarkers: Implications For Clinical Diagnostics And Immunotherapeutics, Grant C. O'Connell Jan 2016

Targeting The Peripheral Immune System As A Source Of Precision Stroke Biomarkers: Implications For Clinical Diagnostics And Immunotherapeutics, Grant C. O'Connell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Early and accurate diagnosis of stroke improves the probability of positive outcome, however the tools available to clinicians for the identification of stroke are limited. It is well established that the peripheral immune system responds robustly to ischemic brain injury, and thus may be a viable source of stroke biomarkers. The objective of this work was to utilize high throughput transcriptomics in combination with machine learning techniques to identify patterns of gene expression in peripheral whole blood with the potential to diagnose ischemic stroke, and to further determine the role of such gene expression patterns within the context of stroke …


Disaggregating Behavioral And Psychological Components Of Religious And Spiritual Development Across Adolescence: Variations By Geographic Location, Rebecca Olson Jan 2016

Disaggregating Behavioral And Psychological Components Of Religious And Spiritual Development Across Adolescence: Variations By Geographic Location, Rebecca Olson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Religious behavior and spirituality have been consistently found to be associated with a host of positive youth outcomes including increased grade point average (Ferris, Oosterhoff, & Metzger, 2013) and community service (Paxton, Reith, & Glanville, 2014) and decreased substance use (Milot & Ludden, 2009). However, few studies have investigated how religious behavior and spirituality uniquely and interactively predict these outcomes, as well as how these associations vary across city and rural contexts. The current study sought to investigate how religious behavior and spirituality predict youth outcomes in both rural and city youth populations. Participants included 743 youth from a mid-sized …


Effects Of Housing Condition And Acute Nicotine On Impulsive Choice In Lewis And Fischer 344 Rats, Jenny E. Ozga Jan 2016

Effects Of Housing Condition And Acute Nicotine On Impulsive Choice In Lewis And Fischer 344 Rats, Jenny E. Ozga

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Impulsive choice is defined as choice for a smaller, more immediate reinforcer relative to a larger, delayed reinforcer, and is commonly studied using delay-discounting procedures. There are many variables that contribute to impulsive choice, including biological and environmental determinants. The present study examined both of these variables by evaluating effects of housing condition (single versus paired) on impulsive choice in Lewis (LEW) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats, at baseline and following acute nicotine administration. A within-session procedure was used in which choice was between one food pellet delivered immediately and three food pellets delivered after a delay. The delay to …


The Relationship Between Neighborhood Disadvantage Trajectories And Health Outcomes In A Large Urban Us City, Sherry Owens Jan 2016

The Relationship Between Neighborhood Disadvantage Trajectories And Health Outcomes In A Large Urban Us City, Sherry Owens

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neighborhood Disadvantage is the sum of a series of socioeconomic indicators that triangulate disadvantaged living conditions in a neighborhood (i.e., poverty, unemployment, home vacancies, female headed households, educational attainment, and segregation). Associations between Neighborhood Disadvantage (ND) and health outcomes have been widely explored. However, findings on mental and behavioral health outcomes remain inconclusive, and individual-level covariates often attenuate relationships between ND and health outcomes. This inconclusive evidence has denied researchers the opportunity to focus on neighborhoods as points of intervention. A potential reason for inconclusive findings is that neighborhoods and individuals are both subject to macro-level socioeconomic events, such as …


Durability Analysis Of Self Consolidating Concrete Used In The Stalnaker Run Bridge, Zhanxiao Ma Jan 2016

Durability Analysis Of Self Consolidating Concrete Used In The Stalnaker Run Bridge, Zhanxiao Ma

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) was used in the pre-tensioned box beams for the Stalnaker Run Bridge project in Elkin, WV. It was found that the SCC used in Stalnaker Run Bridge has a low freeze-thaw durability index. One of the SCC full-scale box beam was subjected to loading test at WVU structural laboratory until failure. Following the observed freeze-thaw behavior, this research study was proposed to quantify the SCC filling ability by saw-cutting the full-scale SCC test beam and to determine the cause of SCC beam's low freeze-thaw durability using the air-void analysis. Results from the coarse aggregate distribution analysis of …


Elucidating And Pharmacologically Targeting Secondary Injury Cascades Following Neural Injury, Brandon P. Lucke-Wold Jan 2016

Elucidating And Pharmacologically Targeting Secondary Injury Cascades Following Neural Injury, Brandon P. Lucke-Wold

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

3.4 million concussions occur each year in the United States. Recent evidence suggests that some of these individuals are susceptible to neurodegenerative disease development following traumatic brain injury. The unknown factor is how acute injury contributes to this degenerative process. A prominent neurotrauma related neurodegenerative disease is chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is defined by neurofibrillary tau tangles with a perivascular distribution and mood disturbances. In order to elucidate the pathologic changes associated with CTE, it is imperative to utilize adequate preclinical models. We have strategically developed and tested a clinically relevant rodent blast model. The model reliably produces a …


Real-Time Monitoring And Prediction Of The Pilot Vehicle System (Pvs) Closed-Loop Stability, Tanmay Kumar Mandal Jan 2016

Real-Time Monitoring And Prediction Of The Pilot Vehicle System (Pvs) Closed-Loop Stability, Tanmay Kumar Mandal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding human control behavior is an important step for improving the safety of future aircraft. Considerable resources are invested during the design phase of an aircraft to ensure that the aircraft has desirable handling qualities. However, human pilots exhibit a wide range of control behaviors that are a function of external stimulus, aircraft dynamics, and human psychological properties (such as workload, stress factor, confidence, and sense of urgency factor). This variability is difficult to address comprehensively during the design phase and may lead to undesirable pilot--aircraft interaction, such as pilot-induced oscillations (PIO). This creates the need to keep track of …


Effects Of Palmitic Acid On Milk Production And Insulin Sensitivity In Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows, Alice Treffry Mathews Jan 2016

Effects Of Palmitic Acid On Milk Production And Insulin Sensitivity In Mid-Lactation Dairy Cows, Alice Treffry Mathews

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This masters of science research evaluates the effects of palmitic acid (C16:0) supplementation on milk production and insulin sensitivity in mid-lactation dairy cows. The ability of saturated fatty acids (SFA) to enhance milk yield in dairy cows may be due to shifts in glucose utilization caused by reduced insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of palmitic acid (C16:0) on milk production and insulin sensitivity in cows. Twenty multiparous mid-lactation Holstein cows were enrolled in a study consisting of a 5 d covariate, 49 d treatment, and 14 d post-treatment period. All cows received a …


Motive Taxonomic And Sex Considerations Of Murder-Suicide, Matthew R. Mcnally Jan 2016

Motive Taxonomic And Sex Considerations Of Murder-Suicide, Matthew R. Mcnally

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Using data obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), the present study examines two emerging topics in the field of murder-suicide research. The majority of murder-suicide perpetrators are male, so female perpetrators are rarely studied. First, the current study uses the largest known sample of female murder-suicide perpetrators to explore murder-suicide differences by sex. Second, motives from the recently-proposed perversion of virtue theory of murder-suicide are operationalized with input from the theory developer and analyzed. The perversion of virtue theory is compared to the predominant murder-suicide motive typology to evaluate whether …


Perceptions Of The Curriculum For Agricultural Science Education (Case) As Perceived By Agricultural Educators., Lauren Irene Devine Jan 2016

Perceptions Of The Curriculum For Agricultural Science Education (Case) As Perceived By Agricultural Educators., Lauren Irene Devine

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of educators using the CASE curriculum related to the lesson plans, materials and overall courses in the curriculum. The research was also aimed to determine the perceptions of educators on the CASE curriculum as it relates to the total agricultural education model and the attitudes of students' views of the CASE curriculum as perceived by their teachers. The population for this study was 1,021 agricultural educators across the United States who have been trained in CASE and are currently teaching in a high school classroom. The researcher conducted a descriptive …


Controls On Ecosystem Nitrogen (N) Status And Carbon (C) Balance In Red Spruce Forests Located In A Region Of Historically High Atmospheric N Deposition., Kenneth R. Smith Jan 2016

Controls On Ecosystem Nitrogen (N) Status And Carbon (C) Balance In Red Spruce Forests Located In A Region Of Historically High Atmospheric N Deposition., Kenneth R. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen (N) can have a strong influence on patterns of carbon (C) and N cycling in forest ecosystems. High-elevation red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) forests in the central Appalachian Mountains have historically been among the most sensitive ecosystems to the negative effects of N deposition. I examined the primary environmental factors that influence 1) N status, 2) belowground C balance, and 3) red spruce aboveground growth in seven high-elevation study sites that are located in an area where N deposition has been historically moderate to high. I established the seven sites in 2011 along a transect …


Errant Romanticism: Queering Gender And Sexuality In British Literature, 1790-1840, Teresa M. Pershing Jan 2016

Errant Romanticism: Queering Gender And Sexuality In British Literature, 1790-1840, Teresa M. Pershing

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Error is both a purposeless wandering and a purposeful identification of a mistake. Each chapter analyzes texts from the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries which feature female characters and the epilogue turns to the autobiographical writing of a man in the 21st-century. Chapters on William Godwin's memoirs of Mary Wollstonecraft, Amelia Alderson Opie's Dangers of Coquetry , Anne Plumptre's Something New, Harriet Martineau's Illustrations of Political Economy, and Thomas Beatie's autography Labor of Love feature characters---both real and fictional--- who destabilize what Bourdieu calls "collective[ly] misrecogn[ized]" understandings of identity as truth/error and "either/or." Utilizing notions of error developed by Zachary Sng …


Evaluating A Staff-Child Interaction Therapy Workshop For Home-Based Mental Health Providers: Effects On Therapist Skill Change, Cree Robinson Jan 2016

Evaluating A Staff-Child Interaction Therapy Workshop For Home-Based Mental Health Providers: Effects On Therapist Skill Change, Cree Robinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The current study attempted to evaluated the effectiveness of a one-day training workshop used to train bachelor's level mental health staff in Staff-Child Interaction Therapy (SCIT), a newly developed intervention designed to reduce problem behaviors in children 2- to -9 years of age through the use of behavioral management techniques by home-basedtrained staff. A total of 39 therapists, known as Therapeutic Support Staff (TSS), were involved in this study, 20 who received training in SCIT (i.e., experimental group) and 19 who received received training in Compassion Fatigue (i.e., attention -control group). This study was a part of a larger outcome …


Real-Time Drowsiness Detection Using Wearable, Lightweight Eeg Sensors, Rohit Jan 2016

Real-Time Drowsiness Detection Using Wearable, Lightweight Eeg Sensors, Rohit

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Driver drowsiness has always been a major concern for researchers and road use administrators. It has led to countless deaths accounting to significant percentile of deaths world over. Researchers have attempted to determine driver drowsiness using the following measures: (1) subjective measures (2) vehicle-based measures; (3) behavioral measures and (4) physiological measures.;Studies carried out to assess the efficacy of all the four measures, have brought out significant weaknesses in each of these measures. However detailed and comprehensive review has indicated that Physiological Measure namely EEG signal analysis provides most reliable and accurate information on driver drowsiness. In this paper a …


Determination Of Material Properties For Progressive Damage Analysis In Carbon Epoxy Laminates Using Abaqus, Javier Cabrera Barbero Jan 2016

Determination Of Material Properties For Progressive Damage Analysis In Carbon Epoxy Laminates Using Abaqus, Javier Cabrera Barbero

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Well-designed laminated composites do not fail suddenly but rather develop microscopic progressive damage that leads to changes in macroscopic material response, such as matrix cracks, stiffness reduction, and failure. Simulation techniques are able to predict damage initiation and evolution as a function of service conditions. A method for obtaining material properties for damage analysis of Glass and Carbon fiber composites is proposed using a progressive damage analysis (PDA) model implemented in Abaqus.;The predictive capability of Progressive Damage Analysis (PDA) methods relies on material properties that characterize the ability of the composite to resist damage initiation and to delay damage progression. …


Listening To Their Voices: An Ethnographic Study Of Children's Values And Meaning Ascribed To Learning World Music In Elementary School General Music, Juliana Cantarelli Vita Jan 2016

Listening To Their Voices: An Ethnographic Study Of Children's Values And Meaning Ascribed To Learning World Music In Elementary School General Music, Juliana Cantarelli Vita

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The primary purpose of this ethnographic study is to examine the values and meaning children ascribe to learning world music in an elementary school general music program. This research seeks to explore the potential of world music pedagogies for deepening children's understanding of music and its sociocultural context more completely. The participants in this study included fourth-grade students and their music teacher who designed and taught a Music-Culture Curricular Unit on Afro-Brazilian traditions. Data include field notes of music classes collected during seven weeks of observations, focus group and individual interviews with fourth-grade students, audio and video recordings, conversations with …


An Examination Of The Buffering Effect Of Positive Emotions On Cardiovascular Reactivity And Recovery, Casey E. Cavanagh Jan 2016

An Examination Of The Buffering Effect Of Positive Emotions On Cardiovascular Reactivity And Recovery, Casey E. Cavanagh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Positive emotions are related to improved physical and mental health. One potential mechanism through which positive emotions affect physical health is by reducing cardiovascular reactivity to stress and enhancing recovery from stress. The undoing hypothesis proposes physiological recovery from stressful events can be improved by induction of positive emotions. Although there is some research supporting the undoing hypothesis, the evidence is largely mixed. The purpose of the present study was to compare two methods of inducing positive emotions to determine if one method was superior at inducing positive emotions and thereby determine how each method affected cardiovascular recovery from stress …


Supplementing Art Therapy With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Cbt) And Dialectical Behavior Therapy (Dbt) During Treatment Of Childhood Anxiety Disorders: A Pilot Study, Rachel Cecil Jan 2016

Supplementing Art Therapy With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Cbt) And Dialectical Behavior Therapy (Dbt) During Treatment Of Childhood Anxiety Disorders: A Pilot Study, Rachel Cecil

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A qualitative research study presents a thorough examination of one therapist's methods of supplementing art therapy with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) during the treatment of children impaired by a variety of anxiety disorders---i.e. generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD). A review of the existing literature was used to inform the current study. The researcher created an exploratory case study, through the utilization of a pilot study, to gain a better understanding of the topic from an expert in these therapeutic fields. Through the gathering of data and analysis, the …


Evaluation Of Concavity Compression Mechanism As A Possible Predictor Of Shoulder Muscle Fatigue, Suman Kanti Chowdhury Jan 2016

Evaluation Of Concavity Compression Mechanism As A Possible Predictor Of Shoulder Muscle Fatigue, Suman Kanti Chowdhury

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the lived experiences of American Muslim principals who serve in public schools post-9/11 to determine whether global events, political discourse, and the media coverage of Islam and Muslims have affected their leadership and spirituality. The aim of the study was to allow researchers and educators to gain an understanding of the adversities that American Muslims principals have experienced post-9/11 and to determine how to address these adversities, particularly through decisions about educational policy and district leadership. A total of 14 American Muslim school leaders who work in public schools post-9/11 across the United States participated in the …


The Opinions And Attitudes Of Police Officers To Proposed Changes To Law Enforcement, Jason C. Contessa Jan 2016

The Opinions And Attitudes Of Police Officers To Proposed Changes To Law Enforcement, Jason C. Contessa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The field of policing has recently come under the public scrutiny due to the events surrounding the deaths of several citizens at the hands of police officers. Although not the first time policing has been criticized, the issues have caused the country to become increasingly divided on whether or not American police forces are in need of reform. There has been an overwhelming amount of complaints against law enforcement and suggestions to improve policies. As political and public figures have taken sides and police administration has made statements regarding the issues, the voices of those that would be most affected …


Childhood Obesity Among Young Children Living In Poverty And Associations With Activity Level, Food Choices, And Parental Perceptions, Ashlee Cunningham Jan 2016

Childhood Obesity Among Young Children Living In Poverty And Associations With Activity Level, Food Choices, And Parental Perceptions, Ashlee Cunningham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Young children living in poverty are exposed to a number of barriers in their environment that put them at risk for physical health problems, specifically obesity and increased BMI. Physical activity level, food choices, and parental perceptions of children's weight are barriers to healthy weight in children and can consequently lead to other future developmental problems. A population of low income, preschool aged children was examined using measures of child BMI, parental income, parental education, fast food consumption, amount of TV watched, and parental perceptions of children's weight. Findings showed child BMI was related to children watching more TV in …


Evaluating The Protocol Of The Spectrum Of Hot Mix Asphalt Mixes Produced In West Virginia, Laura Dalton Jan 2016

Evaluating The Protocol Of The Spectrum Of Hot Mix Asphalt Mixes Produced In West Virginia, Laura Dalton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Reviewing asphalt concrete plant-produced mixes in a laboratory setting provides further insight into pavement characteristics. Nine mix designs provided from five hot mix asphalt plant producers were evaluated throughout this research. Five mixes were Wearing I and four mixes were Base II/19 mm each of which contained various aggregate sources. First, the determination of bulk specific gravity was performed using three methods: Saturated Surface-Dry, CoreLok, and Dimensional (volumetric mass density). Moreover, assessing a mix's inherent capability to be uniformly compacted is integral in both laboratory and field evaluations. The nine mix designs were assessed for uniformity following AASHTO PP 60 …


A Study Of The Ndt Techniques Using Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Test And Microwave Oven Method On Scc And Tvc, Dana Dashti Jan 2016

A Study Of The Ndt Techniques Using Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Test And Microwave Oven Method On Scc And Tvc, Dana Dashti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, two nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques were investigated to study the ultrasonic pulse velocity and water cement ratio of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) and traditional vibrated concrete (TVC). The ultrasonic pulse velocity test is one of the most useful nondestructive methods to determine the properties of concrete. It is also important in structural engineering where it can detect defects and determine deterioration. In order to reach these purposes, there are several ultrasonic wave propagation characteristics that should be taken under consideration such as: velocity, attenuation, frequency, and energy. For the purpose of this study, 3 specimens from each mix …


Manual Optical Attitude Re-Initialization Of A Crew Vehicle In Space Using Bias Corrected Gyro Data, Christopher J. Gioia Jan 2016

Manual Optical Attitude Re-Initialization Of A Crew Vehicle In Space Using Bias Corrected Gyro Data, Christopher J. Gioia

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

NASA and other space agencies have shown interest in sending humans on missions beyond low Earth orbit. Proposed is an algorithm that estimates the attitude of a manned spacecraft using measured line-of-sight (LOS) vectors to stars and gyroscope measurements. The Manual Optical Attitude Reinitialization (MOAR) algorithm and corresponding device draw inspiration from existing technology from the Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle programs. The improvement over these devices is the capability of estimating gyro bias completely independent from re-initializing attitude. It may be applied to the lost-in-space problem, where the spacecraft's attitude is unknown.;In this work, a model was constructed that …


A Cbct Evaluation Of Root Position Within Bone, Long Axis Inclination, And The Wala Ridge, Timothy R. Glass Jan 2016

A Cbct Evaluation Of Root Position Within Bone, Long Axis Inclination, And The Wala Ridge, Timothy R. Glass

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background and Objectives: Correct tooth position in all planes of space while respecting the boundaries of the underlying bone has been proposed as a necessary hallmark to providing a foundation of stability for the teeth as well as the supporting periodontium. The aim of this study was to determine 1) If teeth centeredness over basal bone improves when teeth are more upright or approach WALA Ridge norms 2) If teeth centeredness in alveolar bone improves when teeth are more upright or approach WALA Ridge norms 3) If the WALA ridge is located at or near the estimated center of resistance …


Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), Jakob Goldner Jan 2016

Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), Jakob Goldner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An obstacle to efficient management of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is the lack of knowledge of its seasonal movements at the landscape level. H. halys is highly mobile and utilizes various commodities throughout the growing season and winter, making it difficult to manage. We hypothesized that H. halys displayed an annual spatial pattern at the farm scale and as they moved into overwintering habitats. To test for a spatial pattern at the farm scale, we conducted a two-year spatial study on three organic farms in West Virginia and New Jersey. A total of 92-127 sample …


Qualitatively Assessing Background Factors Of Criminal Captive-Takers, Erin E. Grinnan Jan 2016

Qualitatively Assessing Background Factors Of Criminal Captive-Takers, Erin E. Grinnan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Captive-taking is an inclusive category of criminal behavior that encompasses kidnapping, hostage situations, and certain acts of terrorism within both domestic and international contexts. To date, the existing research examining the individuals that commit captive-taking events and their backgrounds has been minimal. Gaining a deeper understanding of these individuals and their backgrounds may better prepare the individuals that are charged with intervening in captive-taking events including law enforcement, military personnel, and psychologists who assist in negotiation procedures.;This dissertation is drawn from a pilot study consisting of interviews with seven, incarcerated individuals convicted of captive-taking. The purpose of this dissertation was …


Understanding Coupling Of Global And Diffuse Solar Radiation With Climatic Variability, Lubna Hamdan Jan 2016

Understanding Coupling Of Global And Diffuse Solar Radiation With Climatic Variability, Lubna Hamdan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Global solar radiation data is very important for wide variety of applications and scientific studies. However, this data is not readily available because of the cost of measuring equipment and the tedious maintenance and calibration requirements. Wide variety of models have been introduced by researchers to estimate and/or predict the global solar radiations and its components (direct and diffuse radiation) using other readily obtainable atmospheric parameters. The goal of this research is to understand the coupling of global and diffuse solar radiation with climatic variability, by investigating the relationships between these radiations and atmospheric parameters. For this purpose, we applied …


Distribution And Efficacy Of Chemotherapeutics In The Treatment Of Preclinical Brain Metastases Of Breast Cancer, Tori Terrell Hall Jan 2016

Distribution And Efficacy Of Chemotherapeutics In The Treatment Of Preclinical Brain Metastases Of Breast Cancer, Tori Terrell Hall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Brain metastases are a critical, life-threatening problem for women with advanced metastatic breast cancer. Approximately 80% of women with disseminated central lesions are unable to survive the first year after diagnosis. Despite the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, chemotherapeutics have limited penetration and distribution into brain metastases and are unable to induce cytotoxicity in the tumor. Limiting the development of new treatments for brain metastases of breast cancer, there are no commercially available in vitro models available that accurately model, and mimic the functionality of, the in vivo blood-tumor barrier (BTB). In an attempt to address the aforementioned problem, the …