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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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On Some Parabolic Type Problems From Thin Film Theory And Chemical Reaction-Diffusion Networks, Fatma Naser Ali Mohamed Jan 2017

On Some Parabolic Type Problems From Thin Film Theory And Chemical Reaction-Diffusion Networks, Fatma Naser Ali Mohamed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation considers some parabolic type problems from thin film theory and chemical reaction-diffusion networks. The dissertation consists of two parts:;In the first part, we study the evolution of a thin film of fluid modeled by the lubrication approximation for thin viscous films. We prove an existence of (dissipative) strong solutions for the Cauchy problem when the sub-diffusive exponent ranges between 3/8 and 2; then we show that these solutions tend to zero at rates matching the decay of the source-type self-similar solutions with zero contact angle. We introduce the weaker concept of dissipative mild solutions and we show that, …

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Evaluation Of Small Tree And Shrub Plantings On Reclaimed Surface Mines In West Virginia, Alexis Monteleone Jan 2017

Evaluation Of Small Tree And Shrub Plantings On Reclaimed Surface Mines In West Virginia, Alexis Monteleone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hundreds of acres of mined land are reclaimed annually in West Virginia (WV) and are planted with hardwood tree species. Forestry and wildlife post-mining land uses require the planting of specific tree species designated by the individual mine permit and planting plan, which generally includes planting of commercially-valuable hardwood species. Establishment and growth of fruit- and nut-producing small tree and native shrub species has not been studied for reforestation plantings on surface mines. Though these species are not generally planted as part of forestry reclamation, they are commonly found in forest ecosystems of WV and are often an important component, …

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Examining Diabetes, Depression And Suicide In Middle-Aged And Older Adults, Kimberly Morton Jan 2017

Examining Diabetes, Depression And Suicide In Middle-Aged And Older Adults, Kimberly Morton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rates of suicide in the United States are highest in middle-aged and older adults compared to younger age groups. These rates are alarming and point to the need for suicide prevention research in middle-aged and older adult populations. Depression is the most well-established independent risk factor for death by suicide. Some health conditions are also associated with risk of suicide above and beyond depression. Diabetes is often co-morbid with depression (clinical and subclinical depression). However, research examining diabetes and risk of suicide is less clear. In the current study, the first aim was to examine diabetes, vision impairment and depressive …

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Physical Property Modeling Of Solvent-Based Carbon Capture Processes With Uncertainty Quantification And Validation With Pilot Plant Data, Joshua Cole Morgan Jan 2017

Physical Property Modeling Of Solvent-Based Carbon Capture Processes With Uncertainty Quantification And Validation With Pilot Plant Data, Joshua Cole Morgan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The US DOE's Carbon Capture Simulation Initiative (CCSI) has a strong focus on the development of state of the art process models to accelerate the development and commercialization of post-combustion carbon capture system technologies. One of CCSI's goals is the development of a rigorous process model that may serve as a definitive reference for benchmarking the performance of solvent-based CO2 capture systems, using aqueous monoethanolamine (MEA) as a baseline. Among the requirements of this process model is the development of its component submodels (e.g. physical properties) from relevant bench-scale data. Moreover, the process model must take into account parametric uncertainty …

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C-Jun N-Terminal Kinase Signaling Guides The Migration Of Interneurons During Cortical Development, Abigail K. Myers Jan 2017

C-Jun N-Terminal Kinase Signaling Guides The Migration Of Interneurons During Cortical Development, Abigail K. Myers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The cerebral cortex, responsible for higher order functions, is a layered structure that relies on the precise wiring of two main types of neurons, excitatory neurons and inhibitory interneurons. In order to maintain a critical balance of excitation and inhibition in the cortex, a smaller, yet very diverse, population of cortical interneurons provides inhibition to a much larger cohort of excitatory neurons. This makes interneurons a vulnerable population where the slightest perturbations to their location and wiring with excitatory neurons can contribute to the acquisition of neurological disorders like autism, schizophrenia and epilepsy.;During development, cortical interneurons migrate tangentially from the …

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An Area-Based Calculation Of The Analysis Of Roof Bolt Systems (Arbs), Aanand Nandula Jan 2017

An Area-Based Calculation Of The Analysis Of Roof Bolt Systems (Arbs), Aanand Nandula

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this research is to develop a software tool, which will assist in the area-wide calculation of ARBS while incorporating more detailed/accurate stress, varying CMRR and intersection span inputs. This tool imports the overburden, abutment and multiple-seam stresses as obtained by the boundary-element program LaModel and is converts them to a "pseudo-depth" which is used as the depth input to the ARBS calculations. In addition, available geologic data at the mine can be used to determine an area-based CMRR, and mine design information can be used to determine an area-based intersection span for input to the calculation. This …

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Deep Features Based Hierarchical Classification Scheme For Face Recognition In Heterogeneous Environments, Neeru Narang Jan 2017

Deep Features Based Hierarchical Classification Scheme For Face Recognition In Heterogeneous Environments, Neeru Narang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation investigates the advantages and limitations of the heterogeneous problem of matching infrared long-range, night time face images against their visible counterparts. The contributions of the thesis are three-fold. First, a multifeature scenario dependent fusion scheme is developed, where Gabor Wavelets, Histogram of gradients (HOG) and Local binary patterns (LBP) feature descriptors are empirically selected. Next, a set of fusion score level schemes are developed and applied before face matching. The developed fusion scheme results in 54 percent point (pp) higher recognition performance than the baseline established using a commercial and a set of academic face matchers. Second, to …

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Narrow Representation? The Impact Of Implicitly And Explicitly Racial Issues On Opinion And Representation, Franchesca V. Nestor Jan 2017

Narrow Representation? The Impact Of Implicitly And Explicitly Racial Issues On Opinion And Representation, Franchesca V. Nestor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

My dissertation combines knowledge from the opinion, racial and ethnic politics, and representation literatures to examine Black and Latino opinion and representation on racially salient issues. I theorize that representation of Blacks and Latinos is a "narrow" representation, much more in line with Black and Latino opinion on issues that are explicitly, rather than implicitly, racial. To test this theory, I build upon the literature by considering intersectional identity and multiple methods of representation. In Chapter 2, I examine two questions: when do income and racial group differences occur on racially salient issues, and if splits occur between respondents of …

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Continuing Education Dispositions Of Ncaa-Di Football Strength And Conditioning Coaches: A Qualitative Analysis, Joshua G. Nelson Jan 2017

Continuing Education Dispositions Of Ncaa-Di Football Strength And Conditioning Coaches: A Qualitative Analysis, Joshua G. Nelson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background/Purpose: To explore the continuing education dispositions of collegiate football strength and conditioning coaches in the NCAA-DI. Methods: Qualitative content analysis was used on data collected via online questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to explore the learning habits and values toward career long learning of eight (n=8) active collegiate football strength and conditioning coaches certified with either the National Strength and Conditioning Association or College Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, and in full time employment as a college strength and conditioning coach for at least ten years. Results: Results identified themes associated with how coaches engage in continuing education throughout their …

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Retrospective Evaluation Of Skeletal, Dentoalveolar, And Periodontal Changes Of Microimplant Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion (Marpe) In Skeletally Matured Patients, Uyen Kelly Nguyen Jan 2017

Retrospective Evaluation Of Skeletal, Dentoalveolar, And Periodontal Changes Of Microimplant Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion (Marpe) In Skeletally Matured Patients, Uyen Kelly Nguyen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Microimplant-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) has recently been offered to adult patients as a treatment option for correcting maxillary transverse deficiency. However, there is a lack of information in the literature on the effects of this newer expansion technique specifically related to skeletal maturity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate skeletal, dentoalveolar, and periodontal response to MARPE in skeletally matured patients, as assessed by the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method, using cone-beam computed tomography.;Experimental Design and Methods: Eight patients (2 females, 6 males; mean age of 21.9 +/- 1.5 years) treated with the maxillary skeletal …

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Signal And Schedule Functions When Pausing Is The Operant, Tyler D. Nighbor Jan 2017

Signal And Schedule Functions When Pausing Is The Operant, Tyler D. Nighbor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pausing, like other operants, is affected by the schedule of reinforcement for alternative responses and the antecedent discriminative stimuli that set the occasion for it to be reinforced. The effects of both of these variables on pausing were further investigated in three experiments in which key pecking by pigeons was reinforced concurrently according to, respectively, a variable-interval schedule, a differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedule, and a fixed-ratio schedule. The antecedent discriminative stimulus control of pausing was investigated by comparing unsignaled, briefly signaled, and fully signaled pausing contingencies in each experiment. Pigeons' time allocation to pausing in both full-and brief- signal conditions with each …

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Using A Species Distribution Model And Site-Specific Microclimatic Variables To Model Presence Of Spodic Soil Properties And Relative Occurrence Rate Of Picea Rubens (Red Spruce) To Inform Red Spruce Management, Adrienne Nottingham Jan 2017

Using A Species Distribution Model And Site-Specific Microclimatic Variables To Model Presence Of Spodic Soil Properties And Relative Occurrence Rate Of Picea Rubens (Red Spruce) To Inform Red Spruce Management, Adrienne Nottingham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Red spruce restoration efforts in the central Appalachians are of interest to land managers because of the reduced current extent and the numerous ecosystem services provided by red spruce forests. These land managers require information regarding the best places to focus restoration efforts. Studies attempting to locate optimal locations for red spruce restoration have been conducted to in the central Appalachians, most of which utilize modeling. In particular, podzolization, a soil formation pathway present under conifer vegetation in the central Appalachians has been used to help select areas for red spruce restoration. The effectiveness of using recent podzolization (as evidenced …

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Chronic Illness And Physicians' Referrals To Psychologists: A Pilot Study, Nicole O'Barto-Trainer Jan 2017

Chronic Illness And Physicians' Referrals To Psychologists: A Pilot Study, Nicole O'Barto-Trainer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Chronic Care Model (CCM) is an evidenced based healthcare management system that encompasses a multidimensional approach to healthcare for the treatment of patients with chronic conditions. A component of this model is collaborative care. The tenets of the biopsychosocial model are central to collaborative care and evidenced-based health care interventions. These interventions provide integrated, patient-centered healthcare delivered by a multidisciplinary healthcare team. Recent research has indicated that psychologists can play a vital role on such teams. The purpose of this exploratory pilot study was to subject the Biopsychosocial Endorsement Questionnaire (BEQ) to preliminary statistical analysis and to pilot its …

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Unifying The Visible And Passive Infrared Bands: Homogeneous And Heterogeneous Multi-Spectral Face Recognition, Nnamdi C. Osia Jan 2017

Unifying The Visible And Passive Infrared Bands: Homogeneous And Heterogeneous Multi-Spectral Face Recognition, Nnamdi C. Osia

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Face biometrics leverages tools and technology in order to automate the identification of individuals. In most cases, biometric face recognition (FR) can be used for forensic purposes, but there remains the issue related to the integration of technology into the legal system of the court. The biggest challenge with the acceptance of the face as a modality used in court is the reliability of such systems under varying pose, illumination and expression, which has been an active and widely explored area of research over the last few decades (e.g. same-spectrum or homogeneous matching). The heterogeneous FR problem, which deals with …

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Beyond Oraldigital: Ghanaian Electronic Literature As A Paradigm For African Digital Textuality, Kwabena Opoku-Agyemang Jan 2017

Beyond Oraldigital: Ghanaian Electronic Literature As A Paradigm For African Digital Textuality, Kwabena Opoku-Agyemang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation speaks to a massive dearth of research in African electronic literature (African e-lit), a discipline that boasts a growing number of works but little scholarship. With African literature incorporating digital technology into its creative process, and with electronic literary criticism focusing on areas outside its predominantly western cannon, African e-lit positions itself as an important area of scholarly endeavor. After considering the implications of placing African e-lit as the direction in which both African literature and electronic literature take, this dissertation looks at three different genres of African e-lit in the context of oral literature. There are analyses …

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A Low-Power Optoelectronic Characterizer For Cubesat: Locc And Iii-V Nitride Based Leds, Matthew J. Pachol Jan 2017

A Low-Power Optoelectronic Characterizer For Cubesat: Locc And Iii-V Nitride Based Leds, Matthew J. Pachol

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

III-V semiconductor materials exhibit robustness and natural hardness when exposed to ionizing radiation and temperature swings. With these characteristics in mind, III-V Nitride Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are ideal devices for space-based applications and missions. The effects of ionizing radiation on optoelectronic devices comprised of III-V materials have been studied, but results have been obtained through experiments performed in terrestrial laboratories. While these laboratory tests may lend insight into device lifetimes, performance degradation, etc., they are no substitute for similar measurements and characterization performed in space.;Interest in small satellite applications have grown over the past decade. These solutions range from …

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Geotechnical Laboratory Testing For 2-D Fem Analysis Of Geomorphic And Planar Sloped Caps And Covers For Sustainable Mine Refuse Deposition, Sun Hee Park Jan 2017

Geotechnical Laboratory Testing For 2-D Fem Analysis Of Geomorphic And Planar Sloped Caps And Covers For Sustainable Mine Refuse Deposition, Sun Hee Park

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis reports the findings of the application of Geomorphic Landform Design principles to the Royal Scot abandoned coarse coal refuse (CCR) pile located in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. The Royal Scot facility has many environmental concerns including severe erosion, acid-mine/rock drainage, and sediment transport. A cap and cover system is proposed to be implemented which incorporates the GLD principles. A two-layer cap and cover system will be used to reclaim the site and return it back to a stable state and reduce the production of acid-mine drainage. The system is composed of a hydraulic barrier composed of compacted CCR, …

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The Influence Of Police Profanity On Public Perception Of Excessive Force, Christina Patton Jan 2017

The Influence Of Police Profanity On Public Perception Of Excessive Force, Christina Patton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous research has examined elements of police performance impacting community policing and police-citizen relationships, but no study has considered the impact of police use of profanity during arrest on public rating of force. Police profanity may negatively bias police-citizen interactions, and this bias could shape later interactions with community members, decrease the quality of police-community relations, or even result in public outcry over excessive use of force (White, Cox, & Baseheart, 1994). Further, profanity increases recipient physiological arousal in some settings (LaPointe, 2006) and aggressive behavior, which may exacerbate risk to the officer during an arrest and lead to more …

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Space Use And Habitat Associations Of Long-Distance Migratory First-Year Golden Eagles (Aquila Chrysaetos) From Interior Alaska In A Changing Landscape, Mark D. Paulson Jan 2017

Space Use And Habitat Associations Of Long-Distance Migratory First-Year Golden Eagles (Aquila Chrysaetos) From Interior Alaska In A Changing Landscape, Mark D. Paulson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding a species space use and habitat associations is integral to comprehensive wildlife management. Habitat associations change spatially and temporally and those changes may be especially dramatic for animals that cover long distances throughout their annual cycle. While many studies of habitat associations and space use concentrate on breeding season behavior, studies of migratory connectivity demonstrate how condition of habitats on non-breeding ranges potentially affect key demographic parameters, such as survival, reproduction, and movement in other seasons. This is also important because wildlife habitats, especially land cover, are changing rapidly from both anthropogenic and natural forces in direct and indirect …

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3d Finite Element Seepage And Slope Stability Modeling Of A Geomorphic Landform Reclamation, Iuri Lira Santos Jan 2017

3d Finite Element Seepage And Slope Stability Modeling Of A Geomorphic Landform Reclamation, Iuri Lira Santos

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Royal Scot coal refuse pile in Greenbrier County, WV is being studied in order to reduce the Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) produced by this site. Two approaches to solve this problem were proposed: 1) a hydraulic barrier cover reclamation with a surface vegetative layer and 2) a land cover slope reclamation with a vegetative growth layer placement at the surface.;This thesis evaluated seepage and slope stability of the two proposed designs with a finite element modeling software in a transient analysis under unsaturated soil mechanics. Results from the model analysis were evaluated and further utilized to compare and contrast …

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The Effects Of A Six Week Lumbopelvic Control And Balance Training Program In High School Basketball Players, Margaret Long Jan 2017

The Effects Of A Six Week Lumbopelvic Control And Balance Training Program In High School Basketball Players, Margaret Long

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Context: Lumbopelvic control (LPC) and balance training programs are popular in the sport of basketball, but there is little research to indicate whether significant improvements in lumbopelvic control and balance are evident after completion of a training program. Objective: The objective of this study is to determine if conducting a six week lumbopelvic control and balance training program will lead to improvement in lumbopelvic control and balance in high school male basketball players. Design: This study will be a repeated measures design. Setting: High School in Western Pennsylvania. Patients and Other participants: This study includes 15 varsity and junior varsity …

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Face Image Modality Recognition And Photo-Sketch Matching, Bingjie Liu Jan 2017

Face Image Modality Recognition And Photo-Sketch Matching, Bingjie Liu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Face is an important physical characteristic of human body, and is widely used in many crucial applications, such as video surveillance, criminal investigation, and security access system. Based on realistic demand, such as useful face images in dark environment and criminal profile, different modalities of face images appeared, e.g. three-dimensional (3D), near infrared (NIR), and thermal infrared (TIR) face images. Thus, researches with various face image modalities become a hot area. Most of them are set on knowing the modality of face images in advance, which contains a few limitations. In this thesis, we present approaches for face image modality …

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The Influence Of External Load Configuration On Trunk Musculature And Spinal Stability During Manual Material Handling, Seyed Saman Madinei Jan 2017

The Influence Of External Load Configuration On Trunk Musculature And Spinal Stability During Manual Material Handling, Seyed Saman Madinei

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The performance of manual material handling (MMH) tasks is highly associated with lower back injuries due to the excessive acute and/or cumulative mechanical loading that spinal tissues experience. Therefore, it is critical to understand how different characteristics of MMH tasks could become potential risk factors that change back injury risks and to develop proper MMH strategies that could reduce their biomechanical impacts to the spine. In this study, we explored the effects of external load configuration on trunk musculature and spinal stability during static loading and sudden loading scenarios.;The main objective of the current research was to explore how the …

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The Influence Of Foot Posture And Load On Lumbar Biomechanics During Trunk Bending, Atefeh Malekinezhad Jan 2017

The Influence Of Foot Posture And Load On Lumbar Biomechanics During Trunk Bending, Atefeh Malekinezhad

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Low back pain imposed huge expenditures to the industry with many days away from work. Despite industrialization, statistics show the number of work injuries, work transfer, work restriction and absenteeism in recent years is still high. Various factors are involved in low back injuries, which make it complicated to deal with. In many industries (such as construction, transportation, and healthcare) low back pain is highly prevalent.;In the current study, we recruited 14 participants to investigate the effect of staggered foot posture on lifting biomechanics and to understand if maintaining a staggered foot posture could reduce spinal tissue loading and its …

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Complex Mixture Analysis Using Ion Mobility Spectrometry-Mass Spectrometry (Ims-Ms) And Computational Techniques, Hossein Maleki Jan 2017

Complex Mixture Analysis Using Ion Mobility Spectrometry-Mass Spectrometry (Ims-Ms) And Computational Techniques, Hossein Maleki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Compound characterization in complex mixtures has applications in diverse areas such as the pharmaceutical, health, and petroleum industries. Measurement problems arising from complex mixtures include the overwhelming of the analytical peak capacity, the wide concentration range of the different analytes, and the inter-sample concentration variability of given molecular species. Therefore advances in the rapid identification of compounds such as improvements in peak capacity and analyte selectivity are an active area of scientific research. This dissertation presents research that is directed at improving these measurement areas. For petroleum samples, silver cationization coupled with ion mobility spectrometry---tandem mass spectrometry (IMSMS/ MS) is …

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The Effectiveness Of Video Education On Pre-Operative Parental Knowledge And Anxiety, Terri Marcischak Jan 2017

The Effectiveness Of Video Education On Pre-Operative Parental Knowledge And Anxiety, Terri Marcischak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pre-operative anxiety is a common and anticipated response to patients expecting to undergo anesthesia in preparation for surgery. Pre-operative parental anxiety can lead to increased anxiety in children, which is associated with physiologic alterations in the child. Pre-operative video education is an inexpensive method to increase knowledge and decrease pre-operative parental anxiety related to the perioperative process. The first goal of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a pre-operative video in increasing knowledge of the perioperative experience in parents of children anticipating surgery by viewing a pre-operative video. Parental knowledge was measured before and after viewing the pre-operative …

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Proteomic And Metabolomic Analyses Of Biological Systems With Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry And Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry, Megan M. Maurer Jan 2017

Proteomic And Metabolomic Analyses Of Biological Systems With Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry And Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry, Megan M. Maurer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Proteomic and metabolomic analyses provide information about altered metabolic processes in plants and animals. This information can be used to assess the impact of toxicant exposure or diseases on biological systems. In this dissertation, development of an ion mobility spectrometry - mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) strategy has been evaluated in addition to utilizing traditional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) techniques for metabolite and protein analysis. Traditional LC-MS/MS techniques have been applied to the study of: 1) the molecular mechanisms responsible for altered microvasculature function as a result of pulmonary TiO2 exposure in rats; and 2) the effectiveness of intracerebroventricular (ICV) …

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Marriage And Textiles In The American Civil War South, Hannah Mcclearnen Jan 2017

Marriage And Textiles In The American Civil War South, Hannah Mcclearnen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis explores marriage in the American South through textiles during the Civil War. Chapter One investigates the use of textiles by women to express political support and affection for their loved ones at the start of the war. Chapter Two examines the textiles couples circulated during the war and emphasizes that through the exchange of items, couples maintained an emotional connection. Chapter Three analyzes the textiles utilized for mourning and the lack of textiles that occurred in the South as production materials became more difficult to procure. Civil War couples utilized textiles to continue their marriages when separated. This …

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Peer-To-Peer Support Responses To Lgbt Suicidal Ideations In An Online Community, Kayla Mccormick Jan 2017

Peer-To-Peer Support Responses To Lgbt Suicidal Ideations In An Online Community, Kayla Mccormick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

LGBTQ individuals, especially youth, are one of the top groups at risk for suicide. They experience social stigma and discrimination which diminishes their access to common support resources, causing many to turn to online communities for support for common issues. This paper utilizes qualitative content analysis guided by the stress-buffering model of the social support theory to investigate the helpfulness of informal social support responses in buffering stress in the suicidal individuals on LGBTchat.net. This model is based on the buffering hypothesis which asserts that persons with high stress and low support will show disproportionately elevated symptomatology, and that higher …

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Substrate Nanotopography And Stiffness Modulation Of Cell Behaviors For Disease Detection And Modeling, Lin Shi Jan 2017

Substrate Nanotopography And Stiffness Modulation Of Cell Behaviors For Disease Detection And Modeling, Lin Shi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In most living tissue, cells resident in a complex microenvironment where these cells interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the neighboring cells. The interactions between cells and ECM could regulate the cell behavior. Similar to in vivo, in vitro models have been reported that cells have the ability to sense the nanotopography and stiffness of synthetic substrate and, the variation of substrate nanotopography configuration and stiffness could affect cell phenotype and function.;The first project focused on applying nanotopography to capture circulating tumor cells (CTCs) for early cancer detection. CTCs shed from primary tumors, transport through the bloodstream to distant …

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