The aim of this study is to seek fundamental uses and gratifications of a social networking website, Facebook as a case, and the possible advantages and the challenges of utilization of Facebook for instructional activities. The research study encompassed four main steps / the analysis of uses &amp / gratifications of Facebook, the analysis of Facebook utilization possibilities for instruction, the interviewing for two preceding steps, and the realization and analysis of a course on Facebook. In the study both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered through questionnaires, interviews and open-ended questions. The qualitative data was analyzed according to qualitative data analysis techniques and quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS software. The results showed that Facebook which is perceived as a usable tool has a potential utilization for instructional activities. As quite new context, the participants seemed concerned about participating any learning activity on Facebook. Most of the participants in all steps of the study emphasized that Facebook should be a supplementary material for instructional activities. It is concluded that individual differences and alternative methods must be studied for better integration of Facebook into education.

Social games have become popular on social media such as Facebook and MySpace. While there are plenty of market reports regarding social media, the related academic research is limited. This study applies Homans’ cost‐reward structure from Social Exchange Theory to investigate how social games change people’s social behavior on social media. The concepts of rewards are drawn from the gratifications of social media use, and the concepts of costs are drawn form the symptoms of media addiction. In a survey of 323 college students, participants’ perceived rewards and costs of Facebook use and game play are measured. The results indicate social game players perceived significantly higher costs of Facebook use than non‐players. In addition, costs of Facebook use and costs of game play also play important roles to influence social game players’ willingness to play more social games. Discussion and limitations are provided. / text

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Approximately 22% of the United States population suffers from a chronic orofacial pain condition. One such condition is known as trigeminal neuropathic pain frequently reported as continuous aching and burning pain, often accompanied by intermittent electrical shock-like sensations. Dental procedures or trauma are known causes of peripheral trigeminal nerve injury and inflammation. Patients who have this type of facial pain also suffer from emotional distress. For these reasons, trigeminal neuropathic pain needs to be studied in more detail to improve the understanding of the etiology and maintenance of this condition, as well as to develop effective treatment strategies. The first experiment was focused on characterizing the behavioral aspects of the Trigeminal Inflammatory Compression (TIC) mouse model. The findings determined that the TIC injury model induced mechanical and cold hypersensitivity that persist at least 21 weeks. This orofacial, neuropathic pain condition was accompanied by anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors at week 8 post injury. The TIC injury mouse model’s chronicity and development of psychosocial impairments demonstrated its usefulness as a facial pain model. The second experiment used the mouse TIC injury model to test the ability of pioglitazone (PIO), a PPARγ agonist used clinically for treatment of diabetes, on alleviating trigeminal pain. A single low dose of PIO had no effect, but a higher dose attenuated facial pain. The third experiment determined that combining ineffective low doses of PIO and D-cycloserine (DCS) produced a potentiated anti-allodynic response of these drugs and attenuated the anxiety associated with the TIC injury. Ex vivo studies revealed that cortical mitochondrial dysfunction occurred after the TIC injury but could be reversed by the combination of DCS/PIO which improves mitochondrial function. Overall, the present studies determined that the novel mouse TIC injury model is a clinically relevant facial neuropathic pain model. The results suggest that PPARγ and brain mitochondria may represent new molecular targets for the treatment of trigeminal neuropathic pain. These studies support the future “repurposing” of PIO and DCS as well as the combination of the two drugs for this new use in patients with trigeminal neuropathic pain.

Titel: The ZAZI campaign’s Facebook page- A field study of the use of Facebook in the ZAZI campaign Level: Bachelor thesis, C-level Area: Media and Communication Studies Author: Alexandra Svedström, V14MKand Supervisor: Associate professor Eva Åsén Ekstrand, Department of Media and Communication Studies Date: The field study will be conducted during March - May in 2014 Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the motives and attitudes of a group of South African women and men (aged between 20 to 30 years) have towards responding to the questions set on the ZAZI campaign’s Facebook page that may involve private and sensitive information. It also seeks to examine whether the questions that ZAZI campaign sets are consistent with the informant’s attitudes and motives. Rationale: The result may be used to improve the campaign whose ultimate goal is to prevent the spread of HIV / AIDS by strengthening women's self-efficacy and confidence. Questions: What are the selected informant’s motives for using Facebook in general? What attitudes and motives do the selected South African Facebook users have toward commenting on the questions on the ZAZI campaigns Facebook page? How are the selected informants’ attitudes and motives consistent with the type of questions the campaign set? Method: Content analysis and focus groups. Result: The study indicate that the motives for writing on the ZAZI campaign's Facebook page differs depending on socio-economic status and that the campaign should vary the content of the questions so all women's motives become satisfied. The page appears, for those groups with a lack of socio-economic status, to serve as a platform that encourages and create conversations about private matters. Keywords: Health campaign, Facebook, Internet, social media, South Africa, focus groups, ZAZI campaign, uses and gratification, self-efficacy, HIV

HER2 overexpression in breast cancer tumors predicts lower overall survival. Because of the aggressive nature of HER2 tumors and the association with metastatic disease, the HER2 receptor holds great promise as a therapeutic target in metastatic breast cancer. We are developing small molecule inhibitors that bind to the ATP binding site of the tyrosine kinase domain in order to inhibit tyrosine auto-phosphorylation. This process controls biological pathways that mediate the cell growth. In normal cells this process is highly controlled. We are targeting the modification of the side chain of the hydroxy methyl group of 2-Hydroxy methyl-5,8-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthaquinone. These compounds should inhibit the tyrosine kinase cascade of reactions thereby suppressing the overexpression of HER2 shutting down the tumor growth. The synthesis and characterization of a series of substituted naphthaquinone analogs with different increasing chain lengths will be reported.

El objetivo general de esta tesis es abordar el estudio del fenómeno de deserción estudiantil universitaria mediante un proceso de extracción de conocimiento a partir de datos. En el camino hacia la concreción del objetivo de máxima, predecir la deserción, se pueden encontrar otras metas que aporten información no trivial y de utilidad para la toma de decisiones, por ejemplo, describir o caracterizar a los estudiantes de la UNRN a través de perfiles que ayuden a orientar la implementación de medidas a los estratos en los que las mismas pueden ejercer más influencia positiva. El objetivo específico de esta tesis es caracterizar a los estudiantes de la UNRN que abandonan la carrera en los primeros años. Se busca establecer perfiles que permitan realizar recomendaciones tendientes a revertir esta situación. <i>(Párrafo extraído del texto a modo de resumen)</i> / Asesor académico: Waldo Hasperué.

Univ., Diss. (rev.)--Princeton, 1973.

Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής είναι η μελέτη ανθρακικών πετρωμάτων του Νομού Ηλείας προκειμένου να εξαχθούν συμπεράσματα σχετικά με την καταλληλότητα των υλικών αυτών για περιβαλλοντικές εφαρμογές. Η εργασία αυτή περιλαμβάνει αφενός γεωλογική, πετρογραφική, γεωχημική έρευνα και αφετέρου προσδιορισμό και αξιολόγηση των δοκιμών των φυσικών ιδιοτήτων, του οργανικού υλικού και του αδιάλυτου υπολείμματος των πετρωμάτων. Για την διερεύνηση της καταλληλότητάς τους στις διάφορες περιβαλλοντικές εφαρμογές, έγινε συνδυασμένη αξιολόγηση όλων των αποτελεσμάτων από αυτές τις μελέτες και δοκιμές. Τέλος πραγματοποιήθηκε περιγραφή των περιβαλλοντικών εφαρμογών και εντοπισμός εκείνων των χαρακτηριστικών των υπό μελέτη ανθρακικών πετρωμάτων που τα καθιστούν κατάλληλα για την κάθε περιβαλλοντική εφαρμογή. / This thesis aims to study some of the calcareous rocks of Hleia County (Western Greece) in order to reach conclusion about their suitability for several environmental uses. It involves geological, petrographical and geochemical description and analysis, as well as laboratory testing of physical and mechanical properties, organic matter and insoluble residue. Along with the assessment of data and laboratory results every relevant environmental use is described and each one of the analyzed samples was classified according to its suitability of the specific use.

Objects of desire in the twentieth century, motorcycles are today subject of risk due to the increase of the fleet followed by the increase of peoples purchasing power and also the increase of shortcomings public transport. This study aimed to identify the risk of accidents and fatalities among motorcyclists in Uberlândia, MG, and their own perception of risk, considering the type of motorcycle used, whether for leisure, work or transport. We used three instruments to collect data with identification variables, behavior and perception of risk to the subjects. Of 209 interviewed done in 2005, 132 were followed for 24 months between 2005 and 2007, by telephone, and 86 of them also responded to an interview about his own perception of risk in 2007. The results show that there are differences in risk between the three types of motorcycle uses for variables such as age, religion, education, marital status, use of safety equipment, kilometers run per month, ethnicity, profession, alcohol use, number of leisure hours per week, personal income and the to engine capacity of the motorcycle CC ( cubic centimeters). In risk perception of the motorcycle driverss, they point to a fragility of law enforcement, blaming others for risk behaviors in which they get envolved. We conclude that public policy should consider the traffic is made by and for people, so they should guide its interventions taking account the plurality of human subjects. / De objetos de desejo, no século vinte, as motocicletas representam hoje um objeto de risco em decorrência do aumento da frota acompanhando o aumento do poder aquisitivo da população e também do aumento das deficiências do transporte público. Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar o risco de acidentes e mortes em motociclistas em Uberlândia, MG, e sua própria percepção de risco, considerando o tipo de uso da motocicleta, se para lazer, trabalho ou transporte. Foram utilizados três instrumentos de coleta de dados com variáveis de identificação, de comportamento e da percepção de risco dos sujeitos. De 209 entrevistados inicialmente em 2005, 132 foram acompanhados durante 24 meses, entre 2005 e 2007, por telefone, e 86 deles responderam também a uma entrevista sobre a sua própria percepção de risco em 2007. Os resultados mostram que há diferenças nos riscos entre os três tipos de usos da motocicleta, para variáveis como idade, religião, escolaridade, estado civil, uso de equipamentos de segurança, quilometro rodados por mês, etnia, profissão, uso de álcool, número de horas de lazer por semana, renda pessoal e cilindradas da motocicleta. Na percepção dos riscos pelos próprios motociclistas, eles apontam um Estado frágil no que se refere à aplicação da lei, responsabilizando terceiros pelos comportamentos de risco aos quais se submetem. Conclui-se que as políticas públicas devem considerar que o trânsito é feito por e para as pessoas, portanto devem balizar suas intervenções levando em conta a pluralidade dos sujeitos humanos. / Doutor em Geografia