Browsing by Author "Schaefer, Rachel"
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Item Calcitriol conjugated quantum dots, an innovative tool as both probe and treatment(University of Delaware, 2012) Schaefer, RachelCalcitriol is an essential Vitamin that has been extensively studied due to its potential role as therapeutic for many diseases, including breast cancer. Previous research has indicated that Calcitriol has a negative effect against the metastasizing ability of Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) cells. Calcitriol bound QDs are a novel probe that can be used to examine the distribution of Calcitriol in vitro and in vivo. They were used to examine Calcitriol’s mode of entry into these cells. Their use as a probe has been achieved by examining the uptake of Calcitriol bound QDs into IBC cells, which decreases when either caveolae or clathrin mediated endocytosis is disrupted. The probe was also used to examine colocalization, which was found between caveolae and CalQDs, but not between clathrin and CalQDs. This indicated that while clathrin mediated endocytosis is necessary for Calcitriol to have a normal level of uptake, Calcitriol enters IBC cells via caveolae and not clathrin coated pits. CalQDs were also used for the formation of an in vivo probe that may target CalQDs to IBC cells in order to enhance Calcitriol’s potential ability to work as a therapeutic. CalQDs were directly targeted to IBC cells by conjugating the SM3 clone of Mucin-1 antibodies with Calcitriol bound QDs. In this study, Calcitriol bound QDs were used as both a probe and to create a potential therapeutic that could be explored for use against IBC metastasis.Item IMPACTS AND VEGETATION-INDUCED ATTENUATION OF WIND- AND VESSEL-GENERATED WAVES(University of Delaware, 2019-05) Schaefer, RachelRising sea levels due to climate change combined with increasing economic activity along coastal areas necessitate effective coastal defenses. Ships laden with heavy cargo can generate large wave groups that may erode shorelines. Pea Patch Island, the home of Fort Delaware and a major wading bird nesting site located on the Delaware River, suffers from beach erosion and wetlands loss. The Delaware River attracts an array of cargo ships which generate large ship wakes. Riprap installed on part of the island’s shoreline absorbs and reflects wave energy, but increases erosion at the ends of the riprap structure. On shorelines without riprap, vegetation attenuates wave energy by inducing drag on the water, thus reducing erosion rates. Two studies were conducted simultaneously from June 6 to July 9, 2018 on the island to determine the effects of ship wakes on the east and west sides of the island and how vegetation in the retreating western wetlands attenuates ship wakes. Ultrasonic distance meters, pressure sensors, and current meters were deployed in cross-shore transects to obtain water depths, and cross-shore and alongshore water velocities. Time-lapse cameras recorded daytime imagery of ship passages and wakes. At the western marshy site. the vegetation patch was composed of Phragmites australis and Schoenoplectus pungens. Measured plant characteristics and site elevation profiles were used to explore potential impacts on hydrodynamics. Total wind wave energy exceeded total ship wake energy during the month-long deployment, but the ship wake energy was more heavily concentrated. The relative contributions of wind-generated waves increased landward along the transect. Vegetation more effectively attenuated high frequency significant wave heights than low frequency significant wave heights. Phragmites australis was shown to effectively attenuate wave energy flux by at least 30%.