Biometry Commons^™

The Relationship Between The Level Of Support Group Participation And Psychosocial Factors In Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With Proton Therapy, Carol A. L. Davis

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. The role of support groups for cancer patients is known to be beneficial in helping people adjust to the disease, and cope with the myriad of effects that cancer has on quality of life. Although many people express interest in attending such support groups, few attend regularly. It is unclear what characteristics distinguish those who use such services from those who do not, especially among proton therapy patients.

Objective. To examine demographic and psychosocial characteristics associated with the Brotherhood of the Balloon (BOB) prostate cancer support group membership, a unique treatment-focused group originating at Loma Linda University Medical Center …

A Bayesian Approach To Dose-Response Assessment And Drug-Drug Interaction Analysis: Application To In Vitro Studies, Violeta G. Hennessey

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

The considerable search for synergistic agents in cancer research is motivated by the therapeutic benefits achieved by combining anti-cancer agents. Synergistic agents make it possible to reduce dosage while maintaining or enhancing a desired effect. Other favorable outcomes of synergistic agents include reduction in toxicity and minimizing or delaying drug resistance. Dose-response assessment and drug-drug interaction analysis play an important part in the drug discovery process, however analysis are often poorly done. This dissertation is an effort to notably improve dose-response assessment and drug-drug interaction analysis.

The most commonly used method in published analysis is the Median-Effect Principle/Combination Index method …

Behavior And Habitat Use Of Roseate Terns (Sterna Dougallii) Before And After Construction Of An Erosion Control Revetment, Corey Grinnell

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

An erosion control revetment was constructed at the Falkner Island Unit of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, Connecticut during the winter of 2000–2001. At the time, Falkner Island was the fifth largest breeding colony site for the federally endangered Roseate Tern. This study measures and describes some baseline information regarding Roseate Tern nesting, behavior, and habitat use at Falkner Island during the three breeding seasons prior to revetment construction (1998–2000). This baseline information is then compared to similar information from the first breeding season following revetment construction (2001).

For Roseate Tern adults, this study examined changes in pre-nesting …

Wavelet-Based Functional Linear Mixed Models: An Application To Measurement Error–Corrected Distributed Lag Models, Elizabeth J. Malloy, Jeffrey S. Morris, Sara D. Adar, Helen Suh, Diane R. Gold, Brent A. Coull

Jeffrey S. Morris

Frequently, exposure data are measured over time on a grid of discrete values that collectively define a functional observation. In many applications, researchers are interested in using these measurements as covariates to predict a scalar response in a regression setting, with interest focusing on the most biologically relevant time window of exposure. One example is in panel studies of the health effects of particulate matter (PM), where particle levels are measured over time. In such studies, there are many more values of the functional data than observations in the data set so that regularization of the corresponding functional regression coefficient …

Members’ Discoveries: Fatal Flaws In Cancer Research, Jeffrey S. Morris

Jeffrey S. Morris

A recent article published in The Annals of Applied Statistics (AOAS) by two MD Anderson researchers—Keith Baggerly and Kevin Coombes—dissects results from a highly-influential series of medical papers involving genomics-driven personalized cancer therapy, and outlines a series of simple yet fatal flaws that raises serious questions about the veracity of the original results. Having immediate and strong impact, this paper, along with related work, is providing the impetus for new standards of reproducibility in scientific research.

Statistical Contributions To Proteomic Research, Jeffrey S. Morris, Keith A. Baggerly, Howard B. Gutstein, Kevin R. Coombes

Jeffrey S. Morris

Proteomic profiling has the potential to impact the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of various diseases. A number of different proteomic technologies are available that allow us to look at many proteins at once, and all of them yield complex data that raise significant quantitative challenges. Inadequate attention to these quantitative issues can prevent these studies from achieving their desired goals, and can even lead to invalid results. In this chapter, we describe various ways the involvement of statisticians or other quantitative scientists in the study team can contribute to the success of proteomic research, and we outline some of the …

Informatics And Statistics For Analyzing 2-D Gel Electrophoresis Images, Andrew W. Dowsey, Jeffrey S. Morris, Howard G. Gutstein, Guang Z. Yang

Jeffrey S. Morris

Whilst recent progress in ‘shotgun’ peptide separation by integrated liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC/MS) has enabled its use as a sensitive analytical technique, proteome coverage and reproducibility is still limited and obtaining enough replicate runs for biomarker discovery is a challenge. For these reasons, recent research demonstrates the continuing need for protein separation by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). However, with traditional 2-DE informatics, the digitized images are reduced to symbolic data though spot detection and quantification before proteins are compared for differential expression by spot matching. Recently, a more robust and automated paradigm has emerged where gels are directly …

Bayesian Random Segmentationmodels To Identify Shared Copy Number Aberrations For Array Cgh Data, Veerabhadran Baladandayuthapani, Yuan Ji, Rajesh Talluri, Luis E. Nieto-Barajas, Jeffrey S. Morris

Jeffrey S. Morris

Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) is a high-resolution high-throughput technique for studying the genetic basis of cancer. The resulting data consists of log fluorescence ratios as a function of the genomic DNA location and provides a cytogenetic representation of the relative DNA copy number variation. Analysis of such data typically involves estimation of the underlying copy number state at each location and segmenting regions of DNA with similar copy number states. Most current methods proceed by modeling a single sample/array at a time, and thus fail to borrow strength across multiple samples to infer shared regions of copy number aberrations. …

Understanding The Physical Properties That Control Protein Crystallization By Analysis Of Largescale Experimental Data, W. Nicholson Price Ii, Yang Chen, Samuel K. Handelman, Helen Neely, Philip Manor, Richard Karlin, Rajesh Nair, Jinfeng Liu, Michael Baran, John Everett, Saichiu N. Tong, Farhad Forouhar, Swarup S. Swaminathan, Thomas Acton, Rong Xiao, Joseph R. Luft, Angela Lauricella, George T. Detitta, Burkhard Rost, Gaetano T. Montelione, John T. Hunt

Law Faculty Scholarship

Crystallization is the most serious bottleneck in high-throughput protein-structure determination by diffraction methods. We have used data mining of the large-scale experimental results of the Northeast Structural Genomics Consortium and experimental folding studies to characterize the biophysical properties that control protein crystallization. This analysis leads to the conclusion that crystallization propensity depends primarily on the prevalence of well-ordered surface epitopes capable of mediating interprotein interactions and is not strongly influenced by overall thermodynamic stability. We identify specific sequence features that correlate with crystallization propensity and that can be used to estimate the crystallization probability of a given construct. Analyses of …

Generalized Mcnemar's Test For Homogeneity Of The Marginal Distributions, Zhao Yang

Zhao (Tony) Yang, Ph.D.

In the matched-pairs data, McNemar's test (McNemar, 1947) can be applied only to the case in which there are two possible categories for the outcome. In practice, however, it is possible that the outcomes are classified into multiple categories. Under this situation, the test statistic proposed by Stuart (1955) and Maxwell (1970) is useful; it is actually the generalization of the McNemar's test, commonly referred to as generalized McNemar's or Stuart-Maxwell test. There is no public available SAS program to calculate this statistic, the author has developed a SAS macro (the code is detailed in appendix) to perform this test …

Immediate Implant Placement In Extraction Sites With Periapical Lesions: A Retrospective Study, Yuan-Lung Hung

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Immediate implant placement into fresh extraction sites has become a relatively routine clinical procedure with a favorable prognosis. However, immediate placement into extraction sockets with lesions has not been extensively documented in humans. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to retrospectively determine the survival rate of implants placed into extraction sockets with visible periapical lesions.

Patient charts of 544 immediately placed implants from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, Center for Prosthodontics and Implant Dentistry were examined. Eighty-six of the 544 implants had been placed immediately into extraction sockets with periapical lesions and they were included in this study. …

Biogeographical Distribution And Natural Groupings Among Five Sympatric Wild Cats In Tropical South Asia, Mohammed Ashraf

Mohammed Ashraf

Modeling Chemical Absorption Through Membranes, Jeffrey M. Hemmes

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the processes involved in dermal penetration of chemicals and drugs is important to both toxicologists and pharmacologists. Researchers developing new drugs are interested in enhancing the penetration of chemicals through the skin, while environmental professionals are interested in limiting such penetration. For both types of applications, predictive biologically-based mathematical models can be very useful in understanding the processes involved, particularly when such models are based on physiological and biochemical parameters which can be measured experimentally. In this thesis we study two existing physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models that predict concentrations of neat and aqueous dibromomethane (DBM) absorbed into and through …

Facial Typing Methods : A Comparative Study, James A. Grabow

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Facial typing methods are used to determine to which of three basic facial pattern categories an individual patient belongs. These three categories are mesofacial, brachyfacial, and dolichofacial. It is important to establish the correct facial type because the reaction to treatment mechanics and the stability of the denture is dependent upon the analysis of the facial patterns. The purpose of this paper was to show a comparative study of facial typing classification methods used on 100 patients (47 boys and 53 girls). The eight different methods used were as follows: Bioprogressive, Ricketts LLU1, LLU2, QuickCeph™, Jarabak, Facial-Mandibular Index, and Steiner. …

The Incidence And Magnitude Of Tooth-Size Discrepancies In Caucasians, Blacks And Hispanics, Dana R. Shaltry

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The present investigation utilized the Bolton Analysis to determine the incidence and magnitude of tooth-size discrepancy in a sample of 227 orthodontic patients. Sliding calipers were used to measure the mesiodistal width of the permanent dentition on pretreatment study models of 120 Caucasian, 51 Black, and 56 Hispanic patients. The overall and anterior ratios were analyzed and the frequency and magnitude of excess maxillary and mandibular tooth structure was determined. Each racial group demonstrated a significant incidence of tooth-size discrepancy in the maxillary and mandibular arches of a magnitude (> 0.5mm) which would require some form of correction. In addition, …

Statistical Services, Jane Speijers, Australian Co-Operation With The National Agricultural Research Project, Thailand.

All other publications

2. TERMS OF REFERENCE

To achieve familiarity with the existing resources for biometrical work within the Department of Agriculture both at Bangkhen and at the regional centres - and to gain an understanding of the present systems whereby biometricians are involved in designing experiments and analysing results. This will involve visits to research stations and discussions with both research directors and scientists.

2.1 To become informed on the planned improvements in biometrical services for regional research centres to be carried out through the Thai/World Bank, National Agricultural Research Project (NARP).

2.2 Against the background of items 2.1 and 2.2 above, …

Xeroradiography & Conventional Radiography : Comparative Imaging Of The Temporomandibular Joint, Nelson R. Gatov

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

An investigation was conducted to evaluate the application of Xeroradiography for imaging the Temporomandibular Joint using the Updegrave and Weinberg positioning boards and to compare these images to those obtained by conventional radiography using the same positioning boards.

A cadaver head in which three spherical radiopaque implants had been placed was used in this study. A General Electric Model 1000 (Dental Unit) was the source of radiation. The conventional radiographs were produced on Dupont Cronex 2DC film and processed by a Phillips 810 automatic processed by a Xerox "125 System".

MAGNIFICATION

A comparison of the implant sphere diameters and the …

Selected Physiological Responses To A Back Rub, Norma (Ewing) Anderson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The back rub, which has been an established part of evening patient care for many years, is given to promote relaxation and sleep as well as to promote skin care. Yet its place in modern nursing seems questionable. Today's nurse is less willing to practice using empirically established procedures.

There have been few investigations showing the effect of massage to the back and no studies have shown that a brief back rub, as given by nurses, promotes relaxation. In cardiovascular nursing there is some controversy as to whether or not the back rub causes stimulation to the cardiovascular system that …

Objective Measurement Of Wool : Criteria, Methods And Materials, A Ingleton

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

An outline of some of the technical aspects of the objective measurement of wool—processes that will mean major cost savings to the wool industry.

An Easy Access Interactive Statistical System For Use And Training In Biometry, Amos Addison Slaymaker Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

One of the most important tools of the applied statistician is the digital computer. It is natural, therefore, for the instructor in applied statistics to want his students to become familiar with the use of computers. If his students are going to get actual experience in using a computer for statistical analysis, he often has only two alternatives. The students can be required to write their own statistical programs or they can use programs already available through a computer facility.

If the course is to be taught such that each student is responsible for his own programs, the instructor must …

Sex Determination By Cephalometry And Odontometry, Clair R. Hopkins Jr.

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Plaster casts of teeth and lateral cephalometric roentgenograms were studied to see with what degree of accuracy sex could be determined. The sample considered was made up of one hundred and forth-four individuals--50 males and 94 females--being treated in the Graduate Orthodontic Department of the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry. The age range for the boys was from 15 to 19 and for the girls, from 14 to 20. Data was obtained for the following variables from tracings of the roentgenograms and from the dental casts:

1. Glabello-occipital length
2. Articulate to nasion
3. The gonial angle of the mandible
4. Prosthion to …