Digital Commons Network^™

Implementation Of Risk Management In The Medical Device Industry, Rachelo Dumbrique

Master's Theses

This study looks at the implementation and effectiveness of risk management (RM) activities in the medical device industry. An online survey was distributed to medical device professionals who were asked to identify RM-related activities performed during the device life cycle. RM activities and techniques included Establishing Risk Acceptance Criteria, Hazard Identification, Human Factors/Usability, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA), Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA), Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Risk Benefit Analysis, and Risk Assessment of Customer Complaint. Devices were identified by type (therapeutic, surgical/clinical tools, …

Riparian Brush Rabbit Habitat Requirements In Caswell Memorial State Park, Clinton Robert Elsholz

Master's Theses

With the rapid growth of agricultural and urban development in California's Central Valley in the 20th and 21st centuries, many habitats, including riparian forests, have been drastically altered. Along with these habitats, species that are dependent on them have also been fragmented and their long-term survival threatened. The riparian brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani riparius) is one such species that has experienced profound population contraction over the past century. This research was conducted at Caswell Memorial State Park ("the Park"), located in Ripon, California, which is the largest remaining habitat fragment within the rabbit's historical range. One objective of this research …

Learning Financial Literacy In The Family, Maria Paula Calamato

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the relationship between parental involvement and student level of financial literacy. Past studies have established that children's financial behavior and attitudes are shaped by their parents who pass on norms and social values to them. Using a convenience sample of 108 undergraduate students at a local state university, the present research tested whether children who had higher levels of financial literacy had parents who had taught them financial knowledge. The results of the test show that students' level of financial literacy is not significantly related to parental involvement.

Impacts Of Avian Predation On Juvenile Salmonids In Central California Watersheds, Danielle Frechette

Master's Theses

Central California coho salmon () are endangered and steelhead () are threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. As part of local monitoring efforts, Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT tags) are used in population biology and marine survival studies of these stocks. Since 2006, PIT tags have been recovered on Año Nuevo Island (ANI), an important breeding site for several species of seabirds and marine mammals. The objective of this study was to assess magnitude and effects of avian predation on juvenile salmonids in central California. Objectives were accomplished by 1) identifying predators, timing of predation, and quantifying predation using PIT …

Ecology Of Foothill Yellow-Legged Frogs In Upper Coyote Creek, Santa Clara County, Ca, Thomas Earl Gonsolin

Master's Theses

Visual encounter surveys, mark-recapture technique, and telemetry were used investigate breeding, movement, growth, habitat preferences, and predators of foothill yellow-legged frogs on Coyote Creek in Santa Clara County, California, from March 2004 to March 2006. The main stem and tributaries were intermittent in summer in all three years. Thermal conditions for breeding initiation were alike during 2004, 2005, and 2006. Breeding occurred in the main stem on descending limbs of the hydrograph. No breeding occurred in the middle main stem reach, which is ephemeral. Breeding occurred at less than an order of magnitude greater than base flows. Typically, larger females …

Finding Duplication Events Using Genomevectorizer, Elena Kochetkova

Master's Theses

GenomeVectorizer is a software application designed to extend the functionality of GenomePixelizer, a genome-visualization tool that was developed for the Department of Plant Pathology at University of California, Davis, in 2002. GenomeVectorizer was written using XML, XSLT, and SVG technologies combined with JavaScript scripting to provide the level of flexibility, dynamism, and interactivity not supported by the TCL/TK written application (GenomePixelizer). This new visualization tool was tested with available data from the Arabidopsis NBS-LRR study, and its output was compared to the output of GenomePixelizer. The relationships drawn at the same identity value were identical.

GenomeVectorizer was successfully applied to …

In Search Of The Creative Scientific Personality, Maya Grosul

Master's Theses

This study investigates whether personality is a valid predictor of creativity in science above and beyond demographic characteristics, such as career age, gender, and scientific discipline. Creativity is an act of making something new, original, and useful. Creative achievement in science is the personal ability to generate original, useful, and adaptive scientific theories, research methods, or empirical findings. Personality characteristics can operate as valid predictors of creative achievement in science. This study surveyed 145 scientists throughout the United States. Total creativity index was computed by standardizing and summing the total number of publications, total number of citations, h-index, and Soler's …

A Strategy To Mobilize Seventh-Day Adventists In Lusaka In Response To The Hiv/Aids Crisis, Harrington Simui Akombwa

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

While Zambia is rated the 7th country worst affected by HIV/AIDS worldwide, the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, an Faith Based Organization (FBO) well respected nationwide for its concern about people’s physical health because of its hospitals and clinics around the nation, is seemingly standing by doing close to nothing. What could be the problem?

Method

To uncover the possible causes of Adventists’ perceived noncommittal stance on the AIDS issue, a survey designed around a descriptive and exploratory social research model utilizing quantitative research techniques for data collection and analysis was conducted. The survey was conducted in 2 of the …

Absence Of Keratin 8 Is Associated With Marked Colon Mast Cell Infiltration, Diana El Bezri Nasser

Master's Theses

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have increased numbers of numbers of intestinal mast cells (MCs). Chymases and tryptases are mast-cell-specific proteases (MCPs) that are reliable indicators of MC degranulation. The role of MCs in the pathophysiology of IBD is poorly understood, and it is unclear whether MCs play a role in patients or in experimental models of IBD. Furthermore, MCs have been characterized only in chemically induced models of colitis. In this study, we characterize MCs in inflamed colons of keratin 8 knock-out mice (K8-/-), a spontaneous model of colitis with primarily an epithelial cell defect. We used histologic, …

Reproductive Den Habitat Characterization Of American Badgers (Taxidea Taxus) In Central California, Katrina Louise Huck

Master's Theses

The American badger (Taxidea taxus) is a species of special concern in California, and, as such, conservation measures are necessary. The goal of this study was to identify potential reproductive den habitat characteristics in order to more accurately predict critical reproductive habitat in central California grasslands. A paired study design was used to examine differences between reproductive and non-reproductive sites, and logistical regression was used to analyze the variables and produce two predictive models, one with biotic factors and one with abiotic factors. Badgers in central Californian grasslands appear to rely on both biotic and abiotic factors when …

Numerical Simulation Of Capsule Dissolution In The Usp Apparatus Ii, Jasmine Han

Master's Theses

The capsule is the second most common type of drug dosage form, yet detailed research of capsule dissolution in the USP Apparatus II (a paddle dissolution apparatus that mimics the drug dissolution process in an in vivo environment) is not well reported. In this work, a mathematical model was developed that incorporates both the dissolution of the capsule shell and the slug within the capsule shell. Capsule shell dissolution was modeled with the assumption that the shell undergoes an erosion process only. The capsule slug dissolution model incorporated mass transfer principles, Markov chain theory, and the influence of hydrodynamics on …

Functionalized Silica Nanostructures For Biosensing Applications, Hector Nuno

Master's Theses

This work covers both two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) silica-based nanostructures for use in biomedical sensing applications. The first section of this study discusses the formation of 2D nanostructured surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based biosensor substrates. The surface of these biosensors was nanostructured by adding sacrificial star polymers or block copolymers to a silicate precursor solution. Subsequent vitrification resulted in two distinct morphological patterns: random and ordered porosity. Amino groups on the surface of the biosensors enabled the installation of analyte receptors and antifouling agents such as oligo (ethylene oxide).

The second section discusses the development of 3D core-shell …

Women With Facial Disfigurements: Impact Of Media-Constructed Images Of Beauty, Sophia M. Papadopoulos

Master's Theses

WOMEN WITH FACIAL DISFIGUREMENTS: IMPACT OF MEDIA-CONSTRUCTED IMAGES OF BEAUTY

by Sophia M. Papadopoulos

The purpose of this study was to analyze whether women with congenital or acquired facial disfigurements were negatively influenced by the images of beauty found in television, magazines, newspapers, and advertisements and to determine how these images affected their overall perceptions of self. A qualitative study was conducted through in-depth telephone interviews with 25 women with various facial disfigurements. The study showed that, although media-constructed images of beauty did have some influence on the participants' overall perceptions of self, other factors such as the manner in …

In Situ Detection Of Tbx5 Expression In Developing Chick Embryonic Heart, Vaishali Agarwal

Master's Theses

The Tbx 5 gene codes for a highly conserved transcription factor containing a DNA-binding motif called the T box (or T-domain). Tbx 5 is expressed in the posterior sinoatrial segment of the heart along with the developing forelimb buds. Mutations in Tbx 5 gene are associated with Holt Oram Syndrome (HOS), which is characterized by heart septal defects and forelimb abnormalities. Tbx 5 expression was examined during various stages of heart development in chick embryos using both a double stranded digoxygenin-labeled DNA probe and a single stranded digoxygenin-labeled anti-sense RNA probe (riboprobe). Due to the presence of homology in the …

Bulldozers And Blueberries: Managing Fence Damage By Bare-Nosed Wombats At The Agricultural–Riparian Interface, Philip Borchard, Ian A. Wright

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Fence damage by bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus) can be a serious problem for farmers wishing to reduce herbivory by other herbivores on valuable crops. We investigated the effectiveness of exclusion fencing to prevent the incursion of unwanted native and feral herbivores and the use of swinging gates designed to allow wombats to pass through the fence without having to damage it. We also examined the temporal response of animals toward exclusion fencing and wombat gates. The 10-month study took place on the interface between natural riparian vegetation and a 22-ha blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) orchard in southeastern …

Design And Synthesis Of Cdk-5 And Mek-5 Inhibitors And Synthesis Towards Tubulysin Analogs, Ishveen Kaur Chopra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

CDK-5 is associated with hyperphosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau, formation of neurofibrillary tangles, and possibly an acceleration of the neurodegenerative progression of Alzheimer's disease. C6-O linked benzimidazoles and C-4 benzamide and phenylacetamide benzimidazoles based on (R)-Roscovitine, a non-selective inhibitor of CDK-5 were designed and synthesized.

MEK-5, a member of the MAPK family, phosphorylates ERK-5 permitting cells to survive oxidative stress. MEK-5 is upregulated in tumor cells and activated by mitogens; inhibition of this enzyme is a potential anti-cancer strategy. Scaffolds from the following classes--benzimidazole, diphenylamine, flavones, and ortho-carboxyamide were examined for their capacity to be developed into potent and …

Clinical Trial Of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy To Reduce Antiretroviral Side Effects In Hiv Patients, R. Eric Doerfler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background & Purpose: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV/AIDS has led to significant improvements in survival and a reduction in AIDS-related morbidity. Adherence to regimens is vital, yet clinical observations and research have suggested that side effects are a significant reason for non-adherence. This randomized, controlled clinical trial was a pilot study sought to determine if a brief exposure cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) could reduce side effect symptoms in HIV/AIDS patients on ART.

Methods: 33 participants were randomized to standard adherence education alone or adherence education plus three sessions of CBT over a period of three months.

Results: Completing the study were …

Morphological And Genetic Investigations Of Pennsylvania Populations Of The Channel Shiner, Notropis Wickliffi, Stephanie Ann Dowell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The channel shiner, Notropis wickliffi, is listed as a vulnerable species in Pennsylvania. Little is known about this species of minnow due to taxonomic confusion with the mimic shiner, N. volucellus. The regional variation in morphology makes it problematic to apply identification characters determined in other studies to Pennsylvania populations. By sequencing the mitochondrial gene, cytochrome b, it was found that N. wickliffi formed a separate phylogenetic clade, while N. volucellus and N. buchanani (ghost shiners) were present in the same clade. Three pigmentation patterns were correlated to the haplotype groups, proving useful in distinguishing between N. wickliffi and N. …

Rights In Flux: The Rights Of Afghan Women In Different Eras, Kelly Anne Drevitch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Have the lives of Afghan women improved since the U.S. invasion of October of 2001? Historically, the George W. Bush Administration followed past foreign governments, Afghan political parties, and Afghan regimes who also promised to "liberate Afghan women" when making the case for war or violence. Using case study methodology and feminist theory, the research compares the status of Afghan women in three eras: before the Taliban (1973 to 1995), during the Taliban (1996 to October 2001), and since the U.S. invasion (October 2001 to December 2009). By applying gender and cultural essentialism, the research concludes that these theories offer …

Describing Emotional, Social, And Cognitive Processes In Adolescents With And Without Psychopathic Traits: Examining Rorschach Variables, Vanessa Rae Talkington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the effectiveness of select Rorschach Inkblot Method (RIM) variables in detecting individual differences among youth diagnosed with Conduct Disorder (CD) who were either high or low on psychopathic traits. Twenty-nine male adolescents with CD in an alternative education school setting were placed into high or low psychopathy groups based on their Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL: YV) scores. Significant differences were found for WSum6, a RIM variable that measures cognitive ideation. However, both CD groups gave very few answers that yielded rich RIM protocols. That is, answers tended to be simple and similar, making inferential statistics uninterpretable. …

I-Kappa-Kinase-2 (Ikk-2) Inhibition Potentiates Vincristine Cytotoxicity In Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Ayad Al-Katib, Alan A. Arnold, Amro Aboukameel, Angela Sosin, Peter Smith, Anwar N. Mohamed, Frances W. Beck, Ramzi M. Mohammad

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

IKK-2 is an important regulator of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) which has been implicated in survival, proliferation and apoptosis resistance of lymphoma cells. In this study, we investigated whether inhibition of IKK-2 impacts cell growth or cytotoxicity of selected conventional chemotherapeutic agents in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Two established model systems were used; Follicular (WSU-FSCCL) and Diffuse Large Cell (WSU-DLCL2) Lymphoma, both of which constitutively express p-IκB. A novel, selective small molecule inhibitor of IKK-2, ML120B (N-[6-chloro-7-methoxy-9H-β-carbolin-8-yl]-2-methylnicotinamide) was used to perturb NF-κB in lymphoma cells. The growth inhibitory effect of ML120B (M) alone and in combination with cyclophosphamide monohydrate (C), …

The Wnt/Β-Catenin Pathway Regulates Growth And Maintenance Of Colonospheres, Shailender S. Kanwar, Yingjie Yu, Jyoti Nautiyal, Bhaumik B. Patel, Adhip Pn Majumdar

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Recent evidence suggests that epithelial cancers, including colorectal cancer are driven by a small sub-population of self-renewing, multi-potent cells termed cancer stem cells (CSCs) which are thought to be responsible for recurrence of cancer. One of the characteristics of CSCs is their ability to form floating spheroids under anchorage-independent conditions in a serum-free defined media. The current investigation was undertaken to examine the role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in regulating the growth and maintenance of colonospheres. Human colon cancer cells HCT-116 (p53 wild type; K-ras mutant), HCT-116 (p53 null; K-ras mutant) and HT-29 (p53 mutant) were used.

Results

Colonospheres …

The Drosophila Homolog Of The Mammalian Imprint Regulator, Ctcf, Maintains The Maternal Genomic Imprint In Drosophila Melanogaster, William A. Macdonald, Debashish Menon, Nicholas J. Bartlett, G Elizabeth Sperry, Vanya Rasheva, Victoria Meller, Vett K. Lloyd

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

CTCF is a versatile zinc finger DNA-binding protein that functions as a highly conserved epigenetic transcriptional regulator. CTCF is known to act as a chromosomal insulator, bind promoter regions, and facilitate long-range chromatin interactions. In mammals, CTCF is active in the regulatory regions of some genes that exhibit genomic imprinting, acting as insulator on only one parental allele to facilitate parent-specific expression. In Drosophila, CTCF acts as a chromatin insulator and is thought to be actively involved in the global organization of the genome.

Results

To determine whether CTCF regulates imprinting in Drosophila, we generated CTCF mutant alleles …

Loss Of The Sin3 Transcriptional Corepressor Results In Aberrant Mitochondrial Function, Valerie L. Barnes, Bethany S. Strunk, Icksoo Lee, Maik Hüttemann, Lori A. Pile

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

SIN3 is a transcriptional repressor protein known to regulate many genes, including a number of those that encode mitochondrial components.

Results

By monitoring RNA levels, we find that loss of SIN3 inDrosophilacultured cells results in up-regulation of not only nuclear encoded mitochondrial genes, but also those encoded by the mitochondrial genome. The up-regulation of gene expression is accompanied by a perturbation in ATP levels in SIN3-deficient cells, suggesting that the changes in mitochondrial gene expression result in altered mitochondrial activity. In support of the hypothesis that SIN3 is necessary for normal mitochondrial function, yeastsin3null mutants exhibit very poor …

A Novel Mechanism Of Cell Growth Regulation By Cell Cycle And Apoptosis Regulatory Protein (Carp)-1, Yan Jiang, Vineshkumar T. Puliyappadamba, Liyue Zhang, Wenjuan Wu, Anil Wali, Michael B. Yaffe, Joseph A. Fontana, Arun K. Rishi

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

CARP-1/CCAR1, a perinuclear phospho-protein, regulates signaling by adriamycin, steroids, or growth factors. However, intracellular events that regulate CARP-1-dependent cell growth are not fully understood.

Results

Here we investigated whether CARP-1 is involved in signaling induced by the protein kinase A inhibitor H89. Treatments of human breast cancer cells with H89 resulted in apoptosis that involved enhanced CARP-1 threonine phosphorylation and expression. Depletion of CARP-1, on the other hand, abrogates apoptosis induced by H89. CARP-1 binds with signal transducer TAZ and over-expression of TAZ inhibits apoptosis by CARP-1. CARP-1 (651-759) interacts with a novel, N-terminal epitope of TAZ. H89 …

Acute Subarachnoid Hemorrhage And Cardiac Abnormalities: Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Or Neurogenic Stunned Myocardium? A Case Report, C Franco, B Khaled, L Afonso, M Raufi

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Introduction

Cardiac abnormalities can be seen with subarachnoid hemorrhage. To date, there have been isolated case reports of transient left ventricular apical ballooning cardiomyopathy, also known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in patients suffering from subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Case presentation

An adult female was brought to the emergency department with somnolence. A 3 × 3 mm ruptured basilar aneurysm was found and successfully embolized. Two days after the patient developed acute heart failure. Troponin-I was elevated to 4.2 (normal <0.4). On ECG, new symmetric T wave inversion in V3, V4, V5 with prolonged QT were evident. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed severe systolic dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 20% and akinetic apex along with the distal left ventricular segments, consistent with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Myocardial contrast echocardiography showed a decrease in capillary blood flow and volume in the akinetic areas with delayed contrast replenishment, sparing the basal segments. A repeat study 2 weeks later showed near normalization of the perfusion parameters. The patient improved with medical management. A repeat echocardiogram, a month later revealed an ejection fraction of 45% with no identifiable wall motion abnormality.

Conclusion

Our case, as well as others reported previously, supports the diagnosis of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage who fulfill the …

Functional Analysis Of B And C Class Floral Organ Genes In Spinach Demonstrates Their Role In Sexual Dimorphism, D Noah Sather, Maja Jovanovic, Edward M. Golenberg

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Evolution of unisexual flowers entails one of the most extreme changes in plant development. Cultivated spinach, Spinacia oleracea L., is uniquely suited for the study of unisexual flower development as it is dioecious and it achieves unisexually by the absence of organ development, rather than by organ abortion or suppression. Male staminate flowers lack fourth whorl primordia and female pistillate flowers lack third whorl primordia. Based on theoretical considerations, early inflorescence or floral organ identity genes would likely be directly involved in sex-determination in those species in which organ initiation rather than organ maturation is regulated. In this …

Utility Of Immunohistochemical Markers In Differentiating Benign From Malignant Follicular-Derived Thyroid Nodules, Husain A. Saleh, Bo Jin, John Barnwell, Opada Alzohaili

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Thyroid nodules are common among adults though only a small percentage is malignant, which can histologically mimic benign nodules. Accurate diagnosis of these thyroid nodules is critical for the proper clinical management.

Methods

We investigated immunoexpression in 98 surgically removed benign thyroid nodules including 52 hyperplastic nodules (HN) and 46 follicular/Hurthle cell adenomas (FA), and 54 malignant tumors including 22 follicular carcinoma (FC), 20 classic papillary carcinoma (PTC), and 12 follicular variant papillary carcinoma (FVPC).

Results

The staining results showed that malignant tumors express galectin-3, HBME-1, CK19 and Ret oncoprotein significantly more than benign nodules. The sensitivity of …

Evaluation Of The Current Knowledge, Attitude And Perception Of End-Of-Life Electronics Among Students Of Selected North Carolina Universities Located In Guilford County, Bethany L. Clark

Theses

The purpose of the present study was to determine how much the general student population understands about the dangers and lost value that result from not properly recycling end-of-life (EOL) electronic devices. It was believed that changing the language associated with EOL electronics would, in turn, change the disposal practices of the general student population. College students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T SU) and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) were chosen for this study because college students are a large group of electronic device consumers and because they are the next generation …

Genetic And Evolutionary Feature Selection And Weighting For Face Recognition, Tamirat Abegaz

Theses

In this thesis, we have Investigated the hybridization of genetic-based feature selection (GEFeS), genetic-based feature weighting (GEFeW) and LBP-based face recognition techniques. The results indicate that feature selection and weighting enhances the overall performance of LBP-based face recognition techniques. In addition, the results show that GEFeS reduces the number of features needed by approximately 50% while obtaining significant improvement in the accuracy. GEFeS improves the accuracy from 70.36 to 96.62 (in the case of LBP-GEFeS) and from 70.71 to 96.43 (in the case of oLBP-GEFeS) respectively.