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Suboptimal Bone Status For Adolescents With Low Motor Competence And Developmental Coordination Disorder - It's Sex Specific, Paola Chivers, Timo Rantalainen, Fleur Mcintyre, Beth Hands, Benjamin Weeks, Belinda Beck, Nimphius Sophia, Nicolas Hart, Aris Siafarikas

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Australian adolescents with low motor competence (LMC) have higher fracture rates and poorer bone health compared to European normative data, but currently no normative data exists for Australians.

Aims: To examine whether there were bone health differences in Australian adolescents with LMC or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) when compared to typically developing age-matched Australian adolescents.

Methods and Procedures: Australian adolescents aged 12–18 years with LMC/DCD (n=39; male=27; female=12) and an Australian comparison sample (n=188; boys=101; girls= 87) undertook radial and tibial peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT) scans. Stress Strain Index (SSI (mm3)), Total Bone Area (TBA (mm2)), Muscle Density …

International Validation Of The Eortc Qlq-Prt20 Module For Assessment Of Quality Of Life Symptoms Relating To Radiation Proctitis: A Phase Iv Study, Georgia K.B Halkett, Charles Adam Wigley, Samar M. Aoun, Maurizio Portaluri, Francesco Tramacere, Lorenzo Livi, Beatrice Detti, Stefano Arcangeli, Jo-Asmund Lund, Are Kristensen, Nathalie Mcfadden, Arne Grun, Sean Bydder, Irina Sackerer, Elfriede Greimel, Nigel Spry, Eortc Quality Of Life Group

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Although patients experience radiation proctitis post radiotherapy no internationally tested instruments exist to measure these symptoms. This Phase IV study tested the scale structure, reliability and validity and cross-cultural applicability of the EORTC proctitis module (QLQ-PRT23) in patients who were receiving pelvic radiotherapy.

Methods: Patients (n = 358) from six countries completed the EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-PRT23 and EORTC Quality of Life Group debriefing questions. Clinicians completed the EORTC Radiation Therapy Oncology Group scale. Questionnaires were completed at four time-points. The module’s scale structure was examined and validated using standard psychometric analysis techniques.

Results: Three items were dropped from the …

Mitochondria And Neuroprotection In Stroke: Cationic Arginine-Rich Peptides (Carps) As A Novel Class Of Mitochondria-Targeted Neuroprotective Therapeutics, Gabriella Macdougall, Ryan S. Anderton, Frank L. Mastaglia, Neville W. Knuckey, Bruno P. Meloni

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Stroke is the second leading cause of death globally and represents a major cause of devastating long-term disability. Despite sustained efforts to develop clinically effective neuroprotective therapies, presently there is no clinically available neuroprotective agent for stroke. As a central mediator of neurodamaging events in stroke, mitochondria are recognised as a critical neuroprotective target, and as such, provide a focus for developing mitochondrial-targeted therapeutics. In recent years, cationic arginine-rich peptides (CARPs) have been identified as a novel class of neuroprotective agent with several demonstrated mechanisms of action, including their ability to target mitochondria and exert positive effects on the organelle. …

Intraoperative Detection Of Blood Vessels With An Imaging Needle During Neurosurgery In Humans, Hari Ramakonar, Bryden C. Quirk, Rodney W. Kirk, Jiawen Li, Angela Jacques, Christopher R.P Lind, Robert A. Mclaughlin

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Intracranial hemorrhage can be a devastating complication associated with needle biopsies of the brain. Hemorrhage can occur to vessels located adjacent to the biopsy needle as tissue is aspirated into the needle and removed. No intraoperative technology exists to reliably identify blood vessels that are at risk of damage. To address this problem, we developed an “imaging needle” that can visualize nearby blood vessels in real time. The imaging needle contains a miniaturized optical coherence tomography probe that allows differentiation of blood flow and tissue. In 11 patients, we were able to intraoperatively detect blood vessels (diameter, >500 μm) with …

Poly-Arginine R18 And R18d (D-Enantiomer) Peptides Reduce Infarct Volume And Improves Behavioural Outcomes Following Perinatal Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy In The P7 Rat, Adam B. Edwards, Jane L. Cross, Ryan S. Anderton, Neville W. Knuckey, Bruno P. Meloni

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

We examined the neuroprotective efficacy of the poly-arginine peptide R18 and its D-enantiomer R18D in a perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic (HI) model in P7 Sprague-Dawley rats. R18 and R18D peptides were administered intraperitoneally at doses of 30, 100, 300 or 1000 nmol/kg immediately after HI (8% O2/92%N2 for 2.5 h). The previously characterised neuroprotective JNKI-1-TATD peptide at a dose of 1000 nmol/kg was used as a control. Infarct volume and behavioural outcomes were measured 48 h after HI. For the R18 and R18D doses examined, total infarct volume was reduced by 25.93% to 43.80% (P = 0.038 to < 0.001). By comparison, the JNKI-1-TATD reduced lesion volume by 25.27% (P = 0.073). Moreover, R18 and R18D treatment resulted in significant improvements in behavioural outcomes, while with JNKI-1-TATD there was a trend towards improvement. As an insight into the likely mechanism underlying the effects of R18, R18D and JNKI-1-TATD, the peptides were added to cortical neuronal cultures exposed to glutamic acid excitotoxicity, resulting in up to 89, 100 and 71% neuroprotection, respectively, and a dose dependent inhibition of neuronal calcium influx. The study further confirms the neuroprotective properties of polyarginine peptides, and suggests a potential therapeutic role for R18 and R18D in the treatment of HIE.

Movement Economy In Soccer: Current Data And Limitations, Filippo Dolci, Nicolas H. Hart, Andrew Kilding, Paola Chivers, Benjamin Piggott, Tania Spiteri

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Soccer is an intermittent team-sport, where performance is determined by a myriad of psychological, technical, tactical, and physical factors. Among the physical factors, endurance appears to play a key role into counteracting the fatigue-related reduction in running performance observed during soccer matches. One physiological determinant of endurance is movement economy, which represents the aerobic energy cost to exercise at a given submaximal velocity. While the role of movement economy has been extensively examined in endurance athletes, it has received little attention in soccer players, but may be an important factor, given the prolonged demands of match play. For this reason, …

Netrin-1-Like-Immunoreactivity Co-Expresses With Dcc And Has A Differential Level In The Myenteric Cholinergic And Nitrergic Neurons Of The Adult Mouse Colon, Suh Youn Ko, John T. Price, Gregory L. Blatch, Kulmira Nurgali

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Netrin-1 is a potent axonal and neuronal guidance cue in the developing nervous system. Netrin-1 functions are mediated by its receptors, such as deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) present on axons and neurons. Localization of DCC and Netrin-1 on various types of enteric neurons and their role in the mature enteric nervous system is unknown. The results of our study revealed that almost all enteric neurons and processes express DCC and Netrin-1 in the adult mice. Netrin-1-like-immunoreactivity (IR) was detected in the cytoplasm of neurons with some showing strong or weak staining. The majority of Netrin-1-like-immunoreactive enteric neurons were choline …

An Assessment Of Effectiveness Of Participatory Video And Drama In Enhancing Learning Of “Climate-Smart” Push-Pull Technology: A Case Study Of Butere And Vihiga Farmers In Western Kenya, Wakesho George, Pittchar Jimmy, Midega Charles, Khan Zeyaur

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This study assessed the effectiveness of participatory video and drama in enhancing learning of climate-smart pushpull technology in western Kenya. A total of 80 farmers who had no knowledge of push pull technology were exposed to participatory drama and video that had been developed by farmers who are adopting push pull technology. Validated questionnaires were used for data collection where sampled non push pull farmers were interviewed before and after exposure to push pull knowledge using participatory video and drama. Data obtained was analyzed using chi square at 0.05 confidence level set a priori and also presented using frequency tables, …

Proximate Composition And In Vitro Protein Digestibility Of Extruded Aquafeeds Containing Acheta Domesticus And Hermetia Illucens Fractions, F. G. Irungu, C. M. Mutungi, A. K. Faraj, H. Affognon, S. Ekesi, D. Nakimbugwe, K. K.M. Fiaboe

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Major protein sources for feed manufacture have become costly, and this has led to increased cost of products such as aquafeeds. This has dampening effect on fish production especially in developing countries, and has necessitated a search for alternative protein sources in processed feeds. The effects of extrusion on aquafeed blends containing fractions of adult cricket (Acheta domesticus) meal (ACM) or black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) pre-pupae meal (BSFM) on proximate composition and in vitro protein digestibility were investigated. Extrusion resulted in higher contents of protein and nitrogen free extract, and lower contents of ether extract and crude fibre as …

Essential Oils Of Indigenous Plants Protect Livestock From Infestations Of Rhipicephalus Appendiculatus And Other Tick Species In Herds Grazing In Natural Pastures In Western Kenya, Wycliffe Wanzala, Ahmed Hassanali, Wolfgang Richard Mukabana, Willem Takken

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The effects of formulated essential oils of Tagetes minuta and Tithonia diversifolia on Rhipicephalus appendiculatus infesting livestock were evaluated in semi-field experiments. Forty-five zebu cattle naturally infested with ticks were randomly selected from 15 herds, three animals from each. Of the three animals within each herd, one was treated with 1 g of petroleum jelly (control), one with 1 g of essential oil of T. minuta and one with 1 g of essential oil of T. diversifolia on the inner side of ear pinna, the preferred feeding site of R. appendiculatus. Tick infestation on each treated host animal was monitored …

Insect Net: A Novel Technology To Promote Integrated Pest Management On Horticultural Crops In Africa, T. Martin, M. Saidi, S. Niassy, S. Simon, F. Vidogbena, L. Parrot, S. Ekesi, E. Deletre, S. Subramanian, F. Assogba-Komlan, V. Baird, K. K.M. Fiaboe, M. Ngouajio, J. E. Simon, A. Ratnadass

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Fruits and vegetables are important commodities in global agriculture. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, production is sub-optimal in terms of yield, quality and environmental health practices due to several constraints such as insect pests which reduce yields through direct damage, or indirectly as disease vectors often promoting microbial diseases. Pest control still relies mainly on chemicals with their associated risks of resistance selection and toxicity to humans and environment. Several alternatives including biopesticides, semiochemical and nets are being explored in pest management. Insect nets applied on tomatoes, cabbages, beans and leafy vegetables protect them from flies, butterflies, moths, albeit to a …

Morphological Re-Description And Molecular Identification Of Tabanidae (Diptera) In East Africa, Claire M. Mugasa, Jandouwe Villinger, Joseph Gitau, Nelly Ndungu, Marc Ciosi, Daniel Masiga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Biting flies of the family Tabanidae are important vectors of human and animal diseases across continents. However, records of Africa tabanids are fragmentary and mostly cursory. To improve identification, documentation and description of Tabanidae in East Africa, a baseline survey for the identification and description of Tabanidae in three eastern African countries was conducted. Tabanids from various locations in Uganda (Wakiso District), Tanzania (Tarangire National Park) and Kenya (Shimba Hills National Reserve, Muhaka, Nguruman) were collected. In Uganda, octenol baited F-traps were used to target tabanids, while NG2G traps baited with cow urine and acetone were employed in Kenya and …

Plasmodium Detection And Differentiation By Direct-On-Blood Pcr Nucleic Acid Lateral Flow Immunoassay: Development, Validation, And Evaluation, Johanna M. Roth, Laura De Bes, Patrick Sawa, George Omweri, Victor Osoti, Boris Oberheitmann, Henk D.F.H. Schallig, Pètra F. Mens

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Decreasing malaria transmission warrants the search for highly sensitive point-of-care diagnostics, especially in resource-limited settings. The direct-on-blood PCR nucleic acid lateral flow immunoassay (db-PCR-NALFIA) is a simplified PCR-based technique with a lateral flow readout that does not require sample preparation. Two duplex db-PCR-NALFIAs were developed: a pan-Plasmodium/Plasmodium falciparum (pan/P. falciparum) and a pan-Plasmodium/Plasmodium vivax (pan/P. vivax) assay. Confirmed positive samples (n = 61) and negative controls (n = 40) were used for laboratory validations. A prospective field evaluation of the pan/P. falciparum assay was performed in Kenya (n = 300). In the laboratory validation, sensitivity and specificity of the pan/P. …

A Teacher Goes Gothic: Walter White, Heisenberg And The Dark Revenge Of Science, J. Patrick Mcgrail, Ewa Mcgrail, Alicja Rieger

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Much has been written on the natures and personalities of teachers in educational research and publications (Carter, 2009; Beck, 2012; Bulman, 2015; Dalton, 2013; Gillard, 2012; Kelly & Caughlan, 2011). However, mass media can have a powerful influence on how people see teachers. The television series Breaking Bad (Gilligan, 2007-2013) and its representation of teachers, has contributed a unique – if warped -perspective on the subject of teachers and teaching in America. In this article, we argue that three important Gothic and mythic fables from literature are harbingers of Walter White and his transformation – the Faust legend, as told …

Introductory Statistics, Barbara Illowsky, Susan Dean

Open Access Textbooks

Introductory Statistics follows scope and sequence requirements of a one-semester introduction to statistics course and is geared toward students majoring in fields other than math or engineering. The text assumes some knowledge of intermediate algebra and focuses on statistics application over theory. Introductory Statistics includes innovative practical applications that make the text relevant and accessible, as well as collaborative exercises, technology integration problems, and statistics labs.

How To Prepare Interprofessional Teams In Two Weeks: An Innovative Education Program Nested In Telehealth, Tina S. Haney, Karen Kott, Carolyn M. Rutledge, Bruce Britton, Christianne N. Fowler, Rebecca D. Poston

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

PROBLEM:

Preparing health professional students for interprofessional collaborative practice, especially at a distance where provider shortages prevail remains difficult.

APPROACH:

A two-week interprofessional education (IPE) immersion experience preparing students from 11 disciplines and four universities was implemented. Week-one, using online technology, students develop/present an interprofessional careplan for a complex patient. Students then meet face-to-face to conduct group interviews with two standardized patient dyads. Week-two, students develop a website for use of the patient dyads. Websites are presented to faculty and fellow students via an online virtual meeting space.

OUTCOMES:

To date, 594 students have participated demonstrating capacity to: 1.effectively engage …

Characterizing Curiosity-Related Behavior In Bottlenose (Tursiops Truncatus) And Roughtoothed (Steno Bredanensis) Dolphins, Malin Lilley, Amber J. De Vere, Deirdre Yeater, Stan A. Kuczaj Ii

Psychology Faculty Publications

Dolphins are frequently described as curious animals; however, there have been few systematic investigations of how dolphins behave when they are curious and the extent to which individual differences in curiosity exist in dolphins. Previous research has described individual differences in dolphins’ frequency of interactions with environmental enrichment as well as quantifying curiosity-related traits of dolphins via personality assessments, though behavioral observation and trait rating components have not been part of the same study. The present study describes two different experiments designed to elicit curiosity in 15 bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) and 6 rough-toothed (Steno bredanensis) dolphins. …

Role Of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptors In Cytokine And Chemokine Production By Glia, Jean Moon

Theses and Dissertations

About 1 in 10 newly diagnosed HIV cases in the United States are attributed to injection drug abuse. Opiate abuse exacerbates HIV disease progression in the central nervous system by disrupting glial function and significantly augmenting glial-derived pro-inflammatory mediators. Astroglia and microglia exposed to viral proteins, such as transactivator of transcription (Tat), become activated leading to release of a large number of cytokines and chemokines and a positive loop of neuro-inflammation. Despite effective antiretroviral therapy, persistent inflammation and immune activation affect HIV-infected individuals. A potential alternative target is sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) which is known to play a role …

Activation Of Trpv1 By Capsaicin Regulates Enac, Alexander Saffran

Theses and Dissertations

ENaC is a constitutively open heterotrimeric channel which regulates Na⁺ transport in tight epithelia of the kidney, lungs, colon and anterior tongue containing fungiform taste buds. The amiloride-sensitive ENaC is comprised of aβg subunits. Humans express an additional subunit, the d subunit. Therefore, humans contain both aβg-ENaC and dβg-ENaC functional channels. Relative to aβg-ENaC, the dβg-ENaC is 10-fold less sensitive to amiloride. In the mammalian anterior tongue, ENaC is expressed in fungiform salt sensing taste receptor cells and is the Na⁺-specific salt taste receptor. In mammals, salt elicits an inverted U shaped behavioral response. Lower concentrations of …

Three Essays On Maternal And Child Health, Mandar V. Bodas

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a collection of three separate essays on the health of women and children. In the first essay, I along with my co-authors, analyzed the impact of two large, national-level health policies (the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)) on maternal health outcomes (proportion of institutional deliveries) in India. We used data from the India Human Development Survey (IHDS) and found that the JSY and the NRHM had a greater impact on institutional deliveries in high-focus states. We also found that the conditions of the public health facilities, did not change after the …

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs And Opioid Poisoning: Evaluating The Impact Of Prescriber Use Mandates On Prescription Opioid Poisoning Emergency Department Visits, Sarah Almanie

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are one strategy established to curb the prescription opioid abuse epidemic. Prescriber use mandates has emerged as a promising practice to increase PDMPs impact on prescription opioid abuse; however, evidence of its effectiveness has not yet been established. Kentucky was the first state to implement comprehensive prescriber use mandates in July 2012.

Objective: To assess the relationship between prescriber use mandates policy and emergency department (ED) visits related to prescription opioid poisoning among adults in Kentucky and

North Carolina. Secondary aim: to evaluate the economic impact of prescriber use mandates in Kentucky.

Methods: A …

Branched Short Chain Fatty Acid Isovaleric Acid Causes Smooth Muscle Relaxation Via Camp/Pka Pathway, Inhibits Gastrointestinal Motility, And Disrupts Peristaltic Movement, Bryan Adam Blakeney

Theses and Dissertations

Isovaleric Acid (IVA) is a 5-carbon branched chain fatty acid present in fermented foods and produced by the fermentation of leucine by colonic bacteria. IVA activates G-protein coupled receptors such as FFAR2, FFAR3, and OR51E1 known to be expressed on enteric neurons and enteroendocrine cells. We previously reported that the shorter, straight chain fatty acids acetate, propionate and butyrate, differentially affect colonic propulsion; however, the effect of branched chain fatty acids on gastrointestinal motility is unknown. We hypothesize that IVA relaxes smooth muscle in a cAMP/PKA dependent manner by direct action on smooth muscle cells. IVA will also decrease peristalsis …

Motion-Induced Artifact Mitigation And Image Enhancement Strategies For Four-Dimensional Fan-Beam And Cone-Beam Computed Tomography, Matthew J. Riblett

Theses and Dissertations

Four dimensional imaging has become part of the standard of care for diagnosing and treating non-small cell lung cancer. In radiotherapy applications 4D fan-beam computed tomography (4D-CT) and 4D cone-beam computed tomography (4D-CBCT) are two advanced imaging modalities that afford clinical practitioners knowledge of the underlying kinematics and structural dynamics of diseased tissues and provide insight into the effects of regular organ motion and the nature of tissue deformation over time. While these imaging techniques can facilitate the use of more targeted radiotherapies, issues surrounding image quality and accuracy currently limit the utility of these images clinically.

The purpose of …

Use Of Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy For The Detection Of Bioactive Lipids, Christopher M. Ohlhaver

Theses and Dissertations

The detection and analysis of lipids in biological matrices for clinical applications poses many challenges, but rapid and reliable detection will prove invaluable for clinical diagnosis. Herein, we report the application of drop-casted Ag nanoplatelets as surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates for qualitative detection of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE), which is a potential biomarker for diagnosis of hypertensive disorders. Biomarker peaks of 20-HETE can be reliably detected and differentiated from those of the structurally similar lipids (arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid) commonly found in human blood, even 1 pM concentrations. Additionally, one study mixed 20-HETE with three structurally …

Placental Eicosanoids And Sphingolipids In Preeclampsia, Daniel T. Reep

Theses and Dissertations

Placental dysfunction is implicated in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Chemical signals between the placenta and maternal circulation are a suspect cause of endothelial dysfunction and maternal hypertension. This study examined select lipid mediators of inflammation produced by the placenta. Patients were recruited from Virginia Commonwealth University’s pregnancy clinics and placentas were collected at delivery. Forty-eight-hour explant cultures of villous placental tissue were used to model lipid production. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was used to quantify concentrations of free lipids in the culture media. Bicinchoninic acid assays were performed to quantify protein in each culture for normalization of lipid data. After …

Economic Burden Of Renal Cell Carcinoma (Rcc) And Treatment Patterns, Overall Survival And Healthcare Costs Among Older Metastatic Rcc Patients, Hrishikesh P. Kale

Theses and Dissertations

Background

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer. Patients diagnosed with metastatic RCC (mRCC) have shorter overall survival compared to those diagnosed at earlier stages. Several targeted therapies, which cost from $7,000 - $16,000 per month have been approved since 2005 to treat mRCC. In addition, there is a growing interest in the use of cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) with targeted therapies among mRCC patients. However, little is known regarding the economic burden of RCC and role of CN and prescribing patterns of targeted therapies among older mRCC patients.

Objectives

1) To assess the economic burden …

Fibronectin Mechanics And Signaling In Tgf-Β1-Induced Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition, Lauren Griggs

Theses and Dissertations

Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a dynamic process by which a distinct change in the phenotype and function of epithelial cells render them as mesenchymal cells. Characteristics of mesenchymal cells include the ability to invade, increased migratory kinetics and heightened resistance to apoptosis. Therefore, there is a strong need to fully understand the mechanism for the induction of EMT in pathological conditions such as carcinoma progression. Recent advances highlight two pivotal contributors, soluble growth factor (gf) signals, and mechanical signals, in the process. However, to date, no clear mechanism exists linking the two in epithelial transdifferentiation. Transforming Growth Factor-β1 …

Investigating The Role Of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists In Lung Cancer Progression And Chemosensitivity In The Context Of Treating Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy, Sarah L. Kyte

Theses and Dissertations

While cancer chemotherapy continues to significantly contribute to the number of cancer survivors, exposure to these drugs can often result in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a consequence of peripheral nerve fiber dysfunction or degeneration. CIPN is characterized by sensory symptoms in the hands and feet, such as numbness, burning, and allodynia, resulting in an overall decrease in quality of life. Paclitaxel (Taxol), a microtubule poison that is commonly used to treat breast, lung, and ovarian cancers, has been found to cause CIPN in 59-78% of cancer patients. There is currently no effective preventative or therapeutic treatment for this side effect, …

Association Between Warfarin Adherence Trajectories, Hospitalization Risk, And Healthcare Utilization Among Medicare Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Group-Based Trajectory Modelling Approach, Mai Alhazami

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Warfarin is the most commonly prescribed drug for stroke prevention among Atrial Fibrillation (AF) patients, especially in older adult populations, but medication nonadherence reduces its effectiveness in clinical practice. Group Based Trajectory Models (GBTM) have been used to identify distinct patterns of adherence behavior related to various medications and understand the patient characteristics associated with each trajectory. The objectives of the study were: 1) Describe trajectories of warfarin adherence among Medicare AF patients, 2) Assess impact of adherence trajectories on AF-related hospitalization, 3) Estimate the AF-related direct costs for each adherence trajectory group.

Methods: We identified elderly AF patients …

Reducing Uncertainty In Head And Neck Radiotherapy With Plastic Robotics, Mark R. Ostyn

Theses and Dissertations

One of the greatest challenges in achieving accurate positioning in head and neck radiotherapy is that the anatomy at and above the cervical spine does not act as a single, mechanically rigid body. Current immobilization techniques contain residual uncertainties that are especially present in the lower neck that cannot be reduced by setting up to any single landmark. The work presented describes the development of a radiotherapy friendly mostly-plastic 6D robotic platform for positioning independent landmarks, (i.e., allowing remote, independent positioning of the skull relative to landmarks in the thorax), including analysis of kinematics, stress, radiographic compatibility, trajectory planning, physical …