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A Signature Enrichment Design With Bayesian Adaptive Randomization For Cancer Clinical Trials, Fang Xia

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Clinical trials in the era of precision medicine demand more flexible and efficient trial designs. Adaptive clinical trial designs allow pre-specified modifications of an on-going clinical trial and could shorten the trial duration. We reviewed five common types of adaptive clinical trials based on adaptation methods. In particular, outcome-randomization becomes more popular as it can assign more patients to the promising treatments based on the accumulated trial data. This data-driven allocation allows more patients to benefit from the trial, which is especially important for cancer patients. We compared different Bayesian outcome-adaptive randomization methods and discussed them from both methodological and …

Assessment Of New Innovations In Pet/Ct For Respiratory Motion Correction, Joseph Meier

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

In oncological imaging, Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) is a vital tool used for stating and treatment response assessment of patients due to its ability to visualize and accurately quantify the bio-distribution of radiolabeled pharmaceuticals. However, due to the long acquisition times, respiratory motion blur is unavoidable in PET images especially in the lower lung and upper abdomen. This leads to reductions in measured radiotracer concentration and lesion detectability all of which can potentially result in incorrect management of patients. Multiple methods exist to correct for respiratory motion but are rarely used in the routine clinical setting because of: 1) …

Deconvolute Brain Tumor Genomic Alterations Based On Dna Methylation, Jie Yang

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Molecular classification based on mutations, expression subtypes, and copy number variants has improved diagnosis and treatment decision-making for patients with brain tumors, particularly malignant gliomas. However, the association between epigenetic signature and genetic alterations is poorly understood. For example, mutation of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is associated with genome-wide hypermethylation of CpG islands in gliomas. But other subtype-associated alterations, including telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutation, alpha thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked (ATRX) mutation, chromosome 1p19q co-deletion (chr1p19q codel), and gene expression subtypes, have yet to be associated with any epigenetic signature. Therefore, we hypothesized that …

Relevance Of Fgfr1 And Its Isoforms In Prostate Cancer Bone Metastases, Estefania Labanca

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) 1 is implicated in prostate cancer (PCa) progression. Various FGFR1 isoforms have been described and we demonstrate here that the well-characterized FGFR1 a and b isoforms are correlated with the expression of different genes and pathways in human PCa. Direct injection of PC3 PCa cells overexpressing FGFR1 isoforms into the femur of mice resulted in enhanced tumor growth and reduction in bone volume when compared with PC3 expressing empty vector. However, only PC3 overexpressing FGFR1 b was associated with increased osteoclast parameters, suggesting that each isoform may mediate diverse biological effects (similar findings were …

The Long Road Back To Skokie: Returning The First Amendment To Mask Wearers, Rob Kahn

Journal of Law and Policy

When the Seventh Circuit upheld the First Amendment right of Nazis to march in Skokie, Illinois in 1978, the protection of mask wearers was not far behind. Since then, doctrinal paths have diverged. While the Supreme Court continues to protect hate speech, mask wearing has been increasingly placed outside First Amendment protection. This article seeks to get to the bottom of this doctrinal divergence by addressing the symbolic purposes of mask bans—rooted in repudiating the Ku Klux Klan—as well as the doctrinal steps taken over the past forty years to restrict the First Amendment claims of mask wearers. It also …

Increasing Lapses In Data Security: The Need For A Common Answer To What Constitutes Standing In A Data Breach Context, Aaron Benjamin Edelman

Journal of Law and Policy

As the number of data breaches continues to rise in the United States, so does the amount of data breach litigation. Many potential plaintiffs who suffered as victims of data breaches, however, find themselves in limbo regarding the issue of standing before a court because of a significant split on standing determinations amongst the federal circuit courts. Thus, while victims of data breaches oftentimes have their personal information fall into the hands of nefarious characters who intend to use the information to a victim’s detriment, that may not be enough to provide victims a right to sue in federal court …

High Stakes: Throwing A Hail Mary To Congress For A Federal Ban On Sports Betting In College Athletics, Kaitlyn Kallert

Journal of Law and Policy

The Supreme Court’s 2018 decision overruling the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act’s (“PASPA”) federal prohibition on sports betting as unconstitutional under the Tenth Amendment has cleared the way for states to legalize sports gambling, which, in turn, has proven a controversial subject. Supporters of state legalization of sports gambling “argue that legalization will generate revenue for states and critically weaken illegal sports betting operations, which are often commissioned by organized crime.” However, as the Supreme Court notes, opponents contend that the legalization of sports betting will expose America’s youth to accessible gambling, “encourage people of modest means to squander …

The Hard Look Doctrine: How Disparate Impact Theory Can Inform Agencies On Proper Implementation Of Nepa Regulations, Monica Mercola

Journal of Law and Policy

Executive Order 12898—Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations—was issued to achieve “environmental protection for all communities” by drawing federal agencies’ attention to the environmental and human health effects brought about by their actions. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) sets forth a detailed process which aims to ensure that each agency will have available, and will consider, a carefully detailed compilation of information concerning significant environmental impacts resulting from federal actions before taking those actions. Realizing the Executive Order’s goal, however, is rendered problematic, in part because of the difficulty in challenging an Environmental …

2018 Pathway Award® Winner: Pentec Health Uses Pathway To Excellence® Standards And Technology To Reduce Pain And Anxiety During Targeted Drug Delivery, Patience Harris, Leann Li, Karen Mchenry, Maricon Dans

Group: American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

When nurses are empowered to practice at their highest level, they can contribute to improving patient care and advancing evidence-based nursing practice. That's why in 2011, the American Nurses Credentialing Center launched the Pathway Award®, sponsored by Cerner. This award supports the efforts of Pathway-designated organizations to develop initiatives that promote the use of innovation and technology in their practice. Pentec Health earned the prestigious 2018 Pathway Award, which provided funding to implement its proposed integrative care project.

A Students’ Model Of Team-Based Learning, Jerome I. Rotgans, Preman Rajalingam, Michael A. Ferenczi, Naomi Low-Beer

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Team-based learning (TBL) combines direct instruction with active, collaborative small group learning. This study aimed to elucidate-from the students’ perspective-the relations between different elements of TBL. This is expected to provide a better understanding of the inner workings of TBL in education. Method: Three hundred and thirteen first- and second-year medical students participated in the study. Data about TBL were collected at the end of six teaching blocks, by means of a questionnaire. The data were then combined and subjected to path analysis, which enabled testing of hypothesised relations between three layers of TBL-relevant variables. These were (1) input …

Associations Between Multidimensional Spirituality And Mental Health: Positive Psychological Traits As Mediators, Trever Dangel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research in the areas of religion and spirituality and positive psychology have experienced considerable growth within the past two decades. Such growth has led to a plethora of research identifying important constructs in both areas and key relationships among them. The current literature is, however, limited by unclear distinctions between the constructs of religion and spirituality, and a general lack of research into their associations with positive psychological traits and mental health status. As such, the present study aimed to investigate a new model of spirituality, the RiTE model, which is a three-part model designed to capture the multifaceted nature …

Application And Parameterization Of A Semi-Analytical/Numerical Method For Modeling Matrix Diffusion Effects In Groundwater Chemical Transport, Wesley Prater

All Theses

The back diffusion of dissolved chemicals from low permeability zones to aquifers can cause contaminant plumes to persist long after remediation (Chapman and Parker, 2005). Because of the complicated nature of some field sites, the effect of back diffusion on plume persistence can sometimes be ambiguous. A novel approach for simulating matrix diffusion effects was previously adapted from geothermal reservoir modeling, which combines numerical and analytical methods by discretizing only the high permeability parts of the aquifer and treating the matrix diffusion flux into the high permeability gridblocks as a concentration dependent source/sink term (Falta and Wang, 2017; Muskus and …

Recollections: Life In South Carolina Mill Villages, Thomas Hudson Cartledge

All Theses

The rise of the textile industry in the 20th century was a significant contributor to the economy of South carolina. In order to attract and retain critically needed labor, mill owners provided affordable housing by building villages in which workers and their families could live and from which workers could easily reach the mills. The physical conditions of these villages is well documented; however, there has been little or no documentation of the daily lives of the people who inhabited those villages. Since most of the residents are reaching advanced age, this gap must be filled promptly.

This research involved …

Removal Of Bromide From Natural Waters: Bromide-Selective Vs. Conventional Ion Exchange Resins, Meryem Soyluoglu

All Theses

The presence of bromide (Br−) in water results in the formation of brominated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) after chlorination, which are much more cytotoxic and genotoxic than their chlorinated analogs. Given that conventional water treatment processes (e.g., coagulation, flocculation, and sedimentation) fail to remove Br− effectively, in this study, we systematically tested and compared the performance of different anion exchange resins, particularly two novel Br-selective resins, for the removal of Br−. The resins’ performance was evaluated under both typical and challenging background water conditions by varying the concentrations of anions and organic matter. The overall Br- removal results followed the trend …

Bacterial Diversity Of The Gut Of Cotinis Nitida, Roy Attila Kucuk

All Theses

Adult and larval Holometabolous insects exhibit radically different gut morphologies tied to their differing natural histories. Additionally, like other animals, these organisms frequently show distinctive morphological and physiological partitioning of their digestive systems, and this reflects on resident microbial communities. A review of the literature reveals bacteria have formed various symbioses with holometabolous hosts, differing widely in the context of host-symbiont services and patterns of colonization. The significance of these organisms in shaping host evolution and vice-versa is, at present, unclear, but intriguing in the context of host phylogeny.

Using high throughput 16S amplicon sequencing, the bacterial community of the …

On To Wisteria: Designing An Action-Adventure Role-Playing Game For The Empowerment Of The Preteen Female Audience, Kira Noelle Foglesong

All Theses

This thesis document details the design for an original action-adventure role-playing game (AARPG) specifically targeted towards the preteen female audience, ages 10-12, as well as the production of a promotional trailer to communicate the design. This thesis aims to bring this untapped market to an already established video game genre in order to communicate to this young female audience that these games are not “just for boys” by providing a clear example of an empowering and inclusive game that is designed to appeal to their demographic. Given that there are currently no AAA action-adventure RPGs targeted towards this group as …

Diabetic Nephropathy: Review Of Novel Experimental And Clinical Strategies, Amal M. Mahfoz, Nahed M. Hassanein, Afaf A. Shoka, Hekma A. Abd El- Latif

Bulletin of Faculty of Pharmacy Cairo University

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is considered a severe disorder which affects health worldwide. New more active treatment options are required. Despite a large number of drugs already being available for treatment of hyperglycemia in diabetes, current oral antidiabetic agents often do not provide adequate glycemic control. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockers are novel agents to slow the progression of DN. Method: The present review provides an overview of recent studies on DN management, especially the use RAAS blockers and their antidiabetic effects. References were mainly identified through PubMed search until December 2016 and backtracking of references in pertinent studies. Results: This …

Inflammation And Corrosion In Total Hip Prostheses: The Generation And Interaction Of Reactive Oxygen Species With Cocrmo Metallic Biomaterial Surfaces, Michael John Wiegand

All Dissertations

There are many molecules, species and mechanisms that contribute to the overall wear and degradation of biometallic alloys like cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo). Following implantation, orthopaedic alloys are subject to an encompassing inflammatory response that will either lead to foreign body giant cell formation and attachment to the surface or the fibrous tissue encapsulation, forming an inflamed periprosthetic joint. In addition to the inflammatory response, tribocorrosion-based processes of alloy-on-alloy or alloy-on-polymer couples release polymeric wear debris, oxides, hydroxides, and metal ions in response to excessive wear, loading and corrosion. It is hypothesized that these processes, biological and triboelectrochemical, are linked together in …

Privacy-Preserving Decentralized Optimization And Event Localization, Chunlei Zhang

All Dissertations

This dissertation considers decentralized optimization and its applications. On the one hand, we address privacy preservation for decentralized optimization, where N agents cooperatively minimize the sum of N convex functions private to these individual agents. In most existing decentralized optimization approaches, participating agents exchange and disclose states explicitly, which may not be desirable when the states contain sensitive information of individual agents. The problem is more acute when adversaries exist which try to steal information from other participating agents. To address this issue, we first propose two privacy-preserving decentralized optimization approaches based on ADMM (alternating direction method of multipliers) and …

Stability And Toxicity Of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles In Water-Soil-Plant Systems, Linlin Mu

All Dissertations

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) are being increasingly used in industrial and consumer products and the release of CeO2 NPs into the air, water, and soil is an inevitable consequence. Once released into the environment, CeO2 NPs can have adverse impacts on the environment and human health. Thus, characterizing the environmental behavior and toxic effects of CeO2 NPs is important to protect the environment and human health. To assure such protection, the stability and phytotoxicity of CeO2 NPs need to be known because they are key to understanding their transport, toxicity and bioavailability in water and soil. The objective of …

The Effect Of Anthropometric Properties Of Self-Avatars On Action Capabilities In Virtual Reality, Ayush Bhargava

All Dissertations

The field of Virtual Reality (VR) has seen a steady exponential uptake in the last decade and is being continuously incorporated into areas of popular interest like healthcare, training, recreation and gaming. This steady upward trend and prolonged popularity has resulted in numerous extravagant virtual environments, some that aim to mimic real-life experiences like combat training, while others intend to provide unique experiences that may otherwise be difficult to recreate like flying over ancient Egypt as a bird. These experiences often showcase highly realistic graphics, intuitive interactions and unique avatar embodiment scenarios with the help of various tracking sensors, high …

Higher Education Governance Structures And Tuition: A Quantitative Analysis, Alfred Bundrick

All Dissertations

For years, higher education governance and the amount of state funding have been continuous issues in the state-institution relationship. Institutions want more funding and less state control over their activities. From the state’s perspective, legislators want to ensure that state resources are used wisely thereby creating governance structures to oversee higher education. The purpose of the current study is to examine whether the amount of control within the governance structure of a state affects state-level tuition at public 4-year institutions.

This dissertation employs a mixed-method approach, consisting of two parts: a linear regression model with tuition as the dependent variable …

Team Familiarity And Task Interdependence: A New Perspective On Dynamic Team Composition, Dana Verhoeven

All Dissertations

Teams have become an integral part of today’s workforce, allowing organizations to accomplish more than any one individual could do alone. Given their relevance to organizations, a plethora of research has been conducted to enhance team effectiveness and inform staffing procedures. However, most of these studies ignore the temporal dynamics inherent to team functioning, assuming that teams are comprised of the same members over time and that all members share the same level of interdependence. In reality, teams, such as those found in healthcare, are much more fluid, with members continually joining and leaving, thus highlighting the need for research …

Social Competence And Attitude Towards School In Relation To Academic Achievements Of Students In Kosovo, Blerta Perolli Shehu

All Dissertations

The focus of the research was to determine the relationship among social competence, attitudes toward school and academic achievement of primary school students in Kosovo. Participants in the study were 206 students of 4th grade classes from five different schools in Kosovo, one of their parents and teachers. Parents completed a Survey of Students’ Characteristics, children completed a self-report measure on School Attitude, and teachers completed the Social Competency Rating Form and the School Attitude/Behavior Teacher Version for each of the children in their class. Teachers also assessed the children’s academic performance in 7-items Likert-type scale for each of the …

Development Of A Nucleus Pulposus Implant For Intervertebral Disc Repair, Joshua Dillon Walters

All Dissertations

The intervertebral disc (IVD) is a fibrocartilaginous tissue connecting adjacent vertebrae in the spinal column. It comprises three distinct tissues: a gelatinous core known as the nucleus pulposus (NP), concentric fibrous rings encircling the NP known as the annulus fibrosus (AF), and the superior/inferior cartilaginous endplates (CEPs). The complex mechanical interplay of these tissues allows the IVD to withstand complex loading in the spine while maintaining trunk stability and flexibility. IVD pathologies, such as IVD degeneration (IDD) and herniation, are associated with cell-mediated inflammation in vivo. This inflammation creates a catabolic environment which degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the …

The Impact Of Ergot Alkaloid Consumption During Gestation On Maternal Performance And Fetoplacental Development, Jessica Lynn Britt

All Dissertations

Tall fescue is the primary cool season perennial forage grass in southeastern US for grazing livestock. Tall fescue the is known to be drought tolerant , disease resistant, grazing tolerant and overall very hardy. Many of these attributes common to fescue are due to a symbiotic relationship between the fescue plant and an endophyte, Epichloë coenophiala , which produces a class of mycotoxins known as ergot alkaloids. These ergot alkaloids are similar in structure to several biogenic amines, such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. When consumed, ergot alkaloids cause a syndrome known as fescue toxicosis which causes problems with weight …

El Leñador, December 2019, El Leñador Staff

El Leñador Newspaper

El Leñador is an English and Spanish newspaper produced by Humboldt State University students. Our staff cover and provide news to Latinx and other diverse communities on campus and in Humboldt County. We are committed to providing relevant news and expanding the representations and stories told about people of color and other marginalized groups. Our work helps create more social, political and cultural diversity in local media.

El Leñador es un periodico en español y inglés producido por estudiantes de la Universidad Estatal de Humboldt. Nuestro personal cubre y provee noticias a la comunidad Latinx y otras comunidades diversas en …

Identification Of The Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (Kshv) Surface Glycoprotein Targets Of Human Kshv-Specific Neutralizing Antibody Responses, Yasaman Mortazavi

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), is the etiological agent of Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), and is also associated with two B cell malignancies, primary effusion lymphoma and multicentric Castleman's disease. The distribution of KSHV varies globally with high prevalence in some areas of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where seroprevalence can be as high as 80%. It is estimated that nearly 44,000 new cases of KS emerge annually globally, with the highest incidents occurring in Africa, where KSHV is endemic. Currently, there is no prophylactic vaccine against KSHV, and efforts to develop prophylactic vaccines have been limited. …

Virtual Briefing At The Supreme Court, Jeffrey L. Fisher, Allison Orr Larsen

Faculty Publications

The open secret of Supreme Court advocacy in a digital era is that there is a new way to argue to the Justices. Today's Supreme Court arguments are developed online: they are dissected and explored in blog posts, fleshed out in popular podcasts, and analyzed and re-analyzed by experts who do not represent the parties or have even filed a brief in the case at all. This "virtual briefing" (as we call it) is intended to influence the Justices and their law clerks but exists completely outside of traditional briefing rules. This article describes virtual briefing and makes a case …

Contributors Fall 2019

Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism

No abstract provided.