Digital Commons Network^™

Polyvinyl Alcohol Cryogel Based Vessel Mimicking Material For Modelling The Progression Of Atherosclerosis, Andrew Malone, Sean Cournane, Izabela Naydenova, Andrew J. Fagan, Jacinta Browne

Articles

Purpose

The stiffness of Polyvinyl-alcohol cryogel can be adjusted through application of consecutive freeze-thaw cycles. This material has potential applications in the production of tissue mimicking phantoms in diagnostic ultrasound. The aim of this study was to use PVA-c to produce a range of geometrically and acoustically identical vessel phantoms modelling stages of atherosclerosis which could be verified through mechanical testing, thus allowing for more precision in quantitative in-vitro flow analysis of atherosclerosis.

Methods

A series of anatomically realistic walled renal artery flow phantoms were constructed using PVA-c. In order to ensure precise modelling of atherosclerosis, a modified procedure of …

Smartphone Use As A Possible Risk Factor For Myopia, Saoirse Mccrann, James Loughman, John Butler, Nabin Paudel, Daniel Ian Flitcroft

Articles

Clinical Relevance

This study demonstrates an association between myopia and smartphone data usage. Youths now spend more time participating in near tasks as a result of smartphone usage. This poses an additional risk factor for myopia development/progression and is an important research question in relation to potential myopia management strategies.

Background

Children are now exposed to another possible environmental risk factor for myopia-smartphones. This study investigates the amount of time students spend on their smartphones and their pattern of smartphone usage from a myopia perspective.

Methods

Primary, secondary and third-level students completed a questionnaire exploring patterns of smartphone usage and …

Towards A Rapid Screening Of Liver Grafts At The Operating Room Using Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy, David Perezguaita, Marta Moreno Torres, Ramiro Jover, Eugenia Pareja, Bernard Lendl, Julia Kuligowsky, Guillermo Quintas

Articles

The estimation of steatosis in a liver graft is mandatory prior to liver transplantation, as the risk of graft failure increases with the level of infiltrated fat. However, the assessment of liver steatosis before transplantation is typically based on a qualitative or semiquantitative characterization by visual inspection and palpation and histological analysis. Thus, there is an unmet need for transplantation surgeons to have access to a diagnostic tool enabling an in situ fast classification of grafts prior to extraction. In this study, we have assessed an attenuated total reflection−Fourier transform infrared (ATR−FTIR) spectroscopic method compatible with the requirements of an …

A Vibrational Spectroscopic Based Approach For Diagnosing Babesia Bovis Infection, Anja Ruther, David Perezguaita, William Poole, Brian Cooke, Carlos Suarez, Philip Heraud, Bayden Wood

Articles

Babesia bovis parasites present a serious and significant health concern for the beef and dairy industries in many parts of the world. Difficulties associated with the current diagnostic techniques include they are prone to human error (microscopy) or expensive and time consuming (Polymerase Chain Reaction) to perform. Little is known about the biochemical changes in blood that are associated with Babesia infections. The discovery of new biomarkers will lead to improved diagnostic outcomes for the cattle industry. Vibrational spectroscopic technologies can record a chemical snapshot of the entire organism and the surrounding cell thereby providing a phenotype of the organism …

Empirical Study On The Effects Of Acquisition Parameters For Ftir Hyperspectral Imaging Of Brain Tissue, David Perezguaita, Julia Sacharz, Mustafa Kasniz, Shaiju Nazeer, Bayden Wood, Philip Heraud

Articles

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic imaging is a powerful technique for molecular imaging of pathologies associated with the nervous systems including multiple sclerosis research. However, there is no standard methodology or standardized protocol for FTIR imaging of tissue sections that maximize the ability to discriminate between the molecular, white and granular layers, which is essential in the investigation of the mechanism of demyelination process. Tissue sections are heterogeneous, complex and delicate, hence the parameters to generate high quality images in minimal time becomes essential in the modern clinical laboratory. This article presents an FTIR spectroscopic imaging study of post-mortem human …

In-Situ Ellipsometric Study Of The Optical Properties Of Ltl-Doped Thin Film Sensors For Copper(Ii) Ion Detection, Dervil Cody, Tsvetanka Babeva, Violeta Madjarova, Anastasia Kharchenko, Sabad-E- Gul, Svetlana Mintova, Christopher J. Barrett, Izabela Naydenova

Articles

Optical sensors fabricated in zeolite nanoparticle composite films rely on changes in their optical properties (refractive index, n, and thickness, d) to produce a measurable response in the presence of a target analyte. Here, ellipsometry is used to characterize the changes in optical properties of Linde Type L (LTL) zeolite thin films in the presence of Cu2+ ions in solution, with a
/="/">view to improving the design of optical sensors that involve the change of n and/or d due to the adsorption of Cu2+ ions. The suitability of two different ellipsometry techniques (single wavelength and spectroscopic) for the evaluation …

Dual Contrast In Computed Tomography Allows Earlier Characterization Of Articular Cartilage Over Single Contrast, Abhisek Bhattarai, Behdad Pouran, Janne T.A. Mäkelä, Rubina Shaikh, Miitu K.M. Honkanen, Mithilesh Prakash, Heikki Kröger, Mark W. Grinstaff, Harrie Weinans, Jukka S. Jurvelin, Juha Töyräs

Articles

Cationic computed tomography contrast agents are more sensitive for detecting cartilage degeneration than anionic or non-ionic agents. However, osteoarthritis-related loss of proteoglycans and increase in water content contrarily affect the diffusion of cationic contrast agents, limiting their sensitivity. The quantitative dual-energy computed tomography technique allows the simultaneous determination of the partitions of iodine-based cationic (CA4+) and gadolinium-based non-ionic (gadoteridol) agents in cartilage at diffusion equilibrium. Normalizing the cationic agent partition at diffusion equilibrium with that of the non-ionic agent improves diagnostic sensitivity. We hypothesize that this sensitivity improvement is also prominent during early diffusion time points and that the technique …

Common Data Set, 2019-2020, Planning, Research, And Policy Analysis

Common Data Set (2001-present)

Common Data Set 2019-2020 for Illinois State University

2019 Patent Law Decisions Of The Federal Circuit, Sanya Sukduang, Nicholas Doyle, Sydney Kestle, Yoonhee Kim, John Nappi

American University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Could A Robot Be Your Psychotherapist?, Benjamin Huston

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

As technology has advanced over the years, it has been integrated into psychotherapy and changed the way that people receive mental health care (Schopp, Demiris, & Glueckauf, 2006). Many of these advances, such as telehealth practices, were seen as unsustainable until the public Internet offered broader access to technology-based care in the 1990s (Schopp, Demiris, & Glueckauf, 2006). These technology-based practices have since grown in popularity and with a recent increase in telehealth practices, text-based therapies, and applications to aid in mental health practices, modern therapy looks very different than it did even ten years ago (Fiske, Henningsen, & Buyx, …

University Assessment Services, Beginning College Survey Of Student Engagement: Transfer Student Institutional Report, 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) Transfer Student Institutional Report, University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, 2020.

University Assessment Services, National Survey Of Student Engagement: Provost, Seniors; 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Provost Report. Administered by University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, to Seniors. 2020.

University Assessment Services, National Survey Of Student Engagement: Mennonite College Of Nursing, Seniors; 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Mennonite College of Nursing Report. Administered by University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, to Seniors. 2020.

University Assessment Services, National Survey Of Student Engagement: College Of Education, Seniors; 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) College of Education Report. Administered by University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, to Seniors. 2020.

University Assessment Services, National Survey Of Student Engagement: College Of Applied Science And Technology, Seniors; 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) College of Applied Science and Technology Report. Administered by University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, to Seniors. 2020.

University Assessment Services, National Survey Of Student Engagement: College Of Arts And Sciences, Humanities, Seniors; 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) College of Arts and Sciences, Humanities, Report. Administered by University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, to Seniors. 2020.

University Assessment Services, National Survey Of Student Engagement: Wonsook Kim College Of Fine Arts, First-Year; 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts report. Administered by University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, to First-Year students. 2020.

University Assessment Services, National Survey Of Student Engagement: College Of Education, First-Year; 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) College of Business Report. Administered by University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, to First-Year students. 2020.

University Assessment Services, National Survey Of Student Engagement: College Of Applied Science And Technology, First-Year; 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) College of Applied Science and Technology Report. Administered by University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, to First-Year students. 2020.

University Assessment Services, National Survey Of Student Engagement: College Of Arts And Sciences, Social Sciences, First-Year; 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) College of Arts and Sciences, Social Sciences, Report. Administered by University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, to First-Year students. 2020.

University Assessment Services, National Survey Of Student Engagement: College Of Arts And Sciences, Humanities, First-Year; 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) College of Arts and Sciences, Humanities, Report. Administered by University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, to First-Year students. 2020.

University Assessment Services, National Survey Of Student Engagement: Student Comments, 2020, Illinois State University

Student Success

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Student Comments Report on the question: "What one change would most improve the educational experience at this institution, and what one thing should not be changed?" Administered by University Assessment Services, Illinois State University, to First-Year and Senior Students. 2020.

Reinventing High School: Understanding The Challenges And Successes Of Transforming Education To Meet Student, Society, And Industry Needs, Scott R. Bartholomew, Greg J. Strimel, Anne M. Lucietto, Mesut Akdere

Faculty Publications

Efforts to revamp existing educational systems and approaches result in various new models in STEM education. Accordingly, a new urban public charter school, located in a Midwest state in the United States, was established in partnership with the state’s land-grant university to create a transformed integrated STEM educational environment characterized by industry-focused and design-based learning to help prepare students for the future of work and learning. This article presents findings from an exploratory study that examined the experiences of teachers and administrative staff of this innovative high school (IHS) during the first year of school operation. A purposive sample of …

How To Achieve Efficiency And Accuracy In Discrete Element Simulation Of Asphalt Mixture: A Drf-Based Equivalent Model For Asphalt Sand Mortar, Yu Liu, Peifeng Su, Miaomiao Li, Hui Yao, Junfu Liu, Mei Xu, Xiaodong Zhou, Zhanping You

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The clump-based discrete element model is one of the asphalt mixture simulation methods, which has the potential to not only predict mixture performance but also simulate particle movement during compaction, transporting, and other situations. However, modelling of asphalt sand mortar in this method remains to be a problem due to computing capacity. Larger-sized balls (generally 2.0-2.36 mm) were usually used to model the smaller particles and asphalt binder, but this replacement may result in the mixture's unrealistic volumetric features. More specifically, replacing original elements with equal volume but larger size particles will increase in buck volume and then different particle …

Integrated Assessment—How Does It Help Unpack Water Access By Marginalized Farmers?, Serena H. Hamilton, Wendy S. Merritt, Mahanambrota Das, M. Wakilur Rahman, Sumana S. Bhuiya, Lucy Carter, Michaela Cosijn, Christian H. Roth, Sambhu Singha, Geoffrey J. Syme

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Water is critical to the lives and livelihoods of rural communities in developing countries; however, access to water can be inequitable within communities. This paper uses a generalized integrated assessment approach to explore the determinants of water access by marginalized farmers in two villages in coastal Bangladesh, before and after the setup of local water institutions. The study was part of a broader project aimed at promoting socially inclusive agricultural intensification. An integrative framework was developed in this study to capture and link the diverse range of factors that influence the …

Reversible And Irreversible Adsorption Of Bare And Hybrid Silica Nanoparticles Onto Carbonate Surface At Reservoir Condition, Zain-Ul-Abedin Arain, Sarmad Al-Anssari, Muhammad Ali, Shoaib Memon, Masood Ahmed Bhatti, Christopher Lagat, Mohammad Sarmadivaleh

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 Southwest Petroleum University Realistic implementation of nanofluids in subsurface projects including carbon geosequestration and enhanced oil recovery requires full understanding of nanoparticles (NPs) adsorption behaviour in the porous media. The physicochemical interactions between NPs and between the NP and the porous media grain surface control the adsorption behavior of NPs. This study investigates the reversible and irreversible adsorption of silica NPs onto oil-wet and water-wet carbonate surfaces at reservoir conditions. Each carbonate sample was treated with different concentrations of silica nanofluid to investigate NP adsorption in terms of nanoparticles initial size and hydrophobicity at different temperatures, and pressures. …

Multi-Omics Strategies For Decoding Smoke-Assisted Germination Pathways And Seed Vigour, Utpal Bose, Angéla Juhász, James A. Broadbent, Setsuko Komatsu, Michelle L. Colgrave

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The success of seed germination and the successful establishment of seedlings across diverse environmental conditions depends on seed vigour, which is of both economic and ecologic importance. The smoke-derived exogenous compound karrikins (KARs) and the endogenous plant hormone strigolactone (SL) are two classes of butanolide-containing molecules that follow highly similar signalling pathways to control diverse biological activities in plants. Unravelling the precise mode-of-action of these two classes of molecules in model species has been a key research objective. However, the specific and dynamic expression of biomolecules upon stimulation by these signalling …

Comparative Study Of Green And Synthetic Polymers For Enhanced Oil Recovery, Nasiru Salahu Muhammed, Md. Bashirul Haq, Dhafer Al-Shehri, Mohammad Mizanur Rahaman, Alireza Keshavarz, S. M. Zakir Hossain

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Several publications by authors in the field of petrochemical engineering have examined the use of chemically enhanced oil recovery (CEOR) technology, with a specific interest in polymer flooding. Most observations thus far in this field have been based on the application of certain chemicals and/or physical properties within this technique regarding the production of 50–60% trapped (residual) oil in a reservoir. However, there is limited information within the literature about the combined effects of this process on whole properties (physical and chemical). Accordingly, in this work, we present a clear distinction …

Interpreting Health Events In Big Data Using Qualitative Traditions, Roschelle L. Fritz, Gordana Dermody

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© The Author(s) 2020. The training of artificial intelligence requires integrating real-world context and mathematical computations. To achieve efficacious smart health artificial intelligence, contextual clinical knowledge serving as ground truth is required. Qualitative methods are well-suited to lend consistent and valid ground truth. In this methods article, we illustrate the use of qualitative descriptive methods for providing ground truth when training an intelligent agent to detect Restless Leg Syndrome. We show how one interdisciplinary, inter-methodological research team used both sensor-based data and the participant’s description of their experience with an episode of Restless Leg Syndrome for training the intelligent agent. …

A Review On Green Caching Strategies For Next Generation Communication Networks, M. Ishtiaque A. Zahed, Iftekhar Ahmad, Daryoush Habibi, Quoc Viet Phung, Md Munjure Mowla, Muhammad Waqas

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 IEEE. In recent years, the ever-increasing demand for networking resources and energy, fueled by the unprecedented upsurge in Internet traffic, has been a cause for concern for many service providers. Content caching, which serves user requests locally, is deemed to be an enabling technology in addressing the challenges offered by the phenomenal growth in Internet traffic. Conventionally, content caching is considered as a viable solution to alleviate the backhaul pressure. However, recently, many studies have reported energy cost reductions contributed by content caching in cache-equipped networks. The hypothesis is that caching shortens content delivery distance and eventually achieves …