Digital Commons Network^™

Isotonic Phase I Cancer Clinical Trial Design Utilizing Patient-Reported Outcomes, Nolan A Wages, Ruitao Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This article considers the concept of designing Phase I clinical trials using both clinician- and patient-reported outcomes to adaptively allocate study participants to tolerable doses and determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) at the study conclusion. We describe a new isotonic patient-reported outcome (PRO-ISO) Phase I design with the flexibility of allocating patients to lower, more tolerable regimens if a large number of PRO-DLT events are seen at higher doses. We conduct simulation studies of the operating characteristics of the design and compared them to the patient-reported outcomes continual reassessment method (PRO-CRM). We illustrate that the PRO-ISO makes appropriate dose …

Racial Differences In Systemic Immune Parameters In Individuals With Lung Cancer, Mitchell S Von Itzstein, Jialiang Liu, Hong Mu-Mosley, Farjana Fattah, Jason Y Park, Jeffrey A Sorelle, J David Farrar, Mary E Gwin, David Hsiehchen, Yvonne Gloria-Mccutchen, Edward K Wakeland, Suzanne Cole, Sheena Bhalla, Radhika Kainthla, Igor Puzanov, Benjamin Switzer, Gregory A Daniels, Yousef Zakharia, Montaser Shaheen, Jianjun Zhang, Yang Xie, David E Gerber

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Racial and ethnic disparities in the presentation and outcomes of lung cancer are widely known. To evaluate potential factors contributing to these observations, we measured systemic immune parameters in Black and White patients with lung cancer.

Methods: Patients scheduled to receive cancer immunotherapy were enrolled in a multi-institutional prospective biospecimen collection registry. Clinical and demographic information were obtained from electronic medical records. Pretreatment peripheral blood samples were collected and analyzed for cytokines using a multiplex panel and for immune cell populations using mass cytometry. Differences between Black and White patients were determined and corrected for multiple comparisons.

Results: A …

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cell Percentages As Diagnostic Markers Of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Pneumonitis, Mahnoor Mir, Felipe Soto, Pedro Antonio Amezcua Gomez, Rodrigo Del Rio Arroyo, Adarsh Suresh, Amber Su, Qiong Gan, John Stewart, Roberto Adachi, Diwakar D Balachandran, Lara Bashoura, Roberto F Casal, Burton F Dickey, George A Eapen, Scott E Evans, Horiana Grosu, Carlos A Jimenez, Julie Lin, David E Ost, Bruce F Sabath, Vickie R Shannon, Aung Naing, Jianjun Gao, Jia Wu, Karthik Suresh, Saadia A Faiz, Mehmet Altan, Ajay Sheshadri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Diagnostic biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis (ICIP) are lacking. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) lymphocytosis has been associated with ICIP, but studies have not evaluated BAL lymphocytosis as a diagnostic biomarker for ICIP.

Purpose: This study aimed to measure the association of BAL immune cell percentage with ICIP and test its performance as a diagnostic biomarker.

Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of 476 patients treated with ICIs for solid organ or hematologic malignancies who underwent BAL between 2016 and 2022. Two independent reviewers, blinded to the results of BAL cell percentage, confirmed the diagnosis of ICIP or other …

Preliminary Validity Of A Daily Functional Status Pain Assessment Tool, Wally R. Smith, Rehan Qayyum, Alexandra Ulbing, Margaret S. Guy, Daniel M. Sop, Yue May Zhang

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Objectives: Readiness for discharge for a sickle cell disease vaso-occlusive crisis is dictated by factors far beyond pain control, including physical function/activity. We therefore designed and tested a functional status-based pain assessment questionnaire in SCD patients hospitalized with vaso-occlusive crises.

Methods: Sickle cell disease patients on a preselected nursing unit rated 10 draft Functional status-Based Pain Assessment items of activities of daily living on a 5 point Likert scale (0-5) from “very easy” to “very difficult” daily on each day of their admission until discharge, at approximately the same time. Concurrently, they reported Numeric Rating Scale (0-10) pain intensity. …

Fiber Photometry Analysis Of Spontaneous Dopamine Signals: The Z-Scored Data Are Not The Data, Conner W. Wallace, Clare Y. Slinkard, Rachael Shaughnessy, Katherine M. Holleran, Samuel W. Centanni, Christopher C. Lapish, Sara R. Jones

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Fluorescent sensors have revolutionized the measurement of molecules in the brain, and the dLight dopamine sensor has been used extensively to examine reward- and cue-evoked dopamine release, but only recently has the field turned its attention to spontaneous release events. Analysis of spontaneous events typically requires evaluation of hundreds of events over minutes to hours, and the most common method of analysis, z-scoring, was not designed for this purpose. Here, we compare the accuracy and reliability of three different analysis methods to identify pharmacologically induced changes in dopamine release and uptake in freely moving C57BL/6J mice. The D1-like receptor antagonist …

The Timing For Primary Prevention For Icd In The Current Era Of Pharmacotherapy, Anastasia Shchendrygina, Amin Yehya, Hadi Skouri

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Recent advances in the pharmacological therapy of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) have significantly impacted the overall survival, heart failure hospitalisations and rates of sudden cardiac death (SCD). In this context, the relevant timing of placing ICDs as primary prevention is a matter of on-going debate. This manuscript provides evidence for an updated view regarding the timing of implanting ICD in eligible patients with HFrEF receiving optimal guideline-directed medical therapy, accounting for the timing to reverse cardiac remodelling (RCR) occurrence and residual SCD risks over time. Clinically significant RCR occurs beyond 3 months of optimal guideline-directed medical therapy, …

The Reliability Gap: How Traditional Search Engines Outperform Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Chatbots In Rosacea Public Health Information Quality, Houston C. Nelson, Morgan T. Beauchamp, April A. Pace

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: The internet has become a primary source of health information for the public, with important implications for patient decision-making and public health outcomes. However, the quality and readability of this content vary widely. With the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini, new challenges and opportunities have emerged in how patients access and interpret medical information.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the quality, credibility, and readability of consumer health information provided by traditional search engines (Google, Bing) and generative AI platforms (ChatGPT, Gemini) using three validated instruments: DISCERN, JAMA Benchmark Criteria, and Flesch-Kincaid Readability …

Role Of Device Therapy In Complementing Contemporary Medical Management, Yoel Benarroch, Natalie Tapaskar, Amin Yehya

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by signs and symptoms resulting from any structural or functional deficiency of ventricular filling or blood ejection. The mainstay of initial treatment remains lifestyle modifications, guideline-directed medical therapy, and addressing contributing factors. However, the past two decades have come with significant advances in device therapies to improve morbidity and mortality in HF despite evidence-based management as above. Given the rapidly evolving area of HF research and therapeutic development, it is important for clinicians to be familiar with novel therapies and how they can complement medical management. In this review we discuss the …

Cardiomyopathies Of Endocrine Origin: A State-Of-The-Art Review, Jenyfer M. Fuentes-Mendoza, Marcio J. Concepción-Zavaleta, Juan C. Morón-Siguas, Juan M. Muñoz-Moreno, Aranza I. Pérez-Reyes, Rodrigo Martinez-Galaviz, Raúl D. Aguilar-Castañeda, Oziel González-Godoy, Luis A. Concepción-Urteaga, José Paz-Ibarra

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Endocrine disorders are increasingly recognized as potentially reversible causes of secondary cardiomyopathies, yet they often remain underdiagnosed in clinical practice. These conditions-including thyroid dysfunction, acromegaly, pheochromocytoma, diabetes mellitus, adrenal disorders, among others-can significantly alter cardiac structure and function through hormonal excess, metabolic remodeling, and neurohumoral activation. Hyperthyroidism may lead to high-output heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation, while hypothyroidism is associated with diastolic dysfunction, pericardial effusion, and accelerated atherosclerosis. Acromegaly promotes biventricular hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis via insulin-like growth factor 1 overproduction. Pheochromocytoma triggers catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy, resembling Takotsubo syndrome and carrying a high risk of mortality if left untreated. Diabetes …

Prevalence Of Electrocardiographic Changes And Risk Factors For Qtc Prolongation Among Steady State Sickle Cell Disease Patients: Cooperative Study Of Sickle Cell Disease, Mohammed B. Nawaiseh, Rund R. Haddadin, Yara B. Nawaiseh, Mohammad Z. Salameh, Abdallah A. Shurman, Osama Abu-Shawer, Asma I. Aljesrawi, Ibrahim A. Abuelbeh, Allaa Roto, Hadil Zureigat, Lana Mango, Munir Q. Zaqqa, Hanna K. Al-Makhamreh, Nakhleh Abu-Yaghi

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Objectives: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with several cardiovascular adverse events. Corrected QT (QTc) interval prolongation is one of the potential life-threatening complications that predispose patients to sudden cardiac death. This study aims to assess the prevalence of electrocardiogram (ECG) changes and to investigate risk factors associated with increased propensity of QTc prolongation. Methods: This study utilized data from the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease Cardiac Ancillary Study. QT intervals were corrected using the Bazett formula, and prolongation was defined using sex-specific thresholds. The study population included African American patients with steady-state SCD across four clinical centers located …

Synthesis And Structure Characterization Of Novel Lanthanide (Iii) – Cyclen Complexes Bearing Phenolate Arms, Lily G. Ortte

Undergraduate Honors Theses

1,4,7,10-Tetraazacyclododecane (cyclen) and its derivatives play a critical role in biomedical applications, particularly in medical imaging and the synthesis of stable metal complexes. This study focuses on the synthesis and structural characterization of novel cyclen-based tetraphenolate derivatives and their corresponding lanthanide(III) complexes. Cyclen was synthesized via a single-pot process involving the reaction of triethylenetetramine with glyoxal, followed by alkylation with a 1,2-difunctionalized alkylating agent. The resulting compounds were characterized using various spectroscopic techniques, including IR, 1 H-NMR, and ESI-MS, as well as single X-ray crystallography. The study highlights the versatile coordination chemistry of lanthanide(III) ions, demonstrating their ability to form …

The Role Of Doulas In The Health Care Continuum For Pregnant People With Substance Use Disorder: Perspectives Of Patients, Doulas, And Healthcare Providers, Dashaunda Taylor, Derek A. Chapman, Caitlin E. Martin, Cynthia C. F. Romero, Gerard Moeller

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives/Goals: The goals of this research are to 1) determine the prevalence of perinatal doula services use in Virginia, with a focus on individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), 2) evaluate awareness of doulas among pregnant and postpartum people with SUD, and 3) assess provider knowledge and interaction with doulas for the care of this population. Methods/Study Population: Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be used to evaluate patient and healthcare provider knowledge regarding doula services and the patient–doula–healthcare provider relationship. Surveys and semi-structured interviews will be administered to doulas, pregnant and postpartum women, and healthcare providers in this mixed-methods …

Psychometric Validation Of Eq-5d-5l In Individuals With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury In China, Haixia Xie, Qi Zhang, Rong Jin, Jianhui He, Xinxing Hu, Yixuan Zhang, Xiaoping Shao, Xiaohong Li, Hua Zhai, Fengshui Chang

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives

The EQ-5D is a brief measure for assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but chronic spinal cord injury (CSCI) related psychometric evaluation of the EQ-5D-5L has not been explored. We conducted a validation study on the Chinese version of the EQ-5D-5L for individuals with CSCI in China.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center. The floor and ceiling effects, internal consistency, test and retest reliability, discriminatory power (only for EQ-5D-5L), convergent validity (using Spearman correlation coefficients), and known-group validity of the EQ-5D-5L and visual analog scale (VAS) were analyzed.

Results

A total of 271 …

Erratum: Melatonin Enhances Sorafenib-Induced Cytotoxicity In Flt3-Itd Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells By Redox Modification: Erratum, Tian Tian, Jiajun Li, Yizhuo Li, Yun-Xin Lu, Yan-Lai Tang, Hua Wang, Fufu Zheng, Dingbo Shi, Qian Long, Miao Chen, Guillermo Garcia-Manero, Yumin Hu, Lijun Qin, Wuguo Deng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Sentence Determination As A Function Of Sex Offender Gender, Kyle Gamache, Matt Zaitchik, Judith Platania, Willem Pontbriand

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

The current study examines perceptions of dangerousness and sentencing recommendations for female sex offenders (FSOs) compared to male sex offenders (MSOs). Participants (N = 82) were randomly assigned to read one of three vignettes depicting a sexual offense committed by a male, female, or male-female co defendant pair. Key individual difference variables—Need for Cognition (NFC) and Gender Role Beliefs (GRB)—were assessed to examine their influence on sentencing and attributional judgments. NFC emerged as a significant moderator: participants with low NFC assigned longer sentences to FSOs, whereas high NFC participants gave longer sentences to MSOs. Participants endorsing traditional gender role beliefs …

Diversifying Ecology Education For Everyone Through More Inclusive, Interdisciplinary, And Accessible Teaching, Loren B. Byrne, Emily S. J. Rauschert, Vikki L. Rodgers, Gillian Bowser, Et Al.

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Educating more students about ecology and its beneficial applications to societal issues is urgent yet challenging. To address this challenge, diversifying ecology education is a key way to make ecology more inclusive, accessible, and interdisciplinary for more people than ever. Advancing this goal requires ecology educators to develop a more expansive view of (1) how to engage more diverse undergraduate students in ecology courses, especially those from historically underrepresented groups and non-majors, (2) the interdisciplinarity of content in those courses, and (3) the learner-centered pedagogies used to engage students. We suggest ways that ecologists can advance “ecology education for everyone” …

Burkitt's Lymphoma Presenting As Multiple Nerve Sheath Tumors Of The Cauda Equina., Jason Milton, Punit Pandya, Sergio Ulloa, Vijay Kudithipudi, Shakir Sarwar, Victor Awuor

Oncology Articles

BACKGROUND: Primary central nervous system lymphomas comprise 0.8% of all lymphomas. Burkitt's lymphoma is a B-cell lymphoma with highly aggressive features that rapidly progress and have early hematogenous spread. Sporadic Burkitt's lymphoma accounts for 1-2% of adult lymphomas worldwide. Extranodal sites are involved in approximately 40% of cases of B-cell lymphomas. Central nervous system disease is found in < 15% of sporadic cases. Less than 5% of cases of all non-Hodgkin's lymphomas present with radiculopathy, with the thoracic spinal region being most commonly affected.

CASE DESCRIPTION: In this report, we discuss the case of a patient with extranodal Burkitt's lymphoma within the nerve roots of the cauda equina who underwent surgical intervention due to the presence of lumbar radiculopathy and weakness. This patient also exhibited hematogenous …

Micrornas As Key Regulators Of Cancer Drug Resistance: Insights And Future Directions In Chemotherapy, Targeted-Therapy, Radiotherapy, And Immunotherapy, Michael Attathikhun, Ancuta Jurj, George A Calin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cancer therapy remains an active field of investigation, particularly in understanding and overcoming therapy resistance. Small non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), are emerging as key regulators of cancer survival, progression, proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis. Although many studies have linked miRNAs to cancer therapy outcomes, significant questions remain regarding their precise molecular and cellular roles in therapy resistance. Increasing evidence shows that miRNAs influence critical pathways such as apoptosis, immune evasion, and other signaling cascades. However, there have been many setbacks because of the limitations in knowledge of each specific miRNA's function. A deeper understanding of miRNA expression and …

Atmospheric Transport Of Radionuclides, Meteorological Data Mining & Synthesis For Site Data Supplementation, Ben Yao Sonpon

Doctoral Dissertations

"This research aligns with the NRC's vision of implementing risk-informed decision-making to support its regulatory charter. The suite of tools developed includes automated procedures for data mining and extracting meteorological (met) data from various national and regional repositories. A second data analytics tool automates the process of data fusion into a uniform format while preserving data fidelity. Autocorrelations were then established, and correlation coefficients were calculated between the Callaway Nuclear Power Plant (Callaway) and nearby off-site weather stations. The complexity of these correlations depends on factors such as physical proximity, geographic features, and topology, potentially necessitating multivariate analysis (MVA). Furthermore, …

Products Of Laser Ablated Actinides And Actinide Comparators In The Presence Of Carbonyl Sulfide Characterized By Rotational Spectroscopy, Joshua Edward Isert

Doctoral Dissertations

As the consumption of energy continues to rise globally, so too has interest in alternative energy sources such as nuclear power. However, a fundamental understanding of the actinide series is needed in order to safely and efficiently utilize these elements. Rotational or microwave spectroscopy, depending on if one is speaking of the physical outcome of the experiment or the region of the electromagnetic spectrum being operated in, is a gas phase molecular study utilized for structural determination. This technique can be utilized to gain an in depth understanding of bonding within the actinide series. However, when studying species that are …

Radio Frequency Wave Propagation Modeling Within Obstructed Underground Mining Environments For Effective Miner Localization During Mine Emergencies, Emmanuel Atta Antwi

Doctoral Dissertations

The reliability of underground wireless communication systems remains a significant challenge, particularly during emergencies when the mine environment becomes severely obstructed by debris, dust, and humidity. These environmental and geometric conditions result in significant attenuation of electromagnetic (EM) waves and multipath effects that undermine miner localization and rescue operations. Existing Vector Parabolic Equation (VPE) models are efficient for straight or mildly curved tunnels but fail to account for the random and obstructive conditions typically encountered during underground emergencies. This research develops a novel radio propagation model for EM wave behavior in underground mine drifts under geometrically obstructed conditions. The model …

“Immigrationalization” Of The Welfare State: Contextual Influences On Welfare Politics In The United States, Ping Xu, Belinda Davis, James Garand

Political Science Faculty Publications

While prior studies have consistently linked immigration attitudes with public support for the welfare state, it is not yet clear how individuals process immigrant-related information in their home contexts and combine that with their existing immigration attitudes to update their attitudes toward the welfare state. In this paper, we consider how context (i.e., immigrant welfare participation rates in individuals’ home states) works in tandem with immigration attitudes to shape Americans’ support for the welfare state. We merge state contextual data on the welfare consumption rates of immigrants with micro-level public opinion data from the Cumulative American National Election Survey (CANES) …

Prophylactic Use Of Lipid Emulsion Therapy After Inadvertent Administration Of 0.5% Ropivacaine For A Bier Block: A Case Report., Alexander Luong, Sirimas Lau, Elizabeth Johnson-Gray, Rayyan Bhutta, Austin Shaffer, Mitchell Hughes, Andrew Gable, Matthias Franzen

Surgery Articles

The Bier block for intravenous regional anesthesia is generally well tolerated, and few complications have been reported. It provides a bloodless surgical field and adequate analgesia when performed correctly. A diluted short-acting local anesthetic such as 0.5% lidocaine is typically used. Our case is a 41-year-old female who presented for endoscopic carpal tunnel release of her right wrist. An accidental injection of 30 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine was given instead of the normal 30 mL of 0.5% lidocaine, with a total tourniquet time of 46 min. Although the maximum safe dose of local anesthetic was not exceeded, lipid emulsion was …

A Primer On Anatomy, Biophysics, Pathology, Imaging And Treatment Of The Intervertebral Disc And The Anterior Spinal Column: The Discogenic, Intervertebral, Spinal Column (Disc) Aspn Workgroup., Jay S Grider, Timothy R Deer, Douglas P Beall, Melissa Z Murphy, Jacob W Fleming, Steven M Falowski, Christopher J Mallard, Hamzah A Ramawad, Rosa Amelia Garcia, Usman Latif, Chau M Vu, Anne Christopher, Michael E Harned, Raj G Patel, Anuj J Shah, Iden M Cowan, Kristin Jarzombek, Jordan L Tate, Nasir Khatri, Mateusz J Graca, Marcin K Karcz, Timothy T Davis, Kaku Barkoh, Olivier Clerk-Lamalice, Brian Durkin, Mark N Malinowski, Dagmar K Gross, Thomas Hedman, Matthew Green, Michael J Dorsi, Kasra Amirdelfan, Dawood Sayed

Surgery Articles

OBJECTIVE: As therapeutic options are rapidly expanding to treat pain of discogenic and vertebrogenic origin, it is important for the clinician to have an evidence-based understanding of the latest information regarding the normal and pathological anatomy of the intervertebral disc as well as imaging characteristics and treatment strategies. The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) commissioned the DISC project to inform and update the interventional spine community about anterior column pain syndromes.

METHODS: Using established literature review methods a clinical oversight group was convened to create an outline covering topics that will be key to meeting the objectives delineated …

An Evidence-Based Consensus For The Use Of Neurostimulation For The Treatment Of Non-Surgical Low Back Pain: The Neuron Group., Timothy Ray Deer, Jason E Pope, Erika A Petersen, Rany T Abdallah, Kasra Amirdelfan, Nomen Azeem, Vishal Bansal, Kaku Barkoh, Kenneth B Chapman, Daniel R Denis, Michael J Dorsi, Alexander Escobar, Steven Michael Falowski, Rosa Amelia Garcia, Jonathan M Hagedorn, Robert D Heros, Whitney S James, Hemant Kalia, Todd Lansford, Mark N Malinowski, Suzanne Marie Manzi, Pankaj Mehta, Robert Z Moghim, Gregory Anthony Moore, Soriaya Lizette Motivala, Yeshvant A Navalgund, Raj G Patel, Julie G Pilitsis, Michael E Schatman, Philip Michael Shumsky, Natalie Holmes Strand, Nestor D Tomycz, James J Yue, Dawood Sayed

Neuroscience Articles

INTRODUCTION: The use of electrical neuromodulation has often been limited to those with previous back surgery, peripheral neuropathy, and complex regional pain syndrome. Many patients with severe intractable low back pain were thought to be candidates for spinal cord stimulation (SCS), dorsal root ganglion stimulation, or peripheral nerve stimulation but did not meet the criteria. Recently, additional high-level data has supported the use of SCS in non-surgical low back pain (NSLBP), and United States Food and Drug Administration approval has been granted. The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN) executive committee realized an unmet need to develop criteria for …

High Neuraxial Blockade In A Parturient After Epidural Placement: A Quality Improvement Simulation., Samir Patel, Noah D Le, John Carter, Nick Melott, Andrew Kalnow, Camille D Hawkins, Alexander Luong, Matthias Franzen

Medical Education Articles

Background Epidural anesthesia is a commonly used procedure in obstetrics for managing labor pain, with a potential complication of high neuraxial blockade. Proficiency in performing epidural or spinal anesthesia and promptly recognizing and managing high neuraxial blockade are critical components of anesthesiology residency training. Methods A simulated case was designed involving a 21-year-old female in labor receiving epidural anesthesia. After the administration of local anesthetic, she develops symptoms of nausea, hypotension, and respiratory distress, progressing to high neuraxial blockade. The simulation environment included a labor and delivery suite setup, an epidural cart, airway supplies, a Laerdal SimMan 3G PLUS mannequin …

Detection Of Radiosensitive Subpopulations Ex-Vivo With Raman Microspectroscopy, Aidan D. Meade, Adrian Maguire, Jane Bryant, Daniel Cullen, Dinesh Medipally, Lisa White, John Armstrong, Mary Dunne, Emma Noone, Shirley Bradshaw, Marie Finn, Aoife M. Shannon, Orla L. Howe, Fiona M. Lyng

Articles

Although significant advances in understanding the molecular drivers of acquired and inherited radiosensitivity have occurred in recent decades, a single analytical method which can detect and classify radiosensitivity remains elusive. Raman microspectroscopy has demonstrated capabilities in the objective classification of various diseases, and more recently in the detection and modelling of radiobiological effect. In this study, Raman spectroscopy is presented as a potential tool for the detection of radiosensitivity subpopulations represented by four lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from individuals with ataxia telangiectasia (2 lines), non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and Turner's syndrome. These are classified with respect to a population with mixed radiosensitivity, …

Impact Of Proxymetacaine On The Dynamics Of Cyclopentolate In White 6- To 7-Year-Olds, Megan Doyle, Veronica O'Dwyer, Síofra Harrington

Articles

Purpose: This study compared the efficacy of cyclopentolate hydrochloride at 10-, 20- and 30-min post-instillation in White 6- to 7-year-olds, with and without prior instillation of proxymetacaine hydrochloride. The primary aim was to determine if accurate autorefraction values can be obtained sooner than the current standard of 30-min post-cycloplegia. The secondary aim was to investigate whether proxymetacaine hydrochloride enhances the efficiency of cyclopentolate. Methods: Participants were 112 White 6- to 7-year-olds from the Child Eye Health Study. The right eye received 0.5% proxymetacaine hydrochloride and 1.0% cyclopentolate hydrochloride, and the left eye received only 1.0% cyclopentolate hydrochloride. Non-cycloplegic and cycloplegic …

System Design For Highly Accurate And Efficient Target Detection In Triaxial Testing, Qingqing Fu

Masters Theses

Accurate and automated recognition of coded targets is crucial for high-precision photogrammetry-based measurements in triaxial testing. Traditional recognition methods, including those based on deep learning and table decoding, often struggle with issues such as perspective distortion, rotation, and variable lighting, leading to unreliable results. While deep learning approaches offer some improvements, they remain computationally intensive and sensitive to environmental factors.

This thesis introduces an innovative system that replaces deep learning algorithms with a blob analysis-based method for efficient and robust recognition of coded targets. The system also employs newly designed solid points of varying sizes and patterns, eliminating the need …

Assessment Of Bifidobacterium Longum Itt 13 As A Probiotic Candidate, Eleana Keatley

Masters

Probiotics are live microorganisms that when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Beneficial microbes are found in several sites throughout the body such as the oral cavity, skin, respiratory tract, vagina, urinary tract, breast tissue and the gut. In this research, the culture Bifidobacterium longum ITT 13, which was previously isolated from a neonatal faecal sample, was examined for its potential as a probiotic candidate. Probiotics can have numerous desirable characteristics. The pertinent ones to this research are being of human or animal origin, not prone to antibiotic resistance, demonstration of antagonistic activity towards pathogens, …