Investigative Techniques Commons^™

A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Software Comparison And Between Control Subjects And Subjects With Known Anatomical Diagnosis, Michael C. Moore

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method that produces in vivo images of biological tissues weighted with the local micro-structural characteristics of water diffusion. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a form of DWI, is useful when a tissue, such as the neural axons of white matter in the brain, has an internal fibrous structure that allows water to diffuse more rapidly in alignment with the fibers. Changes in the water diffusion pattern indicate changes in the fiber structure which can result from damage to the fibers. Measurements of the water diffusion patterns include overall diffusivity, Apparent Diffusion …

Bioluminescent Imaging Reveals Divergent Viral Pathogenesis In Two Strains Of Stat1-Deficient Mice, And In Αßγ Interferon Receptor-Deficient Mice, Tracy Jo Pasieka, Lynne Collins, Megan A. O'Connor, Yufei Chen, Zachary M. Parker, Brent L. Berwin, David R. Piwnica-Worms, David A. Leib

Dartmouth Scholarship

Pivotal components of the IFN response to virus infection include the IFN receptors (IFNR), and the downstream factorsignal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (Stat1). Mice deficient for Stat1 and IFNR (Stat12/2 and IFNaßcR2/2 mice) lack responsiveness to IFN and exhibit high sensitivity to various pathogens. Here we examined herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) pathogenesis in Stat12/2 mice and in IFNaßcR2/2 mice following corneal infection and bioluminescent imaging. Two divergent and paradoxical patterns of infection were observed. Mice with an N-terminal deletion in Stat1 (129Stat12/2(N-term)) had transient infection of the liver and spleen, but succumbed to encephalitis by day …

Cyberknife Radiation Modeling: Effects Of Relaxed Translational And Rotational Constraints On Healthy Tissue Irradiation, Sudha Bhavaroop Potineni

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The Cyberknife system is a robotic radio surgery instrument that is used to treat cancers in different parts of the human body. Because of its accuracy and precision, it has become one of the best radio surgery systems in the world. However, even with Cyberknife the treatment time for one session takes from 30 minutes up to 120 minutes depending on the size, shape, and position of the tumor in the human body. In this research, a solution is presented to aid in reducing this long treatment time. An algorithm is developed which simulates the amount of the healthy tissue …

The Use Of Motion Analysis Technology As An Alternative Means Of Assessing Spinal Deformity In Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, Matthew J. Solomito

Master's Theses

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is a three dimensional deformity of the spine that causes abnormal curvatures in the coronal and sagittal planes and abnormal vertebral rotations. The gold standard for diagnosing and tracking the progression of the deformity is through the use of repeated radiography and a patient can receive upwards of fifteen radiographic series over the course of treatment, which exposes this population to an increased risk of radiation-dependent complications.

This thesis presents the necessary calculations and the marker set required to make the motion capture technology a viable alternative to radiographs, in an effort to reduce the patient’s …

Use Of A Spine Robot Employing A Real Time Force Control Algorithm To Develop, Simulate, And Compare Spinal Biomechanical Testing Protocols: Eccentric Loading, Pure Moment, And A Novel Head Weight Protocol, Daniel Mark Wido

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

In vitro testing provides a critical tool for understanding the biomechanics of the subaxial cervical spine. Previous common testing protocols used to evaluate the subaxial cervical spine include Pure Moment (PM), follower load, and eccentric lever arm (EL) loading methods. Although these methods are widely accepted, there is always a goal to try to better simulate physiologic loading conditions. While the follower load attempts to simulate compression due to muscle activation, no previous protocol has taken into account the constant vertical force vector applied to C2 produced by the weight of the human head. Furthermore, we are unaware of previous …

Ultrasound Imaging Of Lumbar Multifidus Immediately Following Three Physical Therapy Techniques In Asymptomatic Individuals, Victoria Byers, Steven Lim, Kathryn Rice

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Study Design

Randomized, blinded, cohort, within subjects design.

Background and Objective

The effects of different manual therapy (MT) techniques on lumbar multifidus (LM) thickness have been investigated in subjects with low back pain (LBP) but have not been investigated in asymptomatic subjects. The objective of this study was to examine the immediate effects of mobilization and manipulation on contraction thickness of LM in healthy individuals.

Methods and Measures

Forty-two healthy individuals participated in the study. Ultrasound imaging techniques were used to record LM thickness (L4-5 level) at rest, during an abdominal drawing in maneuver (ADIM), and during a prone upper …

Use Of A Multi-Axis Robotic Testing Platform To Investigate The Sagittal Mechanics Of The Multi-Body Lumbar Spine, Jessica Rose Stubbs

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

A biomechanical study was performed to compare range of motion of the multi-body lumbar spine using three different protocols: pure moment, eccentric loading, and a new method called combined loading moment. The objectives of the study were to introduce a new protocol that overcomes the limitations of previous methods by applying more realistic loading conditions and to compare the range of motion of this new protocol to those of eccentric loading and pure moment protocols within the same specimen pool. The second objective of this study was to compare the data sets of these three protocols to both in vivo …

Prediction Of Brain Tumor Progression Using Multiple Histogram Matched Mri Scans, Debrup Banerjee, Loc Tran, Jiang Li, Yuzhong Shen, Frederic Mckenzie, Jihong Wang, Ronald M. Summers (Ed.), Bram Van Ginneken (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In a recent study [1], we investigated the feasibility of predicting brain tumor progression based on multiple MRI series and we tested our methods on seven patients' MRI images scanned at three consecutive visits A, B and C. Experimental results showed that it is feasible to predict tumor progression from visit A to visit C using a model trained by the information from visit A to visit B. However, the trained model failed when we tried to predict tumor progression from visit B to visit C, though it is clinically more important. Upon a closer look at the MRI scans …

Development Of Fetal Movement Between 26 And 36 Weeks’ Gestation In Response To Vibroacoustic Stimulation, Marybeth Grant-Beuttler, Laura M. Glynn, Amy L. Salisbury, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Carol Holliday, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound observation of fetal movement has documented general trends in motor development and fetal age when motor response to stimulation is observed. Evaluation of fetal movement quality, in addition to specific motor activity, may improve documentation of motor development and highlight specific motor responses to stimulation.

AIM: The aim of this investigation was to assess fetal movement at 26 and 36-weeks gestation during three conditions (baseline, immediate response to vibro-acoustic stimulation (VAS), and post-response).

DESIGN: A prospective, longitudinal design was utilized.

SUBJECTS: Twelve normally developing fetuses, eight females and four males, were examined with continuous ultrasound imaging.

OUTCOME MEASURES: …

Yeast As A Model For Studying Aβ Aggregation, Toxicity And Clearance, Prashant R. Bharadwaj

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system, characterised by acute memory loss and behavioural symptoms. The AD brain is characterized by the presence of senile amyloid plaques associated with degenerating neurites and inflammatory processes. The major protein component of these amyloid deposits is the amyloid beta (Aβ) protein. The Aβ protein is a 40 or 42 amino acid cleavage product of APP (Amyloid Precursor Protein) which is produced in low levels in the normal ageing brain. Although senile amyloid plaques is the major pathological hallmark of AD brains, accumulating evidence has been presented to …