Investigative Techniques Commons^™

Failure Of Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: Establishing A Baseline For Retrieval Analysis Using Well-Functioning Necropsy Specimens, Meredith Perkins

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective treatment for end-stage osteoarthritis of the knee. While many patients have positive functional and pain outcomes following primary TKA, a subset of patients have suboptimal outcomes, such as unexplained pain or aseptic loosening of the implant components necessitating revision of the index procedure. The understanding of the exact etiology of these suboptimal outcomes of primary TKA is in its infancy. In order to elucidate the etiology of failure in primary TKAs, a baseline for the factors contributing to arthroplasty failure and dissatisfaction must first be established. The purpose of this study …

Longitudinal Measures Of Deformation Are Associated With A Composite Measure Of Contractility Derived From Pressure-Volume Loop Analysis In Children., Shahryar M. Chowdhury, Ryan J. Butts, Carolyn L. Taylor, Varsha M. Bandisode, Karen S. Chessa, Anthony M. Hlavacek, Arni Nutting, Girish S. Shirali, G Hamilton Baker

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Aims: The relationship between echocardiographic measures of left ventricular (LV) systolic function and reference-standard measures have not been assessed in children. The objective of this study was to assess the validity of echocardiographic indices of LV systolic function via direct comparison to a novel composite measure of contractility derived from pressure-volume loop (PVL) analysis.

Methods and results: Children with normal loading conditions undergoing routine left heart catheterization were prospectively enrolled. PVLs were obtained via conductance catheters. A composite invasive composite contractility index (ICCI) was developed using data reduction strategies to combine four measures of contractility derived from PVL analysis. Echocardiograms …

Open Cycle: Forecasting Ovulation For Family Planning, Karen Clark, Mridul Jain, Araya Messa, Vinh Le, Eric C. Larson

SMU Data Science Review

Abstract: Forecasting the length and different phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle, especially ovulation, is an important aspect of family planning. Predicting fertility has many uses in family planning including avoiding pregnancy and assisting couples in becoming pregnant. Past methods have focused on monitoring basal body temperature (BBT), cervical mucus changes, and hormonal levels to determine fertility. While these methods can provide an accurate prediction of ovulation these tests can become expensive, time-consuming, and do not provide prediction until after ovulation has occurred. In this paper, we compare conventional fertility assessment that is based on a rule known as “three-over-six” …

Quantifying Nitric Oxide Production In Platelets Using A Griess Reagent System, Chelsea Shultis

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Nitric oxide (NO) is a signaling molecule that regulates many physiological processes in the human body. Common examples of processes that NO is involved in range from immune responses to the regulation of blood pressure. In intact blood vessels, nitric oxide is constitutively released by vascular endothelial cells in order to prevent platelet adhesion and clot formation. Platelets have also been shown to release small amounts of NO as they aggregate on damaged blood vessels. Platelet-derived NO is hypothesized to play an important role in limiting the extent of clot formation. Although platelets produce nitric oxide during aggregation, it is …

In Vitro Assay Development As An Alternative To The Use Of Laboratory Animals For Measuring Clostridium Perfingens Type C Toxoid, Lauren M. Wilmes

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Clostridium perfringens type C produces beta toxin, which is a primary virulence determinate that can cause necrotic enteritis in neonatal animals. Vaccines directed against C. perfringens toxins have shown to be efficacious in preventing disease. However, the production of a commercial vaccine requires not only an efficacious antigen, but also testing methods for quantifying antigens and potency on final product. This research was undertaken to fulfill a need for the reduction in small animal usage to produce and deliver vaccines. The current testing methods are performed in vivo according to the Code of Federal Regulations number 9 (9CFR) United …

Evaluating Cognition In Individuals With Huntington Disease: Neuroqol Cognitive Functioning Measures, Jin-Shei Lai, Siera Goodnight, Nancy R Downing, Rebecca E Ready, Jane S Paulsen, Anna L Kratz, Julie C Stout, Michael K Mccormack, David Cella, Christopher Ross, Jenna Russell, Noelle E Carlozzi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

PURPOSE: Cognitive functioning impacts health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for individuals with Huntington disease (HD). The Neuro-QoL includes two patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures of cognition-Executive Function (EF) and General Concerns (GC). These measures have not previously been validated for use in HD. The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Neuro-QoL Cognitive Function measures for use in HD.

METHODS: Five hundred ten individuals with prodromal or manifest HD completed the Neuro-QoL Cognition measures, two other PRO measures of HRQOL (WHODAS 2.0 and EQ5D), and a depression measure (PROMIS Depression). Measures of functioning The Total …

Echocardiographic Detection Of Increased Ventricular Diastolic Stiffness In Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients: A Pilot Study., Shahryar M. Chowdhury, Ryan J. Butts, Anthony M. Hlavacek, Carolyn L. Taylor, Karen S. Chessa, Varsha M. Bandisode, Girish S. Shirali, Arni Nutting, G Hamilton Baker

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Pediatric heart transplant recipients are at risk for increased left ventricular (LV) diastolic stiffness. However, the noninvasive evaluation of LV stiffness has remained elusive in this population. The objective of this study was to compare novel echocardiographic measures of LV diastolic stiffness versus gold-standard measures derived from pressure-volume loop (PVL) analysis in pediatric heart transplant recipients.

Methods: Patients undergoing left heart catheterization were prospectively enrolled. PVLs were obtained via conductance. The end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship was obtained via balloon occlusion. The stiffness constant, β, was calculated. Echocardiographic measures of diastolic function were derived from spectral and tissue Doppler and two-dimensional …

Randomized Controlled Trials Evaluating Patient-Reported Outcomes After Cholecystectomy: A Systematic Review, Krislynn M Mueck, Deepa V Cherla, Amy Taylor, Tien C Ko, Mike K Liang, Lillian S Kao

Library Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Use Of An Optical Scanning Device To Monitor The Progress Of Noninvasive Treatments For Chest Wall Deformity: A Pilot Study, Robert E. Kelly Jr., Robert J. Obermeyer, Ann Kuhn, Frazier W. Frantz, Mohammad F. Obeid, Nahom Kidane, Frederic D. Mckenzie

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Faculty Publications

Background: The nonsurgical treatment of chest wall deformity by a vacuum bell or external brace is gradual, with correction taking place over months. Monitoring the progress of nonsurgical treatment of chest wall deformity has relied on the ancient methods of measuring the depth of the excavatum and the protrusion of the carinatum. Patients, who are often adolescent, may become discouraged and abandon treatment. Methods: Optical scanning was utilized before and after the intervention to assess the effectiveness of treatment. The device measured the change in chest shape at each visit. In this pilot study, patients were included if they were …

The Effectiveness Of Interventions And Bundles For Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Mohamad Alhamwi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Introduction: Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSIs) are a major cause of increased mortality, morbidity and healthcare costs in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) patients. Despite CDC's efforts to reduce infection rates, patients often suffer consequences. The objective of this study is to perform a systematic review of strategies utilized in the neonatal population and evaluate them with the current CDC's guidelines to assess the effectiveness of bundles in preventing CLABSI in NICUs.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using CINAHL Plus with Text, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and MEDLINE from January 2008 up to 2018. There were multiple …

Estimation Of The Ear Canal Displacement Field Due To In-Ear Device Insertion Using A Registration Method On A Human-Like Artificial Ear, S. Benacchio, O. Doutres, A. Le Troter, A. Varoquaux, E. Wagnac, V. Callot, F. Sgard

Études primaires

Passive and active in-ear devices (IED) occluding the ear canal are commonly used to (i) protect people from high noise levels (earplugs), (ii) assist people suffering from hearing impairment (hearing aids) or (iii) help people in listening from their sound systems (earbuds). However, the usability and/or efficiency of IEDs can be greatly affected by several discomfort components (physical, acoustical and functional). The mechanical pressure exerted by the IED onto the ear canal walls is greatly suspected to affect the aforementioned comfort components. This physical characteristic is closely related to the displacement field induced by the IED insertion, which has to …

Low-Level Cadmium Exposure And Cardiovascular Outcomes In Elderly Australian Women: A Cohort Study, Kane Deering, Anna C. Callan, Richard Prince, Wai Lim, Peter Thompson, Joshua Lewis, Andrea Hinwood, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background

Cadmium has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in observational studies, however there has been a limited focus on this relationship in women.

Objectives

This study investigated the association of urinary cadmium (UCd) concentrations with CVD outcomes and all-cause mortality in elderly Western Australian (WA) women.

Methods

UCd excretion was measured at baseline in 1359 women, mean age 75.2 ± 2.7 years and 14.5 years of atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD) hospitalisations and deaths, including both the principle cause of death and all associated causes of death. Health outcome data were retrieved from the Western Australian Data …

A Comparison Of Lumbar Spine And Muscle Loading Between Male And Female Workers During Box Transfers, Denis Gagnon, André Plamondon, Christian Larivière

Études primaires

There is a clear relationship between lumbar spine loading and back musculoskeletal disorders in manual materials handling. The incidence of back disorders is greater in women than men, and for similar work demands females are functioning closer to their physiological limit. It is crucial to study loading on the spine musculoskeletal system with actual handlers, including females, to better understand the risk of back disorders. Extrapolation from biomechanical studies conducted on unexperienced subjects (mainly males) might not be applicable to actual female workers. For male workers, expertise changes the lumbar spine flexion, passive spine resistance, and active/passive muscle forces. However, …

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 …

Advanced Imaging Analysis For Predicting Tumor Response And Improving Contour Delineation Uncertainty, Rebecca N. Mahon

Theses and Dissertations

ADVANCED IMAGING ANALYSIS FOR PREDICTING TUMOR RESPONSE AND IMPROVING CONTOUR DELINEATION UNCERTAINTY

By Rebecca Nichole Mahon, MS

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2018

Major Director: Dr. Elisabeth Weiss,

Professor,

Department of Radiation Oncology

Radiomics, an advanced form of imaging analysis, is a growing field of interest in medicine. Radiomics seeks to extract quantitative information from images through use of computer vision techniques to assist in improving treatment. Early prediction of treatment response is one way of improving overall patient care. This work …

Short Term Effects Of A Pectoralis Minor Positional Release In Collegiate Swimmers: A Case Series, Jonathan Roman, Noelle M. Selkow

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

A tight pectoralis minor correlates to abnormal scapular kinematics, which can cause pain, loss of range of motion and even loss of function, due to the change in scapular position. With these muscular imbalances causing forward scapular posture, the pectoralis minor is a key component to address in the prevention and treatment of shoulder impingement and scapular dyskinesis. This study investigated the effectiveness of a single positional release therapy (PRT) treatment of the pectoralis minor on scapular posture in collegiate swimmers immediately and 24 hours post intervention. Seventeen Division III collegiate swimmers (7 males and 10 females) volunteered to participate, …

Intensity Inhomogeneity Correction Of Sd-Oct Data Using Macular Flatspace, Andrew Lang, Aaron Carass, Bruno M. Jedynak, Sharon D. Solomon, Peter A. Calabresi, Jerry L. Prince

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Images of the retina acquired using optical coherence tomography (OCT) often suffer from intensity inhomogeneity problems that degrade both the quality of the images and the performance of automated algorithms utilized to measure structural changes. This intensity variation has many causes, including off-axis acquisition, signal attenuation, multi-frame averaging, and vignetting, making it difficult to correct the data in a fundamental way. This paper presents a method for inhomogeneity correction by acting to reduce the variability of intensities within each layer. In particular, the N3 algorithm, which is popular in neuroimage analysis, is adapted to work for OCT data. N3 works …

Neurocorrelates Of The Mirror Neuron System In Children With Chromosome 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome, Ade Marais

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Activation of brain regions that make up the mirror neuron system (MNS) is thought to reflect processing and perceiving behavior, action, and intentionality of other organisms. Sensing and perceiving motor behavior in others is an important component of understanding and participating in social interactions. Children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) are diagnosed with serious medical, cognitive, and socio-emotional symptoms. Atypical development and function of the MNS may underpin some aspects of socio-emotional impairment and autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-like symptomology reported. This study of the MNS investigates differences in activation in the operculum, sensorimotor areas, and basal ganglia (BG) in …

Assessment Of Falls On A Medical-Telemetry Unit, Andie Reed

Master's Projects and Capstones

The purpose of this quality improvement project aimed at reducing falls on a medical-telemetry unit in a large metropolitan Magnet hospital. It was important for the MSN/CNL students to focus on falls because it is not just a concern for this institution, it is a national dilemma that needs to be addressed. Due to the complexities and intricate details of the IRB process, the MSN/CNL students were unable to collect data or further advance their project into the microsystem. Instead, information was attained from the University of San Francisco database to allow the MSN/CNL students to continue with the steps …

Simultaneous Uplc–Ms/Ms Analysis Of Two Stable Isotope Labeled Versions Of Sucrose In Mouse Plasma And Brain Samples As Markers Of Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability And Brain Vascular Space, Ekram Ahmed Chowdhury, Saad Alqahtani, Raktima Bhattacharya, Reza Mehvar, Ulrich Bickel

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) permeability is frequently compromised in the course of diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Sucrose is a low molecular weight, hydrophilic marker with low permeability at the naive BBB and therefore one of the widely used indicators of barrier integrity. Our laboratory recently developed a highly sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for stable isotope labelled [13C12]sucrose in biological matrices. Correction of total brain concentration for contribution of intravascular space is required in such experiments in order to accurately measure BBB permeability, and it is often accomplished by vascular perfusion with buffer solutions prior to brain sampling. The …

Habituation And Dishabituation In The Olfactory Bulb: From Neural Responses To Behavior, Mary Cameron Ogg

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Habituation and dishabituation modulate the neural resources and behavioral significance allocated to incoming stimuli across the sensory systems. The purpose of the research presented in this dissertation was to characterize these processes in the mouse olfactory bulb (OB) and to determine if OB acetylcholine (ACh) has a role in physiological and behavioral olfactory dishabituation. Calcium imaging was used to determine the timecourse and magnitude of habituation in different parts of the OB during and after a prolonged odor presentation. Widefield imaging of the dendritic, or glomerular, response of OB output cells demonstrated that prolonged odor input habituates glomerular responses during …

The Pathway To The Use Of A Structured And Supported Approach To Debriefing, Anne H. Zachry, S. B. Lancaster

Faculty Presentations

Debriefing plays a critical role in the transfer of knowledge in simulation education. Various methods are used in the debriefing process based on a variety of factors; this presentation sheds light on the pathway to the use of a structured and supported approach as traversed in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Tennessee Healthcare Center as well as reflections and lessons learned along the way. Engagement in this session will allow learners to further develop their debriefing skills through exposure to information about strategies to use in the debriefing process that can be used as part of …

Molecular Serotype-Specific Identification Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification, Chika Takano, Mitsuko Seki, Dong Wook Kim, Paul E. Kilgore, Kazumasa Fuwa, Koji Takahashi, Toshiaki Inazaki, Satoshi Hayakawa

Department of Pharmacy Practice

Over the past four decades, the incidence of meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae in children has decreased due to widespread vaccination against H. influenzae type b (Hib). The incidence of invasive diseases due to H. influenzae types not included in the vaccines, however, has increased. At present, there are a limited number of diagnostics available to detect non-type b H. influenzae. To address this issue, we developed a rapid, simple, and cost-effective method for detecting serotypes of H. influenzae. We designed LAMP primer sets based on published sequences for H. influenzae capsular types a, c, d, e, and …

Myocardial Infarction In The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study: The Interaction Among Environmental, Health, Social, Behavioural And Genetic Factors, Tina K. Gonzales, James A. Yonker, Vicky Chang, Carol L. Roan, Pamela Herd, Craig S. Atwood

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives:

This study examined how environmental, health, social, behavioural and genetic factors interact to contribute to myocardial infarction (MI) risk.

Design:

Survey data collected by Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS), USA, from 1957 to 2011, including 235 environmental, health, social and behavioural factors, and 77 single- nucleotide polymorphisms were analysed for association with MI. To identify associations with MI we utilized recursive partitioning and random forest prior to logistic regression and chi-squared analyses.

Participants:

6198 WLS participants (2938 men; 3260 women) who (1) had a MI before 72 years and (2) had a MI between 65 and 72 years. …

Rehabilitation Of An Injured Golden Eagle (Aquila Chrysaetos): A Case Study, Fida Muhammad Khan, Fakhar-I- Abbas, Abu Ul Hassan Faiz

Journal of Bioresource Management

Habitat destruction and anthropogenic activities cause wild birds to migrate towards urban areas in search of food and sometimes nesting in high-roof buildings, where they are caught by local people using different techniques and are further used for hunting or recreational purposes. An injured Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) was found entangled in bushes near the vicinity of Balkasar Research Complex, Chakwal, Pakistan. After complete physical examination, a wound on the right wing and closed leg fracture was diagnosed. The successful treatment was done by anti-parasitic and anti-bacterial drugs with careful monitoring. Splint was adjusted after aligning the fractured …

Investigation Of The Safety Of Focused Ultrasound-Induced Blood-Brain Barrier Opening In A Natural Canine Model Of Aging, Meaghan Anne O'Reilly, Ryan Matthew Jones, Edward Barrett, Anthony P. Schwab, Elizabeth Head, Kullervo Hynynen

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Rationale: Ultrasound-mediated opening of the Blood-Brain Barrier(BBB) has shown exciting potential for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease(AD). Studies in transgenic mouse models have shown that this approach can reduce plaque pathology and improve spatial memory. Before clinical translation can occur the safety of the method needs to be tested in a larger brain that allows lower frequencies be used to treat larger tissue volumes, simulating clinical situations. Here we investigate the safety of opening the BBB in half of the brain in a large aged animal model with naturally occurring amyloid deposits.

Methods: Aged dogs naturally accumulate plaques and show …

Quantitative Dwi As An Early Imaging Biomarker Of The Response To Chemoradiation In Esophageal Cancer, Benjamin C. Musall

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

For patients diagnosed with stages IIa-IIb esophageal cancer, the current standard of care treatment is tri-modality therapy (TMT), where neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT) is followed by surgical resection. Histopathology of resected tumors reveals that pathological complete response (pCR) is achieved in 20-30% of patients through nCRT alone. Because of the high mortality and morbidity associated with esophagectomy, it may be advantageous for patients exhibiting pCR from nCRT alone to be placed under observation rather than completing their TMT. Therefore, a method for predicting response at an early time-point during nCRT is highly desirable. Conventional methods such as endoscopic ultrasound, re-biopsy, and …

Neuroanatomical Tracing Of The Gut -- Brain Axis, Ricardo P. Torres, Elizabeth A. Davis, Coltan G. Parker, Megan J. Dailey

PRECS student projects

This poster summarizes a variety of methods to further characterize the gut-brain axis by tracing motor and sensory nerves between the gut and brain and identifying cell bodies in the sensory ganglia. Determines the meth method to trace the sensory and motor nerves was through fluorescence and the best method to identify sensory neuron cell bodies was the Nissi stain.

Analysis Of The Local And Systemic Cytokine Response Profiles In Patients With Community-Acquired Pneumonia. Relationship With Disease Severity And Outcomes., Rafael Fernandez-Botran, Timothy Lee Wiemken, Robert R. Kelley, Paula Peyrani, Jose Bordon, Rodrigo Cavallazzi, Julio A. Ramirez

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

The goals of this study were to investigate the relationship of systemic and local cytokine responses with time to clinical stability (TCS) in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and to develop a model to integrate multiple cytokine data into “cytokine response profiles” based on local vs. systemic and pro- vs. anti-inflammatory cytokine patterns in order to better understand their relationships with measures of CAP severity and outcomes. Forty hospitalized patients enrolled through the Community Acquired Pneumonia Inflammatory Study Group (CAPISG) were analyzed. Based on the ranked distribution of the levels of eight different pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines (IL-1b, IL-6, IL-8, …

Quantifying Joint Coordination Variability In Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Reconstructed Individuals During Walking, Kylie Davis

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The knee is the second most common joint to sustain injury. An estimated 200,000 anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures occur each year in the United States alone, and about 100,000 ACL reconstruction (ACLR) surgeries are performed annually. There is a significant risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee after incurring an ACL injury, and the incidence of ipsilateral or contralateral injury is six times greater in individuals who have a surgically repaired ACL. Past studies have analyzed kinetic and kinematic characteristics of individual lower extremity joints to reveal differences between subjects with and without ACLR. Despite reports of altered kinematic …