Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons^™

Investigating Metal Cations As Potential Inhibitors Of Iapp Aggregation: Kcl, Cacl2, And Cucl2, Megan Burke

Honors Thesis

IAPP is an amyloid protein that misfolds, causing toxic aggregation in the pancreas of Type II Diabetes patients. In this study, three metal cations (KCl, CaCl2, and CuCl2) are tested in Thioflavin T assays and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to see if they inhibit the aggregation of IAPP.

Characterization Of Bacterial Pathogens Involved In Aerobic Vaginitis: Prevalence, Strain Characterization And Sequelae, Leslie A. Lafferty

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Aerobic vaginitis (AV) is a more recently defined infection that involves aerobic pathogenic bacteria that replace the normal flora of the vaginal tract. It is commonly mistaken for other vaginal infections, such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), because they share many common symptoms. AV leads to complications during pregnancy, such as premature delivery and amnion infection, and is diagnosed by indications that range from vaginal discharge to inflammation. Because this infection is difficult to diagnose differentially from other vaginal infections, it is important to determine what pathogens are involved in AV so that we may have the ability to detect them. …

Renal Stress Testing In The Assessment Of Kidney Disease, Lakhmir S. Chawla, Claudio Ronco

Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine Faculty Publications

As part of human evolutionary development, many human organ systems have innate mechanisms to adapt to increased “work demand” or stress. This reserve capacity can be informative and is used commonly in cardiology to assess cardiac function (e.g., treadmill test). Similarly, the kidney possesses reserve capacity, which can be demonstrated in at least 2 of the following renal domains: glomerular and tubular. When appropriate stimulants are used, healthy patients with intact kidneys can significantly increase their glomerular filtration rate and their tubular secretion. This approach has been used to develop diagnostics for the assessment of renal function. This article reviews …

The Influence Of Mir-99a On Mtor Signaling Regulation In Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines., Jonathan Rice

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and the fourth most common cause of death. These are staggering statistics for a disease that can essentially be cured if caught early and the pathology is favorable to therapeutic intervention. There is currently a drastic decrease in five year survival as the cancer stage increases from locally confined disease to metastatic disease. These statistics suggest that although some strides have been made with colon cancer screening and early intervention, there is still much room for improvement in both screening and treatment of CRC. One of the pathways that have …

Qualitative Exploration Of Spirituality In Heart Failure Patients, Abigail M. Reggio

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background.

Heart failure (HF) is a severe, progressive disease that afflicts large numbers of

individuals around the world. One significant factor affecting quality of life in persons

with HF is the extent to which spiritual needs are met. Developing an understanding of

spirituality in the HF patient is essential in order for the healthcare professional to

provide the highest quality care possible. This study focused on examining spirituality

in HF patients by means of conducting in-depth interviews with individuals diagnosed

with HF and completing a descriptive analysis of the responses. The goal of this study

was to gain insight into …

Short-Term Progression Of Functional Capabilities And Pain Levels Following Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation, Dalton Main

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient-centered outcomes of functional capability and pain levels following Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI) surgery, as well as compare results from previous studies. Research was also conducted to find possible predictors of short-term success following ACI surgery. Methods: 10 patients (43 ± 6 years) were asked to complete a survey packet pre-operatively, and at three, six, and 12 months post-surgery as part of their standard medical files. These surveys included the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, Depression Self-assessment (DSA), and a Global Rating of Change (GROC) …

A Study On Automated Process For Extracting White Blood Cellular Data From Microscopic Digital Injured Skeletal Muscle Images, Bibek Karki

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Skeletal muscle injury is one of the common injuries caused by high-intensity sports activities, military related works, and natural disasters. In order to discover better therapies, it is important to study muscle regeneration process. Muscle regeneration process tracking is the act of monitoring injured tissue section over time, noting white blood cell behavior and cell-fiber relations. A large number of microscopic images are taken for tracking muscle regeneration process over multiple time instances. Currently, manual approach is widely used to analyze a microscopic image of muscle cross section, which is time consuming, tedious and buggy.

Automation of this research methodology …

Creating A Dynamic, Multi-Purpose Correction For Multiple Geometries And Field Sizes To Account For Off-Axis And Asymmetric Backscatter With Varian Portal Dosimetry, Remy Manigold

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Intensity modulated radiation therapy and volumetric modulated arc therapy are increasingly common in radiation therapy due to their benefits of target conformity and normal tissue sparing. Due to the complexities of plan delivery and the precision required, the dose delivered must be accurately measured for quality assurance (QA). One of the most efficient ways to perform patient-specific QA when using clinical linear accelerators (linac) is to use an electronic portal imaging device (EPID). Amorphous silicon (aSi) Electronic Portal Imaging Devices (EPIDs) are attached to the linac and can provide real-time feedback with spatial resolution on the order of sub-millimeter pixel …

Stabilization Of Gp120 Outer Domain For Hiv-1-1 Vaccine Immunogen Design, Duoyi Hu

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

The sole envelope glycoprotein spike on the surface of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) is composed of two subunits: gp120 and gp41. The gp120 consists of three domains: the inner domain, outer domain and bridging sheet, to which the viral primary receptor CD4 binds and induces a conformational change in gp120 to expose the co-receptor binding site. Previous studies have found that the outer domain of gp120 is relatively more stable than the inner domain and bridging sheet. When superimposed, the co-crystal structures of CD4-gp120 complex and VRC01-gp120 complex revealed that the CD4-binding site (CD4-BS) antibody VRC01 actually mainly bound to …

Factors Influencing Uptake Of Risk-Reducing Salpingo-Oophorectomy By Brca1 And Brca2 Mutation Carriers, Victoria E. Breen

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Germline mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are associated with significantly increased risks for ovarian cancer. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) currently recommends that female BRCA mutation carriers undergo risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) after age 35; however, not all women elect this option. The purpose of this study was to prospectively survey women with BRCA mutations currently undergoing ovarian cancer screening about their intention to have an RRSO and the various factors influencing their decision. Of the 26 women who completed our survey, 26 (100%, CI: 86.8-100) plan to undergo an RRSO in their lifetime. The average woman reported …

An Approach To Collect Non-Standard Microdialysis Compounds, Allison M. Schneider

Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses

Microdialysis is a sampling technique that is used to collect analytes through a semipermeable membrane. The collection occurs via the microdialysis probe where analytes can diffuse through the membrane and be collected by use of the outlet. Microdialysis is typically utilized with solutes that are hydrophilic and have a low molecular weight. It is unusual for hydrophobic solutes to be used, but pentane, a hydrophobic analyte, was studied in this research to see if non-standard microdialysis compounds can be collected. This is important because the pentane resembles hydrophobic signaling molecules in the brain, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes and can …

Diffusion Modeling And Device Development For Peritoneal Membrane Oxygenation, Liana Hatoum

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a pulmonary disease that causes hypoxemia and respiratory failure. The mortality rate for ARDS ranges between 27% and 45%. Current treatments including mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are often associated with high risk complications including barotrauma, infection, thrombosis, and hemorrhage. Alternative pulmonary support techniques are needed to improve the survival rate of patients suffering from ARDS. Previous studies introducing pure O₂ gas, perfluorocarbons and red blood cells into the intraperitoneal (IP) cavity have reported no effect or only a mild increase in oxygenation. Here we report peritoneal membrane oxygenation (PMO) using …

Microdialysis Studies Using Porcine Pancreatic Elastase To Guide Mathematical Modeling Of Microdialysis Sampling For In Vivo Measurements., Mason W. Young

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Microdialysis sampling uses a semi-permeable membrane to allow solute collection by diffusion. When used in conjunction with other instruments, analytes in question can be quantified. Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are enzymes involved in numerous biological processes where they serve the role of degrading extracellular matrix. Microdialysis sampling, in coordination with further analysis methods, can be used in order to measure the activity of these enzymes in a region of the body instantaneously. The intention of this project is to determine ways of measuring in vitro activity of elastase from porcine pancreas using determined activity values and the collection of elastase products. …

Essays In Physicians Preference Items And Inventory Management Within The Healthcare Supply Chain, Mohammad A. Shbool

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work is composed of a number of topics in the healthcare area, which are approached separately with appropriate methodologies. The two topics deal with physician preference items via two different approaches. The first one investigates stock keeping unit (SKU) proliferation in healthcare organizations due to physician preference items (PPI). It captures perspectives of physicians and supply chain professionals about this problem through two surveys. The second topic builds a decision-making framework for the PPI selection process that can be used by healthcare organizations to make more objective decisions. A Multi-criteria decision making technique is implemented to illustrate the framework.

Improving Reliability Of Medical Device Tracking Using Unique Device Identification, John A. Bonfanti

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The term “disruptive innovation” has been the buzzword of industries looking to create technological advancements in their respective fields ever since the term was first coined in 1995. In order to invest in the future of the industry, companies are beginning to focus on new, innovative ideas that come into the market as a low-cost alternative to the sustaining innovations currently in place. Similar business-models can be seen in the healthcare industry, as physicians look to disruptive innovations to provide methods of diagnosis and treatment that are easier to perform and maintain. Companies, from medical device manufacturers to the hospitals …

To What Extent Did Blood Transfusion Systems And Technologies Modernize During World War Ii?, Hannah J. Leblanc

Young Historians Conference

This investigation will explore changes in blood transfusion during World War II (1939-1945). Medical technology and collection systems for whole blood and blood plasma in particular will be examined. The focus of this investigation will be the United States, but Great Britain will also be mentioned due to its close blood transfusion-related interactions with the United States during this period. Additionally, blood transfusion prior to World War II and in modern times will also be considered in this investigation to provide context and to allow assessment of modernization during the war. However, artificial blood substitutes will not be considered, nor …

Design Of Medical Devices For Diagnostics In The Gastrointestinal System, Charles R. Welch

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis presents the design, controls, and testing of two systems: a novel colonoscope locomotion design for diagnostics, and a biosensor capsule that implants a sensor in the small intestine. Each system requires special design considerations for use in the gastrointestinal system.

Colonoscopy procedures are recommended as a screening for colon cancer and related conditions after the age of 50. The need for an improved colonoscope that reduces the colonoscopy time and patient discomfort is apparent. The semi-autonomous device presented here could likely reduce the colonoscopy procedure time by allowing the physician to focus more on the diagnosis and less …

Modern Evaluation Of Abdominal Trauma, Errington C. Thompson, Md, Chadwick J. Knight, Md

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Abdominal trauma can be mysterious to some physicians. If patients are evaluated for being stable or unstable, then abdominal trauma can be easily managed. Using a combination of physical examination, ultrasound and CT scans, patients can be quickly and efficiently evaluated.

1st Place Contest Entry: The Effectiveness Of Yoga Therapy On An Adult, Post-Stroke Population: A Systematic Review, Baylor E. Hogan

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

This is Baylor Hogan's submission for the 2016 Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize, which won first place. She wrote about the effects of yoga therapy on the physical and mental wellbeing of stroke patients. You can read the final essay that came out of her research here.

Baylor is a senior at Chapman University, majoring in Kinesiology. Her faculty mentor is Dr. Elizabeth DeBaets.

The Utilization Of Exogenous Surfactant In The Neonate, Katherine Thorkildsen

Senior Honors Theses

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a common consequence of pulmonary immaturity in the lungs of neonates. RDS is the result of the deficient secretion of endogenous surfactant, causing increased surface tension in the alveolar sacs leading to respiratory compromise. RDS is more common in the preterm neonate but can be experienced by neonates at any gestational age. Treatment for RDS formerly consisted of mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy to treat and relieve symptoms but not the cause. A new treatment method, developed largely in the 1980s and 90s is the use of exogenous surfactant to treat the deficiency exhibited in …