Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons^™

Values In Breast Cancer Screening: An Empirical Study With Australian Experts, Lisa Parker, Lucie Rychetnik, Stacy Carter

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Objective:

To explore what Australian experts value in breast screening, how these values are conceptualised and prioritised, and how they inform experts’ reasoning and judgement about the Australian breast-screening programme.

Design:

Qualitative study based on interviews with experts.

Participants:

33 experts, including clinicians, programme managers, policymakers, advocates and researchers selected for their recognisable influence in the Australian breast-screening setting.

Setting:

Australian breast-screening policy, practice and research settings.

Results:

Experts expressed 2 types of values: ethical values (about what was good, important or right) and epistemological values (about how evidence should be created and used). Ethical values included delivering benefit, avoiding …

Quantitative Spatial Frequency Fluorescence Imaging In The Sub-Diffusive Domain For Image-Guided Glioma Resection, Mira Sibai, Israel Veilleux, Jonathan T. Elliott, Frederic Leblond, Brian Wilson

Dartmouth Scholarship

Intraoperative 5- aminolevulinic acid induced-Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence guidance enables maximum safe resection of glioblastomas by providing surgeons with real-time tumor optical contrast. However, visual assessment of PpIX fluorescence is subjective and limited by the distorting effects of light attenuation and tissue autofluorescence. We have previously shown that non-invasive point measurements of absolute PpIX concentration identifies residual tumor that is otherwise non-detectable. Here, we extend this approach to wide-field quantitative fluorescence imaging by implementing spatial frequency domain imaging to recover tissue optical properties across the field-of-view in phantoms and ex vivo tissue.

Maximal Femoral Artery Blood Flow During Cycle Ergometry, Tucker W. Squires

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

MAXIMAL FEMORAL ARTERY BLOOD FLOW DURING CYCLE ERGOMETRY

Chairperson: Matthew Bundle Ph.D.

The delivery of oxygen to working muscle in order to support aerobic respiration has long been recognized as one of the critical elements conferring endurance performance. Oxygen is transported from the environment to the active cells by the cardiovascular system, which is classically understood to deliver progressively greater amounts of gas to support increased levels of aerobic metabolism. However, the vast majority of existing studies have used modes of exercise that activate relatively small volumes of muscle and consequently have relatively small demands for oxygen delivery. We measured …

Evaluation Of A Modified Food Frequency Questionnaire To Measure Lignans In Australian Men And Women, Ying Qi Winnie Li

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Phytoestrogens are plant compounds that possess estrogenic and biological properties that have been postulated to protect against chronic diseases. Isoflavonoids and lignans are two main classes of phytoestrogen that have been investigated for their estrogenic efficacy and occurrence in the human diet. Isoflavonoids are found in soy and related products, whereas lignans are found in a wider range of plant-based foods, such as cereals, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds; and in beverages such as tea, coffee and wine. In Western populations with low dietary intake of soy products, compared to the Asian counterparts, lignans could be a more important …

Accurate Modelling And Positioning Of A Magnetically-Controlled Catheter Tip, Vi T. H. Le

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis represents the initial phase of a proposed operator and patient friendly method designed to semi-automate the positioning and directing of an intravascular catheter in the human heart using a variable electromagnetically induced field to control a catheter tip equipped with three tiny fixed magnets oriented in XYZ planes. Here we demonstrate a comprehensive mathematical model which accurately calculates the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet system, and the magnetic torques and forces exerted on a three-magnet tip catheter. From this we have developed an iterative predictive computer algorithm to show the displacement and deflection of the catheter tip. …

Analysis Of Protein Expression For Potential Biomarkers In Human Pancreatic Tumor Cell Lines, Jade Ashley Simpson

Honors Program Theses

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive cancer of the pancreas that has been shown to have extremely low survival rates. It can be quite lethal because of its asymptomatic early stages and inability to detect cancer at the cellular level. Once diagnosed, the cancer will have usually spread or metastasized beyond surgical resection. Thus, research is focused on finding potential biomarkers in tumor cell lines to help in earlier diagnosis of this disease leading to better treatment options. Previous work using bioinformatics data suggest several cellular genes including, CTHCR1, EPPK1, AHNAK2, and IGHG3, can be potential biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. The …

Implementing Outside The Box: Community-Based Social Service Provider Experiences With Using An Alcohol Screening And Intervention, David A. Patterson Silver Wolf (Adelv Unegv Waya) Phd, Alex T. Ramsey, Carissa Van Den Berk-Clark

Brown School Faculty Publications

Objective: The aim of this study is better understand perceptions of front-line social service workers who are not addiction specialists, but have to address addiction-related issues during their standard services. Method: Six social service organizations implemented a validated alcohol assessment and brief education intervention. After a 3-month trial implementation period, a convenience sample of 64 front-line providers participated in six focus groups to examine barriers and facilitators to the implementation of an alcohol screening and brief intervention. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) usefulness of the intervention, (2) intervention being an appropriate fit with the agency and client population, and (3) …

Two-Dimensional Layered Mos2 Biosensors Enable Highly Sensitive Detection Of Biomolecules, Joonhyung Lee, Piyush Dak, Yeonsung Lee, Heekyeong Park, Woong Choi, Muhammad Ashraful Alam, Sunkook Kim

Birck and NCN Publications

We present a MoS₂ biosensor to electrically detect prostate specific antigen (PSA) in a highly sensitive and label-free manner. Unlike previous MoS₂-FET-based biosensors, the device configuration of our biosensors does not require a dielectric layer such as HfO₂ due to the hydrophobicity of MoS₂. Such an oxide-free operation improves sensitivity and simplifies sensor design. For a quantitative and selective detection of PSA antigen, anti-PSA antibody was immobilized on the sensor surface. Then, introduction of PSA antigen, into the anti-PSA immobilized sensor surface resulted in a lable-free immunoassary format. Measured off-state current of the device …

A Study Into The Diagnosis Of Obesity In Infants Less Than Two Years Old In The State Of Virginia, Lindsay Ann Bruno

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

In 2007, the CDC reported approximately 12.5 million children and adolescents in the U.S. were obese. Among 24-month old clinically obese children, only 23% were diagnosed as obese. The most concerning is the prevalence of obesity in 6-month olds; 16% of 6-month old infants in the U.S. are obese, of which only 14% are diagnosed as being obese. Previous research concentrates on the factors that influence infant obesity, but does not address the prevalence of diagnosing obesity in children, particularly those under two years of age. The purpose of this project was to pioneer a survey exploring the prevalence of …

Implementing And Evaluating A Clinical Information Interface Between An Electronic Medical Record And A Patient Classification System, Tanya Osborne-Mckenzie

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

As a result of the Affordable Care Act and the Institute of Medicine’s initiatives, hospitals are challenged to improve outcomes as efficiently as possible. How does the national initiative of RNs partnering with other healthcare professionals to improve the quality of patient care at a lower cost, cascade down to individual organizations? One answer may come by focusing on nurse staffing in acute care hospitals. Considering the impact RNs have on patient quality outcomes and the bottom line of hospitals, appropriate management of the RN workforce is one of the most important areas hospitals can focus on in order to …

Increasing Compliance Of Personal Protective Equipment S Election And Use For Isolation Precautions Among Rns & Nas On A Med-Surg Unit, Megan R. Alsmeyer

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background: Due to the high potential of transferring infectious diseases and/or organisms among patients, themselves, and the community, healthcare workers (HCWs) must be knowledgeable and confident in selecting the appropriate type of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the use in technique when putting on (donning) and removing (doffing) PPE based on the level of isolation precautions required for the patient being cared for.

Project Purpose: The purpose of this project is to determine whether assessing the knowledge and actual practice with observing, and utilizing an innovative approach of video and educational tools to isolation precautions would improve the consistency of …

Safe Patient Handling & No Lift Policy: Reducing The Incidence Of Work-Related Injuries Among Nursing Staff, Marissa N. Scanlon

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background: Patient handling is a major risk factor for work-related injuries among nurses. Inadequate and inappropriate safe patient handling practices contribute to increased work-related injuries, lost/restricted work days, and hospital costs.

Purpose: The focus of this study was to increase the use of mechanical lift equipment and Lift Team to reduce the incidence of work-related injuries among nursing staff involved in patient handling activities on the Medical-Cardiac IICU.

Methodology: The theoretical framework employed for this project was Lippitt’s change theory. Pre-and post-survey self-report evaluations were conducted prior to and following the implementation of the Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool (BMAT) and …

Developmental And Cultural Perspectives On Children’S Postoperative Pain Management At Home, Brooke N. Jenkins, Michelle A. Fortier

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Outpatient surgery is extremely common in children, and approximately 4 million children experience significant pain after surgery in the USA each year. Management of children's postoperative pain in the home setting is suboptimal and is impacted by characteristics of children and parents, as well as the larger family and cultural context. In particular, developmental status of the child, parental beliefs regarding pain expression and analgesic use in children, cultural values and language barriers can affect management of children's postoperative pain. Targeting the myriad barriers to children's pain management by capitalizing upon the use of tailored interventions may help bridge the …

Toxicity And Cosmesis Outcomes For Single Fraction Intra-Operative Electron Radiotherapy (Ioert) For Breast Cancer, Monica Hanna, Robert Ash, Wesley Babaran, Michele M. Carpenter, Afshin Forouzannia, Jay K. Harness, Brian Kaltenecker, Snehith Maddula, Venita Williams, Lawrence Wagman

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Background: Adjuvant radiation therapy is proven to reduce local recurrence in patients with early stage breast cancer. To reduce toxicity, improve geographic accuracy, and reduce treatment time, IOERT can be utilized as an alternative to external beam radiation therapy. The study’s objective was to determine the short term toxicity and cosmesis profile of single fraction IOERT given as definitive treatment in a community setting. Materials and Methods: From Mar 2012 to Jul 2014, 84 patients (3 bilateral), ages 45-91 y.o. with stage 0-II were treated with IOERT (Mobetron, IntraOp Medical, Sunnyvale, CA). A single 21 Gy fraction was administered to …

Assessment Of The Effects Of Caffeine, Gallic Acid, And Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate On Cell Inhibition, Pim-3 And E. Cadherin Protein Levels In Two Lines Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Lena Haddad, Melissa Rowland-Goldsmith

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer is currently the fourth leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. In addition to being an exceptionally aggressive form of cancer, it is particularly difficult to treat because it is usually diagnosed in late stages after the onset of metastasis (1). Consequently, the current treatments used, including chemotherapy and radiation, have been rendered ineffective (2). As a result, focus has been placed on using dietary alternatives which are known to possess chemopreventive properties (3). Previous studies have indicated that Gallic acid (an important phytochemical in pomegranates) and Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (the …

Molecular Insights Into Prostate Field Cancerization: Telomere Length, Egr-­‐1 Expression, And Regulation Of Mic-­‐1, Pdgf-­‐A, And Fas, Emily Frisch, Kristin Gabriel, Marco Bisoffi

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The diagnosis of prostate cancer (adenocarcinoma) relies on screening for elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in blood samples and on digital rectal examination (DRE). With high PSA levels and/or abnormal DRE, physicians recommend a biopsy, which often misses the location of the adenocarcinoma and results in false negatives. Previous studies have shown expression of the key transcription factor early growth response 1 (EGR-1), the pro-survival factor macrophage inhibitor cytokine 1 (MIC-1), and the growth stimulatory platelet derived growth factor A (PDGF-A) to be up-regulated in histologically normal tissues 1 centimeter adjacent to prostate adenocarcinomas. We hypothesize that tumors emerge from “field …

Prostate Field Cancerization -- Thinking Outside The Tumor, Dor Shoshan, Marco Bisoffi

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Prostate field cancerization (or field effect) is characterized by the presence of molecular alterations in histologically normal tissues adjacent to adenocarcinomas. Accordingly, our research indicates deregulated expression of several proteins that define this type of molecular pathology. The scope of the present study was to determine the expression of the key transcription factor and potential marker of field cancerization early growth response 1 (EGR-1) in human prostate tissues derived from prostatectomies and biopsy cores.

EGR-1 was detected by immunofluorescence using a polyclonal anti-human EGR-1 and Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated secondary antibodies. EGR-1 expression was quantitated by determining the pixel count per …

Nanopulse Generators: Their Design And Application To Cancer Therapy Studies, Daniel P. Wernig

Senior Honors Theses

Effective nanopulse generators have become critical in recent decades concerning the study of subcellular affects in response to nanosecond pulsed electric fields. It has been observed that nanosecond duration electric pulses can target intracellular organelles, ultimately leading to cell apoptosis, suggesting the possibility of a new, minimally invasive, low risk cancer therapy methodology. The standard topology for developing a medical nanopulser is the Blumlein “transmission line” approach. This approach relies on the nearly infinitesimal, yet finite amount of time required for an electromagnetic field to propagate down a short transmission line. Prior to design, requirements and constraints must be defined …

Development Of A Mobility-Enabling Spinal Orthosis And Methods For Evaluating And Developing Spinal Orthoses On A Robotic Platform, John C. Simmons

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction: A number of decompressing spinal braces (typically pneumatic) have been introduced that attempt to mechanically emulate the “buoyancy” of water therapy by offloading upper torso load to the pelvic girdle as a treatment for lower back pain (LBP). Unfortunately, the beneficial upward force they apply on the upper torso typically makes it difficult or impossible for the patient to bend. For those cases where stabilization is not indicated, this undesirably hinders therapeutic exercise, independent living, and return to work. The cosmetic stigma of wearing an external pneumatic assembly large enough to provide significant offloading may provide additional disincentives to …

Cancer Survivorship Care: An Emphasis On Rehabilitation Needs In Maine, Cassandra Dawley, Charles Dowd, Irina Fedulow, Miranda Carlson, Lisa Gerhardt, Erin Pike, Kaitlin Powers, Nicole Christine, Angela Serrani

Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Resources

Presentation proposing that standardized rehabilitation and wellness services be incorporated into cancer treatment as well as into a personalized plan of care to be carried out after cancer treatment ends. Proposal is based on research regarding evidence of causation concerning impairments developed as a result of a cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment, evidence regarding rehabilitation and physical activity as an effective intervention in the prevention and treatment of impairments from cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment, and the underlying behavioral change theory for incorporation of a Cancer Survivorship Rehabilitation Algorithm which includes the use of rehabilitation and wellness services in the …