Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Diagnostic use'
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1
Cheung, Lori. "Production of labeled DNA probes for the rapid diagnosis of disseminated candidiasis in immunocompromised patients." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/26188.
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The increasing incidence of disseminated (invasive) candidiasis is probably attributable to iatrogenic factors and to improved pre and postmortem evaluation. Premortem diagnosis of such infections have seldom been made early enough for successful treatment. In order to increase the likelihood of successful antifungal chemotherapy, rapid diagnosis of such infections is vital. However, present diagnostic procedures for invasive candidiasis are insensitive and often do not reliably differentiate superficial from invasive infections.
This study was undertaken to produce DNA probes and to optimize conditions for rapid and efficient detection of Candida DNA. Seven random Candida albicans DNA fragments (2-7 kbp) were cloned into plasmid pACYC 184. These recombinant plasmids were labeled with either ³²p or biotin and used as probes. Two of the four recombinant plasmids tested were genus specific. The other two were slightly cross reactive with other yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Hansenula anomala). Probes labeled with ³²p were twice as sensitive as the biotin probes. One ³²p labelled recombinant (#66) detected 7 Pg of target DNA , which corresponds to approximately 2 X 10⁵ C.albicans cells. With refined simple DNA extraction procedures for C.albicans (in serum), these recombinant probes
could possibly be suitable for clinical application.Medicine, Faculty of
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of
Graduate
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Maj, Jan Stanislaw. "The histopathological diagnosis of myelodysplasticsyndromes and acute nonlymphoblastic leukaemia using glycol methacrylate embedded bone marrow biopsies." Thesis, University of Cape Town, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25622.
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Hakuna, Lovemore. "Selective Indicators for Optical Determination of Disease Biomarkers." PDXScholar, 2014. http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/2053.
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The most abundant biological thiols, homocysteine (Hcy), cysteine (Cys) and glutathione (GSH) have been the subject of intense research due to their association with a wide range of diseases. They play a key role in maintaining the redox status of biological systems. Selective detection methods for these thiols are challenging due to their similar structures and properties. Current commercially available detection methods use separations, fragile and expensive enzymatic or immunogenic materials and complex instrumentation. This has led to a global effort towards developing simple and inexpensive optical probes and indicators selective for specific biological thiols.
Highly selective chemical probes and simple methods for detection and potential quantification of Hcy and GSH in their natural biological media have been developed. These indicators and methods are relatively simple and inexpensive for potential application at point of care. The selective detection of Hcy using novel asymmetric viologen chemical probes at room temperature is described as well as the use of commercially available materials under photochemical conditions. These probes respond linearly proportional to increasing Hcy concentrations, potentially enabling the monitoring of Hcy levels in human plasma. Additionally, new methods for the selective determination of GSH in human plasma, as well as its quantification in whole blood deposited on filter paper (dried blood spots), is also presented herein.
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Yeung, Tin-wai, and 楊天慧. "Use of three-dimensional ultrasound in the prediction of homozygous alpha0-thalassemia." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2008. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B41290616.
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Wong, Effie. "Imaging tumour and apoptosis with novel radiopharmaceuticals." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2007. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/28100.
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The focus of the project has two aspects associated with tumour imaging.
The primary and major focus of my thesis was to assess the potential of a
radiolabelled agent, 99mTc-Hynic-Annexin V, for the in vivo imaging of apoptosis
after chemotherapy and radiotherapy in nude mice bearing thymoma tumours. The
second aspect of the thesis examines the potential of a glucose analog, 99mTclabelled
2-deoxyglucosamine (99mTc—ECDG), to detect tumours based on the
increased glucose metabolism of tumours in an attempt to evaluate if it can
substitute the PET agent, 18F— labelled fluorodeoxyglucose (lgF-FDG) for tumour
detection.
Apoptosis is a process whereby damaged cells undergo programmed cell
death during which phosphatidylserine (PS) becomes extemalised. Annexin V is
shown to have a high affinity for PS and has been demonstrated to bind in
apoptotic cells. When radiolabelled, Annexin V acts as an imaging probe to detect
apoptosis. Available literature revealed many modalities available for apoptosis
detection but most are associated with many pitfalls. However, only nuclear
medicine imaging is able to provide a non-invasive tool for the early assessment
of apoptosis. Furthermore, 99mTc-Hynic-Annexin V has been the best
characterised probe for detecting apoptosis to date. Several studies have reported
good correlation of this agent with therapy-induced apoptosis. However none have
reported on the comparisons of two modes of cancer treatment (chemotherapy and
radiotherapy) in a thymoma mouse model.
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Kowatsch, Ingrid. "Acurácia diagnóstica da ecocardiografia sob estresse associada ao estudo da perfusão miocárdica com contraste na avaliação da isquemia miocárdica: estudo comparativo entre adenosina e dobutamina." Universidade de São Paulo, 2005. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/5/5131/tde-14052010-123546/.
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A ecocardiografia com perfusão miocárdica em tempo real (EPMTR) permite a quantificação do fluxo sangüíneo miocárdico e, quando realizada durante o estresse, da reserva de fluxo miocárdico (reserva Axß). Essa técnica tem potencial para ser uma importante ferramenta para o diagnóstico não-invasivo da doença arterial coronariana (DAC). Apesar do conhecimento atual das alterações fisiológicas que ocorrem com o uso de agentes vasodilatadores ou catecolaminas na circulação coronariana, não há dados na literatura comparando diretamente o valor da EPMTR, sob estresse pela dobutamina e pela adenosina, para a detecção de DAC em humanos. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: avaliar, em um mesmo grupo de pacientes, a exeqüibilidade e a acurácia da EPMTR, sob estresse pela dobutamina e pela adenosina, para a detecção de estenose arterial coronariana angiograficamente significativa e determinar o valor adicional da análise quantitativa da perfusão miocárdica sobre o eletrocardiograma de 12 derivações, da motilidade segmentar e da análise qualitativa da perfusão miocárdica obtidas durante o estresse pela dobutamina e pela adenosina. Estudamos 54 pacientes (média etária de 60±9 anos, 33 homens) com suspeita clínica de DAC e indicação de angiografia coronariana. Todos os pacientes foram submetidos à EPMTR sob estresse pela adenosina na dose de 140 g/kg/min por seis minutos e, após um intervalo de três a cinco horas, à EPMTR sob estresse pela dobutamina-atropina. O contraste ecocardiográfico utilizado foi o PESDA (Perfluorocarbon-Exposed Sonicated Dextrose and Albumin), administrado por via intravenosa periférica de forma contínua. Para ambas as EPMTR sob estresse pela dobutamina e pela adenosina, foram feitas análises do eletrocardiograma em 12 derivações (ECG), da motilidade segmentar e análise qualitativa e quantitativa da perfusão miocárdica. A quantificação da velocidade do fluxo miocárdico (ß) e do fluxo sangüíneo miocárdico (Axß) foi realizada por meio da utilização do programa computacional QLab 3.0 (Philips Medical Systems, Bothell, WA, USA). Todos os pacientes foram submetidos à angiografia coronariana quantitativa (ACQ) em um intervalo de até 30 dias da EPMTR. Foi considerada DAC a presença de lesão coronariana > 50% do diâmetro luminal. Dos 54 pacientes estudados, 25 (46%) apresentaram lesão coronariana >50% e 29 (54%) não apresentaram lesão coronariana significativa. A exeqüibilidade da quantificação da reserva Axß foi semelhante para a EPMTR sob estresse pela adenosina e pela dobutamina (91% versus 90% dos territórios arteriais; p = ns). A variabilidade da quantificação interobservador para os parâmetros de reserva ß e Axß foi de 6,8% (r = 0,98) e 5,5% (r = 0,97), respectivamente. A variabilidade intra-observador para os mesmos parâmetros foi de 2,1 % (r = 0,99) e 7,4 % (r = 0,95), respectivamente. A análise quantitativa da perfusão miocárdica, obtida pela EPMTR sob estresse pela dobutamina, apresentou sensibilidade de 84%, especificidade de 76% e acurácia de 80% para a detecção de DAC, enquanto que a EPMTR sob estresse pela adenosina apresentou sensibilidade de 88%, especificidade de 72% e acurácia de 80%. O valor incremental das modalidades estudadas para o diagnóstico de DAC foi analisado em modelo que incluiu o ECG, ECG e motilidade segmentar, ECG e motilidade segmentar e perfusão qualitativa e, por último, ECG e motilidade segmentar e perfusão qualitativa e quantitava, tanto para a EPMTR sob estresse pela dobutamina como pela adenosina (2 de 4,9 versus 20,1 versus 23,7 versus 38,4) e (2 de 9,9 versus 20,1 versus 26,7 versus 59,4), respectivamente. Concluímos que a avaliação quantitativa da EPMTR apresenta boa exeqüibilidade. A EPMTR sob estresse pela dobutamina e a pela adenosina apresentam acurácias diagnósticas similares para a detecção de lesão angiograficamente significativa. A análise quantitativa da perfusão miocárdica apresenta valor diagnóstico adicional aos outros parâmetros obtidos durante o estresse pela dobutamina e adenosina.Real time myocardial contrast echocardiography (RTMCE) has allowed for the quantification of myocardial blood flow reserve (MBFR). This technique is a valuable tool for the noninvasive detection of coronary artery disease (CAD). Both adenosine and dobutamine are currently used stressor agents during RTMCE. Although it has already been shown the effects of these drugs on the coronary physiology, no study has directly compared both agents during RTMCE. The aims of this study were to determine the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of adenosine versus dobutamine stress RTMCE for the detection of angiographically significant CAD. In addition, we sought to determine the additional value of quantitative RTMCE over the electrocardiogram, wall motion, and qualitative analysis of myocardial perfusion. The study involved 54 patients (60±9 years, 33 men) with suspected CAD. Patients underwent RTMCE at rest and during continuous infusion of 140g/kg/min of adenosine for six minutes, and dobutamine stress. The contrast agent used in the study was PESDA (Perfluorocarbon-Exposed Sonicated Dextrose and Albumin) administered in continuous intravenous infusion. Quantification of plateau of acoustic intensity (A) and microbubble velocity () was performed off line using a specific software (QLab 3.0, Philips Medical Systems, Bothell, WA, USA). Myocardial blood flow was determined as Ax. Quantitative coronary angiography was performed in all patients within 30 days of RTMCE, and CAD was defined as >50% luminal diameter coronary stenosis. There were 25 (46%) patients with CAD and 29 (54%) patients without obstructive lesion. The feasibility of quantitative MBFR was the same for adenosine and dobutamine stress RTMCE (91% versus 90% in all arterial territories; p=ns). The intraobserver variabilities for the measurements of ß and Axß reserve were 2.1% (r = 0.99) and 7.4% (r = 0.95), respectively. The interobserver variabilities for the same parameters were 6.8% (r = 0.98) and 5.5% (r = 0.97), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of ß reserve obtained during dobutamine stress RTMCE for detecting CAD were 84%, 76%, and 80%, respectively, and during adenosine stress RTMCE they were 88%, 72% and 80%. The incremental value for the diagnosis of CAD was analyzed in a model that included the EKG, EKG and wall motion, EKG and wall motion and qualitative perfusion analysis and finally, EKG and wall motion and qualitative and quantitative perfusion analysis, for dobutamine and adenosine RTMCE (2= 4,9 versus 20,1 versus 23,7 versus s 38,4) and (2= 9,9 versus 20,1 versus 26,7 versus 59,4), respectively. In conclusion, quantitative RTMCE is a feasible technique in patients with suspected CAD. Dobutamine and adenosine stress RTMCE had similar diagnostic accuracy for the detection of angiographically significant lesion. Quantitative analysis of myocardial perfusion had incremental diagnostic value over the other parameters obtained during both dobutamine and adenosine stress RTMCE.
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Lachner, Gabriele, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen, Axel Perkonigg, Alexandra Holly, Peter Schuster, Ursula Wunderlich, Dilek Türk, Ela Garczynski, and Hildegard Pfister. "Structure, Content and Reliability of the Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI) Substance Use Sections." Saechsische Landesbibliothek- Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek Dresden, 2012. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-qucosa-99961.
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After reviewing currently available diagnostic assessment instruments for substance use disorders this paper describes the format and structure of the Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI) substance disorder section. In addition, the test-retest reliability of diagnoses and criteria for nicotine, alcohol, illegal and prescription drugs, is reported. Findings obtained in community sample of adolescents and young adults indicate that the substance section is acceptable for almost all types of respondents, efficient in terms of time and ease of administration as well as reliable in terms of consistency of findings over time. The test-retest reliability over a period of an average of 1 month, as examined by two independent interviewers indicates good-to-excellent kappa values for all substance disorders assessed, with significant kappa values ranging between 0.55 for drug abuse and 0.83 for alcohol abuse. There was also fairly consistently high agreement for the assessment of single DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for abuse and dependence as well as the M-CIDI quantity-frequency and time-related questions. To conclude, although – unlike previous studies – this study was conducted in a community sample and not in patients and used considerably longer time intervals of more than a month between investigations, our M-CIDI reliability findings are at least as high as those from previous studies.
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Steinmetz, Leandra. "Geração de inibina A após estímulo gonadotrófico: novo método de detecção de tecido ovariano em pacientes com anomalia da diferenciação sexual." Universidade de São Paulo, 2006. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/5/5141/tde-14032007-162557/.
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Introdução: O hermafroditismo verdadeiro, caracterizado pela demonstração histológica de tecido ovariano e testicular no mesmo indivíduo, responde por cerca de 5% dos casos de anomalia da diferenciação sexual. Como a variabilidade fenotípica é muito grande, desde mulheres com genitália externa normal até homens com genitália externa normal, passando por toda uma gama de apresentações intermediárias, torna-se impossível o diagnóstico baseado apenas em dados clínicos. A avaliação da presença de tecido testicular é bem estabelecida, mas não há teste para a demontração de tecido ovariano. A inibina A é produzida exclusivamente no ovário e é estimulada pelas gonadotrofinas. Objetivos: 1. Avaliar a efetividade do método de estimulação gonadal com a associação LH/FSH na demonstração de tecido ovariano; 2. Avaliar a eventual presença de tecido ovariano em pacientes com anomalias da diferenciação sexual através da dosagem sérica de Inibina A e de estradiol após estímulo gonadotrófico e; 3. Facilitar o diagnóstico de hermafroditismo verdadeiro antes da fase de exploração cirúrgica das gônadas. Métodos: Foram incluídos no estudo, dez pacientes com hiperplasia congênita de supra-renal, dez pacientes com criptorquidia unilateral isolada, treze pacientes com anomalia da diferenciação sexual sem etiologia definida e sete pacientes com hermafroditismo verdadeiro com diagnóstico histológico. Todos os pacientes foram submetidos a um teste de estímulo gonadotrófico, representado pela administração de gonadotrofina humana da menopausa (menotropina), que tem em sua composição LH e FSH, na dose de 150 UI de cada gonadotrofina, por via intramuscular, durante três dias subseqüentes. Dosagens de LH, FSH, estradiol, testosterora e inibina A foram realizadas antes (B), 24h após a primeira dose (A1) e 24 horas após a terceira dose (A2). Resultados: O LH não apresentou elevação significativa nos quatro grupos. O FSH elevou-se nos quatro grupos de forma progressiva e semelhante. O estradiol elevou-se significativamente nos grupos de pacientes com hiperplasia congênita das supra-renais (p=0,005) e de pacientes com hermafroditismo verdadeiro (p=0,031), enquanto a testosterona elevou-se nos grupos com criptorquidia isolada (p=0,027) e de pacientes com ambigüidade genital sem etiologia definida (p=0,028). A inibina A elevou-se significativamente nos grupos de pacientes com hiperplasia congênita das supra-renais (p=0,005) e com hermafroditismo verdadeiro (p=0,043). Conclusão: O teste de estímulo com LH e FSH mostrou-se útil para o diagnóstico da presença de tecido ovariano tanto em pacientes com hiperplasia congênita das supra-renais, como naqueles com hermafroditismo verdadeiro.Introduction: True hermaphrodism (TH) is characterized by the presence of ovarian and testicular tissue in the same patient comprises 5% of the intersex cases. A large spectrum of phenotypical variation is observed, ranging from normal female genitalia to normal male genitalia, covering a wide range of intermediary presentations, it becomes very difficult to make the diagnosis of TH on clinical basis. The detection of testicular tissue is well stablished but there is no available test to demonstrate the presence of ovarian tissue. Objectives: 1. To evaluate the effectiveness of the LH/FSH gonadal stimulation in demonstrating ovarian functiom 2. To evaluate the presence of ovarian tissue in intersex patients under gonadotropic stimulation and 3. To make the TH diagnosis before the surgical procedure. Patients and Methods: Ten patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), 10 with unilateral cryptorchidism, 13 intersex patients with no defined etiology, and seven TH patients have been included in the study. All the patients had a gonadotropic stimulation test with human menopausal gonadotropin (menotropin-hMG),150 IU, intramuscular, for three consecutive days. LH, FSH, estradiol, testosterone, and Inhibin A were measured before (0 time), 24h after the first gonadotropin dose, and 24h after the third gonadotropin dose. Results: LH did not show any significant increase in the four groups studied. FSH increased in the four groups in a similar way. Estradiol increased in CAH pacients (p=0.005) and in TH patients (p=0,031), while testosterone increased in patients whit unilateral cryptorchidism (p=0.027) as well as in the intersex patients without defined etiology. Inhibin A levels increased in CAH patients (p=0.005) and in the TH patients (p=0.043). Conclusion: The LH/FSH stimulation test demonstrated to be a useful method to diagnose the presence of ovarian tissue in CAH patients as well as in TH patients, becoming an important tool to diagnose TH even before the surgical procedure and histologic studies of the gonads.
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Ivey, Robert J. "Diagnostic expert systems use in the United States Navy." Thesis, Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10945/23868.
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Rask, Peter. "Aortic stenosis : diagnostic use and hemodynamic effects of dipyridamole." Doctoral thesis, Umeå universitet, Klinisk fysiologi, 1995. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-118692.
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Meyer, Michael Peter. "Congenital syphilis and rheumatoid factor." Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26298.
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Serb, Peter. "Quantitation of HIV-1 in human saliva and blood." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/4679.
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Rautiola, Davin. "Detection of Homocysteine with Bridged Viologen Chemical Probes." PDXScholar, 2014. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1541.
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Increased blood plasma concentrations of the aminothiol homocysteine (Hcy) are associated with a variety of disease states including those which cause impaired renal function, many forms of cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Therefore, Hcy has the potential to be a significant diagnostic biomarker. Routine monitoring of Hcy plasma concentration is encumbered by the time and resources required to quantify Hcy using currently accepted instrumental analysis methods. As part of the continuing effort to develop a quick, reliable, inexpensive, and user-friendly test to quantify Hcy at the point of care, we have designed a series of novel colorimetric and fluorescent chemical probes based on bridged viologen structures. The absorbance at 540 nm for the para-bridged bis-nitrile viologen probe (pCN) was found to be proportional to the concentration of Hcy analyte, with LOD = 2.17 μM and LOQ = 6.10 μM where unhealthy Hcy plasma concentrations are > 15 μM. The mechanism of reactivity between pCN and Hcy encompasses a dynamic set of reactions which involve pimerization of radical probe species and thioether adduct formation of pCN with Hcy. Preliminary results with fluorometric analogs of the bridged viologen probes are also presented.
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Krüger, Hagen Else. "Contrast enhanced transrectal ultrasound of the prostate : an experimental and clinical study /." Uppsala, 2001. http://publications.uu.se/theses/91-628-4793-7/.
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Sandell, Johan. "Development of radioligands for the serotonergic neurotransmission system for use in positron emission tomography /." Stockholm, 2001. http://diss.kib.ki.se/2001/91-628-4818-6/.
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O'Sullivan, Jack William. "Biostatistical and meta-research approaches to assess diagnostic test use." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2018. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:1419df96-1534-4cfe-b686-cde554ff7345.
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The aim of this thesis was to assess test use from primary care. Test use is an essential part of general practice, yet there is surprisingly little data exploring and quantifying its activity. My overarching hypothesis was that test use from primary care is sub-optimal, specifically that tests are overused (overtesting) - ordered when they will lead to no patient benefit, and underused (undertesting) - not ordered when they would lead to patient benefit. Previous metrics used to identify potential over and undertesting have been categorised into direct and indirect measures. Indirect measures take a population-level approach and are 'unexpected variation' in healthcare resource use, such as geographical variation. Direct measures consider individual patient data and directly compare resource use with an appropriateness criterion (such as a guideline). In this thesis, I examined three indirect measures: temporal change in test use, between-practice variation in test use and variation between general practices in the proportion of test results that return an abnormal result. In chapter 3, I identified which tests have been subject to the greatest change in their use from 2000/1 to 2015/16 in UK primary care. In chapter 4, I identified the tests that had been subject to the greatest between-practice variation in their use in UK primary care. In chapter 5, I present a method to identify General Practices whose doctors order a lower proportion of tests that return a normal result. In chapter 6, I present a method to directly quantify over and undertesting; I conducted a systematic review of studies that measured the adherence of general practitioner's test use with guidelines. In chapter 7 I acknowledge that the use of guidelines to audit general practitioner's test use is flawed; guidelines are of varying quality and not designed to dictate clinical practice. In this chapter, I determine the quality and reporting of guidelines, the quality of the evidence underpinning their recommendations and explore the association between guideline quality and non-adherence. Overall, I have shown that most tests have increased substantially in use (MRI knee, vitamin D and MRI brain the most), there is marked between-practice variation in the use of many tests (drug monitoring, urine albumin and pelvic CT the most) and that some general practices order a significantly lower proportion of tests that return an abnormal result. I have also shown that there is marked variation in how often GPs follow guidelines, but guidelines based on highly quality evidence are adhered to significantly more frequently. Lastly, in my Discussion chapter, I discuss the implications of my thesis, how it fits into the wider literature and an idea for a proposed step-wise approach to systematically identify overtesting.
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Edwards, Angharad Naomi. "Development of luminescent labels for use in miniaturised diagnostic devices." Thesis, Imperial College London, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/9763.
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As scientific and technological advances impact on medical care, there has been a specific demand for low-cost, miniaturised diagnostic devices for use in GP surgeries and in the home. These so-called point-of-care (POC) technologies have been hailed as important for the future of medical treatment, not only in the developed world but also in the developing world where a highly portable format of diagnostic technology could revolutionise treatment methods. Removing the need for patient samples to be sent away for laboratory analysis speeds up the diagnosis procedure and allows for more immediate treatment, leading to greatly improved recovery rates for time-critical diseases. Many current POC devices utilise luminescence-based bioassays owing to their high sensitivity and quantitative capabilities and there is an urgent demand for new high performance luminescent labels suitable for use in these integrated bioassay technologies. Advances in organic light emitting materials along with microfluidic technologies have added to the promise of developing low-cost POC devices. This work has focussed on two promising long-lived, highly luminescent compounds: a ruthenium(II) complex and an inorganic silicate. Surface modification studies and size analysis of the inorganic silicate particles were carried out and the resulting photophysical properties assessed. Ruthenium dye-doped polymer beads were prepared using a facile precipitation method and a number of different polymer encapsulants tested. The effect of encapsulation on the photophysical properties of the dye was investigated and time-gated detection studies performed on the optimal beads. Luminescence lifetime measurements and SEM imaging were also used to characterise the particles. This work represents the first known use of polystyrene/ bisphenol A diglycidyl ether as a host matrix for luminophores to form highly photostable beads readily excited by low cost LEDs.
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Lachner, Gabriele, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen, Axel Perkonigg, Alexandra Holly, Peter Schuster, Ursula Wunderlich, Dilek Türk, Ela Garczynski, and Hildegard Pfister. "Structure, Content and Reliability of the Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI) Substance Use Sections." Karger, 1998. https://tud.qucosa.de/id/qucosa%3A26272.
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After reviewing currently available diagnostic assessment instruments for substance use disorders this paper describes the format and structure of the Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI) substance disorder section. In addition, the test-retest reliability of diagnoses and criteria for nicotine, alcohol, illegal and prescription drugs, is reported. Findings obtained in community sample of adolescents and young adults indicate that the substance section is acceptable for almost all types of respondents, efficient in terms of time and ease of administration as well as reliable in terms of consistency of findings over time. The test-retest reliability over a period of an average of 1 month, as examined by two independent interviewers indicates good-to-excellent kappa values for all substance disorders assessed, with significant kappa values ranging between 0.55 for drug abuse and 0.83 for alcohol abuse. There was also fairly consistently high agreement for the assessment of single DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for abuse and dependence as well as the M-CIDI quantity-frequency and time-related questions. To conclude, although – unlike previous studies – this study was conducted in a community sample and not in patients and used considerably longer time intervals of more than a month between investigations, our M-CIDI reliability findings are at least as high as those from previous studies.
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Andersson, Daniel, and Patrik Sköld. "Evaluation of a diagnostic tool for use during system development and operations." Thesis, Linköping University, Department of Electrical Engineering, 2007. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-9567.
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Rodon is a diagnostic tool developed by Sörman. SAAB’s interest in Rodon regards the possibility to use the tool for development and operations of aircraft systems. The main goal of this thesis was to evaluate the capacity of Rodon and determine how SAAB can use the diagnostic tool during development and operations.
The tool uses model based diagnosis with artificial intelligence for fault isolation which is a powerful approach. If Rodon is introduced at SAAB, then detailed models of systems will be necessary to create, including the nominal behavior of the system and different faulty behaviors. In order to achieve high quality fault isolation, it is necessary to have complete and consistent models. To be able to use all applications that Rodon feature for a modeled system, preferable characteristics are that the model should be static, have discrete control signals, and have well defined system behavioral modes.
During development of a system Rodon can be used to improve and easy the work for failure analysis, guidance of sensor placements, evaluation of tests, generation of decision structures, and fault isolation. Since design of tests during development is a desirable application that Rodon does not have, two different methods are presented that utilizes Rodon to generate all possible limit checking tests.
In conclusion, Rodon can be very useful in several different aspects if introduced, but benefits gained by using Rodon will have to be compared to the labor cost of creating good models.
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Chan, Chi Fai. "Multi-functional upconversion nanoparticles for in vivo imaging, in vivo tumor suppression and photodynamic therapy." HKBU Institutional Repository, 2016. https://repository.hkbu.edu.hk/etd_oa/272.
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Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have been utilized for biological applications. Unlike conventional linear excitation molecules, UCNPs are excited by 980nm and emit photon in visible and near infrared region. The unique photophysical property offers superior penetration depth and lower photo-cytotoxicity. With the aid of various vectors such as target-specific peptides and photosensitizers, the UCNPs can precisely interact selectively with designated proteins (Cyclin D1 and Polo-like Kinase 1) and cancer cells so as to achieve theranostic effect. This thesis illustrated the upconversion mechanism and anti-cancer effect by UCNPs conjugated with peptides. Two research studies focus on Cyclin D1 or Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) specific peptides coated UCNPs function as key cell cycle inhibitors, in vitro imaging agent and in vivo tumor suppressor. Apart from inorganic nanomaterials, graphitic phase carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanoparticles coupled with porphyrin moieties act as cancer directional photodynamic therapy agents was also described in the aspects of detailed photophysical measurements and in vitro theranostic studies.
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Wiebe, Leonard Irving. "Radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic oncology." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2001. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/28451.
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Medicinal Chemistry and the Radiopharmaceutical Sciences
The radiopharmaceutical sciences are founded in Medicinal Chemistry and
applied in Nuclear Medicine. The radiopharmaceutical sciences include a large
component of drug design and development, and encompass the physics and chemistry of
radionuclide production using nuclear reactors and charged particle accelerators (c.g.
cyclotrons), as well as the synthesis and radiolabelling of precursor molecules, radiation
dosimetry, biological testing, pharmacokinetic and kinetic modeling, and the
administration of diagnostic and therapeutic doses of radiopharmaceuticals to patients.
Radiopharmacy, as it pertains more narrowly to the practice of pharmacy, is a subdiscipline
of medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry in many Schools of Pharmacy. In
several countries, radiopharmacy (or nuclear pharmacy) practice is recognized as a
professional sub-specialty in Pharmacy, and is governed by state regulatory authority.
Radiopharmaceutical research and radiopharmacy practice are also found within
academic departments in chemistry and physics, and are practiced in nuclear medicine
departments of major hospitals, worldwide. My research has evolved from medicinal
chemistry, with a focus on the design, synthesis, radiolabelling, and biological and
clinical evaluation of novel compounds that are of medicinal interest.
Personal Contributions to the Submitted Publications
Radiopharmaceutical chemistry and the development of radiopharmaceuticals is
the pervading theme of the research publications arising from my research activities. The
publications presented in this submission are based on research conducted primarily at
the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, and the
Cross Cancer Institute (Edmonton). Research collaborations have included scientists
from the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (Heidelberg), the Tuebingen Universitaet
PET Center (Tuebingen), the Daniel den Hoed Cancer Hospital (Rotterdam), the Rega
Institute (Leuven), Ansto (Sydney), the University College of London Medical School
(London) and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute (Melbourne). Publications
submitted date from 1970 through 2000. The early publications (to the late 1970's)
reflect research that I have either conducted or assisted in personally at the research
bench. The majority of the remaining papers reflect my research leadership in terms of
concepts, experimental design and execution, and manuscript preparation. It is my
practice to actively participate in all publications that I co-author, and in general, to place
the names of junior scientists (e.g. graduate students) ahead of senior co-authors. In no
case am I a co—author because of administrative positions I have held (e.g. Division head;
Director). The senior collaborators who have influenced the scientific evolution of my
work are named in the following paragraphs. Junior scientists (e.g. graduate students,
post-doctoral fellows, research associates) have made important contributions, especially
at the research bench.
The manuscripts are grouped into three main categories, which are introduced in
the following paragraphs. Published abstracts, and international patents on hypoxia
imaging, gene therapy imaging, and drug delivery based on cyclodextrins, are not
included in this material.
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Roberts, Timothy Paul Leslie. "Radiofrequency pulse design for use in nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and localized spectroscopy." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1992. https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/283680.
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Hui, Ling, and 許凌. "Dobutamine stress echocardiography for children with acquired and congenital cardiac diseases." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2003. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B29914954.
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Lawson, Karen. "Socially accepted, socially expected, normative attitudes governing prenatal diagnostic testing use." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape10/PQDD_0004/NQ40379.pdf.
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Petro, Lucy S. "Diagnostic information use to understand brain mechanisms of facial expression categorization." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2010. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/2011/.
Full textAbstract:
Proficient categorization of facial expressions is crucial for normal social interaction. Neurophysiological, behavioural, event-related potential, lesion and functional neuroimaging techniques can be used to investigate the underlying brain mechanisms supporting this seemingly effortless process, and the associated arrangement of bilateral networks. These brain areas exhibit consistent and replicable activation patterns, and can be broadly defined to include visual (occipital and temporal), limbic (amygdala) and prefrontal (orbitofrontal) regions. Together, these areas support early perceptual processing, the formation of detailed representations and subsequent recognition of expressive faces. Despite the critical role of facial expressions in social communication and extensive work in this area, it is still not known how the brain decodes nonverbal signals in terms of expression-specific features. For these reasons, this thesis investigates the role of these so-called diagnostic facial features at three significant stages in expression recognition; the spatiotemporal inputs to the visual system, the dynamic integration of features in higher visual (occipitotemporal) areas, and early sensitivity to features in V1. In Chapter 1, the basic emotion categories are presented, along with the brain regions that are activated by these expressions. In line with this, the current cognitive theory of face processing reviews functional and anatomical dissociations within the distributed neural “face network”. Chapter 1 also introduces the way in which we measure and use diagnostic information to derive brain sensitivity to specific facial features, and how this is a useful tool by which to understand spatial and temporal organisation of expression recognition in the brain. In relation to this, hierarchical, bottom-up neural processing is discussed along with high-level, top-down facilitatory mechanisms. Chapter 2 describes an eye-movement study that reveals inputs to the visual system via fixations reflect diagnostic information use. Inputs to the visual system dictate the information distributed to cognitive systems during the seamless and rapid categorization of expressive faces. How we perform eye-movements during this task informs how task-driven and stimulus-driven mechanisms interact to guide the extraction of information supporting recognition. We recorded eye movements of observers who categorized the six basic categories of facial expressions. We use a measure of task-relevant information (diagnosticity) to discuss oculomotor behaviour, with focus on two findings. Firstly, fixated regions reveal expression differences. Secondly, by examining fixation sequences, the intersection of fixations with diagnostic information increases in a sequence of fixations. This suggests a top-down drive to acquire task-relevant information, with different functional roles for first and final fixations. A combination of psychophysical studies of visual recognition together with the EEG (electroencephalogram) signal is used to infer the dynamics of feature extraction and use during the recognition of facial expressions in Chapter 3. The results reveal a process that integrates visual information over about 50 milliseconds prior to the face-sensitive N170 event-related potential, starting at the eye region, and proceeding gradually towards lower regions. The finding that informative features for recognition are not processed simultaneously but in an orderly progression over a short time period is instructive for understanding the processes involved in visual recognition, and in particular the integration of bottom-up and top-down processes. In Chapter 4 we use fMRI to investigate the task-dependent activation to diagnostic features in early visual areas, suggesting top-down mechanisms as V1 traditionally exhibits only simple response properties. Chapter 3 revealed that diagnostic features modulate the temporal dynamics of brain signals in higher visual areas. Within the hierarchical visual system however, it is not known if an early (V1/V2/V3) sensitivity to diagnostic information contributes to categorical facial judgements, conceivably driven by top-down signals triggered in visual processing. Using retinotopic mapping, we reveal task-dependent information extraction within the earliest cortical representation (V1) of two features known to be differentially necessary for face recognition tasks (eyes and mouth). This strategic encoding of face images is beyond typical V1 properties and suggests a top-down influence of task extending down to the earliest retinotopic stages of visual processing. The significance of these data is discussed in the context of the cortical face network and bidirectional processing in the visual system. The visual cognition of facial expression processing is concerned with the interactive processing of bottom-up sensory-driven information and top-down mechanisms to relate visual input to categorical judgements. The three experiments presented in this thesis are summarized in Chapter 5 in relation to how diagnostic features can be used to explore such processing in the human brain leading to proficient facial expression categorization.
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Hand, N. M. "A study of the use of hydrophilic resins in diagnostic histopathology." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.381432.
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Paine, Malcolm Archibald. "The use of inositol phosphoglycans as a diagnostic tool in pregnancy." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2004. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1445947/.
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Preeclampsia is a common and well-recognised complication of human pregnancy. It remains one of the main causes of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity worldwide and no single cause has been identified, though there are many known risk factors. It is a multi-system disorder that affects the vascular endothelium and appears to originate from the placenta. No treatment exists, save the delivery of the fetus and placenta. There is no single diagnostic test for preeclampsia and it remains a clinical diagnosis only. A reliable diagnostic or predictive test could lead to new treatments and this would be of great clinical benefit as it would allow both more effective antenatal surveillance of high-risk pregnancies and also facilitate further research into the aetiology and treatment of preeclampsia. Previously published work has indicated a potential link between preeclampsia and IPGs. The nature of Inositol Phosphoglycans (IPGs) and their involvement (actual and theorised) in several pathologies is described. Pilot clinical data is presented to evaluate the utility of an ELISA assay for IPG-P in the screening and diagnosis of preeclampsia. The assay demonstrates a correlation between IPG-P levels in maternal urine and amniotic fluid in normal women but not in preeclampsia. The levels in preeclamptic women suggest a correlation with clinical severity of the disease. A hypothesis is presented suggesting disruption of maternal-fetal equilibrium in the preeclamptic disease state. Total IPG-P bioactivity assays of serum samples show no difference between preeclamptic and normal women, and it may therefore play no role in the condition. Alternatively, there is the possibility that a sub-fraction or an unidentified, abnormal IPG-P form is part of the process. Additionally, the ELISA assay demonstrates increased urinary IPG-P levels in normotensive labouring women. A second hypothesis is presented to suggest potential links between the onset of normal labour and the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. Finally, proposals for further work are discussed.
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Fayad, Hadi. "Respiratory motion modeling for use in diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy." Brest, 2011. http://www.theses.fr/2011BRES2058.
Full textAbstract:
Les déformations associées au mouvement respiratoire sont l’un des paramètres principaux réduisant la sensibilité et la spécificité au niveau thoracique et abdominal. En outre, le mouvement respiratoire diminue la précision dans la fusion d’images acquises en utilisant un système combiné tomographie à émission de positron / tomodensitométrie (TEP/TDM). Les solutions existantes à jour incluent l’acquisition des images TDM et TEP synchronisées avec la respiration. Cependant, les différences entre l'acquisition 4D TEP et 4D TDM, dues aux conditions de respiration différentes pour ces deux modalités, limitent ce processus. De plus, la dose élevée nécessaire à l’acquisition 4D TDM n’est pas justifiable pour tous les patients. Le premier objectif de cette thèse était alors de générer des images dynamiques TDM à partir d’une image TDM de référence et des matrices de déformation obtenues en utilisant un recalage élastique des données 4D TEP non corrigées pour l’atténuation. Une telle approche élimine, d’une part la nécessité d’une acquisition 4D TDM, et assure d’autre part la bonne correspondance entre les images 4D TDM et 4D TEP. En conséquence, le deuxième objectif de cette thèse était de développer et évaluer dans un premier temps des modèles de mouvement respiratoire spécifiques à chaque patient et dans un deuxième temps des modèles génériques du mouvement respiratoire. Ces modèles relient le mouvement interne aux mouvements externes caractérisés par des signaux respiratoires 1D ou des surfaces externes du patient. Finalement, les deux modèles développés ont été validés et appliqués dans le cadre de la correction du mouvement respiratoire et de l’atténuation en TEP et pour la radiothérapieOne of the most important parameters reducing the sensitivity and specificity in the thoracic and abdominal areas is respiratory motion and associated deformations which represent today an important challenge in medical imaging. In addition, respiratory motion reduces accuracy in image fusion from combined positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET/CT) systems. Solutions presented to date include respiratory synchronized PET and CT acquisitions. However, differences between acquired 4D PET and corresponding CT image series have been reported due to differences in respiration conditions during PET and CT acquisitions. In addition, the radiation dose burden resulting from a 4D CT acquisition may not be justifiable for every patient. The first objective of this thesis was to generate dynamic CT images from one reference CT image; based on deformation matrices obtained from the elastic registration of 4D non attenuation corrected PET images. Such an approach eliminates, on one hand the need for the acquisition of dynamic CT, while at the same time ensuring the good matching between CT and PET images. The second objective was to develop and evaluate methods of building patient specific respiratory motion models and at as a second step more developed generic respiratory motion models. These models relate the internal motion to the parameters of an external surrogate signal (PET respiratory signal or patient's surface) that can be acquired during data acquisition and treatment delivery. Finally, the two developed models were validated and used in the PET respiratory motion and attenuation correction and in radiation therapy applications
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Leung, Chung-Chu, and 梁中柱. "Use of generalized fuzzy operator in digital subtraction radiography." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2003. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31245614.
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Messas, Ana Cristina. "Estudo comparativo da PCR com a citogenética para diagnóstico da Síndrome de Martin-Bell (OU) Estudo comparativo da PCR com a citogenética para diagnóstico da Síndrome do X-frágil." Universidade de São Paulo, 2007. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/9/9136/tde-06102017-181100/.
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A Síndrome de Martin-Bell é uma forma hereditária de retardo mental determinada pela perda da expressão do gene FMR1 que está associado com a expansão da repetição dos tri-nucleotídeos citosina-guanina¬-guanina (CGG). Os indivíduos com um alto grau dessa expansão apresentam o silenciamento da expressão desse gene, com conseqüente alteração no desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso do embrião, causando danos neurológicos irreparáveis. A citogenética é uma metodologia clássica que contribui para o diagnóstico da síndrome em casos sem esclarecimentos, porém sua sensibilidade isoladamente em muitos casos é insuficiente para um diagnóstico positivo mesmo diante de características clínicas evidentes. Na busca de uma alternativa para suprir esta necessidade de definir exatamente as alterações encontradas em cada caso propôs-se a otimização de uma PCR de alta fidelidade no diagnóstico diferencial da Síndrome e simultaneamente comparar com os dados da citogenética clássica. Para tanto, foram coletadas amostras de sangue periférico de 102 pacientes e avaliou-se 100 a 150 metáfases para cada indivíduo pela citogenética clássica e para a PCR duplex. Os resultados demonstram pelo teste de Kruskal-Wallis que a PCR com a citogenética não apresentou diferenças significativas (p>0,05). Porém quando avaliadados pelo índice de Kappa sugere-se que os dois critéiros de diagnósticos devem ser utilizados simultaneamente com caracteristicas clínicas do paciente. A PCR mostrou-se rápida e com custo relativamente menor, sendo portanto, aplicável no auxílio ao aconselhamento genético dos indivíduos e suas famílias, bem como para um acompanhamento psico-pedagógico adequado.The Martin-Bell Syndrome is a heredity mental retard form determined by the loss of FMR1 gene expression which is associated with the tri-nucleotides cytosine-guanine-guanine (CGG) repetition expansion. The individuals showing a high degree of this expansion present the silencing of this gene expression, with a consequent alteration of the embryo nervous system evolution, causing irreparable neurological damage The cytogenetics is a classical methodology that contributes for diagnosing the syndrome in cases without clarification, thus its sensitivity isolated in many cases is insufficient for a positive diagnosis even in front of evident clinical characteristics. On searching for an alternative to fulfill this need to define the found alterations in each case, an optimization of a high fidelity PCR to Syndrome diagnosis and simultaneously to compare with classical cytogenetics. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 102 patients for evaluating 100 to 150 metaphases evaluation by classical cytogenetics for each sample and to duplex PCR. The results showed by the Kruskal-Wallis test that the PCR with the cytogenetics have not presented significant differences (p>0,05). However, when evaluated by the Kappa index it was suggested that the two diagnosis criteria should be used simultaneously with patient s clinical characteristics. The PCR showed itself quick and with a relatively lower cost , and in this way, applicable in helping genetically counseling individuals and their families, as well as sending them to a more adequate psycho-pedagogical treatment.
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Leclerc, Christina Marie. "Age-Related Differences in the use of Diagnostic Information in Social Judgments." NCSU, 2003. http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-04082003-140602/.
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The purpose of this research was to provide further evidence for a social expertise view of adult age differences in social cognitive functioning. Of specific interest was the extent to which such a perspective can be used to explain the differential use of trait-diagnostic information by young and older adults in the construction of social judgments. The use of such information has been shown to increase with age (Hess & Auman, 2001), suggesting the presence of superior social expertise in older adults when compared to younger adults. In the current research, factors associated with accessibility to relevant knowledge?extremity of trait-relevant behaviors and the amount of diagnostic information?was manipulated to determine if the differences between presumed experts (i.e., older adults) and nonexperts (i.e., younger adults) were attenuated when the salience of trait-diagnostic information was increased. Young, middle-aged, and older adults studied a series of behavioral description describing fictitious target individuals. Study times for individual behaviors contained in these descriptions and impression ratings for each target person were examined. Results of this study replicate past research; specifically, diagnostic information was studied longer and had a stronger impact on impression ratings than did nondiagnostic information, and the impact of diagnosticity increased with age. Further, extreme cues served to enhance the already present diagnostic effects in study time, while also causing ratings of target individuals to be more negatively rated overall. The expected moderation of age differences in the use of diagnostic information based on the extremity of cues did not follow the expected direction. The relationship between age, extremity of cues, and the use of diagnostic information was not significant, suggesting that extremity did not serve to differentially enhance the accessibility of knowledge structures across age groups as originally expected. In addition, larger amounts of diagnostic information actually resulted in greater age differences in the impact of diagnostic information on impression ratings. This, along with the absence of age differences when minimal diagnostic information was available, may suggest that those with expert knowledge are only willing to use it when sufficient cues are presented. I additionally tested an alternative explanation for observed age differences in the use of diagnostic information. Specifically, I investigated whether age differences in implicit beliefs regarding the stability of traits might mediate age differences. No support was obtained for this hypothesis. In sum, although the results were not entirely consistent with expectations, they were generally supportive of an aging-related increase in social expertise as an explanation for age differences in social judgments.
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Jones, Keith Richard. "An investigation into the use of diagnostic equipment in general medical practice." Thesis, University of Derby, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.322268.
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Abdullah, Abdul Rahman Bin. "The representation and use of physiological knowledge in a medical diagnostic system." Thesis, University of Sussex, 1989. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.236146.
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Lowe, Jonathan. "Novel enzyme substrates and cell labelling reagents for use in diagnostic microbiology." Thesis, Northumbria University, 2016. http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/31602/.
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This thesis is divided into two parts; the first part describing the synthesis and evaluation of novel fluorogenic enzymatic substrates for microorganism detection, and the second part investigating the synthesis of thiophenes with extended conjugation as fluorescent labels with potential applications in antimicrobial susceptibility testing. ‘Spacer’ substrates were identified as a method of incorporating a phenolic fluorophore (ArOH) into an enzymatic substrate designed at targeting aminopeptidase activity. Substrates of the general structure ArO-spacer-AA were therefore synthesised (AA = amino acid). The action of aminopeptidases on these substrates would therefore result in fragmentation, liberating the phenolic fluorophore. The spacer group of choice was para-aminobenzyl alcohol (PABA), as it has been widely used as such for the synthesis of prodrugs. After condensation of the amine group of PABA with either Boc-L-alanine or pyroglutamic acid and subsequent chlorination of the benzylic alcohol giving the corresponding benzyl chloride, 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole and 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole were attached using a Williamson ether synthesis to produce the Boc-protected substrates. After removal of the Boc groups, the substrates produced strongly fluorescent colonies with Gram-negative bacteria. Also investigated were a series of fluorogenic substrates, both with and without ‘spacer’ methodology, designed for the detection of nitroreductase activity but little activity was observed with bacteria. Three BODIPY-derived substrates were also prepared and evaluated for detecting nitroreductase and esterase activity. These substrates showed good activity in agar media when the agar plates were post-treated with acid resulting in the generation of strong colour and fluorescence. The second section of this thesis focuses on antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Two types of substrates possessing highly conjugated thiophene cores were synthesised: hydrazides and D-amino acids. The hydrazides are expected to label dead cells by reacting with aldehyde groups that are produced by protein carbonylation. The D-amino acid series of compounds are expected to be incorporated into the cell walls of growing bacteria, and hence live cells can be labelled. The thiophene core structures were chosen to have excitation wavelengths of approximately 488 nm because this excitation wavelength is commonly used in flow cytometry. Results from fluorescence measurement testing indicate that both sets of cell labelling substrates synthesised have an excitation wavelength of roughly 450 – 460 nm with emission wavelengths ranging from 480 nm to as high as 520 nm.
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Ginzer, Linda M. "Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol Use Disorders in Older People: Are They Valid?" The Ohio State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1265921452.
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Pirani-McGurl, Cynthia A. "The use of item response theory in developing a Phonics Diagnostic Inventory." Amherst, Mass. : University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009. http://scholarworks.umass.edu/open_access_dissertations/68/.
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Silvester, Nicole Cherie. "Terminal Modifications of PNA and Their Use in Diagnostic and Antisense Technologies." Thesis, Griffith University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366991.
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Peptide nucleic acids (PNA) are analogues of DNA that bind to DNA and RNA via Watson-Crick base-pairing rules. Due to the lack of a negatively-charged backbone, hybridisation of PNA to DNA or RNA occurs without electrostatic repulsion thus binding is typically stronger and more rapid than when traditional DNA probes are used. This is reflected in the increased melting temperature (Tm) of the conjugates. These properties, as well as the chemical and biological stability of PNA, make these molecules attractive for use in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Amino acids are routinely conjugated to PNA probes to enhance the synthesis and solubility of the probes or assist with their cellular delivery, however little thought is given to the impact these modifications have on their hybridisation properties. In this work, a series of PNA-peptide chimeric assemblies based around a single PNA sequence were used to investigate the effect different amino acids have on the stability and specificity of PNA/DNA hybridisation. These experiments demonstrated that the positively charged amino acid lysine, which is routinely conjugated to PNA probes, increases the stability of the resultant PNA/DNA duplexes such that at many experimental temperatures, single base mismatched target DNA will also stably hybridise with PNA. In contrast, the negatively charged amino acid glutamic acid decreases the thermal stability of the mismatch duplexes sufficiently so that they are not stable at most experimental temperatures, whilst the fully complementary duplex is. This indicates that glutamic acid should replace lysine as the routine solubility enhancing group used for PNA probes.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Biomolecular and Physical Sciences
Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology
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Yeung, Tin-wai. "Use of three-dimensional ultrasound in the prediction of homozygous alpha0-thalassemia." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2008. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B41290616.
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Maynard, S. J. "Use of body surface mapping to aid the diagnosis of myocardial infarction and ischaemia." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.368624.
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Shannon, Russell A. "Ultrasound to assess lipid content in salmon muscle." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2002. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:fbbd2a50-ac06-4740-9a11-119efe5e7d5f.
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In this thesis, ultrasound pulse transit time measurement techniques are applied to aquaculture, specifically to measure the intramuscular fat in salmon muscle tissue. The main advantages of this technique are that it is noninvasive and that it uses low-cost components. Fat in salmon muscle exists as oil dispersed throughout the tissue. Therefore, a phantom was built to empirically model a dispersed fat system. The phantom was a mixture of low-fat milk and high-fat double cream. By varying the quantities of each component, the fat level of the phantom could be controlled. A trend of increasing speed of sound and attenuation with fat content was observed. Prom velocity measurements at a single temperature, it was possible to predict the fat content of the mixture to within ±1.5% fat. A measurement system was created to measure the sample thickness and the speed of sound through a sample at the same time. Velocity and attenuation measurements were made on fifty samples of salmon muscle tissue containing two distinct fat ranges. A trend of decreasing speed of sound with fat content was observed. Further measurements were taken on twelve more samples and compared to the results of chemical fat analysis to determine the strength of the correlation between fat content and speed of sound through the samples. Again, a trend of decreasing speed of sound with increasing fat content was observed (r=0.73, 71=12). This trend was not as strong as that observed for the phantom due to natural variation in the structure of the tissue. A conclusion drawn from this part of the research is that it may be possible to group the data into "high fat", "medium fat" and "low fat" categories. Attenuation measurements proved too dependent on muscle structure to yield a correlation between attenuation and fat content. Ray-tracing techniques were used to model the propagation velocity of a wavefront travelling through a single salmon sample. The model provided an insight into how variations in temperature, fat content, myoseptum thickness and myosepta configuration affect measured velocity. This thesis provides an insight into how ultrasound velocity measurement may be used to assess the fat content of salmon white muscle tissue. It also provides a starting point for future work in which these techniques may be combined with a vision system to enable similar measurements on live fish.
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Wang, Lei. "Molecular Probes for Pancreatic Cancer Imaging." PDXScholar, 2016. http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/3108.
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Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has the poorest five-year survival rate of any cancer. Currently, there are no effective diagnostics or chemotherapeutics. Surgical resection is the only curative therapy. However, most patients experience recurrence due largely to challenges in assessing tumor margin status in the operating room. Molecular probes that selectively highlight pancreatic cancer tissue, having the potential to improve PDAC margin assessment intraoperatively, are urgently needed. In this work, a series of red and near-infrared fluorescent probes is reported. Two were found to distribute to normal pancreas following systemic administration. One selectively accumulates in genetically modified mouse models of PDAC, providing cancer-specific fluorescence. In contrast to the small molecule probes reported previously, it possesses inherent affinity for PDAC cells and tissue, and thus does not require conjugation to targeting agents. Moreover, the probe exhibits intracellular accumulation and enables visualization of four levels of structure including the whole organ, tissue, individual cells and subcellular organelles. It can thus promote new strategies for precision image-guided surgery, pancreatic cancer detection, the monitoring of therapeutic outcomes and basic research.
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Simons, Jasmine. "Use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 Among Current Music Therapy Students." UKnowledge, 2014. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/music_etds/37.
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The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) provides updates of diagnostic criteria and it is crucial that clinicians from all relevant fields are aware of new terminology. Music therapists are increasingly being added to interdisciplinary teams and need to efficiently communicate with other professionals. This study aimed to discover if current music therapy students are familiar with the DSM-5 before they enter their professional practice. Music therapy students from two American Music Therapy Association-approved universities completed a survey aimed to assess their use and knowledge of the DSM-5. A total of 58 participants were included in the analysis. Findings from the survey revealed that seniors had a higher level of knowledge of the DSM-5 and referred to it in their courses more so than freshmen and sophomores. However, a high rate of students indicated that they did not discuss the DSM enough in their music therapy courses, non-music therapy courses, and clinical experiences. If more universities were sampled in future studies, educational programs could closely examine the preparedness of music therapy students with regards to DSM training and then make curriculum modifications as needed.
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Hilal, Iman. "Noncardiac Chest Pain: The Use of High Resolution Manometry as a Diagnostic Tool." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2012. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/5301.
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Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms responsible for emergency department and primary care office visits in the United States. Chest pain can be noncardiac and may be attributed to multiple causes. Esophageal disorders including reflux, motility and functional conditions, affect a large proportion of patients with NCCP and lead to significant morbidity. The use of HRM has changed the diagnostic approach to esophageal motility disorders. It is the most specific and sensitive test for diagnosing motor disorders and a promising procedure in detecting dysmotility disorders in patients with NCCP. Despite the increased sensitivity of HRM, the main indications for esophageal manometry exclude NCCP. This study assessed the percentage of undiagnosed esophageal motility disorders in patients with NCCP referred for high resolution manometry. Differences in HRM findings in patients with NCCP versus patients meeting AGA recommendations for the clinical use of esophageal manometry were also compared. A retrospective descriptive design was utilized. Two hundred-nineteen patient charts were reviewed. One hundred sixty-eight (77%) patients underwent HRM and met AGA recommendations for esophageal manometry; 51 (23%) patients underwent the procedure after receiving a NCCP diagnosis. Findings showed that 116 (69%) patients in the AGA group had abnormal findings while 52 (31%) did not. In the NCCP group 34 (67%) had abnormal findings compared to 17 (33%) who did not. To compare normal and abnormal HRM findings in patients with NCCP versus those meeting AGA criteria, Chi-Square analysis was performed between the groups. The results were not statistically significant (p = 0.10). There were no significant differences in the results of HRM in both groups indicating the findings on HRM are the same despite the indication for the procedure. The findings support the use of HRM as a diagnostic tool in patients with chest pain after cardiac workup and endoscopic evaluation. This indicates a possible need to update the AGA indications for esophageal manometry and increase the awareness among healthcare providers regarding the use of HRM in patients with chest pain. Implication for future research is also discussedD.N.P.
Doctorate
Nursing
Nursing
Nursing Practice
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Maciel, Helena. "Ecotoxicity testing and remediation potential of petroleum components : use of diagnostic luminescent biosensors." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 2003. http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk/R?func=search-advanced-go&find_code1=WSN&request1=AAIU179185.
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The bacteria E. coli HB101, E. coli DH1 and P. fluorescens 10586r were lux marked with the multicopy plasmid pUCD607. P. putida F1, was chromosomally marked by the insertion of the mini-Tn5 transposon. Growth and bioluminescence of E. coli HB101, E. coli DH1 and P. fluorescens 10586r were characterised and optimised for freeze-dried cultures (E. coli HB101 and E. coli DH1). The toxicity of aqueous solutions of MTBE, benzene and naphthalene was investigated using the biosensors, E. coli HB101, E. coli DH1, P. fluorescens 10586r pUCD607, and luc-marked, S. cerevisiae. The biosensors responded to high environmental concentrations. The EC50 values were comparable for E. coli DH1 and P. fluorescens 10586r. The yeast was shown to be quite resistant to MTBE. There is a general use of solvents, such as DMSO, to solubilise or extract compounds with high octanol water partition coefficients. This has a distorted effect on their actual toxicity. This was shown by the development of QSARs using the toxicity response of E. coli HB101 and plotting this against hydrophobicity. Bioluminescent based biosensors are useful tools not just only to assess toxicity but also to allow quantification and prediction of the remediation potential of certain compounds which enables a more complete assessment of their impact. A catabolic biosensor, P. putida TVA8, was used to further investigate pollutant relations. Correlating E. coli DH1, P. putida F1 QSARs with a QSBR developed for P. putida TVA8 allowed a better understanding of enzymatic specificity and toxicity. To evaluate the fate of MTBE in the environment it is necessary to investigate how it interacts with other co-contaminants. The determination of interactions is crucial to assessing environmental damage. Using the biosensor response and a model it was possible to investigate the nature of interactions. For MTBE:benzene mixtures, there was no increase in combined toxicity to E. coli DH1 and P. fluorescens 10586r. E. coli HB101 response had a different pattern and for low concentrations of MTBE:benzene synergistic interactions were observed. For MTBE:naphthalene, overall, the effect was additive. The toxicity of petrol containing MTBE was assessed since this is the major source of introducing MTBE in the environment. MTBE did not change the toxicity of petrol to the receptor tested. To assess the toxicity of MTBE's degradation products, E. coli DH1 was used. Most of MTBE degradation products were less toxic than MTBE, although TBF and formaldehyde had lower EC50 values. MTBE's effect as a solvent on co-contaminant specific biosensors was evaluated. MTBE changed the cell permeability in P. fluorescens HK44. Nevertheless P. putida TVA8 an E. coli DH5a showed no induction.
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Graszi, Nassib Nadim, and M. Zenkin. "Optimization of car operation and repair processes with use of remote electronic diagnostic systems." Thesis, Київський національний університет технологій та дизайну, 2019. https://er.knutd.edu.ua/handle/123456789/14598.
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Eaton, Michael Campbell. "Assessment of CD44 and K19 as markers for circulating breast cancer cells using immunobead RT-PCR /." Title page, table of contents and abstract only, 1997. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09MD/09mde14.pdf.
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Goetz, Joan. "Biocompatible luminescent probes for imaging and inhibition of cancers." HKBU Institutional Repository, 2018. https://repository.hkbu.edu.hk/etd_oa/532.
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This joint PhD program is part of a collaboration between Hong Kong Baptist University (Dr. Gary K-L Wong) and Laboratoire d'Ingénierie Moléculaire Appliquée à l'Analyse (LIMAA - Dr. Loïc Charbonnière) funded by the Alsace region to synthesize new nanoprobes for sensing, imaging, and inhibiting cancer diseases. The first work was to synthesize new hybrid ultrabright nanoparticles. They have been obtained from a La0.9Tb0.1F3 core and coated by different ligands. Thanks to a mechanism of antenna effect, the brightness of the nanoparticles has been significantly improved. The second work was to synthesize a new ligand to photosensitize water-soluble La0.90Eu0.1F3 nanoparticles in order to improve the emission of europium. A second ligand and new heterometallic nanoparticles have been synthesized with the aim to promote the energy transfer from Tb(III) ions on the surface of the NPs to Eu(III) ions in the core of the nanoparticles and to get a very long excited-state lifetime and an exceptional quantum yield in aqueous solution. The last work was to functionalize water-soluble graphitic-carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanoparticles by porphyrins. The porphyrins have been synthesized to generate singlet oxygen (1O2), to host a Ga3+ ion inside their cavity and with two different linkers to be coupled to nanoparticles. This system aims to be a pH sensor, and a PDT and PET theranostic agent.
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Janse, van Rensburg Leon. "The application of magnetic resonance and computed tomography imaging in the diagnosis and management of maxillofacial tumours." Thesis, University of Western Cape, 2004. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&.
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The Application of Magnetic Resonance (MRI) and Computed Tomography Imaging (CT) in the Diagnosis and Management of Maxillofacial Tumours. For decades maxillofacial surgeons over the world have been frustrated by the high and often fatal recurrence of certain advanced jaw tumours. This study conclusively proves that Computed Tomography and especially Magnetic Resonance Imaging significantly decreases recurrence of Odontogenic Keratocyst and Ameloblastoma and allows surgical planning to avoid these recurrences.
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Bin-Eisa, Fahad Nasser. "Diagnostic use of hair analysis for the detection of misuse of amfetamines and cannabinoids." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2007. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/1739/.
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The purpose of this study was to develop a single method to analyse drugs in hair and to apply this to case samples received from The Security Forces Hospital, Saudi Arabia. First of all, mass fragments and retention times for amfetamines and cannabinoids were identified by GC-MS using derivatization agents, PFPA/ethyl acetate (2:1 v/v) and PFPA / PFPOH (1:0.75 v/v) for amphetamines and cannabinoids, respectively. The results showed good peak shape, good chromatographic resolution and good sensitivity for amfetamine (AF), methamphetamine (MA), 3,4-Methylenedioxyamfetamine (MDA), 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamfetamine (MDMA), 3,4-Methylenedioxyethylamfetamine (MDEA), Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and 11-nor-9-carbody- Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC-COOH) compounds. The comparison of the efficiency of four different pre-treatment methods (enzymatic, alkaline, acid and methanol) to extract AF, MA, MDA, MDMA, MDEA, Δ9THC and Δ9-THC-COOH from hair samples obtained from known amfetamines and cannabinoid abusers was investigated. The preliminary results demonstrated difficulty with the cannabinoids recovery and the lower concentration of standards were not detected using any of the pre-treatment methods. As a result of the poor cannabinoids recovery, only the amfetamines were investigated. For the comparison study, only one hair sample positive for amphetamine was available so the pre-treatment comparison study was based on the recovery of AF using the four pre-treatment methods. The positive hair sample was separated into portions and pre-treatment methods, alkaline (1M NaOH), β-Glucuronidase (helix pomatia), methanol (MeOH) and acid (0.1M HCI) were used on these and compared. The best recovery for amphetamine was obtained using the β-glucuronidase pre-treatment method and this extract was also found to be cleaner than the alkaline and methanol pre-treatments. Β-glucuronidase pre-treatment was selected as the method of choice for the extraction of amphetamine content in hair. The method was validated to include linearity, recovery, intra- and inter-day precision, limit of quantitation (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) for all five amphetamine compounds. The method was shown to be reliable and robust for these substances. The stability of AF in hair was investigated to assess the validity of analysing hair samples for the presence of AF in victims of drowning. Ten amphetamine positive hair samples were submerged in fresh and sea water for different periods of time. The drug concentrations in the samples were monitored over a period of 8 weeks. Hair samples were analysed using the validated method. The results showed a significant decrease of amphetamine in hair with the time submerged in sea water. Fresh water had a much less significant effect over the study period. The validated method was successfully applied to 16 case samples obtained for living volunteers with a known history of fenethylline (AF precursor) abuse and 6 post-mortem case samples where amfetamines had been detected in the post-mortem blood.
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Ajayi, Modupe Oluwabunmi. "Isolation of Affimers against biomarkers of Clostridium difficile infection for use as diagnostic tools." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2017. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/18815/.
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Clostridium difficile is one of the leading causal agents of hospital acquired infection and antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. The treatment and control of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is critically dependent on accurate laboratory diagnosis. However, current diagnostic methods have limitations including cost, potential over-sensitivity, lack of detection of toxin protein associated with nucleic acid amplification techniques, and long turnaround time for toxigenic cultures. Detection of toxins in faecal samples of patients suffering from CDI is a highly significant and necessary criterion for the diagnosis of CDI. Rapid enzyme immunoassays are used for toxin detection and can be completed in less than an hour, however, their low sensitivities make them unacceptable for use as a stand-alone test. To date, no one-step diagnostic that is low cost, sensitive and specific is available for CDI diagnosis. Leeds has developed a non-antibody binding protein called Affimer type II (Affimer). From phage display libraries, Affimer binders against >350 targets have been identified. This thesis investigates the isolation of Affimers against biomarkers of Clostridium difficile infection for use as diagnostic tools. Phage display screening yielded high affinity Affimers against the three well-established biomarkers of CDI (toxin A, toxin B and glutamate dehydrogenase). Characterisation of the Affimer binders show that they bind to their target with low nanomolar affinity. Through sandwich phage ELISA, two toxin B Affimers have been established for use as a pair in sandwich assay format. This thesis has also explored the ability of Affimers to function as novel reagents for the potential development of a point-of-care diagnostic tool for C. difficile infection. The most exciting result include the development of a toxin B hybrid assay which shows improved sensitivity and specificity by switching one of the molecular recognition elements of a clinically used C. difficile detection kit from antibodies to Affimers.