UBIR Repository (Univ. at Buffalo)
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Sensitive, Accurate Investigation of Biotherapeutics and Biomarker/Target Levels in Both Fresh and FFPE Tissues
No full textM.S.In recent years, it has been well recognized that measuring biotherapeutics and biomarkers/targets in tissue samples is critical for drug development. Techniques based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) provide a promising method to quantitatively investigate target levels in all matrices with good selectivity and rapid method development. Tissue samples can be prepared in a number of ways, and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue is important because of its cost-effectiveness and easy store, and therefore enjoys many advantageous in some situations compared to fresh tissues. Thus, the capacity to quantify proteins in FFPE tissues would greatly expand the availability of pharmaceutically- and clinically- relevant sample sets but such techniques have been inadequately investigated so far. In this project, we investigated protein quantification in FFPE tissues and developed a technical pipeline permitting sensitive, reliable and robust quantification of biotherapeutics, target and biomarkers in tissues. Finally, based on previous studies, antigenicity loss of FFPE tissue was observed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) during long-term storage, and we employed a heat-accelerated aging test with our trapping-micro LC-MS system to provide another insight of this behavior.**To request an accessible version of the file(s) associated with this item, contact [email protected]. Please include the item's persistent URL [http://hdl.handle.net/. . .] in your request.*
Synthesis and Characterization of Copper Nanowire Inks and Investigation of Direct Ink Writing Process for Printable Electronics
No full textM.S.With the ever evolving technology driven world there has been a surge in the demand for electronic devices which are stable at high temperature, have flexibility, are easy to manufacture, sustainable and bond well with the substrate. Nanotechnology is a promising field that allows for developing materials that can cater these needs. Printable electronics has become a hotspot both in academia as well as the industry for their applications in wearable electronics, printable antennas and others. Wearable, flexible and foldable electronics and sensors will bring us a completely different user experience and allow for better utilization of the available resources for addressing numerous challenges. For example, wearable sensors and biomedical devices can be the next generation of healthcare, high-performance silicon based electronics can be replaced with flexible units to allow bending, twisting and stretching. Silver inks have been in the market for quite a while and are widely used in electronic devices. Copper-based inks are poised to replace the silver inks in many applications due to their low cost and conductivity comparable to silver. Bulk copper is used in more than 60% of the electronic applications every year due to its mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. This thesis presents a study on synthesis of high aspect ratio copper nanowires for conductive inks suitable for syringe based direct ink writing of conductive patterns. The study involves design of experiments to optimize CuNW synthesis using hydrothermal reduction of copper salts at low temperature with average diameter of 100nm and conductivity > 106 S/m. The study also reports synthesis of high temperature stable copper nickel and copper graphene inks. Additive manufacturing techniques have enabled us to print high complexity patterns with high precision at very high speeds. Different additive manufacturing techniques have been discussed in this report and rationale for using syringe based direct ink writing is presented. Ink formulation specific for DIW is also presented. This thesis studies the effect of different parameters like print speed, additive concentration, pressure, post treatment and ink rheology on the quality of the print and provides an optimal set of parameters for printing flexible conformal electronics consisting of conductive copper based inks and dielectric substrates. The findings here show the potential of direct ink writing in fabricating high temperature hybrid conformal electronics using a sustainably synthesized copper nanowire ink. Keywords: printed electronics, direct ink writing, metal nanowires, conductive inks**To request an accessible version of the file(s) associated with this item, contact [email protected]. Please include the item's persistent URL [http://hdl.handle.net/. . .] in your request.*
Anachronistic Space: A Guidebook to Exploring a Nomadic Consciousness
No full textM.Arch.This guidebook presents futures, and reconsiders the present, in the Great Lakes Region through exploring relationships to the built environment of sedentary communities. Research into Nomadism uncovered that many nomadic communities have long been cognizant of the relationships between the human and non-human forces of the world. As a counterpoint to modern sedentary living, nomadic communities are seen here as a case study on resilience, adaptation, and sensitivity in the face of increasingly extreme climactic, political, economic, and social conditions. Nomadism can be broadly defined as a “way of life of peoples who do not live continually in the same place but move cyclically or periodically.” However, Nomadism has many definitions, many even conflicting or contradictory, yet all describe lifestyles which challenge sedentary paradigms that identity, agency, community, and culture are dependent on a sedentary definition of place, history, and ownership. In order to differentiate Nomadism from modern sedentary societies without accepting a limiting definition, Four Forces (Resources, Environment, Identity, Entities) were identified to assist in creating a new context for nomadic thinking which can be linked with sedentary mindsets. These forces are used as a basis for a proposal to explore what resiliency, adaptation, habitation, and relationship means in a contemporary context and to study first-hand how these forces interact and influence us {personally, locally, and globally} at a variety of scales. While a number of architects and designers have reexamined nomadic communities, challenged common dispositions towards place, or questioned sedentary frameworks regarding culture and architecture, they have focused more on the documentation of these practices and situations, stopping short of exploring the larger implications of nomadic thinking for architecture, space-making, and community building. This guidebook argues that nomadic populations are not only more conscious of the Four Forces; their lifestyles actively engage with these forces where sedentary populations ignore or try to prevent them (see section 1.1-1.2). This guidebook explores the opportunities of developing the mindset of a Nomadic Consciousness through undertaking a series of Trajectories intended to uncover relationships with the Four Forces in the context of the Great Lakes Region. These Trajectories are used as a foundation for an Anachronicle which explores Nomadic Consciousness and the Four Forces through the imagining of outposts that engage with Anachronistic Space. This is accomplished through merging this data with mappings, chronicling, and proposed spatial anachronisms. This involves discovering, creating, and reconsidering relationships which subvert, co-opt, transgress, and recontextualize sedentary systems, infrastructure, and objects.**To request an accessible version of the file(s) associated with this item, contact [email protected]. Please include the item's persistent URL [http://hdl.handle.net/. . .] in your request.*
Hardware Implementation of Neural Network for Image Classification
No full textM.S.Image Classification has been the topic of research for long time due to its wide range of applications which includes vehicle license plate recognition, text recognition, medical diagnosis and the list goes on. Traditional computer vision approaches can become inefficient as the number of classes to classify increase. It also has a plethora of feature parameter which becomes an overhead. Machine learning algorithms can be utilized to utilized to discover the underlying patterns in classes of images. This work aims at developing hardware for image classification. Neural Network has been modeled to classify the USPS dataset consisting of handwritten digit (0-9) images with 16x16 grayscale pixels as input features. First the neural network is trained using 8800 of these images and then tested with 2200 images. After achieving the promising results on MATLAB circuit was designed using 65 nm MOS switched capacitors. The circuit consists of input layer, hidden layer and the output layer. After simulating the circuit on cadence virtuoso we achieved 88% accuracy.**To request an accessible version of the file(s) associated with this item, contact [email protected]. Please include the item's persistent URL [http://hdl.handle.net/. . .] in your request.*
Effect of a Dexmedetomidine Infusion on Perioperative Opioid Requirements among Bariatric Surgery Patients: A Retrospective Analysis
No full textUB SON, DNP Research ProjectObesity decreases oxygen reserve and increases sensitivity to opioids and risk for opioid-induced
respiratory depression (OIRD). Dexmedetomidine, an alpha-2 agonist, presents a promising
solution to prevent OIRD. Vulnerability to respiratory compromise among obese bariatric
surgery patients warrants examining how an intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion may
decrease perioperative opioid requirements among adult patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve
gastrectomy. This study aimed to compare opioid requirements within 24 hours after the
induction of anesthesia between patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in an
urban hospital in Buffalo, NY in a one-year time period who received an intraoperative
dexmedetomidine infusion as part of a bariatrics enhanced recovery after surgery protocol to
patients who underwent the same procedure but had not received the infusion. Neuman’s
Systems Model was used as a holistic nursing approach to guide practical application of
research. A retrospective chart review was conducted and one-way between subjects ANOVA
was performed to compare the effect of an intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion on
perioperative opioid consumption between those patients who received the infusion and those
who did not. A total of 150 patient charts were included in this analysis. There was a significant
effect of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on amount of opioids consumed intraoperatively at the
p<.05 level [F(1, 56) = 4.041, p = 0.049] but not on amount of opioids consumed
postoperatively. These results suggest that intraoperative dexmedetomidine is associated with a
significant reduction of intraoperative opioid requirements but not postoperative opioid
requirements among adult obese patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy
The Shapes of Fancy: Reading for Queer Desire in Early Modern Literature
No full textIncludes bibliographical references and index.This book is freely available in an open access edition thanks to TOME (Toward an Open Monograph Ecosystem)—a collaboration of the Association of American Universities, the Association of University Presses, and the Association of Research Libraries—and the generous support of the University at Buffalo Libraries. Learn more at the TOME website, available at: openmonographs.org.Shapes of Fancy offers a powerful new method of accounting for ineffable and diffuse forms of desire, mining early modern drama and prose literature to describe new patterns of affective resonance. It stages an impassioned defense of the inherently desirous nature of reading, making a case for readerly investment and identification as vital engines of meaning making and political insight.Introduction: Reading for Desire -- Getting Used, and Liking It: Erotic Instrumentality and the Go-Between -- Everything That Moves: Promiscuous Fancy and Carnival Longing -- It Takes One to Know One: Paranoid Suspicion and the Witch Hunt -- Lost Worlds, Lost Selves: Queer Colonial Melancholia -- Conclusion: The Persistence of Fancy
Perceptions, Barriers, and Motivators to Achieving a Healthy Weight Among College Students: A Pilot Study
No full textUB SON, DNP Research ProjectObesity is a significant public health priority. Demographic and psychosocial variables influence a person’s perception of the benefits of behavior change and their ability to sustain changes such to achieve a healthy weight. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions, barriers, and motivators about healthy eating of overweight and obese college students. This study explored the barriers college students encounter in their efforts to combat obesity. Four types of social, emotional, knowledge and eating behavior concerns were administered to college students to investigate their perceptions related to weight and health status. The Health Belief Model that combines health education and tailored interventions to encourage a change in health behaviors was used as the theoretical framework for this study. This model theorizes that the perceived benefits inherent in health promotion activities must be incentive enough for patients to change their health behavior habits. A convenience sample of overweight and obese students was recruited via a de-identified email using the health clinic's electronic medical records. An anonymous web link was inserted into the email to complete four questionnaires and a brief demographic survey. All participants were assured of anonymity. Overall, results showed that knowledge is not a significant barrier to weight control. However, motivation to lose weight was the greatest obstacle for students. There was no significant relationship between BMI, gender, health or other type of major, and outcomes on four questionnaires that measured barriers to healthy eating, weight self-stigma, knowledge, attitude, practices, and motivation for weight loss
An Audio-Based Fault Diagnosis Method for Quadrotors Using Convolutional Neural Network and Transfer Learning
No full textM.S.The full text PDF of this thesis is embargoed at author's request until 2021-02-19.This thesis presents a method to detect the physical damage of the propellers of quadrotors only based on the audio noise introduced by the flight. The diagnostic method is developed based on convolutional neural network (CNN) and transfer learning techniques. The audio data is collected from the quadrotors in real-time, transformed into the time-frequency spectrogram, and used to train the CNN-based diagnostic model. The developed model is able to detect the abnormal features of the spectrogram and thus the physical damage of the propellers. To reduce the data dependence on the quadrotor’s dynamic models and enable the utilization of the training data from quadrotors with different dynamic models, the CNN-based diagnostic model is further augmented by transfer learning. As such, the refinement of the well-trained diagnostic model ground on other quadrotors only requires a small amount of training data. Experimental tests are conducted to validate the diagnostic model with an accuracy of higher than 90%.**To request an accessible version of the file(s) associated with this item, contact [email protected]. Please include the item's persistent URL [http://hdl.handle.net/. . .] in your request.*
EGF-Dependent Activation of the Oncogene AKT is Regulated by Calcium, Calmodulin and CaMKK2 in Cell Lines from Multiple Cancer Types
No full textM.S.AKT is an oncogenic, serine/threonine kinase which regulates downstream targets in order to coordinate cell growth, metabolism, survival and proliferation. AKT is hyper-activated in a variety of cancer cell lines, such as OVCAR-3 (high grade, serous ovarian carcinoma). This hyperactivity is thought to promote the growth of malignant cells, and their resistance to chemotherapeutic drug treatment. The canonical pathway for the activation of AKT involves the interaction of a growth factor, like EGF, with its cognate receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR). This initiates a cascade of reactions that result in PIP3 recruiting PDK1 and AKT to the plasma membrane where PDK1 phosphorylates AKT at (T308). Phosphorylation at (T308) is a crucial first step in AKT activation. Recent studies have shown Calcium-Calmodulin Dependent Kinase Kinase 2 (CaMKK2) to be capable of activating AKT by directly phosphorylating (T308) in multiple ovarian cancer cell lines. However, there is insufficient research on whether CaMKK2 catalyzes AKT (T308) phosphorylation in other types of cancer cells. In this thesis I examined the potential of CaMKK2 to regulate p-AKT (T308) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), epidermoid carcinoma and gastric carcinoma. The chosen cell line from each cancer type was A549, A431 and NCI-N87, respectively. I employed standard protocols to examine whether a reduction in the expression of PDK1 and CaMKK2, a reduction in intracellular calcium, and the inhibition of calmodulin affected AKT activating phosphorylation at (T308) in response to EGF. In all three cell lines, the knockdown of both PDK1 and CaMKK2 results in a decrement of p-AKT (T308) induced by EGF. The magnitude of change is very similar between the two kinases. The chelation of intracellular calcium by BAPTA-AM produces effects quantitatively similar to those seen with the knockdown of PDK1 and CaMKK2: an overall reduction in EGF-induced p-AKT (T308) levels. The inhibition of calmodulin with W7 also partially reverses the effect EGF has on raising p-AKT (T308) levels in these cells. Altogether, these findings suggest that CaMKK2, calcium and calmodulin are responsible for regulating EGF-dependent activation of AKT at (T308) in A549, A431 and NCIN87 cells.**To request an accessible version of the file(s) associated with this item, contact [email protected]. Please include the item's persistent URL [http://hdl.handle.net/. . .] in your request.*
Design of 3-RRR Parallel Mechanism for a Rehabilitation Device
No full textM.S.The full text PDF of this thesis is embargoed at author's request until 2021-02-19.The present study presents a new type of haptic knob to train dexterous manipulation ofobjects of stroke survivors. The device is structured with a 3-RRR parallel manipulatormounting the handle of the device on the top base. The design parameters are optimizedto acquire maximum workspace and high controllability. The optimization is performedin two steps using the traditional global conditioning index and the newly defined globalminimum effective load. The kinematic structure is verified with the motion capture systemand encoders of motors. The device will be used as a measurement tool for quantifying theactivity range of the patient as well as a training tool to apply resistance for strength trainingduring manipulation.**To request an accessible version of the file(s) associated with this item, contact [email protected]. Please include the item's persistent URL [http://hdl.handle.net/. . .] in your request.*