45 research outputs found
In situ crosslinking bionanocomposite hydrogels with potential for wound healing applications
No full textIn situ forming hydrogels are a class of biomaterials that can fulfil a variety of important biomedically relevant functions and hold promise for the emerging field of patient-specific treatments (e.g., cell therapy, drug delivery). Here we report the results of our investigations on the generation of in situ forming hydrogels with potential for wound healing applications (e.g., complex blast injuries). The combination of polysaccharides that were oxidized to display aldehydes, amine displaying chitosan and nanostructured ZnO yields in situ forming bionanocomposite hydrogels. The physicochemical properties of the components, their cytotoxicity towards HaCat cells and the in vitro release of zinc ions on synthetic skin were studied. The in situ gel formation process was complete within minutes, the components were non-toxic towards HaCat cells at functional levels, Zn2+ was released from the gels, and such materials may facilitate wound healing
Taking Control: Acquiring, Migrating, and Assessing the University\u27s Institutional Repository
No full textIn 2024, the University of Nevada, Reno Libraries assumed ownership of the University’s Institutional Repository, previously managed by a separate campus entity. This transition involved not only acquiring the repository, but also migrating the CMS and executing a fullscale rebrand. This lightning talk will share the Libraries’ experience navigating the acquisition, migration, and assessment of a repository previously managed outside of academic librarianship
A multidimensional approach for analyzing variants of code writing questions in a CS1 course
No full textTo defend against collaborative cheating in code writing questions, instructors of CS1 courses with asynchronous exams can use the strategy of question variants, being manually written questions to be selected at random to assess the same learning goal. In order to create these variants, currently the instructors have to rely on intuition to accomplish the competing goals of ensuring variants are different enough to defend against collaborative cheating, and yet similar enough where students are assessed fairly. In this paper, we propose a multidimensional approach of analyzing these variants. We apply our approach on a dataset of 3 midterm exams from a large CS1 course. Our results show that (1) observable inequalities exist between variants and (2) these differences are not just limited to score. Our results also show that the information gathered from our analysis approach can be used to provide recommendations for improving design of future variants.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2021-05-01The student, Liia Butler, accepted the attached license on 2019-04-22 at 10:22.The student, Liia Butler, submitted this Thesis for approval on 2019-04-22 at 13:13.This Thesis was approved for publication on 2019-04-22 at 13:57.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #13814 on 2019-08-22 at 15:07:39Made available in DSpace on 2019-08-23T20:36:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2
BUTLER-THESIS-2019.pdf: 473769 bytes, checksum: ce13c800b985e0f0d35d00de708e4e4f (MD5)
LICENSE.txt: 4208 bytes, checksum: 10e662264d2a58ec18577562c2dc824e (MD5)
Previous issue date: 2019-04-22Embargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 112190
Lift date: 2021-08-23T20:36:18Z
Reason: Author requested U of Illinois access only (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemU of I Only Restriction Lifted for Item 112190 on 2021-08-24T09:15:20Z
Replication data for: Measuring Immigration Policy
No full textThe dissertation consists of three chapters relating to the measurement of immigration policies, which developed out of my work as an initial co-author of the International Migration Policy and Law Analysis (IMPALA) Database Project. The first chapter entitled, “Brain Gain? Measuring skill bias in U.S. migrant admissions policy,” develops a conceptual and operational definition of skill bias. I apply the measure to new data revealing the level of skill bias in U.S. migrant admissions policy between 1965 and 2008. Skill bias in U.S. migrant admissions policy is both a critical determinant of the skill composition of the migrant population and a
response to economic and public demand for highly skilled migrants. However, despite its central role, this is the first direct, comprehensive, annual measure of skill bias in U.S. migrant admissions policy.
The second chapter entitled, “Stalled in the Senate: Explaining change in US migrant admissions policy since 1965,” presents new data characterizing change in U.S. migrant admissions policy as both expansive and infrequent over recent decades. I present a new theory of policy change in U.S. migrant admissions policy that incorporates the role of supermajoritarian decision making procedures and organized anti-immigration groups to better account for both the expansive nature and t
he infrequency of policy change. The theory highlights the importance of a coalition of immigrant advocacy groups, employers and unions in achieving policy change and identifies the conditions under which this coalition is most likely to form and least likely to be blocked by an anti-immigration group opposition.
The third chapter entitled, “Post-coding aggregation: A methodological principle for independent data collection,” presents a new technique developed to enable independent collection of flexible, high quality data: post-coding aggregation. Post-coding aggregation is a methodological principle that minimizes data loss, increases transparency, and grants data analysts the ability to decide how best to aggregate information to produce measures. I demonstrate how it increases the fl
exibility of data use by expanding the utility of data collections for a wider range of research objectives and improves the reliability and the content validity of measures in data analysis.
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Double-stranded RNA elements associated with the MVX disease of Agaricus bisporus
No full textDouble-stranded RNA (dsRNA) has been isolated from Agaricus bisporus fruit bodies exhibiting a wide range of disease symptoms. The symptoms which occurred singularly or in combination included; bare cropping areas on commercial beds (primordia disruption), crop delay, premature veil opening, off- or brown-coloured mushrooms, sporophore malformations and loss of crop yield. All symptoms were associated with loss of yield and/or product quality. Collectively, these symptoms are described as mushroom virus X (MVX) disease. The dsRNA titre was much lower than that previously encountered with the La France viral disease of mushrooms and a modified cellulose CF11 protocol was used for their detection. A broad survey of cultivated mushrooms from the British industry identified dsRNA elements ranging between 640 bp and 20.2 kbp; the majority have not previously been described in A. bisporus. 26 dsRNA elements were identified with a maximum of 17, apparently non-encapsidated dsRNA elements, in any one sample. Three dsRNAs (16.2, 9.4 and 2.4 kbp) were routinely found in mushrooms asymptomatic for MVX. Previously, La France disease was effectively contained and controlled by minimising the on-farm production and spread of basidiospores. Our on-farm observations suggest that MVX could be spread by infected spores and/or mycelial fragments
Electrical Stimulation to Enhance Wound Healing
No full textElectrical stimulation (ES) can serve as a therapeutic modality accelerating the healing of wounds, particularly chronic wounds which have impaired healing due to complications from underlying pathology. This review explores how ES affects the cellular mechanisms of wound healing, and its effectiveness in treating acute and chronic wounds. Literature searches with no publication date restrictions were conducted using the Cochrane Library, Medline, Web of Science, Google Scholar and PubMed databases, and 30 full-text articles met the inclusion criteria. In vitro and in vivo experiments investigating the effect of ES on the general mechanisms of healing demonstrated increased epithelialization, fibroblast migration, and vascularity around wounds. Six in vitro studies demonstrated bactericidal effects upon exposure to alternating and pulsed current. Twelve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigated the effect of pulsed current on chronic wound healing. All reviewed RCTs demonstrated a larger reduction in wound size and increased healing rate when compared to control groups. In conclusion, ES therapy can contribute to improved chronic wound healing and potentially reduce the financial burden associated with wound management. However, the variations in the wound characteristics, patient demographics, and ES parameters used across studies present opportunities for systematic RCT studies in the future
c-erbB-2 amplification and identical p53 mutations in concomitant transitional carcinomas of renal pelvis and urinary bladder
No full textSorcery and Witchcraft: A Critical Challenge in Papua New Guinea
No full textIn the modern age of the twenty-first century, with rapid developments in technology and science, accusations of sorcery and witchcraft appear to be occurring with increasing and spreading regularity throughout Papua New Guinea (PNG), a country in the South Pacific, a strange neighbor of Asia. With ninety-seven percent of the population identified as Christian, issues associated with sorcery and witchcraft remain pervasive and severe. These concerns have heightened the apprehension of the government, international organizations, institutes, and Christian Churches, viewing them as among the most critical challenges to the country’s peace and development. Based on various materials, research, and conferences on Melanesian culture, particularly on sorcery and witchcraft in PNG, and with experience of living in PNG as a Catholic missionary priest, the author relates to non-Melanesian readers the phenomena of sorcery and witchcraft in PNG with the reasons and the horrific consequences to the individuals, families, and communities. The author also delineates specific attitudes, strategies, and actions implemented by the government, organizations, and churches, grounded in Christian values, human rights, ethics, science, and biomedicine. These initiatives aim to persuade individuals to embrace scientific and verifiable explanations for death, sick-ness, and misfortunes, discouraging attributions to sor-cery and witchcraft. As with other societal challen-ges, the author underscores that the optimal strategy for addressing sorcery-related issues involves ensuring access to healthcare services, strengthening judicial enforcement, promoting education, providing religious education, and fostering economic development
Institutional and policy analysis of river basin management: the Murray Darling River Basin, Austrialia
No full textThe authors describe and analyze management in the Murray-Darling basin of Australia, long regarded as a model for integrated river basin management. This interior basin of over 1 million km2 in semi-arid southeastern Australia is defined by the catchment areas of the Murray and Darling Rivers and their tributaries. Water management issues include allocation, quality, and dryland salinity. Because of Australia's federal governmental structure, institutional development has been more a matter of integrating state and local endeavors than decentralization of national authority. The Australian national government has little constitutional power over water resources. The five states in the basin make policy regarding water rights, discharge permits, fees, and the construction and operation of physical structures. River management began on the Murray River in the 1920s under the terms of a tri-state agreement. As the scope of management widened to the entire basin, more states were added and the national government supported the creation of new arrangements for integrated water resource management, with some provision for stakeholder participation. The dynamics of state-national authority over water policy, and the emergence in recent years of numerous local-level catchment organization, contribute to some uncertainty about the future course of basin management in this internationally renowned site.Water and Industry,Water Conservation,Water Resources Law,Environmental Economics&Policies,Water Supply and Systems,Town Water Supply and Sanitation,Drought Management,Water and Industry,Water Conservation,Water Supply and Sanitation Governance and Institutions
Expanding horizons - needs you to travel over them!
No full textThe author recounts some of the research input from professionals whom he visited during his study on beta-lactam antibiotic dosing in critical ill patients
