Breast and other solid tumors exhibit high and varying degrees of intra-tumor heterogeneity resulting in targeted therapy resistance and other challenges that make the management and treatment of these diseases rather difficult. Due to the presence of admixtures of non-neoplastic cells with polyclonal cell populations, it is difficult to define cancer genomes in patient samples. By isolating tumor cells from normal cells, and enriching distinct clonal populations, clinically relevant genomic aberrations that drive disease can be identified in patients in vivo. An in-depth analysis of clonal architecture and tumor heterogeneity was performed in a stage II chemoradiation-naïve breast cancer from a sixty-five year old patient. DAPI-based DNA content measurements and DNA content-based flow sorting was used to to isolate nuclei from distinct clonal populations of diploid and aneuploid tumor cells in surgical tumor samples. We combined DNA content-based flow cytometry and ploidy analysis with high-definition array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and next-generation sequencing technologies to interrogate the genomes of multiple biopsies from the breast cancer. The detailed profiles of ploidy, copy number aberrations and mutations were used to recreate and map the lineages present within the tumor. The clonal analysis revealed driver events for tumor progression (a heterozygous germline BRCA2 mutation converted to homozygosity within the tumor by a copy number event and the constitutive activation of Notch and Akt signaling pathways. The highlighted approach has broad implications in the study of tumor heterogeneity by providing a unique ultra-high resolution of polyclonal tumors that can advance effective therapies and clinical management of patients with this disease.

Ruptures in the anterior cruciate ligament are a prevalent injury, particularly in young athletes. This injury is frequently treated with surgical repair utilizing autologous tissue, cadaver allografts or synthetic grafts. However there is no definitive answer on which is the best graft option. This review aims to compare clinical results of patellar tendon autograft (PT), hamstring autograft (HT), cadaver allograft and LARS synthetic ligament in ACL reconstruction. The ASU library was systematically searched for comparison studies or meta-analyses that compared or described ACL reconstruction graft options. The results of the studies were analyzed according to re-tear rate, return to pre-injury level of activity, KT-1000 laxity scores, post-operative muscle strength, International Knee Documentation Committee Score (IKDC), Lysholm score, Lachman test and donor site morbidity. Allografts showed the highest re-tear rate and increase in laxity when compared with the PT autograft and HT autograft. PT autograft provided the most stability according to the KT-1000 results. Knee extensor muscle strength was not graft dependent, but knee flexor strength decreased significantly in HT autograft patients. All grafts showed comparable results for IKDC, Lysholm scores and Lachman tests. There was increased anterior knee pain in PT autograft patients however this did not seem to have an affect on the stability or durability of the graft. The PT autograft is the best choice for individuals undergoing ACL reconstruction on the basis of lower re-tear rates and greater joint stability.

This thesis discusses the experiences of starting and building a support group for teenagers who have a loved one with Parkinson's Disease. One of the goals of this thesis was to share our experiences with the staff at the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center, and the teenagers who will be taking over this group in the future. We discuss why we wanted to start the group, how it's foundation was built, and the challenges we faced and overcame. This is done by highlighting three significant group meetings, and various implications. Transportation, funding, and other issues are discussed.

The transition from high school to college is, for many, a drastic change in lifestyle, social networks, and dietary choices. The prevalence of obesity in college students has been steadily increasing. Freshmen weight gains have been associated with a decrease in fruits and vegetables and an increase in unhealthy items such as desserts, alcohol, and late night snacking after dinner. A survey of college students was constructed to gauge students' perceptions of nutrition how these perceptions influenced dietary practices and behaviors. Survey results indicated that awareness of nutrition and health does not translate to dietary practices, aligning with results from previous studies. Several sex differences were noted in regards to dietary choices and perceptions, knowledge seeking behavior, and sources of information. While there were some similarities, it is clear from the results obtained that men and women have different approaches and thoughts with regard to nutrition. The results showed that college students who actively seek our nutritional information are more likely to do so in the form of social media or Internet sources. This study could be useful for those planning on conducting college-based nutritional programs in that the results indicate patterns and trends that should be taken into consideration in order for a successful nutrition intervention