Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Excisional Wound Healing And The Role Of Homeobox Genes, David Allen Lanning

Theses and Dissertations

The biochemical and physiologic mechanisms responsible for excisional wound contraction have been extensively studied but are not completely understood. Furthermore, the genes that regulate these processes are unknown. As a result, there are limited treatment options available for patients with diseases or conditions characterized by abnormal tissue contraction. In an attempt to improve our understanding of these mechanisms and identify some of the putative regulatory genes, we studied excisional wound healing in the mid-gestational fetal rabbit. These wounds normally do not contract nor are they associated with inflammation, fibrosis, or scar formation. However, we have been able to induce contraction, …

The Determinants Of Post-Discharge Healthcare Utilization And Outcomes For Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Social Ecological Perspective, Shyuemeng Luu

Theses and Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has a persistent nature: PTSD troubles patients

even decades after the occurrence of traumatic events. The “health behavioral model” is

adopted to examine the effects of external environmental, predisposing, enabling, and

need for care factors on the use of VA post-discharge ambulatory care and readmissions.

Data were obtained from the Patient Treatment File (PTF) and the Outpatient Care File

(OPT), the Area Resource File (ARF), American Hospital Association data sets (AHA), and the Uniform Crime Report (UCR).

The use of VA post-discharge ambulatory care is analyzed by using structural equation modeling (SEM). The readmission to VAMCs …

Outcomes Of Pregnancy In Women With Cystic Fibrosis, Bethany Jean Geldmaker

Theses and Dissertations

Medical advances in disease management has improved quality of life for women with cystic fibrosis (CF) and now enables them to consider pregnancy. The purpose of the study was to examine women's perceptions of how the demands of having CF influenced their ability to care for their children and continue to meet their own health needs. The study design was grounded theory methodology with a complementarity research technique to incorporate qualitative and quantitative data collection. Participants were 12 women recruited over the Internet and through an adult CF newsletter who completed questionnaires for demands of illness (DOlI) and self care …

Study Of P53 Gain Of Function Mutations In P53-Null Astrocytes, Sang H. Choi

Theses and Dissertations

A number of recent studies suggest that expression of mutant p53 with mutations in certain codons show a gain of function and some of the characteristics of an oncoprotein. In order to study gain of function mutation and eliminate the potential of a dominant negative interaction with endogenous wild type p53 protein, p53 knockout mouse astrocytes were used. A retrovirus system was used to introduce mutant p53 genes into these p53-null astrocytes. Immunohistochemical staining and western blot experiments showed the expression of mutant p53 protein in these cells after infection with the mutant p53 retroviruses. Cell growth experiment did not …

Kinetics And Mechanisms Of Macromolecular Disposition In The Rat Lung, Masahiro Sakagami

Theses and Dissertations

The kinetics and mechanisms of macromclecular absorption from the airways of the rat lung were studied in vivo and in vitro, following identical solute administration methods. The isolated perfused rat lung (IPRL) was used as an in vitro model, and the disposition of 7.4 and 4.3 kDa fluorophore-labeled polyhydroxyethylaspartamide (F-PHEA) and other small and macromolecular reference solutes was investigated across doses and in the presence of a variety of biochemical inhibitors.

Absorption profiles of F-PHEA, and the solute's lung distribution at different times after administration, were statistically identical in vivo and in vitro, showing that the IPRL possessed a viable …