Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Development Of A Mammographic Image Processing Environment Using Matlab, John L. Kelley

Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is a disease that accounts for a disturbingly large number of deaths in females each year. Its prevalence is a topic of concern to all of us since it can affect our families, friends, and coworkers. Although mammographic screening is the most effective method currently available for the early detection of breast cancer, it is far from being an infallible procedure. Mammographic reading is error prone, partly because of the complexity of the task and partly because of the variability in human performance. Computers offer high reproducibility, and when used as an adjunct by the radiologist, may improve …

A Comparative Pharmacokinetic Study Of The Role Of Gender And Developmental Differences In Occupational And Environmental Exposure To Benzene, Elizabeth A. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is two-fold. First, it shows that physiological differences between men and women result in gender-specific exposures with respect to benzene. Second, it assesses the potential for a lactating woman's occupational and personal benzene exposure to impact a nursing infant's exposure, highlighting the possibility of subjecting an infant to the effects of industrial chemicals via breast feeding. This study employs physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to investigate the influence of physiological parameters and to evaluate the ability of inhaled benzene to transfer from mother to infant through breastmilk. The models are run through scenarios that simulate …

A Retrospective Quantitative Assessment Of Trichloroethylene Exposure Of Workers At Aircraft Maintenance Facilities At Hill Air Force Base Through The Use Of Modeling, Anthony O. Copeland

Theses and Dissertations

Monte Carlo simulation and source-receptor modeling are used to estimate the TCE exposures encountered by select workers at aircraft maintenance facilities at Hill Air Force Base between 1955 and 1979. An epidemiological study of this group, a retrospective cohort study of 14,457 workers who were employed at the base for a minimum of one year between 1952 and 1956, was headed by Dr. R. Spirtas of the National Cancer Institute to evaluate mortality associated with occupational exposure. One of the major conclusions of the study was that TCE 'probably does not pose a strong carcinogenic risk for man.' In the …

Monitoring Neuromuscular Blockade At The Adductor Pollicis And Orbicularis Oculi With Split Dosing Of Mivacurium Chloride, Stephen F. Palmerton

Theses and Dissertations

Twenty ASA class I and II patients between the ages of 15 and 64 years undergoing surgical procedures requiring neuromuscular blockade and general anesthesia were selected at random to participate in this study. Patients taking medication known to interfere with neuromuscular blockade were excluded. All patients were given 2 mg of midazolam IV as a premedication. In the operating room, routine monitors were connected and baseline blood pressure, pulse and respirations were recorded with subsequent recordings at 5 and 10 minutes following induction of anesthesia.

Indirect stimulation of the ulnar nerve was achieved by placing ECG electrodes 2 cm and …

Modulation Of The Humoral Immune Response By The Sympathetic Nervous System, Tracey Lynn Spriggs

Theses and Dissertations

The immune system is critical for the maintenance of homeostasis. Due to the fact that a coordinated effort between organ systems is required for internal stability, it has been postulated that the immune system interacts with the neuroendocrine system. Clinical, anatomical, and receptor studies have provided evidence for a bi-directional communication between the nervous and immune systems. The goal of the present studies was to determine the potential influence of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) on the primary antibody forming cell (AFC) response.

The adrenergic neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), has been utilized extensively by researchers to explore the possible relationship between …

Review Of The P53 Tumor Suppressor Gene And Its Role In Gliomas, James Dearing Christian

Theses and Dissertations

The following review of the p53 tumor suppressor gene will be discussed with particular attention to its role in human gliomas, as well as the various advances that have brought this molecule to the forefront of cancer research. A review of tumorigenesis focuses on the molecular mechanisms that convey neoplastic characteristics upon a normal cell. It is discussed how the coordinate advances in chromosome analysis and molecular techniques enabled the p53 gene to be categorized as a "tumor suppressor gene" and applied to various forms of cancer, including colorectal and lung carcinoma. The focus of the review will be on …

Radiosurgery For Malignant Brain Tumors, Michael Jino Yun

Theses and Dissertations

Radiosurgery using the Linear Accelerator or the Gamma Knife has proven to be an effective treatment modality for malignant brain tumors. In comparison to other treatments, radiosurgery can be performed on an outpatient basis and is noninvasive (Table 5). Due to the functional properties of radiosurgical devices, they are ideal for patients who are unable to undergo surgical removal of their brain tumors. The sharp dose drop—off beyond the tumor margin allows for high dosage tumor irradiation while sparing normal brain tissue. Many procedures that involve radiosurgery use it as a ”boost” therapy in conjunction with surgical resection and whole …

A Causal Model Of Hospital Volume, Structure And Process Indicators, And Surgical Outcomes, Myra Boles

Theses and Dissertations

This research developed and tested a conceptual model to explain why higher volumes of certain surgical procedures lead to better patient outcomes. The model incorporated hospital structural characteristics and process of care indicators to explain the volume-outcome relationship. The volume-outcome relationship was further examined longitudinally to determine stability over time and to substantiate the causality implied by the conceptual model.

A sample (n=1752) of acute-care, general hospitals was selected from hospitals that performed, in 1990, at least one surgical procedure on Medicare patients of the following: reduction of hip fracture, cholecystectomy, hip replacement, carotid endarterectomy, and pacemaker insertion. For the …