Thesis (MPH)--University of Limpopo (Medunsa Campus), 2011 / Background and aim: Smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SNPTB) has become an increasingly important clinical and public health problem, especially in areas that are affected by the dual infection of TB and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (Mello et al, 2006; WHO, 2006; Harries et al, 1998). There are recommended guidelines for diagnosing SNPTB to reduce misdiagnosis in sub-Saharan Africa, but there is little information on whether these guidelines are followed correctly (Harries et al, 1998). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical diagnosis of SNPTB in HIV-positive patients at Athlone Hospital in Botswana. Methods: This was a quantitative, descriptive study which used two sources of data and data collection methods: a 4 year retrospective records review and questionnaires for clinicians. All clinicians responsible for treating HIV-positive patients (n=8) were asked to complete a questionnaire on self-reported (1) compliance with the guidelines (2) use of other methods to diagnose SNPTB and (3) reasons for not complying with the guidelines. All records on SNPTB in HIV-positive patients from 2006 to 2009 (n=281) were reviewed to establish the compliance and use of other methods to exclude other respiratory infections. Results: The response rate for clinicians was 87.5% (7/8). All clinicians (100% [7/7]) reported (a) always complying with using chest x-rays (CXRs), but (b) only sometimes complying with using 3 sputum results. Most clinicians (a) considered the duration of cough before making a diagnosis of SNPTB (57.1% [4/7]), and (b) placed patients on a trial of broad spectrum antibiotics before starting PTB treatment (85.7% [6/7]). The main reasons for non-compliance were: the inability of patients to submit sputum (100% [7/7]), delays in the laboratory (71.43% [5/7]), and lack of feedback from Botswana National Tuberculosis Program (BNTP) (57.14% [4/7]). Only 2.1% (6/281) of the records showed that other methods were used to rule out other respiratory infections, and overall compliance with the recommended guidelines was only 13.5% (40/281). Conclusion: The compliance with the recommended guidelines in making a diagnosis of SNPTB was very poor in this study. The unavailability of user-friendly and fast diagnostic methods resulted in many cases being treated for SNPTB with inadequate investigations.

Normal lung mechanics maximize gas exchange across the alveolar-capillary membrane. However, pulmonary diseases such as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) disrupt this function by allowing edematous fluid from the vasculature to enter and occlude airways and alveoli. ARDS causes about 59,000 deaths per year in the United States with a mortality rate between 36.2 â"u20ac"u201c 44.3%. To improve gas exchange, patients are often treated with mechanical ventilation, which can cause atelectrauma during the recruitment and derecruitment of occluded airways and alveoli. Previous in vitro experiments have modeled the interfacial flow of airway recruitment by introducing a single finger of air into epithelial-lined parallel plate chambers and tubes. The objective of the current study is to longitudinally track the cellular injury and detachment associated with interfacial stresses that arise from 20 cycles of recruitment and derecruitment. We found that cellular injury trends asymptotically from 4.1% after one cycle to 11.2% after 20 cycles. In addition, we found that cellular detachment trends linearly from 0.0 to 6.4% over 20 cycles. The asymptotic behavior of cell damage agrees with conclusions of prior investigations and implies the existence of a â"u20ac˜critical numberâ"u20ac™ of bubble passes, above which no additional damage occurs. This cyclic recruitment and derecruitment model provides a platform for investigating the cellular biomechanics leading to epithelial injury during mechanical ventilation of patients with ARDS. / Thomas A Itin

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 218-249) The preferred theory to explain the aetiology of emphysema points to an imbalance in the protease-antiprotease systems within the lung with human leukocyte elastase and [alpha]1-protease inhibiter being the main candidates. Examines some aspects of this theory.

224 leaves : / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (M.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Medicine, 1973

"April 2002" / Bibliography: leaves 154-193. / ix, 198 leaves : ill. (some col.), plates (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Environmental Biology, 2002

No description available.

Thesis ( M.S. ) -- University of Texas at Arlington, 2008.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 20043. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiv, 115 p.; also includes graphics. Includes abstract and vita. Advisor: Clay B. Marsh, Dept.of Pathology. Includes bibliographical references (p. 102-115).

Thesis--Ph. D., University of Hong Kong. / Typewritten.

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing