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Thesis--Auburn University, 2004. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-109).

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-171) Also available in print.

Dissertation (Ph.D.).--University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at San Antonio, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--George Mason University, 2008. / Vita: p. 83. Thesis director: Juan R. Cebral. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Computational Sciences and Informatics. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Aug. 27, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 78-82). Also issued in print.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--George Mason University, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Oct. 14, 2008). Thesis director: Juan R. Cebral. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Computational Sciences and Informatics. Vita: p. 98. Includes bibliographical references (p. 90-97). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--School of Computing and Engineering and Dept. of Chemistry. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2006. / "A dissertation in engineering and chemistry." Advisor: Bryan R. Becker. Typescript. Vita. Description based on contents viewed Jan. 26, 2007; title from "catalog record" of the print edition. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-130). Online version of the print edition.

The incorporation of drugs into phosphorylcholine (PC) polymers coated onto coronary stent surfaces is one potential method of treatment for reducing restenosis, the reclosure of the artery after angioplasty treatment. This work on the characterisation of the swelling performance of thin PC polymer films represents a further extension of the study on biocompatible polymers. The broad aim of this work is to relate the PC polymer structure and film processing conditions to their swelling, drug loading and release kinetics. As the two highly sensitive and powerful techniques in film structure determination, both ellipsometry and neutron reflection have proved to be useful in characterising PC polymer films and drug release processes. Following an established ellipsometry measurement method, a two stage process consisting of diffusion and relaxation has been observed during the PC film swelling: this suggests an anomalous mechanism, and this performance is well described by the coupled diffusion and relaxation model developed by Berens and Hopfenberg. Furthermore, the swelling of PC polymer films was investigated as a function of cross-linking, annealing temperature, chemical composition, hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratios, film thickness and environmental conditions by ellipsometry measurements, and their effects on swelling kinetics well quantified. The structures of the PC polymer films (PC100B) with cross-linking groups have been further characterised by neutron reflection. The segregation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains was found in the PC films with different dimensions. The PC100B with deuterated dodecyl chains was used to highlight the interfacial structures of the PC films. The hydrophilic segments, including phosphorylcholine groups and hydroxypropyl groups, are preferentially adsorbed at the polymer/substrate interface. The hydrophobic dodecyl chains are expelled away from the silicon oxide surface. The main part of PC100B films is the middle uniform region with 40% of water in the sample annealed at 150°C, and 55% of water in the sample annealed at 50°C. The combination of the ellipsometry results and the drug release profiles from UV measurements indicates that the drug release pattern is strongly affected by the film swelling kinetics when the drug molecules and polymer matrix interact weakly. Otherwise, a strong interaction between the drug and the polymer will dominate the drug release behaviour from the PC polymer films.

Objectives. We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Drug eluting stents (DES) in patients with significant CKD in a real world registry Background. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who undergo percutaneous coronary angioplasty have higher rates of target lesion revascularization (TLR) and mortality. DES are associated with a lower rate of restenosis compared to bare metal stents (BMS), although in patients with CKD data on DES efficacy and safety is limited. Methods. A total of 504 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with DES in two centers were included in this study. Outcomes were stratified on the basis of the presence of CKD, defined as a baseline glomerular filtration rate <60ml/min/1.73m². Results. The mean follow-up was 22.7 months. CKD was present in 165 patients (32.7%). Patients with CKD were older, had more hypertension and diabetes. CKD patients presented increased incidence of death (12.3% vs. 2.4%, p<0.001) and myocardial infarction (MI) (7.4% vs. 3.3%, p=0.04) compared to patients without CKD. TLR rates were similar between groups (4.8% vs. 5.6%, p=0.7, CKD and no CKD patients, respectively). Independent predictors of death were CKD (HR 6.93; 2.4 – 19.5, p<0.001), current smoking (HR 3.66; 1.20 – 11.10, p=0.02) and diabetes (HR 2.66; 1.03 – 6.60, p=0.045). Conclusion. In this real-world registry, coronary intervention with DES in patients with CKD was associated with similar TLR compared to patients without CKD, demonstrating the efficacy of DES in preventing in-stent restenosis in this patient population. CKD was related to significantly increased MI and mortality rates.

Objectives. We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Drug eluting stents (DES) in patients with significant CKD in a real world registry Background. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who undergo percutaneous coronary angioplasty have higher rates of target lesion revascularization (TLR) and mortality. DES are associated with a lower rate of restenosis compared to bare metal stents (BMS), although in patients with CKD data on DES efficacy and safety is limited. Methods. A total of 504 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with DES in two centers were included in this study. Outcomes were stratified on the basis of the presence of CKD, defined as a baseline glomerular filtration rate <60ml/min/1.73m². Results. The mean follow-up was 22.7 months. CKD was present in 165 patients (32.7%). Patients with CKD were older, had more hypertension and diabetes. CKD patients presented increased incidence of death (12.3% vs. 2.4%, p<0.001) and myocardial infarction (MI) (7.4% vs. 3.3%, p=0.04) compared to patients without CKD. TLR rates were similar between groups (4.8% vs. 5.6%, p=0.7, CKD and no CKD patients, respectively). Independent predictors of death were CKD (HR 6.93; 2.4 – 19.5, p<0.001), current smoking (HR 3.66; 1.20 – 11.10, p=0.02) and diabetes (HR 2.66; 1.03 – 6.60, p=0.045). Conclusion. In this real-world registry, coronary intervention with DES in patients with CKD was associated with similar TLR compared to patients without CKD, demonstrating the efficacy of DES in preventing in-stent restenosis in this patient population. CKD was related to significantly increased MI and mortality rates.