Introduction: Currently, there are no objective techniques to assess burn depth. An early assessment of burn depth would enable accurate management decisions, which would improve patient outcomes. Near infrared (NIR) technology has shown promise as a non-invasive monitor of oxygenation and perfusion, and its potential to assess the depth of burn injuries has been investigated clinically over the past five years. The purpose of the thesis was to determine the capacity of NIR technology to differentiate acute thermal injuries. Methods: Burn sites (n=5) and control sites (n=5) were created on the dorsum of sixteen animals with brass rods held at constant pressure and heated to 100°C and 37.5°C respectively. NIR data was collected from the burns and control sites pre-burn, immediately post-burn, and 1, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 96 hours after the burn injury. Biopsies of the burn and control sites were acquired at each time point and used to confirm the depth of injury. NIR data was processed for the content of water, oxy-, deoxy- and methemoglobin. Results: Oxyhemoglobin and total hemoglobin decreased as burn depth increased. The proportion of oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin to total hemoglobin showed that the ratio of oxy- to deoxyhemoglobin decreased as burn injury increased. Methemoglobin levels as a ratio of total hemoglobin also showed that as the severity of injury increased the proportion of methemoglobin also increased. Finally, superficial partial thickness injuries (3 s and 12 s) showed early peak levels of water, which rapidly declined towards baseline. The deep partial thickness injuries (20 s and 30 s) do not experience peak levels and retain water over the course of the experiment. The full thickness injuries water levels remain close or below baseline levels throughout the experiment. Conclusion: NIR spectroscopy could distinguish burn depth using water, oxy-, met- and total hemoglobin as separate entities. The presence of methemoglobin in the burn wounds is a novel finding that has not been described previously in burn literature.

Ertrinken ist bei Kindern nach Autounfällen die zweithäufigste nicht-natürliche Todesursache. Die Zahl der Fälle von Beinahe-Ertrinken wird auf etwa das Vierfache geschätzt. Im Rahmen dieser Promotionsarbeit wurden, an der Universitätsklinik für Kinder und Jugendliche Leipzig behandelte, Ertrinkungsunfälle mittels selbstgestalteten Fragebogen retrospektiv analysiert. Hiermit sollten mögliche Gemeinsamkeiten gefunden werden, um eventuelle Prädiktoren für Behandlung und Outcome zu definieren. Die Hälfte der Kinder verunglückte an künstlich angelegten Gewässern wie Pools und Gartenteichen. Die mediane Submersionszeit betrug 2 Minuten. Eine Submersionszeit von unter 1 Minute korrelierte mit einem guten und von über 10 Minuten mit einem schlechten Outcome. Eine Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) von 3 (n=15) sowie lichtstarre Pupillen (n=14) waren mit einem letalen Ausgang oder dem Zurückbleiben neurologischer Defizite assoziiert. Eine negative Prognose ergab sich bei schwer azidotischen pH-Werten mit einem niedrigen Base Excess, hohen Glukose- sowie Laktatwerten. 6 Patienten verstarben innerhalb der ersten 24 Stunden, 6 weitere im stationären Verlauf. 5 Kinder behielten neurologische Folgeschäden zurück, 27 konnten gesund entlassen werden. Unsere Ergebnisse konnten andere Studien zum Thema Ertrinkungsunfälle bestätigen, und ergaben das höchste Risiko für Jungen im Alter zwischen 1 und 3 Jahren, die alleine im Garten spielen. Die Prognose ist von den jeweiligen Unfallumständen abhängig, Submersionszeit und initiale Reanimationspflichtigkeit haben jedoch einen besonderen Einfluss. Die Erstversorgung am Unfallort ist ausschlaggebend für den Ausgang der Fälle. Schulungen von Eltern und Betreuern zu Prävention und Erster Hilfe bei Ertrinkungsunfällen könnten dazu beitragen Unfälle zu verhindern.

Doctor of Philosophy / Umman-manda (literally “Troops of Manda”) is an Akkadian compound expression used to denote military entities and/or foreign peoples in a diverse number of texts pertaining to separate periods of ancient Near Eastern history. The dissertation initially discusses the various difficulties in ascertaining the etymology of the second component of the term Umman-manda. A very plausible etymology is proposed based on new research on the semantic range of the Sumerian word mandum. The thesis then focuses mainly on the references made to the Umman-manda in the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian sources, where it is used to denote the Cimmerians and Medes respectively. The starting point is that these references are making literary allusions to the Standard Babylonian version of the Cuthaean Legend. New information gained from these literary allusions provides insight into the significance of the term Umman-manda in the first millennium B.C.: it recalls the various attributes of the Umman-manda depicted in the Cuthaean Legend and applies these attributes to contemporary political events. The Cuthaean Legend envisions a powerful enemy that emerges unexpectedly from the distant mountains and establishes hegemony after a sudden burst of military power. This enemy will eventually be destroyed without the intervention of the Mesopotamian king. The thesis studies how the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian sources allude to the Cuthaean Legend and in this way they identify the Cimmerians and the Medes as the Umman-manda.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri--Rolla, 2007. / Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed March 24, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-106).

Thesis (M.Sc. (Hons.)) -- University of Western Sydney, 2001. / "A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Honours), University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury" Bibliography : leaves 60-66.

Thesis (Ph. D., Chemistry)--University of Idaho, December 2006. / Major professor: Peter R. Griffiths. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by subscription or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Duke University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S. in Combat Systems Science and Technology)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2008. / Thesis Advisor(s): Haegel, Nancy M. ; Luscombe, James. "December 2008." Description based on title screen as viewed on January 29, 2009. Sponsoring/Monitoring Agency Report Number: "DMR-0526330." Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-61). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 58-62). Also available on the World Wide Web.