Improving the Accuracy of 3-D Reconstruction in Robotic Vision Applications

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Is "football for all" safe for all? : Cross-Sectional Study of Disparities as Determinants of 1-Year Injury Prevalence in Youth Football Programs

Football (soccer) is endorsed as a health-promoting physical activity worldwide. When football programs are introduced as part of general health promotion programs, equal access and limitation of pre-participation disparities with regard to injury risk are important. The aim of this study was to explore if disparity with regard to parents' educational level, player body mass index (BMI), and self-reported health are determinants of football injury in community-based football programs, separately or in interaction with age or gender. Methodology/Principal Findings Four community football clubs with 1230 youth players agreed to participate in the cross-sectional study during the 2006 season. The study constructs (parents' educational level, player BMI, and self-reported health) were operationalized into questionnaire items. The 1-year prevalence of football injury was defined as the primary outcome measure. Data were collected via a postal survey and analyzed using a series of hierarchical statistical computations investigating associations with the primary outcome measure and interactions between the study variables. The survey was returned by 827 (67.2%) youth players. The 1-year injury prevalence increased with age. For youths with parents with higher formal education, boys reported more injuries and girls reported fewer injuries than expected; for youths with lower educated parents there was a tendency towards the opposite pattern. Youths reporting injuries had higher standardized BMI compared with youths not reporting injuries. Children not reporting full health were slightly overrepresented among those reporting injuries and underrepresented for those reporting no injury. Conclusion Pre-participation disparities in terms of parents' educational level, through interaction with gender, BMI, and self-reported general health are associated with increased injury risk in community-based youth football. When introduced as a general health promotion, football associations should adjust community-based youth programs to accommodate children and adolescents with increased pre-participation injury risk.

Disruption of amylase genes by RNA interference affects reproduction in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

Feeding strategies and digestive capacities can have important implications for variation in energetic pathways associated with ecological and economically important traits, such as growth or reproduction in bivalve species. Here, we investigated the role of amylase in the digestive processes of Crassostrea gigas, using in vivo RNA interference. This approach also allowed us to investigate the relationship between energy intake by feeding and gametogenesis in oysters. Double-stranded (ds)RNA designed to target the two α-amylase genes A and B was injected in vivo into the visceral mass of oysters at two doses. These treatments caused significant reductions in mean mRNA levels of the amylase genes: −50.7% and −59% mRNA A, and −71.9% and −70.6% mRNA B in 15 and 75 µg dsRNA-injected oysters, respectively, relative to controls. Interestingly, reproductive knock-down phenotypes were observed for both sexes at 48 days post-injection, with a significant reduction of the gonad area (−22.5% relative to controls) and germ cell under-proliferation revealed by histology. In response to the higher dose of dsRNA, we also observed reductions in amylase activity (−53%) and absorption efficiency (−5%). Based on these data, dynamic energy budget modeling showed that the limitation of energy intake by feeding that was induced by injection of amylase dsRNA was insufficient to affect gonadic development at the level observed in the present study. This finding suggests that other driving mechanisms, such as endogenous hormonal modulation, might significantly change energy allocation to reproduction, and increase the maintenance rate in oysters in response to dsRNA injection.

mHealth in Urology: A Review of Experts' Involvement in App Development

Smartphones are increasingly playing a role in healthcare and previous studies assessing medical applications (apps) have raised concerns about lack of expert involvement and low content accuracy. However, there are no such studies in Urology. We reviewed Urology apps with the aim of assessing the level of participation of healthcare professionals (HCP) and scientific Urology associations in their development.

More Than Just a Case of Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Malignant neoplasms are associated with a wide range of paraneoplastic rheumatological syndromes. These can be defined as remote effects of cancer, which are not caused by the tumor and its metastasis. The authors describe the case of an 82-year-old man, who presented with a one-month history of pain, stiffness, and functional limitation of the scapular and pelvic girdles. Blood tests showed raised levels of inflammatory markers. He was diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rheumatica, but the lack of response to corticosteroids led to the suspicion of an alternative diagnosis, like, for example, an occult neoplasm. Although patient evaluation was initially normal, five months later he developed macroscopic haematuria and was diagnosed with bladder and prostate carcinomas. After surgical treatment, the patient fully recovered from his rheumatological syndrome.

INVESTIGATION OF MAGNESIUM ION CHARGE STORAGE MECHANISM IN MANGANESE DIOXIDE

Magnesium (Mg) battery is considered as a promising candidate for the next generation battery technology that could potentially replace the current lithium (Li)-ion batteries due to the following factors. Magnesium possesses a higher volumetric capacity than commercialized Li-ion battery anode materials. Additionally, the low cost and high abundance of Mg compared to Li makes Mg batteries even more attractive. Moreover, unlike metallic Li anodes which have a tendency to develop a dendritic structure on the surface upon the cycling of the battery, Mg metal is known to be free from such a hazardous phenomenon. Due to these merits of Mg as an anode, the topic of rechargea¬ble Mg batteries has attracted considerable attention among researchers in the last few decades. However, the aforementioned advantages of Mg batteries have not been fully utilized due to the serious kinetic limitation of Mg2+ diffusion process in many hosting compounds which is believed to be due to a strong electrostatic interaction between divalent Mg2+ ions and hosting matrix. This serious kinetic hindrance is directly related to the lack of cathode materials for Mg battery that provide comparable electrochemical performances to that of Li-based system. Manganese oxide (MnO2) is one of the most well studied electrode materials due to its excellent electrochemical properties, including high Li+ ion capacity and relatively high operating voltage (i.e., ~ 4 V vs. Li/Li+ for LiMn2O4 and ~ 3.2 V vs. Mg/Mg2+). However, unlike the good electrochemical properties of MnO2 realized in Li-based systems, rather poor electrochemical performances have been reported in Mg based systems, particularly with low capacity and poor cycling performances. While the origin of the observed poor performances is believed to be due to the aforementioned strong ionic interaction between the Mg2+ ions and MnO2 lattice resulting in a limited diffusion of Mg2+ ions in MnO2, very little has been explored regarding the charge storage mechanism of MnO2 with divalent Mg2+ ions. This dissertation investigates the charge storage mechanism of MnO2, focusing on the insertion behaviors of divalent Mg2+ ions and exploring the origins of the limited Mg2+ insertion behavior in MnO2. It is found that the limited Mg2+ capacity in MnO2 can be significantly improved by introducing water molecules in the Mg electrolyte system, where the water molecules effectively mitigated the kinetic hindrance of Mg2+ insertion process. The combination of nanostructured MnO2 electrode and water effect provides a synergic effect demonstrating further enhanced Mg2+ insertion capability. Furthermore, it is demonstrated in this study that pre-cycling MnO2 electrodes in water-containing electrolyte activates MnO2 electrode, after which improved Mg2+ capacity is maintained in dry Mg electrolyte. Based on a series of XPS analysis, a conversion mechanism is proposed where magnesiated MnO2 undergoes a conversion reaction to Mg(OH)2 and MnOx and Mn(OH)y species in the presence of water molecules. This conversion process is believed to be the driving force that generates the improved Mg2+ capacity in MnO2 along with the water molecule’s charge screening effect. Finally, it is discussed that upon a consecutive cycling of MnO2 in the water-containing Mg electrolyte, structural water is generated within the MnO2 lattice, which is thought to be the origin of the observed activation phenomenon. The results provided in this dissertation highlight that the divalency of Mg2+ ions result in very different electrochemical behaviors than those of the well-studied monovalent Li+ ions towards MnO2.

Different Aspects of General Anesthesia in Pediatric Dentistry: A Review

Context:Most child population is able to undergo dental treatment in the conventional setting. However, some children fail to cope with in-office conscious state and cannot respond to usual management modalities. This review aims to discuss the topic further. Evidence Acquisition: A computerized search in databases PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar and Google were performed using dental general anesthesia related keywords. Original and review English-written articles that were limited to child population were retrieved without any limitation of publication date. The suitable papers were selected and carefully studied. A data form designed by author was used to write relevant findings. Results: Preoperative oral examination and comprehensive evaluation of treatment needs is only possible after clinical and radiographic oral examination. Effective collaboration in dental GA team should be made to minimize psychological trauma of children who undergo dental GA. Before conducting comprehensive dental treatment under GA, the general health of the child and the success rate of procedures provided needs to be accurately evaluated. It is noteworthy that determination of the optimal timing for GA dental operation is of great importance. Providing safety with pediatric dental rehabilitation under GA is critical. Conclusions: Besides criteria for case selection of dental GA, some degree of dental practitioner’s judgment is required to make decision. Pre- and post-operative instructions to parents or caregiver decrease the risk of complications. However, trained resuscitation providers, careful monitoring and advanced equipment minimize adverse outcomes.

EVALUATION OF NON-STATIONARITY IN ANNUAL MAXIMUM FLOOD SERIES OF MODERATELY IMPAIRED WATERSHEDS IN THE UPPER MIDWEST AND NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

United States federal agencies assess flood risk using Bulletin 17B procedures which assume annual maximum flood series are stationary. This represents a significant limitation of current flood frequency models as the flood distribution is thereby assumed to be unaffected by trends or periodicity of atmospheric/climatic variables and/or anthropogenic activities. The validity of this assumption is at the core of this thesis, which aims to improve understanding of the forms and potential causes of non-stationarity in flood series for moderately impaired watersheds in the Upper Midwest and Northeastern US. Prior studies investigated non-stationarity in flood series for unimpaired watersheds; however, as the majority of streams are located in areas of increasing human activity, relative and coupled impacts of natural and anthropogenic factors need to be considered such that non-stationary flood frequency models can be developed for flood risk forecasting over relevant planning horizons for large scale water resources planning and management.

Oral Administration of Lactobacillus reuteri during the First Year of Life Reduces Caries Prevalence in the Primary Dentition at 9 Years of Age

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect on oral health, at age 9 years, of daily oral supplementation with the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri, strain ATCC 55730, to mothers during the last month of gestation and to children through the first year of life. The study was a single-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial involving 113 children: 60 in the probiotic and 53 in the placebo group. The subjects underwent clinical and radiographic examination of the primary dentition and carious lesions, plaque and gingivitis were recorded. Saliva and plaque were sampled for determination of mutans streptococci (MS) and lactobacilli (LB) in saliva and plaque as well as salivary secretory IgA (SIgA). Forty-nine (82%) children in the probiotic group and 31 (58%) in the placebo group were caries-free (p < 0.01). The prevalence of approximal caries lesions was lower in the probiotic group (0.67 ± 1.61 vs. 1.53 ± 2.64; p < 0.05) and there were fewer sites with gingivitis compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to frequency of toothbrushing, plaque and dietary habits, but to intake of fluoride supplements (p < 0.05). There were no intergroup differences with respect to L. reuteri, MS, LB or SIgA in saliva. Within the limitation of this study it seems that daily supplementation with L. reuteri from birth and during the first year of life is associated with reduced caries prevalence and gingivitis score in the primary dentition at 9 years of age.

Applications of metrological techniques for clinical implementation of dosimetry and radiobiology in molecular radiotherapy

Molecular radiotherapy (MRT) is a fast developing and promising treatment for metastasised neuroendocrine tumours. Efficacy of MRT is based on the capability to selectively "deliver" radiation to tumour cells, minimizing administered dose to normal tissues. Outcome of MRT depends on the individual patient characteristics. For that reason, personalized treatment planning is important to improve outcomes of therapy. Dosimetry plays a key role in this setting, as it is the main physical quantity related to radiation effects on cells. Dosimetry in MRT consists in a complex series of procedures ranging from imaging quantification to dose calculation. This doctoral thesis focused on several aspects concerning the clinical implementation of absorbed dose calculations in MRT. Accuracy of SPECT/CT quantification was assessed in order to determine the optimal reconstruction parameters. A model of PVE correction was developed in order to improve the activity quantification in small volume, such us lesions in clinical patterns. Advanced dosimetric methods were compared with the aim of defining the most accurate modality, applicable in clinical routine. Also, for the first time on a large number of clinical cases, the overall uncertainty of tumour dose calculation was assessed. As part of the MRTDosimetry project, protocols for calibration of SPECT/CT systems and implementation of dosimetry were drawn up in order to provide standard guidelines to the clinics offering MRT. To estimate the risk of experiencing radio-toxicity side effects and the chance of inducing damage on neoplastic cells is crucial for patient selection and treatment planning. In this thesis, the NTCP and TCP models were derived based on clinical data as help to clinicians to decide the pharmaceutical dosage in relation to the therapy control and the limitation of damage to healthy tissues. Moreover, a model for tumour response prediction based on Machine Learning analysis was developed.

Models and Simulations of Diamond-like Carbon for large-area high voltage power diodes

Silicon-based discrete high-power devices need to be designed with optimal performance up to several thousand volts and amperes to reach power ratings ranging from few kWs to beyond the 1 GW mark. To this purpose, a key element is the improvement of the junction termination (JT) since it allows to drastically reduce surface electric field peaks which may lead to an earlier device failure. This thesis will be mostly focused on the negative bevel termination which from several years constitutes a standard processing step in bipolar production lines. A simple methodology to realize its counterpart, a planar JT with variation of the lateral doping concentration (VLD) will be also described. On the JT a thin layer of a semi insulating material is usually deposited, which acts as passivation layer reducing the interface defects and contributing to increase the device reliability. A thorough understanding of how the passivation layer properties affect the breakdown voltage and the leakage current of a fast-recovery diode is fundamental to preserve the ideal termination effect and provide a stable blocking capability. More recently, amorphous carbon, also called diamond-like carbon (DLC), has been used as a robust surface passivation material. By using a commercial TCAD tool, a detailed physical explanation of DLC electrostatic and transport properties has been provided. The proposed approach is able to predict the breakdown voltage and the leakage current of a negative beveled power diode passivated with DLC as confirmed by the successfully validation against the available experiments. In addition, the VLD JT proposed to overcome the limitation of the negative bevel architecture has been simulated showing a breakdown voltage very close to the ideal one with a much smaller area consumption. Finally, the effect of a low junction depth on the formation of current filaments has been analyzed by performing reverse-recovery simulations.

Educação fisica no ensino fundamental : uma experiencia com base na educação fisica plural

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Orbital abscess after facial trauma

This paper reports a rare case of acute severe orbital abscess manifested 2 days after a facial trauma without bone fracture in a 20-year-old Afro-American female. The symptoms worsened within the 24 h prior to hospital admission resulting in visual disturbances such as diplopia and photophobia. The clinical findings at the first consultation included fever, periorbital swelling and redness, ptosis, proptosis and limitation of ocular movements upwards, downwards, to the right and to the left. Computed tomography scan showed proptosis with considerable soft tissue swelling on the left side and no fracture was evidenced in the facial skeleton, including the zygomatic-orbital complex. After hospital admission and antibiotic therapy intravenously the patient was conducted to the operation room and submitted to incision and drainage under general anesthesia. The orbit was approached thorough both eyelids and the maxillary sinus was reached only through the Caldwell-Luc approach. The postoperative period was uneventful and the rapid improvement of symptoms was remarkable. Visual acuity and ocular motility returned to the normal ranges within 2 days after the surgical intervention. After 12 postoperative days, the patient presented with significative improvement in the ptosis and proptosis, and acceptable scars.

Educação ambiental, sustentabilidade e ciência: o papel da mídia na difusão de conhecimentos científicos

São problemas de ordem ambiental: aquecimento global, mudanças climáticas, escassez de recursos naturais, resíduo. Em resposta, têm sido gerados novos saberes no campo da ciência, tecnologia e educação chamada ambiental de modo a se proporem alternativas para que o homem possa relacionar-se com o ambiente de maneira sustentável, e a mídia tem contribuído sobremaneira na veiculação desses conhecimentos. Na imprensa escrita, revistas e jornais têm criado seções, suplementos, cadernos tematizando educação e meio ambiente. Produzida pela revista Carta Capital, desde 2006, a revista Carta na Escola busca difundir "atualidades em sala de aula", e de setembro de 2007 a agosto de 2008 publicou a série "Sustentabilidade na Escola", com dez artigos relacionando sustentabilidade, ciência e educação. A partir do referencial teórico-metodológico da análise dialógica do discurso, este artigo analisa o discurso da sustentabilidade baseado na difusão de conhecimentos científicos, proposto nessa série, e sua limitação enquanto estratégia de educação ambiental.

Distúrbios psíquicos menores e condições de trabalho em motoristas de caminhão

OBJETIVO: Estimar a prevalência de distúrbios psíquicos menores e identificar estressores associados entre motoristas de caminhão. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal conduzido com 460 motoristas de caminhão de uma transportadora de cargas das regiões Sul e Sudeste do Brasil, em 2007. Os trabalhadores preencheram questionário com dados sociodemográficos, estilos de vida e condições de trabalho. As variáveis independentes foram condições de trabalho, incluindo estressores ocupacionais, satisfação e demanda-controle no trabalho. O desfecho avaliado foi a ocorrência de distúrbios psíquicos menores. Foram realizadas análises de regressão logística univariada e múltipla. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de distúrbios psíquicos menores foi de 6,1 por cento. Os estressores mais citados foram congestionamentos, controle de rastreamento e jornada extensa de trabalho. A alta demanda no trabalho, o baixo apoio social e a jornada extensa diária referidos pelos motoristas estiveram associados aos distúrbios psíquicos menores. CONCLUSÕES: O trabalho em jornadas extensas foi associado à ocorrência de distúrbios psíquicos menores, tanto na análise das condições gerais de trabalho quanto como fator referido como estressor pelos motoristas. A regulamentação da jornada de trabalho com limitação de horas de trabalho diário é, portanto, uma medida necessária para a redução da chance de desenvolvimento de distúrbios psíquicos menores em motoristas