No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

This work starts from the premise that, given the current considerable growth in medical imaging, there is a need to develop a method that allows the information thus gathered to be used to its optimum - not only as a separate data set but also within the context of other related data. From this has grown the concept of a visualization tool which aids the visual comprehension of data present in an image by using information both internal and external to it. As a result, key medical features should be identified, labelled and presented in a clear and meaningful manner. The development of the visualization tool has been achieved through the use of blackboard-based expert system. As well as providing a method for integrating the different models used, the blackboard shell has enabled all aspects of the visualization process to be centrally supervised using a powerful and flexible control mechanism that permits both goal directed and data driven behaviour within the system. The modular approach that has been applied permits the model-based processes of feature recognition to be developed as quasi-independent systems. Two feature recognition models have been developed and these are interfaced to the rest of the tool through a set of feature dependent experts that contain knowledge about how and when to use these models to their optimum. In addition, further modification to the prototype shell used has permitted the development and application of a feature sensitive search strategy. All components of the visualization tool have been tested separately and as a whole using real medical image data from a relatively low resolution source and have been proved to work. The regions and features information applied proved the viability of the overall-performance of the knowledge based feature models and allowed the results to be visually presented in a concise and original manner that provided additional information to an image without loss of the original information.

No description available.

El Perú es el principal productor de camélidos sudamericanos en el mundo, con más del 85% de alpacas, a pesar de ello, se conoce muy poco de la neuroanatomía de los camélidos sudamericanos, por consiguiente, es poco el conocimiento que se tiene acerca de los núcleos de los hemisferios cerebrales. El presente estudio se realizó utilizando 10 cabezas de alpacas adultas (5 machos y 5 hembras), provenientes del Camal Municipal de Nuñoa, provincia de Melgar, Puno, luego de la extracción, los cerebros fueron conservados en Formol al 10% por 1 semana, posteriormente, se realizaron cortes transversales en 7 de los cerebros y cortes longitudinales en 3 de los cerebros restantes, estos cortes se conservaron con Formol al 10% y posteriormente fueron procesados mediante la Técnica de Mulligan, se realizó la tinción con Cloruro férrico y Ferrocianuro de Potasio para la observación macroscópica de las estructuras anatómicas. Los resultados fueron descritos según la Nómina Anatómica Veterinaria (2012) y demostraron la presencia de los núcleos basales de los hemisferios cerebrales en los cortes transversales realizados. A nivel del lóbulo parietal y tercer ventrículo, se apreció la cabeza del núcleo caudado, el Globus pallidus y el putamen lateral, el siguiente corte realizado a nivel también del lóbulo parietal y tercer ventrículo, evidenció la presencia de la cápsula interna y externa; y, en la última porción del lóbulo parietal y tercer ventrículo, se apreció la cola del núcleo caudado. No se observaron las estructuras en los cortes longitudinales. Se comprobó la similar disposición anatómica de los núcleos basales de la alpaca con otras especies doméstica como el equino y bovino. Palabras claves: Alpaca, núcleos basales, anatomía / --- Perú is the main producer of camelids in the world, with over 85% of alpacas, nevertheless, very little of the neuroanatomy of South American camelids is known, therefore, there is little knowledge we have about nuclei of the cerebral hemispheres. The present study was conducted using 10 heads of adult alpacas (5 males and 5 females) from the Municipal Slaughterhouse Nuñoa province of Melgar, Puno, after extraction, the brains were preserved in 10% formalin for 1 week, subsequently transverse sections were performed in 7 of the brains and longitudinal sections in 3 of the remaining brains, these cuts were preserved with 10% formalin and were subsequently processed using the technique Mulligan, staining was performed with ferric chloride and ferrocyanide potassium for macroscopic observation of anatomical structures. The results were described as the anatomical Payroll Veterinary Science (2012) and showed the presence of the basal nuclei of the cerebral hemispheres in the transverse cuts made. At the level of the parietal lobe and the third ventricle, the head of the caudate nucleus was observed, and the Globus pallidus lateral putamen, the next cut made at the level of the parietal lobe and also third ventricle, showed the presence of internal and external capsule, and, the last portion of the parietal lobe and third ventricle, the tail of the caudate nucleus was observed. No structures in the longitudinal sections were observed. Similar anatomical arrangement of the basal nuclei of the alpaca with other domestic species such as horses and cattle was found. Keywords: Alpaca, basal ganglia, anatomy

Motor deficits are debilitating in that they affect everyday function in human beings (Zillmer & Spiers, 2001). Cerebral Palsy (CP) is one particular disorder that is primary characterised by motor deficits, more specifically gross motor function deficits. As a result, people with CP are restricted in their everyday function and lack independence and self-sufficiency. With other factors such as stigmatisation and prejudice, social participation becomes limited which leads to isolation and loneliness, which may further lead to psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, low self esteem and poor quality of life. These assumptions are based on the application of the mental health model, and one could assume the poorer the level of functioning the more likely a person’s psychological well-being will suffer. Thus, the study attempted to investigate these assumptions by exploring the relationship between levels of gross motor function and psychological well-being. A sample of 43 participants based in a care centre in Johannesburg completed a demographic questionnaire, the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), The Becks Anxiety Inventory (BAI), The Rosenburg Self Esteem Scale (RSE) and the Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale (COMQOL – A5). In addition, through observation, the level of gross motor function was determined by utilising the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). The data that was gathered and was statistically manipulated to explore three main questions. Before the relationship between gross motor function and psychological well-being could be explored it was necessary to examine the suitability of the use of psychological measure on an adult with CP sample. Results indicated that the MDI (r = 0.78), BAI (r = 0.76). RSE (0.77), and COMQOL (r = 0.99) had high internal constancy reliability. The relationship between demographical variables, namely, age, gender, years of residency, experience of motor deterioration and presence of epilepsy, were tested against the level of gross motor function. No significant results were found apart from motor PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.softwarelabs.com 4 deterioration. More participants with a higher level of gross motor function experienced motor deterioration (77%) than those with a lower level of gross motor function (44%). Lastly, the relationship between psychological variables and gross motor function was investigated as well as difference between the levels. Correlations revealed very weak positive relationships, with the exception of depression having a very weak negative relationship. All relationship were non significant. Although slight differences were seen between levels, they were non significant. 7% of participants were diagnosed with depressive disorders, and 47% with anxiety disorders. Problems with certain questions pertaining to the BAI raised concerns over the suitability of its use in CP adult samples. The study concluded that psychological measures, excluding the BAI, were suitable for use on a sample of adults with CP. It also highlighted that the level of motor functioning is not related to or determines psychological well-being in adults with CP. PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.softwarelabs.com