Interactive tabletop systems are becoming popular platforms for group activities. However, current common tabletops do not provide capabilities to differentiate interactions among simultaneous users, i.e. to associate a touch point with its proper owner. My thesis proposes and explores the use of an important biometric property of users as the basis for touch discrimination on multi-user tabletops: Finger Orientation (FO). In this thesis, I first collect the FO ranges of users standing in different positions around a tabletop. Second, I implement a system that uses FO to determine where the users are standing, and based on that extrapolate the owner of the touch. Next, I evaluate the system with two separate experiments, present the results, and discuss all findings. Furthermore, I explore some enhancements with a simple quantitative study. My results indicate that finger orientation is a good natural biometric trait enhances multi-user recognition on tabletops.

Wilms' tumor suppressor protein (WTI) is a key regulatory factor involved in controlling the development and normal physiology of the genitourinary tract. Mutations within WT1 result in multiple syndromes affecting the kidney and gonads with the most severe effects being Wilms' tumor, a pediatric kidney cancer. The WTI protein is composed of two distinct functional domains; the amino terminus is a proline and glutamine rich regulatory domain, while the carboxyl terminus is a DNA binding domain which contains four C2H2 zinc fingers. Although the zinc finger motif is small in size, proteins containing zinc fingers are extremely diverse in their functions. The functional diversity of WT1 is exemplified through its interactions with a wide range of ligands, such as DNA, RNA and proteins. The interaction between WT1 and DNA has been well characterized, while the interactions with RNA and proteins still require intensive investigation. Recent studies have identified a diverse group of WT1 protein partners but the characterization of the protein-protein interactions has been limited and inconclusive. Therefore, the experiments conducted in this study focused on investigating the mechanism of interaction between WTI with the protein ligands Ciao 1, p53, par4, and U2AF65. To identify which WTI zinc finger(s) are critical in protein binding, a series of finger swap and deletion mutant proteins were created using site directed mutagenic PCR. The effects the mutant proteins had on the protein interactions were analyzed qualitatively using GST pulldown assays. Two different approaches were used for the GST pulldown assays. The first approach utilized bacterially expressed and purified proteins. None of the mutant WTI proteins exhibited a decrease in protein binding in these assays. Numerous pulldown trials involving various zinc fmger proteins revealed non-specific protein-protein interactions were occurring. The second approach employed in vitro translated 35S-labelled proteins. The results from these assays demonstrate a clear role for WT lzf3, and a possible role for WTI zf4 in the WT 1-par4 interaction. The replacement of WT 1 zinc fingers 3 and 4 with those from YY1 caused a distinct reduction in binding to par4 which was exclusive for the WT1-par4 interaction. YY1 is a transcription factor from yeast that contains four C2H2 type zinc fingers. A decrease in binding between the chimeric proteins WTI :YY1 and the protein partners Ciao 1 and U2AF65 was also observed, although to a much lesser extent. This difference in binding ability may indicate that the interactions between WT1 and its protein ligands involve different zinc fingers.

The interplay of structures in the finger that facilitate movement is complex and not yet fully understood. Subtle finger injuries are often missed during the initial assessment in the Emergency Department, because clinical examination of the acutely injured hand can be difficult. The consequences of unrecognized finger injuries can be devastating for the patient. Ultrasound imaging of tendons is a useful investigative tool although little has been published regarding the reliability of finger tendon measurements. The overall objective of this project was to establish if bedside ultrasound imaging of tendons was possible and useful in the setting of acute injury. The project was divided into two studies.In the first study, 65 apparently normal volunteers were scanned to allow the principal investigator to practise and refine the ultrasound technique. The dimensions of the Extensor Digitorum Longus and two flexor tendons combined (Flexor Digitorum Profundus and Flexor Digitorum Superficialis) were measured in both transverse and longitudinal sections. Fifteen of the volunteers had their left middle fingers scanned twice within 48 hours to establish the test to retest reliability of tendon measurement. The established scanning technique was simple to perform and the scans, including both static and real time images, were completed within five minutes. All volunteers were able to tolerate a full scan. Measurement of tendon width showed fair to good reliability (Intra class correlation [ICC] of flexor tendons = 0.66, ICC of extensor tendon = 0.54). However measurement of the depth of all the tendons was unreliable test to retest (ICC < 0.37).In the second study, 30 patients who presented to the Emergency Department at Lismore Base Hospital with hand injuries were scanned for evidence of tendon injury and tendon gliding restriction. The patient’s ability to tolerate ultrasound examination was investigated. The scan findings were compared with the clinical findings and then to the operation report or to the patient’s self reported outcome, one month after injury.Patients were willing to undergo ultrasound examination regardless of the extent of their injury. There was a significant difference (p = 0.04) in scan tolerance related to the site of injury with 50% of those with extensor surface injuries having completed scans in comparison to 36% with flexor surface injuries and 9.1% of finger tip injuries. Injury mechanism was not related to scan tolerance.Excluding a partial tendon laceration was technically difficult due to the presence of anisotropy artefact. However, all complete tendon lacerations were successfully identified prior to surgery. The gliding of the tendons was easy to visualize and abnormal gliding was found to be a marker of tendon injury.The overall results show that ultrasound imaging of finger tendons at the bedside in the Emergency Department is a feasible examination to perform. The addition of ultrasound examination, however, did not identify any cases of tendon injury not already suspected on routine clinical examination.Therefore, this pilot study suggests that routine use of ultrasound examination to detect finger tendon injury in the Emergency Department setting will not prove to be a useful investigation. There may be a role for ultrasound as a screening tool as the gliding of normal tendons differed noticeably from the gliding of injured tendons. The presence of normal tendon gliding may be helpful in identifying those patients that are safe to be discharged from the Emergency Department without further evaluation.

The interplay of structures in the finger that facilitate movement is complex and not yet fully understood. Subtle finger injuries are often missed during the initial assessment in the Emergency Department, because clinical examination of the acutely injured hand can be difficult. The consequences of unrecognized finger injuries can be devastating for the patient. Ultrasound imaging of tendons is a useful investigative tool although little has been published regarding the reliability of finger tendon measurements. The overall objective of this project was to establish if bedside ultrasound imaging of tendons was possible and useful in the setting of acute injury. The project was divided into two studies.In the first study, 65 apparently normal volunteers were scanned to allow the principal investigator to practise and refine the ultrasound technique. The dimensions of the Extensor Digitorum Longus and two flexor tendons combined (Flexor Digitorum Profundus and Flexor Digitorum Superficialis) were measured in both transverse and longitudinal sections. Fifteen of the volunteers had their left middle fingers scanned twice within 48 hours to establish the test to retest reliability of tendon measurement. The established scanning technique was simple to perform and the scans, including both static and real time images, were completed within five minutes. All volunteers were able to tolerate a full scan. Measurement of tendon width showed fair to good reliability (Intra class correlation [ICC] of flexor tendons = 0.66, ICC of extensor tendon = 0.54). However measurement of the depth of all the tendons was unreliable test to retest (ICC < 0.37).In the second study, 30 patients who presented to the Emergency Department at Lismore Base Hospital with hand injuries were scanned for evidence of tendon injury and tendon gliding restriction. The patient’s ability to tolerate ultrasound examination was investigated. The scan findings were compared with the clinical findings and then to the operation report or to the patient’s self reported outcome, one month after injury.Patients were willing to undergo ultrasound examination regardless of the extent of their injury. There was a significant difference (p = 0.04) in scan tolerance related to the site of injury with 50% of those with extensor surface injuries having completed scans in comparison to 36% with flexor surface injuries and 9.1% of finger tip injuries. Injury mechanism was not related to scan tolerance.Excluding a partial tendon laceration was technically difficult due to the presence of anisotropy artefact. However, all complete tendon lacerations were successfully identified prior to surgery. The gliding of the tendons was easy to visualize and abnormal gliding was found to be a marker of tendon injury.The overall results show that ultrasound imaging of finger tendons at the bedside in the Emergency Department is a feasible examination to perform. The addition of ultrasound examination, however, did not identify any cases of tendon injury not already suspected on routine clinical examination.Therefore, this pilot study suggests that routine use of ultrasound examination to detect finger tendon injury in the Emergency Department setting will not prove to be a useful investigation. There may be a role for ultrasound as a screening tool as the gliding of normal tendons differed noticeably from the gliding of injured tendons. The presence of normal tendon gliding may be helpful in identifying those patients that are safe to be discharged from the Emergency Department without further evaluation.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2009. / Title from title screen (viewed February 10, 2009). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences, Faculty of Science. Degree awarded 2009; thesis submitted 2008. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print form.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2008. / Title from file title page. Markus W. Germann, committee chair; Kathryn B. Grant , W. David Wilson, committee members. Electronic text (147 p. : ill. (some col.)) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Oct. 6, 2008. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2010. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 158-168). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1959.

Zugl.: Giessen, Univ., Diss., 2009