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Bakgrund: Urinläckage är en vanligt förekommande komplikation efter behandling av prostatacancer, som är den vanligaste cancerformen i Sverige. Det finns flera olika behandlingsalternativ där kunskap om risken för komplikationer behövs för att öka patienternas delaktighet inför behandlingsvalet. Syfte: Att jämföra skillnad i självrapporterad förekomst och självgraderad omfattning av urinläckage mellan män med prostatacancer som genomgått yttre strålbehandling enskilt eller yttre strålbehandling i kombination med kirurgi. Metod: En jämförande tvärsnittsstudie som hämtat data från en tidigare datainsamling på fyra olika strålbehandlingskliniker där deltagarna besvarat enkäter. I föreliggande studie analyserades svaren på utvald studiespecifik fråga gällande urinläckage. Huvudresultat: Det förelåg inte någon signifikant skillnad varken gällande självrapporterad förekomst eller självgraderad omfattning av urinläckage mellan män med prostatacancer som genomgått yttre strålbehandling enskilt eller yttre strålbehandling i kombination med kirurgi. Slutsats: Trots icke signifikant skillnad gällande förekomst och omfattning av urinläckage ansågs resultatet betydelsefullt för sjuksköterskans omvårdnadsarbete och patientens delaktighet. / Background: Urinary leakage is a common complication after treatment for prostate cancer, which is the most common form of cancer in Sweden. There are several different treatment options where knowledge of the risk of complications is needed to increase patients' participation infront of treatment choice. Aim: To compare the difference in self-reported occurrence and self-rated extent of urinary leakage between men with prostate cancer who received external radiotherapy only or external radiotherapy combined with surgery. Method:A comparative cross-sectional study where data has been selected from a previous data collection at four different radiotherapy clinics where the participants answered questionnaires. In the present study, the answers to selected study-specific questions regarding urine leakage were analysed. Main results: There was no significant difference in either self-reported occurrence or self-rated extent of urinary leakage between men with prostate cancer who received external radiotherapy only or external radiotherapy combined with surgery. Conclusion: Despite a non-significant difference regarding the occurrence and extent of urine leakage, the result was considered important for the nursing care and the patient’s participation.

The tip leakage vortex is responsible for the generation of stagnation pressure losses inside the compressor along with the outbreak of rotating stall and surge. The current paper analytically proved that a part of the losses is proportional to the vortex circulation squared. The evolution of this circulation has been investigated as part of a parametric study which tested several clearance heights. The work consists in adopting a simplified single blade configuration to study the physics of the flow by means of wind tunnel experiments and numerical calculations. Upon visualising the main features of the flow, a model based on the study of jet in crossflows was implemented to describe the tip clearance flow for small gap sizes. For big gaps, the flow is assumed to behave as an isolated wing tip vortex which circulation is easily computed by the so called lifting line theory. The main vortical structures highlighted by the topology of the flow justified the use of the model of a jet in crossflow for small gap sizes. This model was challenged by experimental and numerical data and proved to well predict the evolution of the clearance vortex circulation for an increasing clearance height although some numerical results remain further away from the model. / Gapvirveln är ansvarig för lufttryckförluster i motorn av ett flygplan och kan orsaka utbrottet av kompressorstall och pumpning. Artikeln bevisade matematiskt att en del av de här förlusterna är proportionell mot gapvirvelncirkulationen upphöjd. Utvecklingen av den där cirkulationen undersöktes med hjälp av en parametrisk studie som provkörde flera gapstorlekar. Arbetet bestå av att adoptera en förenklad enda blad konfiguration för att studera flödes fysik med vindtunnel experiment och flödesberäkningar. Efter att man analyserar flödes viktigaste egenskaper genomfördes en modell baserad på studien av en jet i ett korsflöde. Den här modellen används för att beskriva flödet för små gapstorlekar. För stora gap antar man att flödet beter sig som en vingspetsvirvel som cirkulationen kan beräknas utan svårighet med hjälp av lyftledningsteorin. Flödes topologi visualiserades tack vare numeriska beräkningar och legitimerade användningen av modellen av en jet i ett korsflöde för små gapstorlekar. Teoretiska, experimentella och numeriska resultat jämfördes och bevisade att modellen väl förutsäger utvecklingen av gapvirvelncirkulationen mot gapstorlek även om några numeriska resultat är långt från modellen.

In this project, the scan strategy of selective laser melting (SLM) for thin walled structures was investigated by changing laser parameters and tool path. Producing thin walled structures is difficult due to defects such as warpage and porosity. A layer on the SLM 125 consists of hatch volume, fill contours, and borders, however, for thin walls, hatch volume can become unavailable, resulting in a solely border/fill contour laser tool path. Three central composite designs (CCD) were created to optimize the laser parameters of borders to minimize leakage rate and porosity. The two factors changed were border laser power and scanning speed. The center points of the CCDs were 0.24 J/mm, 0.20 J/mm, and 0.16 J/mm, respectively. This border linear energy density value was calculated by (border laser power / border scanning speed). A machined aluminum fixture was designed and assembled with pneumatics to perform a pressure drop leakage test. Additionally, micrographs of 500μm and 200μm wall thicknesses were analyzed to study between and within layers as well as melt pool dimensions. In the 200μm thick samples, there was delamination and insufficient overlap in border only prints. For border only prints, a lower border linear energy density is recommended, similar to Cal Poly’s hatch volume optimized parameters of 0.15 J/mm.

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<p> This thesis presents solutions to several inverse problems m electromagnetism and microwave engineering. In general, these inverse problems belong to two applications: breast cancer diagnosis using microwave imaging and defect characterization in metallic structures using magnetic flux leakage (MFL). </p> <p> Our contribution in microwave imaging for breast tumor detection can be divided into three parts. First, we propose a novel ultra-wide band (UWB) antenna that can operate in direct contact with the breast without the need for coupling liquids. This antenna is designed such that more than 90% of the radiated power is directed toward the tissue from its front aperture over the UWB. The performance of the antenna is investigated via simulation and measurement of the following parameters: return loss, near-field directivity, efficiency, fidelity, and group velocity. Overall, the results show that the antenna is a good candidate for frequency and time-domain imaging techniques. </p> <p> Second, we have proposed an aperture raster scanning setup that benefits from the features of our novel antenna. In this scanning setup, the breast tissue is compressed between two rectangular plates (apertures) while two antennas perform two-dimensional (2-D) scan by moving together on both sides of the compressed tissue. For each scanning step, the transmission S-parameter between the two antennas is recorded at several frequencies within UWB. Then, the modulus of the calibrated transmission S-parameter is plotted at each frequency to provide a 2-D image of the interior of the breast. The images are enhanced using a de-blurring technique based on blind de-convolution. This setup provides real time images of strong scatterers inside the normal tissue. </p> <p> Third, we propose 2-D and three-dimensional (3-D) holography algorithms to further improve the quality of the images obtained from the proposed planar scanning setup. These techniques are based on the Fourier transforms of the collected data to provide an image of a 2-D target (when collecting data at a single frequency) or a 3-D target (when collecting wide-band data). These techniques are fast and very robust to noise. The capability of the 2D and 3-D holographic imaging techniques is examined via simulation results. </p> <p> For defect characterization in metallic structures using MFL technique, we propose fast and reliable methodologies to invert the measured MFL response to the defect's shape parameters. First, we present a procedure to estimate the shape parameters of rectangular cracks which are the most common type of defects in the metallic structures. The procedure consists of estimating orientation, length, and depth of the cracks, consecutively. We validate this procedure via estimating the shape parameters of pre-known cracks from the simulated and measured MFL responses. Then, we present a methodology based on space mapping (SM) optimization for defect characterization. We examme the efficiency of this methodology for two types of defects: rectangular cracks and cylindrical pits. </p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The standard design approach of water distribution systems requires that pressure at any point in the system is maintained within a range whereby the maximum pressure is not exceeded so that the likelihood of a pipe burst is reduced and the minimum pressure is always maintained or exceeded to ensure adequate flows for satisfying expected demands. High pressure systems tend to cause more frequent pipe breaks and an increase in energy use and leakage. Low pressure systems cause consumer complaints, make the system more susceptible to negative pressures, and possibly to the ingress of contaminants during transient events. The overall goal of establishing pressure standards is to balance these opposing tendencies to achieve a safe, reliable, and economic operation of the system. Yet, there are no universally acceptable or established rules or guidelines for establishing a pressure standard for water distribution system design, and few studies have considered whether the traditional standards are still applicable in modern systems. This study has made a critical appraisal on what pressure standards mean, where they are violated, and where they need revision to achieve a comprehensive picture about what the pressure standards really mean. The research also highlights the inter-related issues associated with pressure criteria. Assessment of the relationships governing water pressure, leakage, energy use and economics is realized via the analytical investigation of single pipes and the simulation of representative networks using the steady state analysis software EPANET 2. The role of minimum pressure standards, storage, pumping strategy, and resource prices on the energy and water loss of systems is analysed and assessed. In anticipation that pressure contributes to pipe break rates, a probabilistic approach considering uncertain water demand and pipe’s roughness modeled with a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) algorithm is presented. This study also explores how the minimum pressure standards affect transient pressures and reviews how destructive transient pressures may be controlled to limit reduced pressure surges within acceptable limits even when the minimum steady state pressure is relatively low. In order to place the research in practical context, this study develops a surge limit control algorithm for the design of a portable device for limiting the down-surge pressures by creating a pressure control boundary in a pipe system during hydrant operations. This boundary is established using the portable control device to safely operate a hydrant in a water distribution system. This study also highlights the notion that high level of pressure standards may lead to a troublesome squandering of water and energy and may disrupt the performance of water distribution systems. Given the too often degraded nature of water supply infrastructures, the on-going challenges of urban growth, and the increased stress on natural resources, the significant benefits of better controlling water pressure are not only welcome but urgently needed. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第24238号 / 農博第2517号 / 新制||農||1094(附属図書館) / 学位論文||R4||N5409(農学部図書室) / 京都大学大学院農学研究科農学専攻 / (主査)教授 土井 元章, 教授 田尾 龍太郎, 准教授 中野 龍平 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The concepts of using a pit and fissure sealant material to prevent dental caries have been well established in dental research. Effectiveness of a pit and fissure sealant material is limited to its ability to remain bonded to the occlusal surfaces . Adding a dentin-bonding agent between the etched enamel and the sealant material has been demonstrated as a way of optimizing bond strength in the face of moisture and salivary contamination. The purpose of this study was to examine if there was a difference in fissure penetration or microleakage between a conventional pit and fissure sealant or a flowable composite when used as a pit and fissure sealant, while using three different adhesive systems. Delton Direct Delivery System (Dentsply), an opaque, light cured pit and fissure sealant and the commercially available flowable composite, Revolution Formula 2 (Kerr) was selected for this study. Three clinically used adhesive systems selected for this study were: conventional phosphoric acid etching; Opti-bond Solo Plus(Kerr), a single bottle system; and Prompt L-Pop (3M ESPE), an all-in-one primer adhesive. One hundred fifty extracted caries-free third molars, selected for well-defined occlusal pits, were randomly divided into six treatment groups. Fissure penetration and microleakage was examined after immersion of the treated teeth in 5.0-percent methylene blue solution for 18 hours; the teeth were removed and thoroughly cleaned. Mesial and distal flat-ground sections were obtained and examined at X20; micro leakage was recorded as either present or absent, and penetration was recorded as either complete or incomplete. The interaction between the material and the adhesive system was non-significant based on the logistic regression model for the penetration and the microleakage, so that only the main effects of material and adhesive system were included in the final model. Enamel conditioning with the total-etch and single-bottle adhesive system provided consistently microleakage resistance when compared with the use of the all-in-one bonding system. The all-in-one adhesive system demonstrated the most microleakage regardless of the material used for the pit and fissure sealant. The hypothesis of this thesis was that there would be no significant difference in fissure penetration or microleakage between the conventional pit and fissure sealant or the flowable composite, regardless of the adhesive system used. The results of this study support the hypothesis that there was no significant difference in fissure penetration between the materials. The result did demonstrate that there was significant difference in microleakage between the three different adhesive systems used.

This thesis describes a novel approach that utilizes a special property of the Hanning window to accurately detect the fundamental frequency of the data signal in the presence of harmonic and interharmonic interference. After obtaining the fundamental frequency, the same procedure is applied to all possible harmonics to be filtered for further analysis of the interharmonics. The proposed approach is validated using numerical tests. In the literature, different authors have shown the difficulty of extracting a synchronized sampling frequency from the analyzed signal and discussed the effect of deviation of the fundamental in the presence of harmonics. This thesis suggests a new approach to overcome the difficulties, even if the interharmonics present are in frequency bins near the fundamental. In order to perform the interharmonic analysis, the author followed the IEC standard draft signal processing recommendations, with the exception of using a weighted Hanning window instead of a rectangular window in order to minimize the effect of the spectral leakage, and to minimize the effect of interharmonics on the main harmonics.