The overall purpose of the present study was to examine the strategies used by older adults with regard to both foot placement and hand contact location as they enter (ingress) and exit (egress) a vehicle. A cross-sectional study was used to identify and, in turn, examine the participants’ ingress and egress strategies in relation to their physical mobility and other characteristics. All participants had a valid driver’s license and they completed the following: 1) demographic (self-report) questionnaires; 2) clinical measures of physical mobility (i.e. Timed Up and Go, Berg Balance Scale, One Legged Stance test, Rapid Pace Walk test). A physical mobility index was also developed using these clinical measures. During both ingress and egress, older drivers were more likely to use one-foot strategies, which are considered less stable. Participants who used one-foot ingress and egress strategies had better overall physical mobility. The armrest location was used by the majority of older drivers for both ingress and egress, and is used most often during one-foot strategies. Participants who used multiple hand contact locations during ingress/egress had lower physical mobility than participants who used a single hand contact location or made no contact with the vehicle. Finally, the results from this study can inform educational materials targeting this population and determining design changes to the automobile that can prevent injuries to older drivers. / Thesis / Master of Health Sciences (MSc)

Arbeitsplätze im Gartenbau sind trotz fortschreitender Mechanisierung durch einen hohen Anteil an Handarbeit gekennzeichnet. Die aktuellen Rahmenbedingungen im Gartenbau erfordern für die Zukunft einen effizienteren Einsatz des Faktors Arbeit in wirtschaftlichen und an Attraktivität gewinnenden Arbeitssystemen. Die Entwicklung solcher Systeme erfordert ein Verfahren zur objektiven Bewertung vorhandener und neuer Betriebs- und Arbeitsabläufe. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt die Weiterentwicklung eines auf der Verfolgung von Infrarot-Leuchtdioden basierenden 3-D-Bewegungsanalysesystems. Dazu wurde das Kamerasystem der Firma Wente/Thiedig um eine vom System unabhängige Software erweitert. Die für die Bewertung herangezogenen Indikatoren werden ausführlich beschrieben und im Ergebnisteil auf ihre Eignung überprüft. Aufgrund der digitalen Aufzeichnung der Bewegungen erhöht sich die Aussagekraft durch einen größeren Stichprobenumfang und eine höhere Messgenauigkeit erheblich. Um die Aussagekraft und den Erkenntnisgewinn aus den softwareseitig ermittelten Indikatoren zu überprüfen, wurden Anwendungsversuche mit verschiedenen Fragestellungen durchgeführt, die im zweiten Teil der Arbeit beschrieben werden. Am Beispiel der Produktauflage auf ein Förderband werden die Einflüsse spezifischer Gestaltungsparameter auf die Leistungsfähigkeit des Gesamtsystems verdeutlicht. Die Veränderung der Bandgeschwindigkeit wirkte sich stark auf die erzielten Leistungen aus. In einem weiteren Versuch werden zwei Sitzplätze auf Spargelerntehilfen über die Bewegungsanalyse miteinander verglichen. Mehrere Indikatoren belegen die Vorzüge des mit Kniepolstern ausgestatteten Sitzplatzes. Die Ergebnisse der beiden Versuche zeigen, dass es gelungen ist, zahlreiche relevante Indikatoren für den Vergleich der aufgezeichneten Bewegungen zu bilden. Der Nutzer gewinnt aus den Bewegungsdaten Informationen, die eine objektive Entscheidungsfindung ermöglichen. Als besonders wertvoll ist der Erkenntnisgewinn bezüglich einer menschengerechten Arbeitsplatzgestaltung zu bewerten, um für die Weiterentwicklung gartenbaulicher Arbeitssysteme neben der Wirtschaftlichkeit andere Entscheidungskriterien zu fördern. / Despite the fast technical progress modern horticultural work places still require a lot of manual work. The current development in the horticultural sector demands a more efficient implementation of manpower and an increasing attractiveness of simple manual tasks for the future. The design of such systems demands a method to objectively evaluate present and new work systems. This thesis describes a largely improved 3-D-motion analysis system based on the tracking of infrared light diodes. The camera system manufactured by Wente/Thiedig is extended by a newly developed independent software to evaluate the motion data. From the recorded motion data quantitative parameters and qualitative parameters are calculated. Several graphical functions within the new software facilitate the understanding of the motion data. The available objective measures of comparison are described in detail in chapter four. In the experiments they are reviewed for their suitability. The digital recording of the motion data allows a large sample size. Accuracy and explanatory power as well as the level of confidence are increased. To proof their suitability and the increase of information gained with the measures of comparison practical experiments were carried out. These are described in the fifth chapter of this thesis. A workstation for placing products on on a conveyor belt is varied to show the influence of design parameters on the operating efficiency. The speed of the conveyor movement strongly affected the output. In another experiment two seat constructions built for asparagus harvesting aids are compared by motion analysis. Several measures of comparison suggest to favor the seat with knee pads. The results from all practical experiments show that relevant measures of comparison were defined to successfully compare the motion data. The user of the newly developed analyzing program gains valuable information to make a truly impartial decision. The motion analysis systems enables scientists to gather a multitude of information out of one experiment, which formerly required a combination of several methods. A more of information to rate human factors is notedly valuable, encouraging the development of horticultural work systems towards incorporating economic and ergonomic criteria.

Os humanos têm enfrentado a escolha entre preferências por traços femininos e masculinos, isto é, entre investimentos diretos (cuidado parental) e indiretos (qualidade genética) na reprodução, respectivamente, o que afeta a percepção de atratividade e indica qualidades biossociais. A FM é influenciada principalmente por hormônios reprodutivos, mas sua percepção é mediada por: 1) contextos biopsicossociais (autopercepção e percepção por terceiros), 2) múltiplos canais de informação (visual e vocal) e/ou 3) ameaças ambientais (patógenos e escassez de recursos). Estudos anteriores possuem limitações, como ausência de clareza quanto à associação entre autopercepção e percepção por terceiros da FM; incongruência nas informações das faces e vozes dos homens; e estudos focando principalmente nas preferências das mulheres por faces e vozes manipuladas digitalmente e usando um modelo de escolha forçada. Assim, examinamos: (a) possíveis associações entre percepções subjetivas (autopercepção e percepção por terceiros da FM e atratividade) e FM medida; (b) concordância na FM de mulheres e homens percebida por terceiros; e (c) influência de patógenos (PT) e escassez de recursos (ER) nas preferências pela FM no sexo oposto. Tiramos fotos faciais e gravamos vozes e danças de público-alvo de 41 mulheres e 38 homens e medimos o dimorfismo sexual da forma facial, a frequência fundamental vocal e o etograma das danças. Estes participantes também autoavaliaram sua FM e atratividade faciais, vocais e comportamentais. Posteriormente, 64 (43 mulheres) e 51 (28 mulheres) estudantes avaliaram respectivamente a FM e atratividade dos estímulos do público-alvo. Com as avaliações da FM escolhemos os cinco mais masculinos e os cinco mais femininos para cada estímulo, dentro de cada sexo. Finalmente, 370 estudantes (206 mulheres) leram um artigo de jornal da condição controle e um dos artigos da condição ambiental (PT ou ER); o artigo PT era sobre o Aedes aegypti, enquanto o artigo ER era sobre a crise econômica brasileira. Os participantes foram aleatoriamente designados para o contexto de relacionamento de curto ou longo prazo. Após cada artigo, os voluntários avaliaram a atratividade dos estímulos do público-alvo individualmente. Cada amostra conteve diferentes estudantes do estado de São Paulo com 18 a 35 anos. As percepções subjetivas das mulheres não refletiram as percepções dos terceiros nem as medidas objetivas. Todavia, a FM facial e 8 vocal delas se correlacionou, sugerindo concordância informacional. Diferentemente, as autoavaliações dos homens e as avaliações de terceiros quanto à FM e atratividade se correlacionaram. Ademais, o tom de voz mais masculino se associou com a FM autodeclarada e declarada por terceiros. Entretanto, as avaliações de terceiros quanto à FM facial e vocal não se relacionaram, indicando mensagens distintas. Além disso, no contexto de longo prazo, as mulheres preferiram um mosaico entre faces masculinas e vozes femininas após a ER. Os homens, por sua vez, preferiram vozes masculinas, sugerindo preferência por parceiros com maior acesso a recursos. Não houve efeito da condição PT no contexto de curto prazo, indicando a influência do modelo experimental. Finalmente, as danças não produziram qualquer efeito, sugerindo um desenvolvimento diferente das faces e vozes / During evolution, humans faced the trade-off between preferences for feminine and masculine traits which are connected to direct (parental care) and indirect (genetic quality) investments into reproduction, respectively. Therefore, femininity-masculinity (FM) affects perceived attractiveness and indicates biosocial qualities. Physiological and morphological FM are primarily influenced by reproductive hormones; however, its perception can be mediated by: 1) biopsychosocial contexts (e.g. self- and other-perception), 2) multiple channels of information (e.g. visual and vocal information), and 3) environmental threats (e.g. pathogens and resource scarcity). However, previous studies show limitations. Firstly, it is unclear if self- and other-rated FM are associated. Secondly, results suggest that womens faces and voices present concordant information about their FM; however, mixed results are found for men. Finally, studies mainly focus on womens preferences for digitally manipulated male faces and voices in a forced-choice design. Thus, we examined: (a) possible associations between subjective perceptions (i.e. self- and other-rated FM and attractiveness), and measured FM; (b) whether womens and mens FM is concordantly perceived by third-party raters; and (c) the influence of pathogen threat (PT) and resource threat (RT) on womens and mens preference for FM in the opposite sex. We took facial photos, and recorded voices and dances of a target sample of 41 women and 38 men and we measured sexual dimorphism of facial shape, vocal fundamental frequency, and ethogram of videos. These participants also self-rated their facial, vocal, and behavioral FM and attractiveness. Later, 64 (43 women) and 51 (28 women) students independently rated facial, vocal and behavioral FM and attractiveness of the target sample, respectively. Finally, 370 (206 women) students were primed with newspaper-like articles on either PT (Aedes aegypti, and its mosquito-borne diseases) or RT (Brazilian economic crisis), and compared to a control condition (lions poisoned in a Kenyan Reserve). Participants were randomly assigned either for a short- or long-term relationship. After each priming article, participants rated attractiveness of the five most masculine and the five most feminine stimuli of the opposite sex of the target sample in a standalone-rating design. Each sample was independent and comprised students, aged 18-35 years, from universities across the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. In women, results showed that 10 subjective perceptions did not reflect perceptions of others or objective measures. However, womens facial and vocal FM correlated positively, suggesting concordant information about mate quality. In contrast, mens self-rated FM and attractiveness correlated with third-party ratings, and male voice pitch correlated with self- and other-rated FM. Nevertheless, other-ratings on mens FM did not correlated, indicating multiple messages. Finally, for long-term context, women preferred a mosaic of mens masculine faces and feminine voices after primed with RT condition. Men, however, preferred masculine female voices, suggesting a preference for partners with easier access to resources. There was no effect of PT condition in short-term context, indicating the influence of the study design. Finally, no effect was found for dances, suggesting a different development than faces and voices

A challenge for the clinical management of Parkinson's disease (PD) is the large within- and between-patient variability in symptom profiles as well as the emergence of motor complications which represent a significant source of disability in patients. This thesis deals with the development and evaluation of methods and systems for supporting the management of PD by using repeated measures, consisting of subjective assessments of symptoms and objective assessments of motor function through fine motor tests (spirography and tapping), collected by means of a telemetry touch screen device. One aim of the thesis was to develop methods for objective quantification and analysis of the severity of motor impairments being represented in spiral drawings and tapping results. This was accomplished by first quantifying the digitized movement data with time series analysis and then using them in data-driven modelling for automating the process of assessment of symptom severity. The objective measures were then analysed with respect to subjective assessments of motor conditions. Another aim was to develop a method for providing comparable information content as clinical rating scales by combining subjective and objective measures into composite scores, using time series analysis and data-driven methods. The scores represent six symptom dimensions and an overall test score for reflecting the global health condition of the patient. In addition, the thesis presents the development of a web-based system for providing a visual representation of symptoms over time allowing clinicians to remotely monitor the symptom profiles of their patients. The quality of the methods was assessed by reporting different metrics of validity, reliability and sensitivity to treatment interventions and natural PD progression over time. Results from two studies demonstrated that the methods developed for the fine motor tests had good metrics indicating that they are appropriate to quantitatively and objectively assess the severity of motor impairments of PD patients. The fine motor tests captured different symptoms; spiral drawing impairment and tapping accuracy related to dyskinesias (involuntary movements) whereas tapping speed related to bradykinesia (slowness of movements). A longitudinal data analysis indicated that the six symptom dimensions and the overall test score contained important elements of information of the clinical scales and can be used to measure effects of PD treatment interventions and disease progression. A usability evaluation of the web-based system showed that the information presented in the system was comparable to qualitative clinical observations and the system was recognized as a tool that will assist in the management of patients.

A challenge for the clinical management of Parkinson's disease (PD) is the large within- and between-patient variability in symptom profiles as well as the emergence of motor complications which represent a significant source of disability in patients. This thesis deals with the development and evaluation of methods and systems for supporting the management of PD by using repeated measures, consisting of subjective assessments of symptoms and objective assessments of motor function through fine motor tests (spirography and tapping), collected by means of a telemetry touch screen device. One aim of the thesis was to develop methods for objective quantification and analysis of the severity of motor impairments being represented in spiral drawings and tapping results. This was accomplished by first quantifying the digitized movement data with time series analysis and then using them in data-driven modelling for automating the process of assessment of symptom severity. The objective measures were then analysed with respect to subjective assessments of motor conditions. Another aim was to develop a method for providing comparable information content as clinical rating scales by combining subjective and objective measures into composite scores, using time series analysis and data driven methods. The scores represent six symptom dimensions and an overall test score for reflecting the global health condition of the patient. In addition, the thesis presents the development of a web-based system for providing a visual representation of symptoms over time allowing clinicians to remotely monitor the symptom profiles of their patients. The quality of the methods was assessed by reporting different metrics of validity, reliability and sensitivity to treatment interventions and natural PD progression over time. Results from two studies demonstrated that the methods developed for the fine motor tests had good metrics indicating that they are appropriate to quantitatively and objectively assess the severity of motor impairments of PD patients. The fine motor tests captured different symptoms; spiral drawing impairment and tapping accuracy related to dyskinesias (involuntary movements) whereas tapping speed related to bradykinesia (slowness of movements). A longitudinal data analysis indicated that the six symptom dimensions and the overall test score contained important elements of information of the clinical scales and can be used to measure effects of PD treatment interventions and disease progression. A usability evaluation of the web-based system showed that the information presented in the system was comparable to qualitative clinical observations and the system was recognized as a tool that will assist in the management of patients.

Objective: Dog owners have been shown to walk more per week compared to non-dog owners; however, 60% of dog owners are still not walking their dogs at intensities sufficient to reap optimal health benefits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a 9-week feasibility randomized controlled trial involving a program of six weekly scheduled instructor-led group dog walks supplemented with theory-based strategies to encourage increased dog walking among dog owners in Greater Victoria, BC. Methods: This study was based on the multi-process action control (M-PAC) framework and utilized an open parallel randomized controlled trial design involving experimental and waitlist-control group participants. Quantitative data was collected using pedometers and self-report measures. A program evaluation survey was administered upon the completion of the study. Primary outcomes examined the feasibility and acceptability of the program; secondary outcomes analyzed pedometry and self-report moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) data; and tertiary outcomes observed changes in participants’ perceptions of M-PAC constructs. Percentage calculations were used to obtain primary outcomes, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA; controlling for baseline) was performed to examine secondary and tertiary outcomes to explore the direction of effects and obtain a first estimate of expected effect sizes. Eligibility: Male and female adults aged 18+ living in Greater Victoria, BC, who owned at least one healthy and friendly dog aged six months and above, who were not meeting recommended guidelines of 150 minutes of MVPA per week, and who were medically cleared to participate. Results: Feasibility outcomes included 74 interested responses, 23% recruitment rate (n = 17), 94% retention rate (n = 16), and 94% adherence rate (n = 15). Program participants were overall (very) satisfied with the program – worksheets (62.5%), program instructor (100%), various program/group dog walks logistics (75% to 100%). Total weekly step counts and average daily step counts, MVPA dog walking, and MVPA with dog increased at the end of the program and at follow-up, resulting in large effect sizes when compared to the waitlist-control group. MVPA dog walking and total MVPA (with and without dog) exceeded recommended guidelines at follow-up. Positive changes across time were observed for dog responsibility and M-PAC constructs of affective judgments, opportunity, planning, identity, and habit, resulting in medium and large effect sizes when compared to the waitlist-control group. Conclusions: This six-week group dog walking program is overall feasible, acceptable, and efficacious in encouraging increased dog walking and MVPA among dog owners. Attendance at weekly scheduled instructor-led group dog walks and exposure to the M-PAC construct worksheets resulted in program participants’ adoption and maintenance of positive behavioral changes at the end of the program and at follow- up. Program participants reported enjoying the program and being (very) satisfied with it. It is recommended for future studies to refine/modify initial recruitment strategies and eligibility criteria, reimburse medical/veterinarian clearance costs to reduce cost-related barriers to participation, offer a variety of options for program delivery (e.g., different locations/schedules/seasons, online programs, multi-site study) to accommodate more participants, and apply the M-PAC framework to a larger sample. / Graduate