United States bicycle commuting rates are low compared to similarly developed countries like the Netherlands and Denmark. However, bicycle commuting shows promise for positive health outcomes, especially those related to chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Little research has been conducted in the U.S. to study the association between bicycle commuting and heart disease. Furthermore, U.S. cities need guidance on how to increase bicycle commuting rates. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between U.S. bicycle commuting rates and heart disease prevalence and to identify infrastructure and policy factors most significantly associated with bicycle commuting rates in large U.S. cities. This research quantitatively defined infrastructure and policy factors and analyzed ecologic associations across the 50 most populous U.S. cities. The results of this study are based on an ecologic analysis that evaluated associations at the census tract and city levels. Secondary data from nine sources as used to conduct the analysis. Data sources include the League of American Bicyclists Benchmarking Report, PeopleForBikes bicycle network analysis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and more. A principal components analysis was conducted to identify relevant infrastructure factors for research question one; ordinary least squares regression models were derived to compare associations between infrastructure and policy factors for research question two, and latent class cluster analysis was conducted to calculate the prevalence odds ratios of the association between bicycle commuting rate and heart disease for research question three. Three factors accounted for 70% of the variation in bicycle commuting rates. Those three factors include the average number of cyclist fatalities, the number of city employees working on bicycle projects, and bicycle network connections to public transit. The results also show that the association between bicycle commuting rate and heart disease prevalence was only statistically significant in census tract populations with predominantly high socioeconomic status, low health risk factors, and white race. The ecologic study design likely masked any positive health outcomes in populations with low socioeconomic status. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for transportation and public health practitioners, and the conclusions set the stage for future research on cycling and chronic disease outcomes in the United States. / Doctor of Philosophy / In the U.S., about 1% of the population bicycle commutes to work. Bicycle commuting is uncommon in the U.S. because many people feel it is not a safe or practical form of transportation. However, several U.S. organizations are working to make roadways safer for cyclists. Some of these organizations include The League of American Bicyclists (LAB), PeopleForBikes (PFB), and Smart Growth America (SGA). The LAB has awarded nearly 500 towns and cities with a bicycle-friendly community award, while PFB has created tools to help urban planners examine bicycle networks in their communities. SGA also helps create bicycle-friendly cities by working with elected officials to advocate for policies that will make roadways safer for cyclists. LAB, PFB, and SGA all collect data as part of their work to learn what U.S. communities are doing to support cycling. I used LAB, PFB, and SGA data to determine the most important factors for bicycle-friendliness in the 50 largest U.S. cities. I evaluated the impact of 14 factors, including, but not limited to, protected bike lanes, network connectedness, and bicycle-friendly policy. I found that three factors had the strongest association with bicycle commuting rates in large U.S. cities: network connections to public transit, the number of city employees working on bicycle projects, and the number of deaths from cyclist fatalities. Cities looking to increase bicycle commuting should use these results to focus their efforts on improving public transit networks, increasing the number of work hours spent on bicycle projects, and identifying strategies to reduce cyclist fatalities. U.S. cities should work towards improving bicycle-friendliness because of the population health benefits. In the past 20 years, the percentage of Americans with obesity has increased by 40%, and the percentage of Americans with Type 2 diabetes has doubled. Multiple factors contribute to obesity and diabetes, including bicycle commuting, which has been associated with decreases in both obesity and diabetes. Bicycle commuting may also be associated with heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S., but more research is needed. In the second part of this study, I evaluated the relationship between bicycle commuting rate and the percentage of Americans living with heart disease. I used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Census Bureau to understand the association between bicycle commuting and heart disease in 50 U.S. cities. I analyzed the data by census tract to understand health outcomes at a population level. I found that the association between bicycle commuting and heart disease was only significant in census tracts that were predominately high-income. I also found that bicycle commuting rates in high-income populations were three times greater than in low-income populations. In other words, health benefits were not visible in low-income populations because of low bicycle commuting rates. Low-income populations have higher rates of obesity and diabetes and would benefit the most from bicycle commuting, yet these populations confront several barriers to cycling. Cities interested in improving bicycle-friendliness should work to engage low-income populations in their work.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka samspelet mellan genus och matlagning samt hur deras roller utspelas i matlagningsprogrammen. Ett urval av tidigare forskning som behandlar vårt specifika ämne samt hur vår studie särskiljer sig från dem återfinns under kapitel två. Med hjälp av de två metoderna kvantitativ och kvalitativ innehållsanalys analyserades innehållet i utvalda avsnitt ur ”Mat” och ”Vad blir det för mat?”. Urvalet av de avsnitt som studerade skedde med ett systematiskt urval. Med Erving Goffmans teori och utvalda nyckelbegrepp skapades ett kodschema som vi sedan applicerade i studiens analysdel. Vi har på ett detaljerat sätt studerat programmen för att se vem som gör vad samt på vilket sätt det presenteras med genusperspektivet i åtanke. Det vi kom fram till var att genus var en väsentlig faktor till de främsta skillnaderna i programmen som i sin tur påverkade aktörernas roller. / The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction between gender and cooking, and how their roles unfolding in cooking programs. A selection of previous research that addresses our specific topic and how our study differs from those found in chapter two. Using the two methods quantitative and qualitative content analysis analyzed the contents of selected passages from "Mat" and "Vad blir det för mat? '. The selection of the sections studied were made with a systematic sample. With Erving Goffman's theory and selected key concepts created a coding scheme which we then applied in the study analysis section. We have a detailed manner studied programs to see who is doing what and how it is presented with a gender perspective in mind. What we came up with was that gender was a significant factor for the primary differences in the programs, which in turn affected the actors' roles.

The 2-oxoglutarate and ferrous ion dependent oxygenases are a super family of enzymes that are involved in a wide range of biological processes regulated trough the mechanism of post-translational modification (PTM). Such biological processes include hypoxia sensing (through regulating HIF transcription), fatty acid metabolism (through carnitine production), transcriptional regulation (through demethylation of histones), and collagen structure formation (through proline and lysine hydroxylation). To understand the underlying mechanisms of such regulatory processes, and to develop clinically useful inhibitors, and thereby regulate these processes in living organisms, requires sensitive methods for monitoring enzyme activity. The use of indirect methods such as quantification of reaction products (14CO2 or succinate) can be problematic, as both products can result from competitive reactions. Alternative direct measurement of substrate modifications using mass spectrometry-based proteomics can be applied; however, (1) for this technique the limit of detection is often prohibitive, (2) the method is best suited for the confirmation of known modifications, rather than for the discovery of new modifications, and (3) sequence coverage may often be only 60%, and therefore many modifications can be missed. The aim of the research presented in this thesis was to develop amino acid analysis and to apply these methods to the identification and quantification of PTMs catalysed by 2-oxoglutarate and ferrous ion dependent oxygenases. A range of LC-MS approaches were investigated including: (1) C18 reversed phase chromatography of quinoline derivatised amino acids, (2) ion paring chromatography, and (3) mixed mode chromatography with either UV, or conventional molecular MS, or isotope ratio mass spectrometry detection. Analysis of the elution patterns for those separation techniques enabled estimation of the retention parameters of modified amino acids and the identification of the modifications, where no standards were available. The most sensitive approach developed employed mixed mode chromatography coupled to isotope ratio mass spectrometry which was optimised for the analysis of modified amino acids. This was shown to have a limit of detection two orders of magnitude lower (0.01μM) than other conventional mass spectrometry techniques. Using amino acid labelling in cell culture, a quantification protocol was developed which employed a non-labelled internal standard and selectively labelled cell culture. The method was shown to be suitable for both very accurate quantification at low concentration levels and metabolic studies, allowing us to track back the modifications to their precursors. The analytical methods developed for amino acid analysis were successfully applied to the analysis of modifications resulting from 2-oxoglutarate and Fe dependent oxygenase activity. Stereochemistry of lysyl hydroxylation in the splicing regulatory protein Luk7L2 by JmjD6 as well as of the self hydroxylation of the JmjD6 was identified. The stereochemistry was shown to be different from that of previously reported for the collagen hydroxyline, hydroxylated by the another member of this enzyme family. mbP4H enzyme was shown to catalyse prolyl hydroxylation of taODD resulting in 4R-hydroxyprolyl. Amino acid analysis was used in order to verify the mechanism of the hBBOX catalysed rearrangement of Mildronate. Using the method developed for the analysis of non-derivatised amino acids the screening of potential substrates of hBBOX enzyme was carried out and two new substrates were identified. The isotope ratio mass spectrometry protocol was applied to the study of histones from cell culture; low levels of hydroxylated and methylated amino acids were quantified. The analytical methods described were developed to complement to the well established proteomics techniques. The methods developed enable investigation into the region- and stereo- chemistry of the modified groups within the modified AA residue and has proved to be a powerful tool of exploratory PTM analysis.

Manufacturing organisations have placed significant attention to the potential of industrial human-robot collaboration (HRC) as a means for enhancing productivity and product quality. This concept has predominantly been seen from an engineering and safety aspect, while the human related issues tend to be disregarded. As the key human factors relevant to industrial HRC have not yet been fully investigated, the research presented in this thesis sought to develop a human factors tool to enable the successful implementation of industrial HRC. First, a theoretical framework was developed which collected the key organisational and individual level human factors by reviewing comparable contexts to HRC. The human factors at each level were investigated separately. To identify whether the organisational human factors outlined in the theoretical framework were enablers or barriers, an industrial exploratory case study was conducted where traditional manual work was being automated. The implications provided an initial roadmap of the key organisational human factors that need to be considered as well as the critical inter-relations between them. From the list of individual level human factors identified in the theoretical framework, the focus was given on exploring the development of trust between human workers and industrial robots. A psychometric scale that measures trust specifically in industrial HRC was developed. The scale offers the opportunity to system designers to identify the key system aspects that can be manipulated to optimise trust in industrial HRC. Finally, the results were gathered together to address the overall aim of the research. A human factors guidance tool was developed which provides practitioners propositions to enable successful implementation of industrial HRC.

In this diploma thesis, I will study a relationship between family characteristics and men's professional status in Czechia. As a theoretical background, I will introduce sociology of family and sociology of employment. However, an empirical analysis may be considered a core of this thesis. The basic patterns and relationships are to be uncovered by quantitative analyses. These analyses will be based on individual data from Census 2001. I believe that the basic relationship between family and employment matters is relatively stable and thus this data from 2001 I use shall be sufficient for this purpose. The aforementioned relationship will be studied with correlation and regression analyses both across individual indicators and synthetic variables.

Introdução: A presente dissertação foi desenvolvida com o intuito de investigar as possíveis mudanças na dinâmica das famílias incestuosas, após intervenção do tratamento psicoterapêutico. A hipótese é de que mudanças primárias e secundárias ocorrem nas famílias encaminhadas ao Centro de Estudos e Atendimentos Referente ao Abuso Sexual (CEARAS) a partir do tratamento proposto. Essa dissertação foi elaborada a partir de uma perspectiva psicanalítica, com enfoque psicossocial, na qual o sujeito é considerado a partir de sua imersão na cultura. Para tanto, se tomou como base de reflexão o trabalho desenvolvido por este Centro de Estudos, em relação às famílias incestuosas. Objetivo: Refletir sobre as mudanças primárias e secundárias apresentadas pelas famílias incestuosas que foram atendidas no CEARAS. Metodologia: Trata-se de uma pesquisa retrospectiva documental. Foram analisados os prontuários de 19 famílias atendidas no CEARAS no período de 1993 a 2013 que compuseram a amostra final. Levantaram-se as informações sobre os atendimentos, condições de prontuários e quanto ao tratamento. As mudanças descritas nos prontuários foram divididas em dois grupos: mudanças primárias e secundárias. Uma análise descritiva e quantitativa das variáveis foi realizada. Resultados: A maior parte das famílias que foram encaminhadas para o CEARAS não finalizaram o tratamento proposto. Em relação às mudanças observadas, 53% das famílias apresentaram mudanças primárias e secundárias, 37% primárias e 10% secundárias. Em relação às mudanças primárias, a simbolização das funções familiares foi a mais frequente e a autonomia do membros familiares a menos frequente nos prontuários analisados. Não houve predomínio de mudanças secundárias. Observou-se um maior número de mudanças nas familías que não passaram pelo processo de troca de terapeutas. Conclusão: Percebeu-se a viabilidade do trabalho, o quanto ele se faz necessário. A pesquisa apontou que as mudanças primárias e secundárias são possíveis de acontecer através da terapia familiar. A transferência das famílias não ocorre somente com a instituição, mas também com os terapeutas envolvidos no tratamento / Introduction:This research aims to investigate possible changes to the dynamics of incestuous families after the commencement of psychotherapeutic treatment. Hypothetically, primary and secondary changes happen to the families taken to the Sexual Abuse Study and Help Center (Centro de Estudos e Atendimentos Referente ao Abuso Sexual - CEARAS) from the proposed treatment. This essay has been elaborated from a psychoanalytical perspective with psychosocial emphasis, in which the individual is considered from his cultural context. To do so, the grounds for the analysis is the work developed by the Study Center with the incestuous families. Objective: To think about the primary and secondary changes that arose from the therapeutic treatment provided by CEARAS to the dysfunctional families. Methodology: This is a retrospective document research. The handbook of the 19 families supported by CEARAS from the period between 1993 and 2013 which were part of the final sample have been analysed. The information about the calls, handbook conditions and treatment have been searched. The changes described in the handbooks were split in two groups: primary and secondary changes. Results: Most families under CEARAS\' care have not finished the proposed treatment. In relation to the changes detected, 53% of the families have shown primary and secondary changes; 37% have shown primary; and 10% secondary. It has been observed in the handbooks under analysis that, in relation to primary changes, the simbolization of the family functions was the most outstanding change whereas the autonomy of the family members was the least. There was no predominance of secondary changes. There has been a higher number of changes in families that did not have to change therapists. Conclusion: It is noticeable that the work is feasible and how necessary it is.The research shows that the primary and secondary changes are possible to take place by way of family therapy. The transfer in families does not happen only with the institution but also with the therapists involved in the treatment

A urolitíase ocorre com relativa freqüência dentre as afecções que acometem o trato urinário inferior de cães e gatos. Urólitos são agregados de material cristalino e matriz que se forma em um ou mais locais no trato urinário quando a urina torna-se supersaturada com substâncias cristalogênicas. A constituição dos urólitos pode ser decorrente de deposição de um único tipo mineral ou de minerais diferentes que se depositam em camadas (laminações) ou simplesmente agregam-se à pedra. Dependendo do tipo mineral e sua distribuição no urólito, este pode ser classificado em simples (apenas uma camada com predomínio - >70% - de um único tipo mineral), misto (também apenas uma camada identificável, porém sem predomínio de um único mineral) ou composto (presença de mais de uma camada de composição mineral diferente). Atualmente existem dois métodos de análise da composição mineral de cálculo: análise qualitativa e quantitativa, porém apenas a quantitativa permite a determinação do percentual das diferentes composições minerais, além de ser um método mais sensível e específico. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar os casos de urolitíase canina que tiveram seus cálculos analisados quantitativamente, atendidos no Hospital Veterinário da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade de São Paulo (FMVZ-USP). Foram analisados 161 urólitos provenientes de 156 cães (5 animais apresentaram recidiva), durante o período de fevereiro de 1999 a janeiro de 2007. Todas as análises foram realizadas no Minnesota Urolith Center, baseada nos métodos de microscopia de luz polarizada, espectroscopia infravermelha e espectroscopia por raios-X com dispersão de energia. Apenas 30,2% (106) dos urólitos eram simples, 1,9% (3) mistos e 67,9% (47) eram compostos. Apesar desse predomínio de urólitos compostos, a avaliação individual desses revelou que 64 de 106 urólitos compostos continham em todas as suas camadas, predomínio (>70%) de um mesmo tipo mineral: 26 continham estruvita, 35 oxalato de cálcio (mono ou dihidratado) e três de urato (urato ácido de sódio e urato ácido de amônio). Tais urólitos, apesar de classificados como compostos poderiam ser manejados como urólitos simples. Por outro lado, 30 urólitos compostos tinham a região interna minerais passíveis de dissolução, mas que seria impedida por uma camada mineral externa não passível de dissolução. O inverso ocorreu em 3 amostras (apenas a camada mais externa seria passível de dissolução) e outras duas amostras apresentaram deposição sequencial de minerais passíveis de dissolução, porém, que exigiriam protocolos distintos. Assim, o conhecimento da composição de todas as camadas (núcleo, pedra, parede e superfície) que compõe o urólito é essencial para o entendimento da formação do cálculo e conseqüentemente para a indicação do tratamento adequado, assim como para a prevenção de recidivas. / Urolithiasis is a relatively common urinary tract disorder of dogs and cats. Whenever urine becomes oversaturate with cristallogenic substances, uroliths may be formed from crystalline material and protein matrix. Uroliths may be composed from only one kind or from different types of minerals, which can be deposited in layers or aggregate forming a stone. They can be classified according to their mineral type and distribution in: simple (only one layer and more than 70% of a single mineral), mixed (one identifiable layer, without predominance of a mineral type) or coumpound (more than one layer of different mineral types). Currently, there are two methods of urolith analyses: quantitative and qualitative analysis. However, only quantitative analysis allows determination of the mineral composition with accuracy, and it is a more sensitive and specific test. One hundred and sixty one canine uroliths were obtained from the Hospital of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny of University of São Paulo (FMVZ-USP) and were submitted to Minnesota Uroliths Center for quantitative analysis from February 1999 to January 2007. All uroliths were analyzed using polarizing light microscopy, infrared spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. One hundred and six (30,2%) were simple uroliths, 3 (1,9%) mixed, and 47 (67,9%) were compound. Despite the predominance of compound uroliths, individual urolithevaluation revealed that 64 of 106 compound uroliths had a predominant mineral type (>70%) in all layers: 26 were struvite, 35 calcium oxalate (mono or dihydrate) and 3 were urate (sodium acid urate and ammonium acid urate). These uroliths, despite being classified as compound uroliths, could be assumed as simple uroliths. However, 30 compound uroliths had dissoluble inner layers, but the outer layer would prevent them from being dissovable. Three samples had the opposite (outer layer could be dissoluted, but inner layer could not) and 2 other samples had required two different protocols for medical dissolution. Knowledge the composition of all layers (nidus, stone, shell and surface crystals) is essential to understand the urolith etiology and a key factor to successful therapy and prevent recurrence.

La tomographie par émission de positons au 18F-Fluorodésoxyglucose (TEP au 18F-FDG) est une technique d’imagerie permettant de quantifier le métabolisme glycolytique cérébral. L’objectif de nos travaux de thèse était d’essayer de caractériser au mieux les modifications cérébrales liées au vieillissement, y compris la partie possiblement liée à des dysfonctions vasculaires, grâce à une analyse quantitative tridimensionnelle voxel-à-voxel des images de TEP au 18F-FDG. Nos travaux montrent, tout d’abord, qu’il existe un intérêt pratique à utiliser un logiciel de normalisation spatial particulier (BM : Block Matching) pour l’analyse quantitative cérébrale, au moins pour la fabrication de modèles anatomiques (« template ») adaptés à chaque population étudiée. Cet intérêt a été tout d’abord montré pour localiser des foyers épileptiques temporaux, puis pour quantifier l’impact de l’âge sur le métabolisme cérébral (détermination plus précise des aires cérébrales affectées). Avec cette méthode, il est possible d’observer une diminution du métabolisme cérébral tout au long de la vie, en particulier dans certaines aires frontales. Nous avons essayé de déterminer la composante du vieillissement cérébral qui est possiblement liée à une dysfonction vasculaire et qui serait donc susceptible d’être traitée ou prévenue par des thérapeutiques vasculaires appropriées. Dans ce domaine de recherche, nous avons pu montrer que les anomalies micro-vasculaires de la substance blanche, appelées leucoaraïose, étaient associées à une diminution du métabolisme de la substance grise, en particulier au niveau frontal. Cet effet était indépendant de l’effet spécifique de l’âge et du phénomène d’atrophie corticale. Enfin, dans une population de patients âgés et à forte prévalence d’hypertension artérielle, nous avons montré que la pression artérielle était étroitement corrélée au remodelage métabolique cérébral, en particulier lorsque cette pression est mesurée au niveau central et lorsque l’on tient compte de la pression différentielle, avec alors une valeur seuil de 50 mmHg. Le vieillissement cérébral global et l’accélération qui peut être liée à des facteurs vasculaires sont des données qui peuvent être estimées en TEP au 18F-FDG, avec une méthode d’analyse quantitative voxel-à-voxel adaptée. Cette identification pourrait peut-être guider la prescription de traitements vasculaires appropriés et aussi, aider à différencier ces atteintes liées à l’âge ou d’origine vasculaire des autres maladies cérébrales. / 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) is a brain-imaging technique allowing brain glycolytic metabolism to be quantified. The aim of this doctoral thesis work was to try to better characterize the aging-related changes in brain metabolism, including the part with a possible vascular origin, thanks to a three-dimensional voxel-based quantitative analysis of 18F-FDG PET images. Our work shows firstly that there is a clear advantage to use a particular spatial normalization software (BM: Block Matching) for the brain quantitative analysis, at least for the providing of templates adapted to each study population. This advantage was shown, initially, for the localization of temporal epileptic foci and thereafter, for quantifying the age-related changes in brain metabolism (enhanced determination of the involved brain areas). With this method, a decrease in brain metabolism could be documented throughout the life especially within certain frontal areas. In addition, we tried to determine the component of cerebral aging, which might be of a vascular origin and thus, susceptible to be treated or prevented by vascular treatments. In this research field, we have shown that microvascular abnormalities, setting within white-matter and called leukoaraiosis, were associated with a decrease in the grey-matter metabolism, in particular within certain frontal areas. This effect was independent of the inherent effect of age and of cortical atrophy. Finally, in a population of older patients with a high prevalence of hypertension, we showed that the blood pressure level was correlated to a brain metabolic remodeling, especially when this pressure was measured at central level and when considering the pulse pressure and a threshold value of 50 mmHg. The global cerebral aging and its acceleration in relation to vascular factors may be assessed by 18F-FDG PET when using an adapted voxel-based quantitative method. This assessment could potentially be useful for the monitoring of vascular treatments and for differentiating the aging- and vascular-related metabolic changes to those corresponding to brain diseases of other origins.

A hipertensão pulmonar (HP) é uma doença caracterizada por elevação da pressão da artéria pulmonar e um aumento da resistência vascular pulmonar levando à disfunção do ventrículo direito, sendo complicação importante de doenças como a doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (DPOC), doença pulmonar intersticial (DPI), colagenoses e vasculites. A tomografia computadoriza de alta resolução (TCAR) é um dos principais métodos de diagnóstico e acompanhamento destas doenças. Neste estudo objetivamos a analise quantitativa dos exames de TCAR do tórax em pacientes com doenças parenquimatosas difusas e hipertensão pulmonar diagnosticada por cateterismo direito. Foram analisados retrospectivamente os prontuários eletrônicos e os exames de TCAR de 29 pacientes com HP, em comparação com um grupo controle. Foram excluídos os casos de hipertensão arterial pulmonar primária e tromboembolismo crônico, cuja investigação é feita prioritariamente com exame de angiotomografia. A análise quantitativa foi realizada utilizando programa completamente automático e algumas medidas manuais também foram realizadas. O pacientes com HP, quando comparados ao controle, apresentaram redução do volume pulmonar, aumento da atenuação média do parênquima, aumento na medida do volume vascular pulmonar, aumento da densidade vascular pulmonar e na relação do volume vascular nos lobos superiores em relação aos lobos inferiores. O programa automático foi capaz de identificar as alterações da vasculatura, mesmo em se tratando de exames não contrastados e em meio a alterações arquiteturais do parênquima pulmonar. Estes achados provavelmente representam a redistribuição da trama vascular pulmonar, relacionada ao aumento da resistência vascular pulmonar. A análise quantitativa automática, realizada em exames de TCAR já utilizados na rotina clínica, pode representar nova ferramenta não invasiva capaz de identificar sinais de HP em pacientes com fator de risco, como DPOC, DPI, colagenoses, em que a HP representa complicação importante e de diagnóstico muitas vezes difícil / Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a disease characterized by elevation in the mean pressure of the pulmonary artery and an increase in the pulmonary vascular resistance leading to right heart dysfunction, being an important complication of multiple diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung disease (ILD), collagen diseases and vasculitis. The high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is one of the main diagnostic methods and is also important in the follow up of these patients. In this study we aim the quantitative analysis of the thoracic HRCT exams in patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease and pulmonary hypertension diagnosed by right heart catheterism. We analised retrospectively the clinical records and HRCT exams of 29 patients with PH, comparing to a control group. Were excluded from the study patients with primary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolism pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), which investigations usually include pulmonary angiotomography. The quantitative analysis was made utilizing a completely automatic software and some manual measures were also noted. Patients with PH, when comparing to control group, presented significant pulmonary volume reduction, elevated mean parenchymal attenuation, elevated measures of the pulmonary vascular volume, increase in the pulmonary vascular density and also an elevation in the relation between vascular volume in the upper pulmonary lobes and the lower lobes. The automatic software was able to identify the vascular alterations, even in non contrast enhanced exams and amidst architectural distortions in the lung parenchyma. These findings probably represent the redistribution of the pulmonary vascular bed, related to the pulmonary vascular resistance increase. .The quantitative automatic analysis, made in HRCT exams, used in clinical practice, can represent a new non invasive tool, able to identify PH signs in risc patients, such as COPD, ILD and collagen diseases, in which PH represents an important complication with, many times, difficult diagnosis.

A característica de superfície representa um fator importante na previsibilidade do comportamento dos materiais cerâmicos quanto ao desgaste. A rugosidade superficial de duas cerâmicas (Duceram Plus e Duceragold) foi avaliada através de dois métodos - análise quantitativa e qualitativa - após diferentes tratamentos. Foram confeccionados 36 corpos de prova de prova para a análise ao rugosímetro, e 24 corpos de prova para a análise ao MEV. Os resultados destas análises demonstraram o comportamento distinto entre os diferentes tratamentos. A análise com o rugosímetro demonstrou que a ação dos polidores EDENTA foi a mais efetiva para devolver lisura à superfície após a realização de desgaste com instrumento abrasivo diamantado rotatório. Todas as técnicas de polimento acarretaram em valores de rugosidade menores que os observados nos espécimes que foram submetidos apenas os “glaze". Entre as cerâmicas avaliadas, a Duceragold apresentou valores médios de rugosidade inferiores aos observados na porcelana Duceram Plus na maioria dos tratamentos pesquisados. Pela análise ao MEV não foi possível distinguir diferenças entre as cerâmicas ou entre os corpos de prova polidos ou submetidos apenas ao “glaze". / The surface characteristic of ceramic material is an important factor to predict its wear behavior. The surface roughness of two ceramics (Duceram Plus e Duceragold) was evaluated trough qualitative and quantitative methods after different treatments. 36 specimens were fabricated for the analysis utilizing a surface profiling instrument, and 24 for the SEM analysis. The results determined different behavior between the two ceramics evaluated due the treatment executed. The analysis utilizing a surface profiling instrument showed that the treatment using the EDENTA polishers was the most effective technique to provide the smoothest surface after trimming. All polishing techniques resulted in better surface properties when compared to the treatment glaze. The Duceragold ceramic presented lower roughness values in most treatments executed when compared to Duceram Plus. The perception trough the SEM analysis of significant differences between treatments or between the two ceramics was not achievable.