Background: Oral health is crucial for overall health. Oral health care need is the most prevalent unmet health care need among children and adolescents in the United States. Youth characteristics and socio-demographic factors are known to influence dental health service utilization. While there have been studies listing the factors contributing to the oral health disparities in the Appalachian region, very few studies have inspected the risk behaviours of the youth and their association with dental health care utilization. Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered to high school students in five counties of South-Central Appalachia. The survey included a question on a recent dental visit. The students provided information on socio-demographic characteristics and risk behaviours. Descriptive analysis was performed and the association between recent dental visit as the outcome variable and sociodemographic factors and health risk behaviours as independent variables were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The analysis was performed using SAS 9.4. Results:80.1% (N= 129) of the adolescents who had admitted to using tobacco products or electronic vapour products reported having visited the dentist in the past 12 months. 87.5% (N= 168) of the females and 80.3% (N=127) of the males reported having visited the dentist in the past 12 months and 81.43% (N=114) of the adolescents who received free or reduced lunch reported having visited the dentist in the past 12 months. Use of tobacco products was the only health risk behaviour significantly associated with dental visit in the past 12 months (p=0.04) after adjusting for covariates with OR=0.5 (95% C I:0.312 -1.01). Conclusion: The findings suggest that health risk behaviours such as using tobacco products may be associated with dental health care utilization and future research should focus on adolescents with health-risk behaviours with the goal of identifying interventions for at-risk populations. Keywords: Oral health, health disparities, youth, health risk behaviours

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(人間・環境学) / 甲第21848号 / 人博第877号 / 新制||人||210(附属図書館) / 2018||人博||877(吉田南総合図書館) / 京都大学大学院人間・環境学研究科相関環境学専攻 / (主査)教授 市岡 孝朗, 教授 加藤 眞, 教授 瀬戸口 浩彰, 准教授 西川 完途 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Human and Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DGAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第22851号 / 農博第2434号 / 新制||農||1082(附属図書館) / 学位論文||R2||N5311(農学部図書室) / 京都大学大学院農学研究科森林科学専攻 / (主査)教授 吉村 剛, 教授 神﨑 護, 教授 矢野 浩之 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

Nakaoka S, Ishizaki T, Urushihara H, Satoh T, Ikeda S, et al. (2014) Prescribing Pattern of Anti-Parkinson Drugs in Japan: A Trend Analysis from 2005 to 2010. PLoS ONE 9(6): e99021. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0099021 / 京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(社会健康医学) / 甲第18649号 / 社医博第61号 / 新制||社医||8(附属図書館) / 31563 / 京都大学大学院医学研究科社会健康医学系専攻 / (主査)教授 髙橋 良輔, 教授 川上 浩司, 教授 松原 和夫 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Public Health / Kyoto University / DFAM

The ways that people use libraries have changed drastically over the past few decades. Proliferation of computers and the internet have led to the purpose of libraries expanding from being only places where information is stored, to spaces where people teach, learn, create, and collaborate. Due to this, the ways that people occupy the space in a library have also changed. To keep up with these changes and improve patron experience, institutions collect data to determine how their spaces are being used. This thesis involves the development a system that collects, stores, and analyzes data relevant to occupancy to learn how a space is being utilized. Data is collected from a temperature and humidity sensor, passive Infrared sensor, and an Infrared thermal sensor array to observe people as they occupy and move through a space. Algorithms were developed to analyze the collected sensor data to determine how many people are occupying a space or the directions that people are moving through a space. The algorithms demonstrate the ability to track multiple people moving through a space as well as count the number of people in a space with an RMSE of roughly 0.39 people.

Thesis (M.A. (Nursing)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Background: The utilization of primary health care (PHC) facilities has declined as most patients are using the hospitals for minor ailments. The study aimed to investigate factors that contribute to non-utilization of PHC services by the community in Greater Tzaneen Municipality, Mopani District, Limpopo Province. Methodology: quantitative research method was used, and data was collected using self-designed questionnaire. Total of 101 respondents out of 135 population participated in the study. Simple random sampling was used. The questionnaire was piloted to ensure reliability in a different setting. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 24. The outcome of the analysis was presented as frequencies and percentages in tables, pie charts and bar graphs. Ethical standards were adhered to throughout the study. Results: Demographic results indicated that the most of the respondents were females, aged between 26-35 years, speak the Sepedi language unemployed, went up to secondary school level using public transport, and have used their local clinic before more than. Many indicated that they have visited the hospital for reasons other than maternal and child health, chronic diseases and medication and minor illnesses. 25 factors recorded and the respondents reported six major factors that contributed to non-utilizing their PHC services. Factors included long queues and waiting times, no drugs and essential medication, PHC not operating for 24 hours and not operating for 7 days per week and nurses’ negative attitudes toward the community. Conclusions: Demographic results did not impact on the non-utilization of PHC services, but community-related, administrative factors and health-related factors contributed to non-utilization of PHC services

<p>Surfactants self-assemble into diverse aggregate structures like micelles and bilayers. These aggregates play a vital role in applications ranging from wastewater treatment to soil remediation to carbon utilization. Therefore, an understanding of aggregate morphologies in solutions and at interfaces allows us to tailor surfactants for specific applications. To that end, we have used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to glean atomic-level insights into surfactant aggregation.</p><p>First, we focus on the self-assembly of Aerosol-OT (AOT), a double-tailed anionic surfactant in aqueous media. Through extensive classical MD simulations, AOT morphologies are generated that are consistent with experimental phase diagrams. Aggregates range from spherical micelles at low concentrations (1 wt.%) to bilayers at higher concentrations (20 wt.%). A transitional biphasic regime is identified at an intermediate concentration (7.2 wt.%); this regime comprises prolate spheroidal and long rod-like micelles. Metrics of micelle shape and size are computed from the moments of inertia tensor. The polydispersity in these metrics are also quantified. The bilayer thickness and area per AOT head group agree with experimental measurements. The simulations also reveal atomic-level mechanistic insights into the early stages of surfactant aggregation. Taken together, these simulations elucidate the structural diversity of AOT aggregates as a function of concentration and temperature thus being complementary to mean-field experiments.</p><p>Second, we attempt to understand the role of AOT in the valorization of carbon dioxide to calcium carbon ultrafine particles. Through an enhanced sampling MD technique called umbrella sampling, the interactions between a single molecule of AOT and the (10m14) crystal plane of CaCO₃ are investigated. These simulations are complemented by a first principles Density Functional Theory (DFT) analysis which is performed through collaboration. DFT identifies the most stable adsorption configurations for AOT-like surrogate molecules and unravels the nature of chemical bonds between these molecules and the (10m14) crystal plane.</p><p>Finally, preliminary experimental studies pertaining to the synthesis of CaCO₃ particles using CO₂ and surfactants is discussed. The CaCO₃ particles are characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The influence of the nature of the surfactant; anionic AOT, or cationic cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), on the morphology of CaCO₃ particles is discussed.</p>

The aim of this study was to establish whether a splint programme is effective in preventing the deterioration of already evident swan neck and boutonniere deformities in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A randomised clinical trial was done on 34 RA patients with swan neck and 34 RA patients with boutonniere deformities. The literature revealed that several factors such as age, gender, socio-economic status, time after onset of the illness and lifestyle could influence results. Care was taken to allocate, as far as possible equal numbers of patients with these attributes to the experimental and control groups. It became clear from the literature that swan neck and boutonniere deformities could manifest themselves in different forms and stages or grades of deterioration. Various splints to halt the downward spiral of the deformity were recommended, without proper scientific verification, by the authors. No specifications as to which splint was recommended for which form or grade of deformity or instructions for wearing of the splints were included. For the study the PIP hyperextension splint and the three-point-PIP extension splint was chosen for the swan neck and boutonniere deformities respectively. Patients were followed up for one year. Results were marginally positive for the prevent ion of swan neck deformities by the hyperextension splint programme, but results for the three-point PIP extension splint programmes were negative for grade I boutonniere deformities. Loss of flexor muscle strength was evident in almost all the groups (experimental and control) but more so for grade I swan neck and grade I boutonniere deformities. The variability of measurements were found to be large. Many possible sources of variation were identified, which included biological differences between people, different courses the illness could take and a weak test-retest reliability of some goniometer measurements. This fact and the relatively small sample subgroups caused some results to be not significant on the 5% level. From the significant findings, and other not significant tendencies that were too persistent to ignore, linked to the different manifestations and grades of swan neck and boutonniere deformities, recommendations were made. These suggestions will have to be tested by experimentation.

This diploma thesis deals with the preparation binder systems based on Portland clinker and recycled brick. Recycled brick is considered a waste material from construction or production of brick products. This thesis uses finely grounded brick recycled and brick dust, which is produced during final processing of burnt bricks. By incorporating brick dust in alternative system based on Portland clinker could bring ecological and economic benefits. This diploma thesis deals with option using brick dust as pozzolan admixture to Portland clinker, with the aim to prepare and test Portland cement, which is defined in v ČSN EN 197-1. This thesis also deals with possibility preparation of alternative binders based on p-clinker, but those not defined by ČSN EN 197-1. Specifically these are ternary binders with fluid bed ash and binders based on hybrid cements containing sodium sulfate.

The diploma thesis focuses on the brick dust arising during grinding of burnt brickwork and the possibilities of its utilization. In the theoretical part origin and basic properties of brick dust is described. Some published results of research on the potential utilization of brick dust in various industries are presented here. Also proposal of utilization of brick dust in the ceramic industry is presented. In the practical part two ceramic raw materials and the two brick dust with different granulometry arising during grinding of burnt brickwork (made from these two ceramic raw materials) were selected. The effect of the addition of brick dust to the ceramic raw materials on the physical - mechanical properties of ceramic body after sintering was investigated.