No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

This thesis addresses the issue of a potential future microelectronics technology, namely the possibility of utilising the optical properties of nanocrystalline silicon for optoelectronic circuits. The subject is subdivided into three chapters. Chapter 1 is an introduction. It formulates the oncoming problem for microelectronic development, explains the basics of Integrated Optoelectronics, introduces porous silicon as a new light-emitting material and gives a brief review of other competing light-emitting material systems currently under investigation. Examples of existing porous silicon devices are given. Chapter 2 reviews the basic physics relevant to the subject of this thesis and informs on the present situation in this field of research, including both experimental and theoretical knowledge gained up-to-date. The chapter provides the necessary background for correct interpretation of the results reported in Chapter 3 and for a realistic decision on the direction for future work. Chapter 3 describes my own experimental and computational results within the framework of the subject, obtained at De Montfort University. These include: onestep preparation of laterally structured porous silicon with photoluminescence and microscopy characterisation, Raman spectroscopy of porous silicon, a polarisation study of the photoluminescence from porous silicon, computer simulations of the conductivity of two-component media and of laser focused atomic deposition for nanostructure fabrication. Thus, this thesis makes a dual contribution to the chosen field: it summarises the present knowledge on the possibility of utilising optical properties of nanocrystalline silicon in silicon-based electronics, and it reports new results within the framework of the subject. The main conclusion is that due to its promising optoelectronic properties nanocrystalline silicon remains a prospective competitor for the cheapest and fastest microelectronics of the next century.

No description available.

Many performance-based assessment tools are available to measure upper extremity function. Most define hand function by the time taken to complete a task. A new computer game-based hand-arm function evaluation (GHA) tool has been developed to quantify fine and gross object manipulations skills. Objective of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability and convergent validity of the GHA assessment tool. Thirty stroke clients with the mean age of 68.41 years were recruited. Test-retest reliability was assessed by Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICCs) and t-test. Convergent validity between GHA and the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) was determined using the Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Most of the GHA outcome measures had moderate to high ICC (0.5-0.9). With scant exceptions, low correlations were observed between GHA measures and WMFT score. The ICC values reflected the complexity of the tasks, more complex task showed lower ICCs values. / October 2016

BACKGROUND: The aim was to compare the thickness of the palatal masticatory mucosa as determined on a cone-beam computerized (CBCT) scan versus thickness determined via bone-sounding. METHODS: A total of twenty patients requiring palatal surgery participated. Thickness of the palatal tissue was measured at various points radiographically and clinically. The two techniques were compared to determine the agreement of the two measurement modalities. RESULTS: Analysis of variance determined that there was no significant difference between the two methods. A small bias of the radiographic measurement being larger was found to be statistically significant (0.09 ± 0.69mm; p <0.0001). Moreover, the tissue thickness was shown to increase as the distance from the gingival margin increased and the tissue over the molars was thinner than the tissue over the premolars. CONCLUSIONS: CBCT can be used to accurately determine the soft tissue thickness of the palatal masticatory mucosa with minimal bias.

This research was one of the first longitudinal studies to determine the effectiveness of a computerized infant simulator as a deterrent to adolescent pregnancy. All of the female eighth-grade students (221) in 1994-1995 and 1995-1996 from a suburban North Texas middle school were part of this study. They were tracked from the eighth grade through high school graduation to determine whether and when pregnancies occurred. The Kaplan-Meier procedure for survival analysis was used to determine test statistics. Survival functions and hazard functions were created for each independent variable--parenting the infant simulator, ethnic and racial, involvement in co-curricular activities, and crime. Results showed the computerized infant simulator to be highly effective in postponing the on-set of pregnancies for those students who participated in the parenting simulation. Hazards peaked at 3 years, 2 months for the experimental group and at 2 years, 21/2 months for the control group. Summertime and holiday seasons marked times of the year when the majority of pregnancies occurred. Caucasians peaked before the Other ethnic group. No significant differences were detected in regard to involvement in co-curricular activities, and no involvement in crime was self-reported. The model was developed to use as a guideline for implementing a pregnancy prevention unit in schools. This model could be used by Family and Consumer Sciences classes, teen pregnancy prevention programs, childbirth preparation classes, at-risk student programs, substance abuse intervention programs, and religious education classes.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar, por meio de microtomografia computadorizada (micro-CT), o volume de remanescente de diferentes materiais obturadores (AH Plus e BC Sealer), após o uso do instrumento R50 e de técnicas complementares (inserto ultrassônico e instrumento XP-endo Finisher R) em canais radiculares ovais. Vinte e oito raízes distais de molares inferiores, com canal único e oval, foram selecionadas por micro-CT, preparados com instrumento R40 (40.06), e obturados com os seguintes cimentos: AH Plus (n = 14) e BC Sealer (n = 14), e submetidos à ciclagem térmica. Em seguida foi realizada a remoção inicial com R50 e os dentes foram escaneados no micro-CT para determinação do volume remanescente inicial de material obturador, e posterior complementação com inserto ultrassônico (n = 7) ou XP-endo Finisher R (n = 7). Os espécimes foram novamente escaneados, e a partir do volume inicial de material obturador (volinicial) e volume de material obturador remanescente (volrem) em mm3, obteve-se a % de volume de material remanescente após as técnicas de complementação (%volrem=volrem×100/volinicial). Para a análise qualitativa, as imagens de MEV e os modelos tridimensionais obtidos por micro-CT, foram avaliados em relação à presença/ausência e localização do remanescente de material obturador nos canais radiculares. Os dados de %volrem e volume remanescente de material obturador após o uso do instrumento R50 (%volR50) foram comparados pelo teste T, e os dados de %volrem foram submetidos ao teste ANOVA, seguido de teste de Tukey (nível de probabilidade de 95%). Considerando o canal como um todo, as técnicas de complementação promoveram redução significativa do volume remanescente de material obturador, sendo que menores valores foram observados quando utilizado o inserto ultrassônico (8,93 ± 6,12) em relação ao XP-endo Finisher R (16,26 ± 14,71) (P = 0,043). Quanto aos cimentos, pode-se observar que o BC Sealer apresentou maiores quantidades de remanescente (18,87 ± 13,42) quando comparado ao cimento AH Plus (6,33 ± 4,25) (P < 0,001). Em relação à avaliação por terços radiculares, observou-se que quando utilizado o instrumento XP-endo Finisher R, não houve diferença do volume de material remanescente entre os terços, independente do cimento obturador utilizado (P > 0,05). Entretanto, ao se utilizar inserto ultrassônico e cimento AH Plus, maiores valores de volume de material remanescente foram observados no terço apical (23,08 ± 18,1) (P < 0,001), e quando utilizado o BC Sealer, no terço médio (15,53 ± 6,0) (P = 0,022). Conclui-se que as técnicas de complementação aumentaram a remoção de material obturador, entretanto, nenhuma das técnicas removeu por completo o material obturador do canal radicular, principalmente quando o dente foi obturado com o cimento BC Sealer / The aim of the present study was to evaluate, by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), the remaining volume of different filling materials (AH Plus and BC Sealer) after using the R50 instrument and supplementary techniques (ultrasonic insert and XP-endo Finisher R instrument) in oval-shaped root canals. Twenty-eight distal roots of mandibular molars with single and oval-shaped canals, verified by micro-CT, were prepared with R40 instrument (40.06), and filled with the following sealers: AH Plus (n = 14) and BC Sealer (n = 14), and subjected to thermocycling. Then, the initial removal was performed with R50 and the samples were scanned in micro-CT to determine the initial remaining filling material volume, and subjected to the supplementary techniques with ultrasonic tip (n = 7) or XP-endo Finisher R (n = 7). The specimens were again scanned, and the initial volume of filling material (volinitial) and the final volume of filling material after the supplementary techniques (volfinal), obtained in mm3, were used to calculate the volume % of remaining filling material (%volrem=volrem×100/volinitial). For the qualitative analysis, the SEM images and the three-dimensional models obtained by micro-CT were evaluated regarding the presence/absence and location of the remaining filling material in the root canals after retreatment. The data of %volrem and volume of the remaining filling material after R50 (%volR50) were compared by the T test, and the %volrem data were submitted to the ANOVA and Tukey tests (95% probability level). Considering the entire root canal, the supplementary techniques promoted significant reduction of the volume of the remaining filling material, and lower values were observed for the ultrasonic tip (8.93 ± 6.12) when compared to XP-endo Finisher R (16.26 ± 14.71) (P = 0.043). Regarding the different sealers, BC Sealer presented higher amounts of remaining material (18.87 ± 13.42) when compared to AH Plus (6.33 ± 4.25) (P <0.001). The evaluation by root thirds showed that when the XP-endo Finisher R instrument was used, there was no difference in the volume of remaining material between the thirds, regardless the sealer used (P > 0.05). However, when using ultrasonic tip and AH Plus, higher values were observed in the apical third (23.08 ± 18.1) (P <0.001), and when the BC Sealer was used, in the middle third 15.53 ± 6.0) (P = 0.022). It was concluded that supplementary techniques increased the removal, however, none of the techniques completely removed the root canal filling material, especially when the tooth was filled with BC Sealer. with R40 instrument (40.06), and filled with the following sealers: AH Plus (n = 14) and BC Sealer (n = 14), and subjected to thermocycling. Then, the initial removal was performed with R50 and the samples were scanned in micro-CT to determine the initial remaining filling material volume, and subjected to the supplementary techniques with ultrasonic tip (n = 7) or XP-endo Finisher R (n = 7). The specimens were again scanned, and the initial volume of filling material (volinitial) and the final volume of filling material after the supplementary techniques (volfinal), obtained in mm3, were used to calculate the volume % of remaining filling material (%volrem=volrem×100/volinitial). For the qualitative analysis, the SEM images and the three-dimensional models obtained by micro-CT were evaluated regarding the presence/absence and location of the remaining filling material in the root canals after retreatment. The data of %volrem and volume of the remaining filling material after R50 (%volR50) were compared by the T test, and the %volrem data were submitted to the ANOVA and Tukey tests (95% probability level). Considering the entire root canal, the supplementary techniques promoted significant reduction of the volume of the remaining filling material, and lower values were observed for the ultrasonic tip (8.93 ± 6.12) when compared to XP-endo Finisher R (16.26 ± 14.71) (P = 0.043). Regarding the different sealers, BC Sealer presented higher amounts of remaining material (18.87 ± 13.42) when compared to AH Plus (6.33 ± 4.25) (P <0.001). The evaluation by root thirds showed that when the XP-endo Finisher R instrument was used, there was no difference in the volume of remaining material between the thirds, regardless the sealer used (P > 0.05). However, when using ultrasonic tip and AH Plus, higher values were observed in the apical third (23.08 ± 18.1) (P <0.001), and when the BC Sealer was used, in the middle third 15.53 ± 6.0) (P = 0.022). It was concluded that supplementary techniques increased the removal, however, none of the techniques completely removed the root canal filling material, especially when the tooth was filled with BC Sealer