Thesis (M.App.Sc.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 111-113). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006. / Swaminathan, Madhavan, Committee Chair ; Cressler, John D., Committee Co-Chair ; Kenney, Stevenson J., Committee Member ; Peterson, Andrew, Committee Member ; Durgin, Gregory, Committee Member ; Sitaraman, Suresh, Committee Member.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 2006 / Typescript (photocopy)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2006. / Includes vita. Title from title screen. Shiferaw Gurmu, committee chair; Paula E. Stephan, Erdal Tekin, Gregory B. Lewis, committee members. Electronic text (259 p.). Description based on contents viewed May 9, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 250-258).

Submitted by Vivian Barnabé Policastro null (vivianbpolicastro@foar.unesp.br) on 2016-05-12T16:12:26Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação final - Vivian B. Policastro.pdf: 1510147 bytes, checksum: 9f419c0a576b25cc5a8d89d0bb0d04a1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Felipe Augusto Arakaki (arakaki@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-05-16T13:03:00Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 policastro_vb_me_arafo.pdf: 1510147 bytes, checksum: 9f419c0a576b25cc5a8d89d0bb0d04a1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-16T13:03:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 policastro_vb_me_arafo.pdf: 1510147 bytes, checksum: 9f419c0a576b25cc5a8d89d0bb0d04a1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-06 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Overdentures retidas por um implante têm sido apresentadas como uma opção de tratamento para pacientes que apresentam problemas relacionados à retenção e estabilidade de suas próteses totais inferiores, podendo representar uma alternativa à reabilitação com overdentures retidas por dois implantes. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a movimentação da prótese total superior em usuários de overdentures mandibulares retidas por um ou dois implantes durante a mastigação de dois alimentos teste. Vinte e um pacientes usuários de próteses totais bimaxilares novas foram divididos em dois grupos e posteriormente submetidos à instalação de um (G1; n=11) ou dois (G2; n=10) implantes na região anterior da mandíbula. Após 4 meses foram instalados pilares o’rings sobre os implantes e realizou-se a captura das cápsulas e anéis de retenção por meio de alívio e reembasamento das próteses totais inferiores. Um cinesiógráfo foi utilizado para registrar a movimentação da prótese total superior, nos seguintes períodos: antes da cirurgia (baseline), 3, 6 e 12 meses após a ativação dos implantes, durante a mastigação voluntária de dois tipos de alimentos teste, pão e poliéter. O teste de ANOVA de três fatores de medições repetidas mistas seguido pelo teste de Bonferroni foram utilizados na análise dos dados (α=0,05). Para o eixo vertical, houve uma menor intrusão da prótese total superior quando os pacientes apresentavam prótese total convencional inferior (µ=0,60±0,28 mm), em comparação aos períodos 3 meses (µ=0,79±0,40 mm), 6 meses (µ=0,89±0,63 mm) e 12 meses (µ=0,93±0,71 mm) após ativação dos implantes. Ainda, pacientes reabilitados com overdentures retidas por 1 implante obtiveram uma maior intrusão da prótese total convencional superior (µ=0,95±0,55 mm) em comparação com aqueles reabilitados com overdentures mandibulares com 2 implantes (µ=0,65±0,46 mm). Observou-se que houve um deslocamento da prótese total superior em direção inferior apenas quando os pacientes utilizavam PT convencional mandibular (µ=0,23±0,23 mm), sendo que essa deslocamento foi significante apenas em comparação ao período de 12 meses após a ativação dos implantes (µ=0,14±0,25 mm). Para o eixo anteroposterior, observou-se que houve em pacientes reabilitados com 1 implante um maior deslocamento da prótese total superior em direção para anterior no período de 12 meses (µ=0,97±0,77 mm), em comparação ao baseline (µ=0,44±0,33 mm), 3 meses (µ=0,43±0,42 mm) e 6 meses (µ=0,49±0,67 mm). Ainda, no período 12 meses, foi observado que o deslocamento da PT para anterior foi maior nos pacientes reabilitados com 1 implante (µ=0,97±0,77 mm) em comparação aos pacientes reabilitados com 2 implantes (µ=0,26±0,63 mm). Conclui-se que: (1) reabilitação com overdentures mandibulares retidas por um ou dois implantes promove uma maior intrusão da prótese total superior; (2) após substituição de próteses mandibulares convencionais por overdentures, não se observou um deslocamento em direção inferior da prótese total superior; (3) overdentures mandibulares retidas por um implante promoveram uma maior intrusão vertical e movimentação para anterior da prótese total superior; (4) o tipo de alimento não influenciou na movimentação da prótese total superior. / Overdentures retained by one implant have been presented as a treatment option for patients with problems related to retention and stability of their mandibular complete dentures, which may represent an alternative to rehabilitation with overdentures retained by two implants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the movement of the conventional maxillary complete denture among users of overdentures retained by one or two implants during chewing of two food test. Twenty-one patients received new maxillary and mandibular dentures and were divided into two groups and subsequently receive one (G1; n = 11) or two (G2; n = 10) implants in the mandibular arch. After four months, the ball attachments were inserted to the implants and a processed denture reline was made to incorporate the implant retention using retentive elements. A kinesiograph was used to record the maxillary complete denture movement in the following periods: before surgery (baseline), 3, 6 and 12 months after implants retention, during voluntary chewing two types of test foods: bread and polysulphide blocks. Data were analyzed using three-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni test (α=.05). For the vertical axis, a lower vertical intrusion of the maxillary denture was observed when patients had convencional mandibular complete denture (µ=0,60±0,28 mm), in comparison with 3 months (µ=0,79±0,40 mm), 6 months (µ=0,89±0,63 mm) and 12 months (µ=0,93±0,71 mm) after implants retention. In addition, patients that received overdentures retained by one implant had a higher intrusion of the maxillary denture (µ=0,95±0,55 mm) in comparison with those patients that received overdentures mandibular retained by two implants (µ=0,65±0,46 mm). It was observed that there was a displacement of the maxillary complete denture against the support area only with the patients that used conventional mandibular denture (µ=-0,23±0,23 mm) and this displacement was significant only in comparison with the period of 12 months after implants retention (μ = 0.14 ± 0.25 mm). For the anteroposterior axis, it was observed that there was a higher maxillary denture anterior movement at 12 months (µ=0,97±0,77 mm), in comparison with baseline (µ=0,44±0,33 mm), 3 months (µ=0,43±0,42 mm) and 6 months (µ=0,49±0,67 mm) for patients rehabilitated with one implant. Also, at 12 months, it was observed a higher maxillary denture anterior movement in patients with 1 implant (μ = 0.97 ± 0.77 mm) compared to patients that received two implants (μ = 0.26 ± 0.63 mm). It is concluded that: (1) Overdentures retained by one or two implants produced higher vertical intrusion of the maxillary denture; (2) after replacement of conventional mandibular dentures for overdentures, it was not observed a dislocation of the maxillary denture against the support area; (3) mandibular overdentures retained by one implant promoted higher vertical intrusion and anterior movement of the maxillary complete dentures; (4) the type of test food had no influence on the maxillary complete denture movement.

This thesis maps the growth of the use of internet technologies in randomised controlled trials in health care and public health, and explores the methodological and ethical issues that arise from their use from the perspective of researchers and participants. Online clinical trials are growing in number, and claim to offer benefits for researchers and participants, providing solutions to some of the inherent problems associated with traditional trials. However, little is known about how many internet-based trials have been conducted, what methodological research has been undertaken, or what impact the new technologies might have on researcher or participant experience. The thesis followed a step-by-step approach, using information science, research synthesis, and qualitative methods. The creation of a database of internet-based clinical trials established that they have grown rapidly in number, use internet technologies primarily to deliver an intervention, predominantly in behavioural, mental health, or life-style public health settings. A two-stage systematic review, comprising a descriptive map and a qualitative synthesis, established what is known about the methods, conduct or participant experience in internet-based trials. A qualitative primary study was then carried out, based on the findings of the review, to further explore the views, attitudes and experiences of researchers, participants and the public, into the motivations, benefits or barriers to taking part in internet-based clinical trials. Themes emerging from the research suggest complex interactions between design and technology, particularly in the area of participant characteristics and choice; convenience versus intrusion; impact of time and place; the pace of change and impact of societal changes in the use of technology. A range of ethical considerations emerged, including the nature of informed consent, ethical approval, and the need for a systematic approach to patient and public involvement. Recommendations are made to help inform and improve research practice in the digital age.

The problem of this study was to determine the status of marketing activities among four-year, publicly-controlled institutions of higher education in the United States. A survey was conducted of all 549 four-year, publicly controlled institutions listed in the 1980 Education Directory. Questionnaires were mailed to those administrators whose titles implied public relations responsibilities. This group of respondents was presumed to comprise the individuals who were most likely to be knowledgeable about marketing activities in their institutions. Responses were received from 364 (66.3 per cent) of the officers, who represented 364 institutions from 49 states.

Orientador: Luis Carlos Origa de Oliveira / Resumo: Em sistemas trifásicos de potência as tensões entregues pela fonte são senoidais, iguais em magnitude e com defasamento angular de 120° entre fases. Contudo, as tensões resultantes nos pontos de utilização podem ser desbalanceadas por diversas razões. A natureza do desbalanceamento inclui magnitudes, e/ou diferentes defasagens angulares, entre fases das tensões. Nos sistemas de distribuição de energia elétrica são encontradas as maiores causas para geração de desequilíbrios de tensão, devido à distribuição irregular de cargas por fase, as quais variam constantemente devido à inserção e/ou retirada das mesmas. Visando a implantação de dispositivos de compensação de desequilíbrios que utilizem o menor número de componentes eletrônicos, apresentem mecanismos de controle simplificados e que sejam menos sensíveis a distúrbios na rede elétrica, apresenta-se um arranjo topológico como contribuição original deste trabalho. Destaca-se que o arranjo proposto atende às prerrogativas preconizadas e nestas condições, vislumbra-se um desempenho operacional robusto e a custo reduzido quando comparado às demais estruturas de compensação em utilização. / Doutor

Background: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has shown promise as an effective intervention in the treatment of mental health disorders. In the last decade, the delivery of ACT has expanded to include various formats (e.g. groups, self-help, online and phone apps). Further research is needed to evaluate whether such delivery formats are a viable extension of ACT. Furthermore, the existing evidence base of certain alternative delivery formats have yet to be reviewed. This thesis portfolio sought to contribute to this area of research. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to investigate the efficacy of group-based interventions for mental health disorders using ACT. Five databases were systematically searched, manual searches were conducted and corresponding authors were contacted. Studies which used a randomised-controlled design, with adult samples and investigated group-based ACT interventions for mental health disorders were included. A meta-analysis of the included studies was conducted for post-intervention and follow-up data. In the empirical study, an ACT manual was trialled using a randomised-controlled design to investigate the efficacy of using ACT in a guided self-help context. Participants with anxiety/depression were randomly assigned to receive either the ACT intervention or treatment as usual (TAU). Those in the ACT group were posted an ACT manual and received two telephone calls. Outcome measures were analysed after the six-week intervention. Results: From the meta-analysis, 18 randomised-controlled trials were identified, 14 of which focussed on anxiety and depression. The findings suggest that ACT-based groups have a large effect on symptom reduction when compared to non-active comparisons at post-treatment and a moderate effect when compared to non-active comparisons at follow-up. Additionally, there was a small effect in favour of ACT when compared to active treatment controls at post-treatment and equivalent effects when comparing ACT to active treatment controls at follow-up. Similar effects were found when separately comparing the 14 studies which focussed primarily on anxiety and depression. The empirical study revealed that guided self-help was found to be no more effective in improving quality of life or reducing psychological distress than the TAU group. However, such results should be interpreted with caution as the small sample size and high attrition rate indicates that further research with larger samples and follow-up are needed before strong conclusions can be made. Conclusions: The findings of this research indicate that group-based ACT interventions may be a suitable alternative delivery format for service providers in the provision of common mental health disorders, particularly anxiety and depression. Further research is needed before any strong conclusions can be made regarding the efficacy of guided self-help for anxiety/depression.

L’Objectif de cette thèse est de développeré une théorie de l’identification spécifique pour les systèmes Hamiltonien à ports. Les raisons principales pour motiver cette théorie résident dans les propriétés remarquables de ces systèmes, notamment leur structure de Dirac et sa stabilité par interconnexion conservative de puissance (e.g. parallèle, séries ou feedback). Dans la première partie, les systèmes Hamiltoniens sont analysés en ce qui concerne leur identifiabilité structurelle, par par analyse de leur observabilité/commandabilité, par tests directs, par l’analyse en série de puissance de leur fonction de transfert ou par une nouvelle approche énergétique d’analyse d’une identifiabilité spécifique associée à un port. Dans la partie suivante, des modèles de perturbation par port d’interaction sont introduits et permettent l’analyse de l’identifiabilité « pratique » des systèmes hamiltoniens à ports. Le quatrième chapitre présente des schémas de discrétisation en temps qui préserve les bilans de puissance et d’énergie et leur application sur des exemples de système hamiltoniens à ports linéaires et non linéaires. L’erreur de discrétisation est analysée en introduisant la notion de représentation hamiltonienne de l’erreur de discrétisation. Dans la dernière partie de cette thèse, une approche d’identification dans l’espace d’état est développée pour les systèmes obtenus par discrétisation symplectique des systèmes hamiltoniens à ports. Les cas déterministe est analysé et une approche énergétique basée sur les résultats d’identifiabilité structurelle développé dans la première partie est proposée. Enfin, dans la dernière partie, les contributions du travail sont rappelées et quelques perspectives pour des travaux futurs sont présentées. / The objective of this thesis is to develop a specific identification theory for Port Controlled Hamiltonian (PCH) systems. The main reasons to develop this theory comes from their remarkable properties like power conservation and stability under power preserving interconnection (e.g. parallel, series or feedback interconnections). In a first part PCH systems are analysed for structural identifiability using some classical or new techniques: observability/controllability identifiability, direct test, power series expansion or a new power energy approach, defining also a new concept of port identifiability. Further it is proposed a perturbation model by means of the interaction port together with a practical identifiability analysis realized using the controllability and observability concepts. The fourth part presents a new framework for time-discretization of PCH systems in the nonlinear or linear case, by combined discretization of the flows and efforts preserving in the same time their characteristic properties. Also in this part it is proposed a discretization error Hamiltonian to distinguish the continuous-time PCH system from the discrete-time one. The fifth part of the thesis makes an analysis of PCH systems identifiability using the subspace identification approach in the deterministic case, proposing also a new power energy approach in direct connection with the structural identifiability results. In the end are presented the main conclusions, personal contributions and perspectives for future work.