Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: MRI; Image reconstruction; Image registration; Medical image. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-137).

Th.--Méd.--Paris, 1930. / Bibliogr., 1 p.

Th.--Méd.--Montpellier, 1913-1914. / Montpellier, 1913-1914. n ° 35.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-104).

Molecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods have the potential to provide detailed information regarding cellular and molecular processes at small scales within the human body. Nuclear signals from chemical samples can be probed using specialised MRI techniques, to highlight molecular contrast from particular enzymes or metabolites. The aim of the work described in this thesis is to investigate both exogenous and endogenous contrast mechanisms using fluorine MRI and chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) respectively, in order to detect molecular changes in vitro. Initial theoretical work investigates the factors which affect fluorine MRI signals and provides a theoretical framework to determine the sensitivity of such experiments. A novel paramagnetic fluorine sensor to detect enzyme activity is then characterised using high field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), showing 60 to 70–fold increases in T1 relaxation values upon enzyme interaction. The effects on the fluorine lineshape from varying sample temperature and solvent were investigated. The possibility of imaging is demonstrated, but further investigations using the theoretical framework found pre–clinical implementation of the sensor is limited by the achievable experimental sensitivity. Efforts then focussed on CEST molecular methods, which are not limited by sensitivity. A protocol is developed to target amide protons in an in vitro cancer cell model, with parameters optimised following simulation of the expected contrast. Analysis of CEST results were aided through use of a support vector machine (SVM) to distinguish group differences between cancer cells and control samples. A linear classifier was found to be suitable to discriminate between samples.

The use of plasma proteins for the diagnosis and management of various diseases in humans has been known since the days of Hippocrates. Recently, a new protein, Urine protein 1 (UP1), has been isolated by Dakopatts Immunoglobulin, Copenhagen, from patients with renal tubular dysfunction. This study reports an investigation into the clinical significance of the protein. The purification, antibody production and semi-characterisation of the protein has also been undertaken. A sensitive, reproducible enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been set up and validated for the estimation of UP1. UP1 has been shown to be a stable, negative, low molecular weight (LMW) glycoprotein, with alpha-2 electrophoretic mobility on cellulose acetate. It is suggested that the protein be called alpha-2 glycomicroglobulin (a[2]GM). a[2]GM has been shown to be synthesised in the liver, and, like many other LMW proteins, cleared by the glomeruli, reabsorbed and catabolised mainly by the proximal convoluted tubules. It shows no acute phase reaction, and its serum levels are not significantly affected by pathological states such as myeloma, Hodgkins disease, leukaemia and teratoma, unless there is associated impairment in renal function. Patients with end-stage renal failure showed the highest serum increases. Serum levels of a[2GM were not found to be significantly affected by haemodialysis. Clinically, a[2]GM has been shown to be useful in the diagnosis and assessment of the course of progression of renal disease. It has also been demonstrated that a[2]GM has great potential in the identification, characterisation and monitoring of rejection episodes, and in the assessment of allograft function. Compared to other LMW plasma proteins, a[2]GM indicated clearly superior sensitivity and may be useful in monitoring tubular function in cancer patients on cisplatin chemotherapy. a[2]GM has also been shown to be a useful analyte in the assessment of early renal tubular involvement in diabetics.

The aim of this investigation was to monitor attitudinal changes of staff and students participating in undergraduate professional programmes to the implementation of shared learning over a four-year period. The programmes being studied were the BSc. Occupational Therapy, BSc. Diagnostic Radiography and BSc. Therapeutic Radiography Honours degrees. Each validated programme contained some syllabus areas that were taught together i.e. were shared across the professions. Initially, after a review of the existing literature on this issue, a questionnaire was designed as a research tool to enable both qualitative and quantitative data to be collected and analysed. The quantitative sections of the questionnaire were checked for reliability throughout the four years and achieved positive Cronbach Alpha results ranging from .7083 to .8984 in the four main concepts under investigation, namely the Pitfalls, Benefits, Curriculum Aspects and Social Aspects of the shared programmes. Over the four year period a total of 418 student questionnaires were collected and analysed. In addition to the quantitative data collected, qualitative data were also collected from the questionnaire from extracts of the minutes of Course Committee and Examination Board meetings and from videos of tutorials and seminars. All of these were analysed. The results showed fluctuations in the attitudes of both staff and students to shared learning over the four year period, but all those who participated showed a net favourable change in attitude by the end of the research investigation.

Orientador: Marcos Augusto de Moraes Silva / Resumo: Analisar criticamente os critérios de diagnósticos das cefaléias da Sociedade Internacional de Cefaléia (SIC) 1988 e da SIC 2004. Método: Foram analisados retrospectivamente 496 pacientes atendidos no ambulatório de Cefaléia na Infância e Adolescência do HC Unesp Botucatu no período de 1992 à 2002. Empregou-se critério diagnóstico clínico intuitivo (CDI) como padrão "gold standard". A comparação entre CDI, SIC 88 e Proposta SIC 2002 foi realizada utilizando-se as variáveis: Sensibilidade, Especificidade (E), Valor Preditivo, Positivo (VPP), Valor Preditivo Negativo (VPN); segundo as fórmulas/critérios: CLAP - OPS/OMS, 1988 e de Rouquayrol, 1993. Resultado: Observamos que a proposta SIC 2002 demonstrou maior sensibilidade com relação às migrâneas: a) sem aura, b) com aura, c) com aura típica, d) basilar. A proposta SIC 2002 apresenta alta especificidade. Não houve diferença significativa com as outras variáveis. Conclusões: A proposta SIC 2002 mostrou maior sensibilidade para as migrâneas quando comparada com a SIC 88. Possivelmente o fator tempo de duração das crises de cefaléia,diferentes entre ambas poderiam justificar a relativa baixa sensibilidade quando comparadas ao "gold standard". / Abstract: Critically analyse the diagnostic criteria of headaches from International Classification of Headache Disorders Diagnostic Criteria (ICHD) 1988 and from ICHD 2004. Method: Four hundred ninety-six patients who were attended at the Headache Outpatient Ward for Children and Adolescence of the General Hospital, Medical School of the State University from São Paulo - Unesp- of the city Botucatu from 1992 to 2002 were analyzed. Individuals were classified according three diagnostics groups: Intuitive Clinic Diagnostic (ICD-"gold standard"), ICHD I- 1988 and ICHD II-2004. They were statistically compared using the variables: Sensibility (S), Specificity (Sp), Positive Predictive Value (PPV), Negative Predictive Value (NPV), according to formulas/criteria: CLAP - PAHO/WHO (1988) and of Rouquayrol (1993). Result: It was observed that the ICHD II-2004 presented higher sensibility than ICHD I-1988 concerning migraine with and without aura, there was no significant difference concerning other variables. Conclusions: The ICHD II-2004 showed higher sensibility referring to migraine when compared with ICHD I 1988 without affecting specificity and although it improved migraine diagnosis in children and adolescents, the sensitivity remains poor. / Mestre

Le travail mené dans cette thèse porte sur la consommation d’énergie, et plus particulièrement le chauffage dans le logement social. Il vise à (i) analyser l'influence des caractéristiques de bâtiments des indicateurs socio-économiques des occupants sur la consommation de chauffage et (ii) à développer des modèles numériques pour la prédiction de cette consommation. La recherche est basée sur des données fournies par le Lille Métropole Habitat, qui est en charge de la gestion d'un grand parc de logement social à Lille Métropole. La thèse comprend quatre parties. La première présente une analyse bibliographique, qui couvre le logement social en Europe, notamment en France, les facteurs qui affectent la consommation d'énergie dans le logement social et les politiques proposées pour les économies d'énergie dans ce secteur. La deuxième partie présente les données utilisées dans ce travail, qui ont été fournies par LMH. Ces données concernent un grand parc de logement social à Lille Métropole (Nord de la France). Elles comprennent les dépenses de chauffage, des caractéristiques des bâtiments et des indicateurs socio-économiques sur les occupants. La troisième partie présente une analyse de l'influence des caractéristiques des bâtiments (âge, DPE, superficie et nombre d'étages) et des paramètres socio-économiques des occupants (âge, situation matrimonial et revenues) sur la consommation de chauffage. La dernière partie présente l'élaboration des modèles de prévision des dépenses de chauffage dans le parc de LMH et l'utilisation de ces modèles pour la politique de rénovation. Deux méthodes sont utilisées: La Méthode des Moindres Carrés (OLS) et les Réseaux de Neurones Artificie. / The research conducted in this doctoral thesis concerns a major socio-economic issue, that of the heating consumption in social housing. It aims at understanding the influence of both building characteristics as well as socio-economic indicators on the heating consumption in this sector and the development of numerical models for the prediction of this consumption. The research is based on data provided by Lille Métropole Habitat, who is in charge of the management of a large social housing stock in Lille Metropolis. The thesis includes four parts. The first part presents a literature review which covers the social housing in Europe, in particular in France, the factors affecting the energy consumption in social housing, and policies proposed for the energy saving in this sector. The second part presents the data used in this work that are provided by LMH. The data concern a large social housing stock in Lille Metropolis (North of France). They include heating expenses as well as the buildings characteristics and some socio-economic indicators on the tenants. The third part presents analysis of the influence of both building characteristics (age, DPE, dwellings’ area, number of floors) and socio-economic parameters (tenants’ age, marital status and income) on the heating consumption. The last part presents the elaboration of prediction models for the heating expenses in the LMH housing stock and the use of these models to analyze the investment policy in the renovation of this stock. Two methods are used: the classical Ordinary Least Squares method (OLS) and the Artificial Neural Networks.

M. Tech. / Yeast such as Candida albicans are the major cause of human diseases such as genital thrush and oral thrush. Some of the genital isolates of C. albicans that were studied by Shah et al. (1991 & 1995) were found to produce the medically important immunosuppressing mycotoxin gliotoxin, which has potential important medical consequences. The biosynthesis of this mycotoxin is regulated and expressed by the presence of the gliP and gliZ genes, which were identified on the putative gene cluster of A. fumigatus. Most Candidal infections are treated using a single or a combination of antifungal agents such as amphotericin B (AmB), fluconazole, flucytosine, voriconazole, caspofungin, itraconazole, posaconazole and ketoconazole. The mode of action for these antifungal agents differs in terms of what molecule or processes are inhibited. The details of each antifungal agent and its mode of action are discussed in chapter 6 (page 54). These antifungal agents are usually recommended for the treatment of candidosis and currently the most common Candida spp. have developed resistance to these antifungal agents. The identification of Candida isolates was done using 2 different types of identification methods i.e., the chromogenic medium CHROMagar Candida and the biochemical test kit API 10 Candida. The chromogenic medium was inoculated with the Candida spp. supplied and incubated for 3 days at 37oC. The API 10C test strips were loaded with the culture suspension and incubated for 24 hours at 37oC. For the screening of gliotoxin, 2 supplemented mediums were used to cultivate the isolates that is the yeast extract sucrose (YES) and Eagles minimal essential medium (EMEM) and the isolates were grown at 37oC for 72 days. The methods that were used to identify the gliotoxin were thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to quantify the levels of gliotoxin.