This study was an analysis of social work practice in a medical setting: analyzing the work of a medical social worker in an outpatient clinic located in a metropolitan area. The primary purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate the performance of a medical social worker in a Kaiser-Permanente outpatient clinic and to determine if there were possible associations between social work intervention and patient utilization of existing services offered by the Kaiser Health Care system, also referred to herein as Kaiser. Specifically, the study attempted to determine if there were quantitative changes in patient contacts, and utilization of certain services such as clinic visits, telephone contacts, prescriptions, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and physicians seen before and after social worker intervention. If there were changes, what were the direction and quantity? Did changes vary according to type of service? Did patient utilization of medical care vary according to the number of social work contacts?

No description available.

Ce travail de thèse propose d’analyser les signaux issus d’une source omnidirectionnelle sphérique réfléchis par un milieu sédimentaire stratifié et enregistré par une antenne d’hydrophones, en vue de caractériser quantitativement les sédiments marins aux moyennes fréquences, i.e. comprises entre 1 et 10 kHz. La recherche développée dans ce manuscrit propose une méthodologie facilitant la recherche des paramètres géoacoustiques du milieu avec la méthode des sources images, ainsi qu’un ensemble de solutions techniques appropriées afin d’améliorer cette méthode d’inversion récemment développée. La méthode des sources images repose sur une modélisation physique de la réflexion des ondes émises par une source sur un milieu stratifié sous l’approximation de Born. Par conséquent, la réflexion de l’onde sur le milieu stratifié peut être représentée par une collection de sources images, symétriques de la source réelle par rapport aux interfaces, dont les positions spatiales sont liées à la vitesse des ondes acoustiques et aux épaisseurs des couches. L’étude se décline en deux volets : traitements des signaux et inversion des paramètres géoacoustiques. La première partie du travail est focalisée sur le développement de la méthode des sources images. La méthode originelle se basait sur la construction de cartes de migration et de semblance de signaux pour déterminer les paramètres d’entrée de l’algorithme d’inversion qui sont des temps de trajet et des angles d’arrivée. Afin d’éviter cette étape, nous détectons les temps d’arrivée avec l’opérateur d’énergie de Teager-Kaiser (TKEO) et nous trouvons les angles par une méthode de triangulation. Le modèle d’inversion a été ensuite intégré en prenant en compte la possibilité de déformation de l’antenne. Cette partie se termine par une nouvelle approche qui combine TKEO et des méthodes temps fréquence afin d’avoir une bonne détection du temps d’arrivée dans le cas de signaux fortement bruités. Sur le plan du modèle et de l’inversion géoacoustique, nous proposons tout d’abord une description précise du modèle direct en introduisant le concept de sources images virtuelles. Cette étape permet de mieux comprendre l’approche développée. Ensuite, nous proposons une extension de la méthode des sources image pour l’inversion de paramètres géoacoustiques supplémentaires : la densité, l’atténuation et la vitesse des ondes de cisaillement. Cette extension est basée sur les résultats de l’inversion originelle (estimation du nombre de strates, de leur épaisseur, et de la vitesse des ondes de compression) ainsi que sur l’utilisation de l’amplitude des signaux réfléchis. Ces améliorations et extensions de la méthode des sources images sont illustrées par leur application sur des signaux synthétiques et des signaux réels issus d’expérimentations en cuve et à la mer. Les résultats obtenus sont très satisfaisants, tant au niveau des performances de calcul que de la qualité des estimations fournies. / This thesis aims at analyzing the signals emitted from a spherical omnidirectional source reflected by a stratified sedimentary environment and recorded by a hydrophone array in order to characterize quantitatively the marine sediments at medium frequencies, i.e. between 1 and 10 kHz. The research developed in this manuscript provides a methodology to facilitate the estimation of medium geoacoustic parameters with the image source method, and some appropriate technical solutions to improve this recently developed inversion method. The image source method is based on a physical modeling of the wave reflection emitted from a source by a stratified medium under the Born approximation. As result, the reflection of the wave on the layered medium can be represented by a set of image sources, symmetrical to the real source with respect to the interfaces, whose spatial positions are related to the sound speeds and the thicknesses of the layers. The study consists of two parts : signal processing and inversion of geoacoustic parameters. The first part of the work is focused on the development of the image source method. The original method was based on migration and semblance maps of the recorded signals to determine the input parameters of the inversion algorithm which are travel times and arrival angles. To avoid this step, we propose to determine the travel times with the Teager-Kaiser energy operator (TKEO) and the arrival angles are estimate with a triangulation approach. The inversion model is then integrated, taking into account the possible deformation of the antenna. This part concludes with a new approach that combines TKEO and time-frequency representations in order to have a good estimation of the travel times in the case of noisy signals. For the modeling and geoacoustic inversion part, we propose first an accurate description of the forward model by introducing the concept of virtual image sources. This idea provides a deeper understanding of the developed approach. Then, we propose an extension of the image sources method to the estimation of supplementary geoacoustic parameters : the density, the absorption coefficient, and the shear wave sound speed. This extension is based on the results of the original inversion (estimation of the number of layers, their thicknesses, and the pressure sound speeds) and on the use of the amplitudes of the reflected signals. These improvements and extents of the image source method are illustrated by their applications on both synthetic and real signals, the latter coming from tank and at-sea measurements. The obtained results are very satisfactory, from a computational point of view as well as for the quality of the provided estimations.

L'utilisation de franges d'interférence en lumière blanche comme une sonde optique en microscopie interférométrique est d'une importance croissante dans la caractérisation des matériaux, la métrologie de surface et de l'imagerie médicale. L'Interférométrie en lumière blanche est une technique basée sur la détection de l'enveloppe de franges d'interférence. Il a été démontré antérieurement, la capacité des approches 2D à rivaliser avec certaines méthodes classiques utilisées dans le domaine de l'interférométrie, en termes de robustesse et de temps de calcul. En outre, alors que la plupart des méthodes tiennent compte seulement des données 1 D, il semblerait avantageux de prendre en compte le voisinage spatial utilisant des approches multidimensionnelles (2D/3D), y compris le paramètre de temps afin d'améliorer les mesures. Le but de ce projet de thèse est de développer de nouvelles approches n-D qui sont appropriées pour une meilleure caractérisation des surfaces plus complexes et des couches transparentes. / The use of white light interference fringes as an optical probe in microscopy is of growing importance in materials characterization, surface metrology and medical imaging. Coherence Scanning Interferometry (CSI, also known as White Light Scanning Interferometry, WSLI) is well known for surface roughness and topology measurement [1]. Full-Field Optical Coherence Tomography (FF-OCT) is the version used for the tomographic analysis of complex transparent layers. Both techniques generally make use of some sort of fringe scanning along the optical axis and the acquisition of a stack of xyz images. Image processing is then used to identify the fringe envelopes along z at each pixel in order to measure the positions of either a single surface or of multiple scattering objects within a layer.In CSI, the measurement of surface shape generally requires peak or phase extraction of the mono dimensional fringe signal. Most of the methods are based on an AM-FM signal model, which represents the variation in light intensity measured along the optical axis of an interference microscope [2]. We have demonstrated earlier [3, 4] the ability of 2D approaches to compete with some classical methods used in the field of interferometry, in terms of robustness and computing time. In addition, whereas most methods only take into account the 1D data, it would seem advantageous to take into account the spatial neighborhood using multidimensional approaches (2D, 3D, 4D), including the time parameter in order to improve the measurements.The purpose of this PhD project is to develop new n-D approaches that are suitable for improved characterization of more complex surfaces and transparent layers. In addition, we will enrich the field of study by means of heterogeneous image processing from multiple sensor sources (heterogeneous data fusion). Applications considered will be in the fields of materials metrology, biomaterials and medical imaging.

Zugl. leicht überarb. Fassung von: Frankfurt (Main), Univ., Diss., 2009

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the between-day reliability of selected force-time curve indices and the activity onset of selected neck muscles in the performance of maximal, isometric contractions in five different directions. The measures extracted are deemed important for future investigations aimed at exploring the role of cervical musculature in reduction of concussion occurrences in sports. Twenty eight physically active male participants performed two testing sessions separated by 7-8 days. In each testing session, force and surface electromyography (EMG) data were recorded simultaneously in a custom-made testing apparatus whilst subjects performed four randomized maximal isometric efforts in extension, flexion, and left and right lateral bending and protraction. The variables examined were the peak force, rate of force development (RFD), time to 50% of peak force and bilateral activity onset of the splenius capitis, upper trapezius, and sternocleidomastoid. For all variables, reliability was assessed by: 1) difference scores between the testing sessions and corresponding 95% confidence intervals; 2) standard error of measurement (SEM), expressed in either the original units of measurement, or as a coefficient of variation; and, 3) Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). The results indicated that for all variables, in all testing directions, no differences in scores were observed between the first and second testing sessions. The precision of measurement for all measures, barring muscle onsets obtained in protraction, was deemed acceptable for future clinical application. ICC score ranges for force-time curve-based measurements were high (< 0.90), while for muscle onsets, the ICC ranges are low to moderate (0.23 -0.79). Based on these results, it was concluded that, in highly active male participants, a dedicated familiarization session for the elimination of potential learning effects is not required. In addition, for the majority of testing directions, the force-time curve-based variables as well as muscle activity onsets are recorded with a sufficiently high level of precision, which make them prime candidates for utilization in future investigations concerned with quantitative assessment of cervical musculature function. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2009-09-23 01:23:12.324

Zugleich: Diss. Mainz, 2008. / Register. Literaturverz.

Requiem for the Last Kaiser by the Cameroonian playwright Bate Besong, is a play characterised by singular translational challenges. These challenges range from the presence of many different languages in the text to the use of humour and intratextual references taken from a various range of sources such as the Bible, world history and politics, etc. In our 21st century world, where translation has been described as the language of Europe by Umberto Eco, Africa’s literary treasures should be given a wider readership by means of translation, starting with French, to introduce the writer’s work to French-speaking Cameroonians and from there to other Francophones. The aim of this research was to determine in what way multilingualism in the play could affect its translation and, secondly, how to translate the various multilingual utterances. The focus was put on the rendition of the play’s multilingual elements in a language or languages understandable to a French-speaking readership while keeping the author’s initial intention in mind. This was done firstly by gathering relevant knowledge on theatre as well as literary and theatrical translation, and on the other hand on literary multilingualism and multilingual translation. Subsequently, 28 text segments including multilingual utterances were extracted from the source text, analysed using a combination of the functionalist approach and hermeneutics, and translated. Several translation strategies and procedures were used, among which literalism was particularly successful. It was found that these could not be generalised and that translation choices should be made for each individual utterance. The play impacts on the literary, sociolinguistic, political, and sociological domains, as it dates from the 1990s, a period of Cameroonian history marked by popular uprisings and the struggle for democracy. Attempting a partial translation of Requiem for the Last Kaiser was a means of contributing to the field of multilingual theatre translation, sharing the richness of Bate Besong’s literary work and giving Cameroonian literature in English the port of access it needs since it has not yet attained the recognition it surely deserves. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Modern European Languages / unrestricted

Master of Science / Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science / Kimberly W. Kramer / Of seismic steel lateral force resisting systems in practice today, the Moment Frame has most diverse connection types. Special Moment frames resist lateral loads through energy dissipation of the inelastic deformation of the beam members. The 1994 Northridge earthquake proved that the standard for welded beam-column connections were not sufficient to prevent damage to the connection or failure of the connection. Through numerous studies, new methods and standards for Special Moment Frame connections are presented in the Seismic Design Manual 2nd Edition to promote energy dissipation away from the beam-column connection. A common type of SMF is the Reduce Beams Section (RBS). To encourage inelastic deformation away from the beam-column connection, the beam flange’s dimensions are reduced a distance away from the beam-column connection; making the member “weaker” at that specific location dictating where the plastic hinging will occur during a seismic event. The reduction is usually taken in a semi-circular pattern. Another type of SMF connection is the Kaiser Bolted Bracket® (KBB) which consists of brackets that stiffen the beam-column connection. KBB connections are similar to RBS connections as the stiffness is higher near the connection and lower away from the connection. Instead of reducing the beam’s sectional properties, KBB uses a bracket to stiffen the connection. The building used in this parametric study is a 4-story office building. This thesis reports the results of the parametric study by comparing two SMF connections: Reduced Beam Section and Kaiser Bolted Brackets. This parametric study includes results from three Seismic Design Categories; B, C, and D, and the use of two different foundation connections; fixed and pinned. The purpose of this parametric study is to compare member sizes, member forces, and story drift. The results of Seismic Design Category D are discussed in depth in this thesis, while the results of Seismic Design Category B and C are provided in the Appendices.

No description available.