Neste trabalho são exploradas diversas técnicas de escalonamento multidimensional (MDS), com o objetivo de estudar sua aplicabilidade no mapeamento de dados genômicos resultantes da técnica RFLP-PCR, sendo esse mapeamento realizado em espaços de baixa dimensionalidade (2D ou 3D) com o fim de aproveitar a habilidade de análise e interpretação visual que possuem os seres humanos. Foi realizada uma análise comparativa de diversos algoritmos MDS, visando sua aptidão para mapear dados genômicos. Esta análise compreendeu o estudo de alguns índices de desempenho como a precisão no mapeamento, o custo computacional e a capacidade de induzir bons agrupamentos. Para a realização dessa análise foi desenvolvida a ferramenta \"MDSExplorer\", a qual integra os algoritmos estudados e várias opções que permitem comparar os algoritmos e visualizar os mapeamentos. Á análise realizada sobre diversos bancos de dados citados na literatura, sugerem que o algoritmo LANDMARK possui o menor tempo computacional, uma precisão de mapeamento similar aos demais algoritmos, e uma boa capacidade de manter as estruturas existentes nos dados. Finalmente, o MDSExplorer foi usado para mapear um banco de dados genômicos: o banco de estirpes de bactérias fixadoras de nitrogênio, pertencentes ao gênero Bradyrhizobium, com objetivo de ajudar o especialista a inferir visualmente alguma taxonomia nessas estirpes. Os resultados na redução dimensional desse banco de dados sugeriram que a informação relevante (acima dos 60% da variância acumulada) para as regiões 16S, 23S e IGS estaria nas primeiras 5, 4 e 9 dimensões respectivamente. / In this work were studied various Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) techniques intended to apply in the mapping of genomics data obtained of RFLP-PCR technique. This mapping is done in a low dimensional space (2D or 3D), and has the intention of exploiting the visual human capability on analysis and synthesis. A comparative analysis of diverse algorithms MDS was carried out in order to devise its ubiquity in representing genomics data. This analysis covers the study of some indices of performance such as: the precision in the mapping, the computational cost and the capacity to induce good groupings. The purpose of this analysis was developed a software tool called \"MDSExplorer\", which integrates various MDS algorithms and some options that allow to compare the algorithms and to visualize the mappings. The analysis, carried out over diverse datasets cited in the literature, suggest that the algorithm LANDMARK has the lowest computational time, a good precision in the mapping, and a tendency to maintain the existing structures in the data. Finally, MDSExplorer was used to mapping a real genomics dataset: the RFLP-PRC images of a Brazilian collection of bacterial strains belonging to the genus Bradyrhizobium (known by their capability to transform the nitrogen of the atmosphere into compounds useful for the host plants), with the objective to aid the specialist to infer visually a taxonomy in these strains. The results in reduction of dimensionality in this data base, suggest that the relevant information (above 60% of variance accumulated) to the region 16S, 23S and IGS is around 5, 4 and 9 dimensions respectively.

Neste trabalho são exploradas diversas técnicas de escalonamento multidimensional (MDS), com o objetivo de estudar sua aplicabilidade no mapeamento de dados genômicos resultantes da técnica RFLP-PCR, sendo esse mapeamento realizado em espaços de baixa dimensionalidade (2D ou 3D) com o fim de aproveitar a habilidade de análise e interpretação visual que possuem os seres humanos. Foi realizada uma análise comparativa de diversos algoritmos MDS, visando sua aptidão para mapear dados genômicos. Esta análise compreendeu o estudo de alguns índices de desempenho como a precisão no mapeamento, o custo computacional e a capacidade de induzir bons agrupamentos. Para a realização dessa análise foi desenvolvida a ferramenta \"MDSExplorer\", a qual integra os algoritmos estudados e várias opções que permitem comparar os algoritmos e visualizar os mapeamentos. Á análise realizada sobre diversos bancos de dados citados na literatura, sugerem que o algoritmo LANDMARK possui o menor tempo computacional, uma precisão de mapeamento similar aos demais algoritmos, e uma boa capacidade de manter as estruturas existentes nos dados. Finalmente, o MDSExplorer foi usado para mapear um banco de dados genômicos: o banco de estirpes de bactérias fixadoras de nitrogênio, pertencentes ao gênero Bradyrhizobium, com objetivo de ajudar o especialista a inferir visualmente alguma taxonomia nessas estirpes. Os resultados na redução dimensional desse banco de dados sugeriram que a informação relevante (acima dos 60% da variância acumulada) para as regiões 16S, 23S e IGS estaria nas primeiras 5, 4 e 9 dimensões respectivamente. / In this work were studied various Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) techniques intended to apply in the mapping of genomics data obtained of RFLP-PCR technique. This mapping is done in a low dimensional space (2D or 3D), and has the intention of exploiting the visual human capability on analysis and synthesis. A comparative analysis of diverse algorithms MDS was carried out in order to devise its ubiquity in representing genomics data. This analysis covers the study of some indices of performance such as: the precision in the mapping, the computational cost and the capacity to induce good groupings. The purpose of this analysis was developed a software tool called \"MDSExplorer\", which integrates various MDS algorithms and some options that allow to compare the algorithms and to visualize the mappings. The analysis, carried out over diverse datasets cited in the literature, suggest that the algorithm LANDMARK has the lowest computational time, a good precision in the mapping, and a tendency to maintain the existing structures in the data. Finally, MDSExplorer was used to mapping a real genomics dataset: the RFLP-PRC images of a Brazilian collection of bacterial strains belonging to the genus Bradyrhizobium (known by their capability to transform the nitrogen of the atmosphere into compounds useful for the host plants), with the objective to aid the specialist to infer visually a taxonomy in these strains. The results in reduction of dimensionality in this data base, suggest that the relevant information (above 60% of variance accumulated) to the region 16S, 23S and IGS is around 5, 4 and 9 dimensions respectively.

In many different insect species the highly conserved neuropil regions known as the central complex or central body complex have been shown to be important in behaviours such as locomotion, visual memory and courtship conditioning. The aim of this project is to generate accurate quantitative neuroanatomy of the central complex in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Much of the authoritative neuroanatomy of the fruit fly from past literature has been derived using Golgi stains, and in important cases these data are available only from 2D camera lucida drawings of the neurons and linguistic descriptions of connectivity. These cannot easily be mapped onto 3D template brains or compared directly to our own data. Using GAL4 driver and reporter constructs, some of the findings within these studies could be visualized using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. A range of GAL4 driver lines were selected that particularly had prominent expression in the fan-shaped body. Images of brains from these lines were archived using a web-based 3D image stack archive developed for the sharing and backup of large confocal stacks. This is also the platform which we use to publish the data, so that other researchers can reuse this catalogue and compare their results directly. Each brain was annotated using desktop-based tools for labelling neuropil regions, locating landmarks in image stacks and tracing fine neuronal processes both manually and automatically. The development of the tracing and landmark annotation tools is described, and all of the tools used in this work are available as free software. In order to compare and aggregate these data, which are from many different brains, it is necessary to register each image stack onto some standard template brain. Although this is a well-studied problem in medical imaging, these high resolution scans of the central fly brain are unusual in a number of respects. The relative effectiveness of various methods currently available were tested on this data set. The best registrations were produced by a method that generates free-form deformations based on B-splines (the Computational Morphometry Toolkit), but for much faster registrations, the thin plate spline method based on manual landmarks may be sufficient. The annotated and registered data allows us to produce central complex template images and also files that accurately represent the possible central complex connectivity apparent in these images. One interesting result to arise from these efforts was evidence for a possible connection between the inferior region of the fan-shaped body and the beta lobe of the mushroom body which had previously been missed in these GAL4 lines. In addition, we can identify several connections which appear to be similar to those described in [Hanesch et al., 1989], the canonical paper on the architecture of the Drosophila melanogaster central complex, and describe for the first time their variation statistically. This registered data was also used to suggest a method for classifying layers of expression within the fan-shaped body.

O objetivo nesta pesquisa foi o de avaliar quantitativamente as variações na determinação de 7 pontos cefalométricos e analisar o quanto que estes erros podem influenciar no planejamento e progressão da terapêutica ortodôntica. Foram utilizados 14 crânios macerados onde fora colocadas esferas metálicas para a demarcação dos pontos cefalométricos escolhidos. Estes crânios foram radiografados com e sem as esferas metálicas, e as grandezas cefalométricas avaliadas estatisticamente. Os resultados mostraram que a média de erro na localização dos pontos foi de 57,5% e que este desvio em termos numéricos podem levar a equívocos de planejamento que podem comprometer seriamente o resultado do tratamento com desvios em algumas medidas cefalométricas de até 4mm. As mensurações relacionadas aos pontos espinha nasal anterior, pogonio e gônio foram as que tiveram maior reprodutibilidade, porém, as medidas cefalométricas relacionadas ao ponto A mostraram que as diferenças encontradas então em torno de 4,3mm, e que a avaliação do comprimento mandibular obtida pela localização do ponto condílio, também gerou diferenças de 2,8mm em média, alterando assim substancialmente as avaliações para diagnóstico e tratamento ortodôntico e cirúrgico. / The aim of this study were to evaluate quantitatively the variations on the determination of 7 cephalometric landmarks and to analyze how these differences may influence the planning and outcome of the orthodontic treatment. Small steel balls were glued on specific sites of 14 dry skulls to represent the true anatomical landmarks. The skulls were radiographed with and without the steel balls, and the cephalometric values were submitted to statistical analysis. Results showed that the error in the localization of the landmarks was in average 57,5%. This high deviation, that reaches up to 4mm in certain cephalometric measurements, could lead to errors in treatment planning and compromise the result of any orthodontic treatment. Measurements of the Anterior Nasal Spine, Pogonion and Gonion showed the highest reproducibility, while point A showed the lowest (4,3mm). The evaluation of the mandibular length through the identification of Condyle also showed high discrepancies (2,8mm), which may alter the evaluations for orthodontic and/or surgical diagnosis and treatment.

Os objetivos deste estudo foram: 1- avaliar a influência dos fatores energéticos e da posição de cabeça, no sentido vertical e horizontal, na qualidade das radiografias cefalométricas e na interpretação dos resultados para diagnóstico e plano de tratamento; 2- verificar as implicações oriundas da determinação de pontos cefalométricos equivocados pela falha no controle de qualidade nas radiografias cefalométricas. Telerradiografias em norma lateral, padronizadas em condições reprodutíveis, foram realizadas em um crânio seco e em um fantoma. Realizou-se simulações de falhas técnicas relacionadas a quilovoltagem, miliamperagem, tempo de exposição e posição do filtro de alumínio, e a modificações horizontais e verticais de 3º, 6º, e 9º do fantoma em relação ao plano sagital mediano e ao plano de Frankfurt, respectivamente. Vinte e seis radiografias cefalométricas foram selecionadas e encaminhadas para seis examinadores (3 ortodontistas e 3 radiologistas), para executarem manualmente a análise cefalométrica de McNamara. ANOVA comparou as medidas de onze variáveis nas 26 análises cefalométricas. Quando ocorreu diferença, aplicou-se o teste de comparações múltiplas de Games-Howell (variâncias heterogêneas) e o de Tukey HSD (variâncias homogêneas), ao nível de probabilidade 5%. Não houve diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os seis examinadores e entre as onze variáveis estudadas (p > 0,05). Observou-se pouca influência dos fatores energéticos na qualidade das imagens e reprodutibilidade dos pontos cefalométricos estudados. As variações horizontais da posição da cabeça em relação ao plano sagital mediano apresentaram discrepâncias significativas na qualidade da imagem radiográfica para cefalometria. Pontos cefalométricos inadequados comprometeram o diagnóstico, mesmo com examinadores experientes. A interpretação das cefalometrias precisa estar associada com aspectos clínicos, fotografias, modelos gnatostáticos e outras radiografias, para estabelecer o diagnóstico e plano de tratamento. / The aims of this study were to evaluate the influence of energetic factors and head position on the quality of cephalometric radiographs and on their interpretation, and to analyze the consequences of incorrect landmark identification due to errors in quality control in cephalometric radiographs. Standardized lateral cephalographs of a dry skull and a phantom were taken. There were made simulations of technical errors related to kilovoltage, milliampereage, exposition time and position of Al filter, and to horizontal and vertical changes of 3°, 6° and 9° of the phantom in relation to sagital plane and Frankfurt plane, respectively. Twenty-six cephalometric radiographs were selected and 6 examiners (3 orthodontists and 3 radiologists) performed the manual cephalometric analyses of McNamara. ANOVA compared the measurements of 11 variables in the 26 cephalometric analyses. Significant statistically differences were not found among the 6 examiners and among the 11 variables (p > 0.05). Energetic factors had low influence in the quality of the images and on the reproducibility of the cephalometric landmarks. Horizontal variations of head position in relation to sagital plane influenced the quality of cephalometric radiographs. Incorrect cephalometric landmarks compromised the diagnosis, even with experienced examiners. Cephalometry should be complimented by clinical examination, photographs, gnathostatics models and others radiographs to establish diagnosis and treatment.

Guy Wilson Cave (GWC) in Sullivan County, Tennessee holds many late Pleistocene mammal fossils. Based on visual morphology, several partial mandibles with lower carnassial from GWC appeared to be musteloids. Geometric morphometrics has been successfully used to identify fragmentary fossils, so a landmark based, 2 dimensional technique was applied to identify the GWC musteloids using the lower carnassial. Digital images of several GWC fossils and of extant reference musteloids were combined using morphometric programs tpsDIG1, tpsUtil, and tpsSuper. Statistical data analysis was performed in PASW Statistics. Results successfully separated Mephitis mephitis (striped skunk) from M. macroura (hooded skunk) and Martes americana (American marten) from M. pennanti (fisher). Sex-based and geographical patterns were also found in the data. Sex separated all three species via the lower carnassial. Geographic divisions were found for Mephitis mephitis, Martes americana and M. pennanti populations that hint at interestingly unique biogeographical histories for each taxon.

The purpose of this project is to develop a framework for quantifying and differentiating the effects of early historic land uses on characteristics of soils formed in loess at two historical archaeology sites in the Midwestern United States: New Philadelphia Historical Landmark (NPHL) in western Illinois and Plum Grove Historical Farmstead (PGHF) in eastern Iowa. The significance of this research to topics such as global climate change, the role of soils in the carbon and nitrogen cycles, the effects of land use on sustainable use of soils, and augmenting the historical record by revealing land use activities for areas that have limited record of past land use are presented in the Introduction. The Introduction also includes reviews of previous geochemical studies and studies of natural and anthropogenic effects on the physical and chemical properties of soils. Research efforts were conducted in three main phases and the results of each phase are presented as individual chapters herein. Phase one focuses on identifying physico-chemical signatures of land use effects on soils at NPHL and determining the minimal resolution required to discriminate these effects to develop a multi-prong methodological framework. Phase two is an exploration of the efficacy of using portable x-ray fluorescence to measure non-pollution level chemical impacts from land use activities in order to refine the methodological framework by targeting soil samples for more costly, higher precision analyses. Phase three is a test of the refined framework to examine land use effects on physico-chemical characteristics of soil at PGHF. In the Summary and Conclusions the physico-chemical results from NPHL and PGHF are compared and contrasted to evaluate the methodological framework and its utility for investigation of land use effects at other Midwestern locations. The final section discusses possible revisions to the approach and outlines opportunities for future investigations.

<p>During pre-operative planning for hip replacement, the choice of prosthesis can be aided by measurements in x-ray images of the hip. Some measurements can be done automatically but this require robust and precise image processing algorithms which can detect anatomical features. The Trochanter minor is an important landmark on the femoral shaft. In this thesis, three di.erent image processing algorithms are explained and tested for automatic landmark detection on Trochanter minor. The algorithms handled are Active Shape Models, Shortest path algorithm and a segmentation technique based on cumulated cost maps. The results indicate that cumulated cost maps are an e.ective tool for rough segmentation of the Trochanter Minor. A snake algorithm was then applied which could .nd the edge of the Trochanter minor in all images used in the test. The edge can be used to locate a curvature extremum which can be used as a landmark point.</p>

During pre-operative planning for hip replacement, the choice of prosthesis can be aided by measurements in x-ray images of the hip. Some measurements can be done automatically but this require robust and precise image processing algorithms which can detect anatomical features. The Trochanter minor is an important landmark on the femoral shaft. In this thesis, three di.erent image processing algorithms are explained and tested for automatic landmark detection on Trochanter minor. The algorithms handled are Active Shape Models, Shortest path algorithm and a segmentation technique based on cumulated cost maps. The results indicate that cumulated cost maps are an e.ective tool for rough segmentation of the Trochanter Minor. A snake algorithm was then applied which could .nd the edge of the Trochanter minor in all images used in the test. The edge can be used to locate a curvature extremum which can be used as a landmark point.

For studying the global cities famous for music, this Thesis classifies them according to four areas: Music Symbol, Music Landmark, Music Festival and Music Tradition, respectively. And then extract the successful factors for Kaohsiung city marketing use from four cases¡¦ definition, development, the role of government and business model. This study also survey music resources using Due Diligence method in Kaohsiung city. And then generalize some suggestions from comparing and analyzing some potential music resources between Kaohsiung city and the global case. Finally, this study examines all suggestions by interviewing related experts using AHP method.