Purpose Our objectives were to 1) determine the difference in Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) incidence and survival between different race/ethnicity groups, and 2) evaluate the difference in survival of RMS between children and adults of these race/ethnicity groups, using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database between 1973-2013. Patients and Methods We analyzed racial characteristic and incidence data from 4,280 patients diagnosed with RMS, between 1973-2013, that were reported to the SEER database. Survival and hazard analyses were conducted on 4,268 patients with known follow-up data, with end point being death from any cause. Results Over the 40-year study period overall RMS incidence rates have experienced a statistically significant decline (APC: -0.78, 95% CI: -1.28 – -0.28). Whites have experienced a significant decline in incidence rates (APC: -1.05, 95% CI: -1.60 – -0.50). Though not statistically significant, incidence rates in Blacks and Hispanics have trended upwards. While adjusted survival was not predicted by race, survival did significantly differ among racial/ethnic groups in children, with Hispanics and “Others” having the lowest 5- and 10-year survival rates (65% and 58% verses 58% and 56%, respectively). Black race/ethnicity was also shown to be a predictor for mortality for the time period 1990-2013. Conclusion Racial/ethnic minorities have worse RMS clinical presentation and incidence rates than Whites. While overall survival is not predicted by race, being an ethnic minority child diagnosed with RMS is predictive of survival. These disparities point towards a genetic component in RMS that has not yet been described.

Adobe is a building material that has been used since ancient times, but is not as widely used as clay bricks or concrete for housing construction. In addition, it uses a construction technique that has been passed down and improved from generation to generation. In view of this, the present work aims to improve the properties of adobe by using PET bottle fibers in its composition. A mechanical test and two physical tests were carried out for adobe with 0% (standard adobe), 2%, 4% and 6% PET fibers, where it was observed that the adobe with 6% PET fibers obtained the best results, since it increased the compressive strength of the adobe by 19%, reduced the absorption percentage by 12% and finally reduced the density by 16.4%. Therefore, the addition of PET fibers in adobe is recommended, as it contributes to improve its mechanical and physical properties. Additionally, it reduces pollution in streets, rivers, parks, etc. because it promotes the recycling of PET bottles.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・論文博士 / 博士(工学) / 乙第13091号 / 論工博第4152号 / 新制||工||1675(附属図書館) / (主査)教授 髙橋 大弐, 教授 原田 和典, 教授 竹脇 出 / 学位規則第4条第2項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

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Objective- To investigate the extent to which changes in body fat percentage (BF%) and weight (BW) relate to changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) in women, while statistically controlling for possible confounders, such as age, initial body weight, and menopause status. Methods and Results- A cohort of 150 free-living subjects was followed prospectively over a 2½-year period. BF% was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), while BW was determined with a calibrated, electronic scale. There was no significant relationship between changes in BF% and CRP, regardless of age, initial BW, and menopause status. However, changes in BW were predictive of changes in CRP (F=7.75, p=0.006, R2=0.05). The association remained significant after adjusting for differences in baseline age, initial BW, and menopause status (F=9.17, p=0.003, R2=0.08). Conclusions- Changes in BF% are not predictive of changes in CRP. However, in agreement with other studies, variations in BW are predictive of changes in CRP. Evidently, changes in CRP are more a function of changes in BW than changes in BF% in middle-aged women. If a causal relationship is assumed, then weight gain over time is likely to increase risk of elevated CRP levels and possibly cardiovascular disease.

The purpose of this investigation is to make a comparative study of compiled data obtained from the results of three standardized tests that were given to six classes of pupils enrolled in seventh-grade arithmetic and to determine, within the limits established for this study, the relative effectiveness of each of the two teaching methods employed: traditional and experience.

The purpose of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of selected factors on school grades in public high schools in the state of Florida. A sample of 316 public high schools was created using data obtained from the Florida Education and the Florida High School Athletic Association. The selected factors that were chosen to be measured in the study were: minority percentage as measured by the proportion of minority students in relation to the total student body at a given school, socio economic status percentage (SES) as measured by the proportion of students participating in the free and reduced lunch program in relation to the total student body at a given school, academic achievement of 10th grade reading mean scale scores and 10th grade mathematics mean scale scores as measured by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), and football winning percentage as measured by reported scores to the Florida High School Athletic Association. The direct and indirect effects of minority percentage, socio economic status percentage, and football winning percentage were tested using a path model in calculating linear regressions to analyze the effects on school grades; while only the direct effects of academic achievement were tested for the effects on school grades. The path model assessed the desired path of the selected factors in the study (See Figure 1); however, all paths were tested in the fully recursive model as illustrated (See Figure 2) for both the 2004-2005 and the 2005-2006 school years in the sample. Selected factors that demonstrated strength of effects were examined for predictability on school grades. Selected factors that indicated indirect effects were analyzed for indication of any discriminating patterns. For the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years, there was not a statistically significant direct effect for minority percentage and socio economic status percentage on winning percentage; FCAT reading mean scale score and FCAT mathematics mean scale score on winning percentage; winning percentage and FCAT reading mean scale score on school grades; winning percentage and FCAT mathematics mean scale score on school grades; minority percentage, socio economic status percentage, and winning percentage on FCAT reading mean scale score; minority percentage, socio economic status percentage, and winning percentage on FCAT mathematics mean scale score; or minority percentage, socio economic status percentage, and winning percentage on school grades. Two important effects were determined in the linear regression analysis. First, socio economic status percentage was not directly significant on school grades; however, it had a significant direct effect on the FCAT scores schools received on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Second, the FCAT reading and mathematics mean scale scores had direct significant effects on school grades in both the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years. Recommendations were made for potential changes to the study to include school size, graduation rates, and student violence that could influence school grades. Future considerations should be given to inclusions based on the Florida Writes requirement, 10th grade science mean scale scores, and other subject content not currently part of the state mandate for graduation. In addition, a study could be conducted that included changes to the path model to reflect minority percentage more accurately in the effects toward the designation of school grades. Finally, a study could be conducted that included participation in sports to account for any ancillary variables that may contribute to the effects of the designation of school grades.

<p>The results of the multivariate analyses suggest that most of the variation in the composition of the samples was of an intra-sample nature, illustrating large scale patchiness in foraminiferal distribution. There were, however, definite differences between communities around Robben Island and in St Helena Bay, and least variation was found between the control and pipeline sites, and between the stations of each site. When the trace metal concentrations and the percentage nitrogen increased, the richness, diversity and abundance of foraminifera tended to decrease. Sediment grain size positively affected abundance but negatively affected diversity and richness. In both areas mean grain size did not, however, appear to play a very large role in influencing diversity. Cadmium, copper, chromium, the percentage nitrogen and the mean grain size were identified as the most important variables influencing the community structure by the BIOENV BEST routine in PRIMER. The trace metals and percentage nitrogen only had negative effects on the diversity and abundance as well as on the abundance of the dominant genera, whereas the mean grain size had variable effects.</p>

<p>The results of the multivariate analyses suggest that most of the variation in the composition of the samples was of an intra-sample nature, illustrating large scale patchiness in foraminiferal distribution. There were, however, definite differences between communities around Robben Island and in St Helena Bay, and least variation was found between the control and pipeline sites, and between the stations of each site. When the trace metal concentrations and the percentage nitrogen increased, the richness, diversity and abundance of foraminifera tended to decrease. Sediment grain size positively affected abundance but negatively affected diversity and richness. In both areas mean grain size did not, however, appear to play a very large role in influencing diversity. Cadmium, copper, chromium, the percentage nitrogen and the mean grain size were identified as the most important variables influencing the community structure by the BIOENV BEST routine in PRIMER. The trace metals and percentage nitrogen only had negative effects on the diversity and abundance as well as on the abundance of the dominant genera, whereas the mean grain size had variable effects.</p>

Lychnophora ericoides is a shrub like species, endemic to rock outcrops areas, whose cultivation practices are unknown and its irregular maturation being the great problem for seedling production. The objective of the work was to evaluate the germination of L. ericoides cypsela collected from across different altitudes of a population occurring in the Serra da Bocaina, region of Alto Paranaíba, Minas Gerais, and submitted to methods for cypselas selection with relation to density. In the first experiment, arnica capitulum of 20 access (altitudes between 1102 and 1245m) formed a completely randomized design, with 20 access (treatments) and four repetitions, in groups with 50 cypselas removed from the borders of the capitulum. In the second experiment, samples of the same cypselas were placed in a blower for 3 minutes and 20 seconds, the heaviest being separated in two groups. Half of the cypselas were washed in running water for 24 hours and the other half were submerged in sulfuric acid for 1 minute and soon after washed in running water for 24 hours. After the separation, the germination test was set up in a completely randomized design in factorial scheme of 2 x 20, the first factor corresponding to treatments (water and sulfuric acid) and the second factor, to the 20 access in four repetitions containing 50 cypselas. In both experiments, the cypsela were distributed in gerbox containing blotting paper humidified with distilled water, being counted, first the cypselas germinated in function of the protrusion of the radicle and, in the second, normal seedlings. In the first experiment, the cypselas presented low percentage of germination (maximum 15%). The small difference between the germination percentage and viability indicated that few cypselas at the end of the germination test were viable, a result proven by the high percentage of empty cypselas (above 65.5%). The percentage relative to germination (full cypselas) showed high capacity of cypsela germination (72.38, 78.13 and 66.85% for cypselas from access 1, 3 and 5, respectively). The variation of the altitude gradient of 143 m was not lineally related to the presence of empty seeds, not even to the physiologic quality of the cypselas. The cypsela germination was slow and distributed over time. After the density test, the maximum germination was also low (maximum 34% for the access 2 submitted to sulfuric acid). The use of sulfuric acid after the density test, in a general way, improved the quality of the cypselas and increased the percentage of cypsela germination of same. / Lychnophora ericoides, conhecida como arnica-do-campo, é uma espécie arbustiva, endêmica dos campos rupestres, cujas práticas de cultivo são desconhecidas, sendo a maturação desuniforme o grande problema para produção de mudas. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a germinação de cipselas de L. ericoides coletados de acessos em diferentes altitudes de uma população ocorrente na Serra da Bocaina, região do Alto Paranaíba, Minas Gerais e submetidos a métodos para seleção dos cipselas quanto à densidade. No primeiro experimento, capítulos florais de 20 acessos (altitudes entre 1102 e 1245 m) formaram um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com 20 acessos (tratamentos) e quatro repetições, em parcelas com 50 cipselas retirados das bordas dos capítulos. No segundo experimento, amostras dos mesmos cipselas foram colocadas em soprador por 3 minutos e 20 segundos, sendo os mais pesados separados em dois grupos. Metade dos cipselas foi lavada em água corrente por 24 horas e a outra metade ficou submersa em ácido sulfúrico por 1 minuto e em seguida lavados em água corrente por 24 horas. Após a separação, o teste de germinação foi instalado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 2 x 20, sendo o primeiro fator correspondente aos tratamentos (ácido sulfúrico e água) e o segundo fator, aos acessos em quatro repetições contendo 50 cipselas. Em ambos os experimentos, os cipselas foram distribuídos em gerbox contendo papel mata-borrão umedecido com água deionizada, sendo contados, no primeiro, os cipselas germinados em função da protrusão da radícula e, no segundo, plantas normais. No primeiro experimento, os cipselas apresentaram baixo percentual de germinação (máximo 15%). A pequena diferença entre o percentual de germinação e de viabilidade indicou que poucos cipselas no final do teste de germinação estavam viáveis, resultado comprovado pelo elevado percentual de cipselas chochos (acima de 65,5%). O percentual relativo de germinação (cipselas cheios) mostrou alta capacidade de germinação dos cipselas (78,13; 72,38 e 66,85% para cipselas dos acessos 7, 11 e 20, respectivamente). A variação do gradiente de altitude de 143 m não esteve linearmente relacionada à presença de cipselas chochos, nem mesmo com a qualidade fisiológica dos mesmos. A germinação dos cipselas foi lenta e distribuída no tempo. Após o teste densimétrico, a germinação máxima também foi baixa (máximo 34% para cipselas do acesso 2, quando submetidos ao ácido sulfúrico). A utilização de ácido sulfúrico após o teste densimétrico, de maneira geral, aumentou o percentual de germinação dos cipselas de alguns acessos. / Mestre em Agronomia