Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T14:30:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_aya_qassem_shqair.pdf: 1122970 bytes, checksum: 71dd26c729fef2590a8b79552213c7bd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-12-14 / This study aimed at investigating the influence of the radicular maturity level of primary teeth in the sequelae of dental trauma as well as the moment that such sequelae take place. Two longitudinal retrospective studies, which collected data from dental records and radiographies of patients with dental trauma in one or both upper central primary incisors. was conducted. In the first one, sequelae such as crown discoloration, pulp canal obliteration and inflammatory root resorption were evaluated in a follow-up period 12-18 months after the trauma, using the registers from 150 patients. In the second study, only intruded and subluxated teeth were included. Clinical and radiographic sequelae such as crown discoloration, fistula, pulp canal obliteration, inflammatory and internal root resorption were evaluated. The data regarding the sequelae were distributed into eight follow-up intervals: 0-30 days; 31-90 days; 91-180 days; 181-365 days; 1 to 2 years; 2 to 3 years; 3 to 4 years and > 4 years. From 150 patients included at the first study, 118 (78.7%) presented luxations and 32 (21.3%) had dental fractures. Shortly after the injury, 13 teeth (9.2%) presented immature roots, 114 (80.3%) presented closed apexes, and 15 of them (10.6%) had visible root resorption. The results showed an association between the radicular maturity level of traumatized teeth and the occurrence pulp obliteration (P = 0.023) and inflammatory root resorption (P = 0.004) after 12-18 months of follow-up period. There was also an association between the type of injury and the occurrence of crown discoloration (P = 0.036) as well as the type of injury and the development of pulp canal obliteration (P = 0.001). Regarding the second study, the sample comprised 99 subluxation cases and 70 intruded teeth. Crown discoloration was the most prevalent sequelae. Among subluxated teeth, more than 50% of inflammatory root resorption, fistula, crown discoloration and pulp obliteration occurred within 180 days after the traumatic injury, however the diagnosis of sequelae still occurred after longer periods. The majority sequelae of intrusion were diagnosed within the 181-365 days and 1-2 years periods but they were still observed after > 4 years follow up period. It can be concluded that the occurrence of trauma sequelae can be determined by the type of injury, as well as by the radicular maturity level of primary teeth at the moment of trauma. Besides, in intrusion and subluxation cases, the diagnosis of sequelae was performed even after the 3-4 years follow-up period. / Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar a influência do grau de maturidade radicular dos dentes decíduos nas sequelas dos traumatismos alveolodentários, assim como investigar o momento que tais sequelas ocorrem. Para tal, foram conduzidos dois estudos longitudinais retrospectivos, os quais coletaram dados clínicos e radiográficos de registros de pacientes com traumatismo dentário em um ou mais incisivo central superior decíduo. No primeiro, sequelas como discoloração coronária, obliteração pulpar, e reabsorção inflamatória foram avaliadas em um período de 12-18 meses após o traumatismo, usando os registros de 150 pacientes que atenderam aos critérios de inclusão no estudo. No segundo estudo, foram avaliados apenas os casos de intrusão e subluxação. Sequelas clínicas e radiográficas como discoloração coronária, fistula, obliteração pulpar, reabsorção inflamatória e reabsorção interna foram avaliadas. Os dados referentes às sequelas foram distribuídos em oito intervalos de acompanhamento: 0--30 dias; 31-90 dias; 91-180 dias; 181-365 dias; 1 to 2 anos; 2 to 3 anos; 3 to 4 anos e > que 4 anos. Dos 150 pacientes incluídos no primeiro estudo, 118 (78.7%) apresentaram luxações e 32 (21.3%) tiveram fraturas dentárias. Imediatamente após o traumatismo, 13 dentes (9.2%) apresentavam raizes incompletas, 114 (80.3%) apresentavam ápices fechados e 15 (10.6%) tinham reabsorção radicular visível. Os resultados mostraram associação entre o grau de maturidade radicular dos dentes traumatizados e a ocorrência de obliteração pulpar (P = 0.023) assim como de reabsorção radicular inflamatória (P = 0.004). Houve ainda, associação entre o tipo de traumatismo e a ocorrência de discoloração coronária (P = 0.036) assim como do tipo de traumatismo e desenvolvimento de obliteração pulpar (P = 0.001). Com relação ao Segundo estudo, a amostra foi constituída de 99 casos de subluxação e 70 casos de intrusão. Dentre as sequelas, a discoloração coronária foi a mais prevalente. Considerando os dentes com subluxação, mais de 50% das reabsorções radiculares inflamatórias, e dos casos de discoloração coronária, fístula e obliteração pulpar ocorreram até 180 dias após o traumatismo. No entanto, as sequelas surgiram mesmo após períodos mais longos de acompanhamento. A maioria das sequelas de intrusão foram diagnosticadas nos períodos de 181-365 dias e 1-2 anos, mas continuaram surgindo mesmo no período de acompanhamento superior a 4 anos. Pode-se concluir que a ocorrência das sequelas de traumatismo na dentição decídua pode ser determinada pelo tipo de injuria, assim como pelo nível de maturidade radicular no momento do traumatismo. Além disso, nos casos de intrusão e subluxação, mesmo após acompanhamento superior a 3-4 anos, as sequelas continuaram sendo diagnosticadas.

La mémoire prospective (MP) est la capacité de se souvenir d’exécuter une action dans le futur. La MP se distingue de la mémoire rétrospective (MR) notamment par le fait que la récupération du souvenir doit être auto-initiée alors qu’on est occupé par une autre tâche. L’objectif principal de cette thèse est de mieux comprendre la communauté et la spécificité des processus mnésiques et de contrôle impliqués dans les situations de MP par rapport aux situations de MR comme une tâche de reconnaissance. La démarche est d’imbriquer une action planifiée dans des tâches dont la demande mnésique et la difficulté sont contrôlées. Nous étudions ainsi l’interférence réciproque entre la MP et la MR. Nous étudions également les stratégies de maintien en fonction de la présence ou non d’un indice d’exécution. Les données comportementales montrent que l’action est exécutée plus rapidement sans indice d’exécution qu’avec indice, ce qui suggère un maintien actif sans indice. La MR interfère avec les performances de MP. Les mesures du modèle DPSD de la MR montrent qu’imbriquer une action planifiée dans une tâche de reconnaissance module le contrôle de la décision de reconnaissance et que le maintien actif interfère avec la familiarité. Enfin les résultats électrophysiologiques montrent une positivité pariétale modulée à la fois par la récupération d’une action planifiée et par une tâche classique de reconnaissance. Ces résultats suggèrent 1) une communauté des processus mnésiques en MP et en MR, mais 2) qu’être dans un mode de fonctionnement plus contrôlé est une spécificité de la MP, et que 3) le maintien actif est une caractéristique importante de la MP. / Prospective memory (PM) refers to the ability to remember to perform an action at some point in the future. Prospective memory is distinct from retrospective memory (RM) particularly because retrieval of the memory must be self-initiated while being engaged in an ongoing task. The main goal of this thesis was to better understand shared and specific memory and control processes involved in PM situations compared to RM situations (e.g., a recognition task). Our approach was to use tasks whose memory demand and difficulty were controlled and in which an intended action was embodied. This allows to study the mutual interference between PM and RM. We also studied maintenance strategies while manipulating the presence of an execution cue. Behavioural data showed that execution of the intended action was faster without than with a cue: this suggests active maintenance without an execution cue. RM interferes with PM performance. Measurements of the DPSD model showed that the embodiment of an intended action in a recognition task influences the control of the recognition decision, and that active maintenance interferes with familiarity. Finally, electrophysiological data show a parietal positivity modulated by the retrieval of an intended action and by a recognition task. These results support the idea that 1) PM and RM share common memory processes, but 2) that PM specifically forces a more controlled operating mode, and that 3) active maintenance is an important characteristic of PM.

In this thesis, we hope to dispel some confusion regarding the so-called post hoc power, i.e. power computed making the assumption that the estimated sample effect is equal to the population effect size. In previous research, it has been shown that post hoc power is a function of the p-value, making it redundant as a tool of analysis. We go further, arguing for it to never be reported, since it is a source of confusion and potentially harmful incentives. We also conduct a Monte Carlo simulation to illustrate our points of view. Previous research is confirmed by the results of this study.

Background. Maintainability of software products continues to be an area of im- portance and interest both for practice and research. The time used for maintenance usually exceeds 70% of the whole period of software development process. At present, there is a large number of metrics that have been suggested to indicate the main- tainability of a software product. However, there is a gap in validation of proposed source code metrics and the external quality of software maintainability. Objectives. In this thesis, we aim to catalog the proposed metrics for software maintainability. From this catalog we will validate a subset of commonly proposed maintainability indicators. Methods. Through a literature review with a systematic search and selection ap- proach, we collated maintainability metrics from secondary studies on software main- tainability. A subset of commonly metrics identified in the literature review were validated in a retrospective study. The retrospective study used a large open source software "Elastic Search" as a case. We collected internal source code metrics and a proxy for maintainability of the system for 911 bug fixes in 14 version (11 experi- mental samples, 3 are verification samples) of the product. Results. Following a systematic search and selection process, we identified 11 sec- ondary studies on software maintainability. From these studies we identified 290 source code metrics that are claimed to be indicators of the maintainability of a soft- ware product. We used mean time to repair (MTTR) as a proxy for maintainability of a product. Our analysis reveals that for the "elasticsearch" software, the values of the four indicators LOC, CC, WMC and RFC have the strongest correlation with MTTR. Conclusions. In this thesis, we validated a subset of commonly proposed source code metrics for predicting maintainability. The empirical validation using a popu- lar large-scale open source system reveals that some metrics have shown a stronger correlation with a proxy for maintainability in use. This study provides important empirical evidence towards a better understanding of source code attributes and maintainability in practice. However, a single case and a retrospective study are insufficient to establish a cause effect relation. Therefore, further replications of our study design with more diverse cases can increase the confidence in the predictive ability and thus the usefulness of the proposed metrics.

The objectives of this research were to (1) characterize the demographics and vocal health history of collegiate-level singers, particularly those with a voice disorder and (2) describe and compare self-reported symptoms of singers across diagnostic categories of vocal fold disorders. Clinical reports of 56 collegiate-level singers (15 male and 41 female) who visited the Voice Diagnostic Clinic at the University of North Texas for voice evaluations between 2010 and 2015 were reviewed. Information was extracted from clinical records including demographic data, vocal health history, self-reported voice-related symptoms, and voice diagnosis confirmed by strobolaryngoscopic examinations and phonatory function testing. Diagnoses of voice disorders were grouped under three categories: normal (i.e., no perceptible pathology), benign lesions and irritation/inflammation. Seven singers were diagnosed as normal, 27 (51.8%) with benign lesions, and 22 (39.3%) with irritation/inflammation. All singers diagnosed as normal were females. Female singers have twice as many benign lesions as irritation/inflammation whereas males presented the opposite pattern. Nodules, polyps, cysts and irritation/inflammation were the most common voice disorders. Singers with allergies and a past history of voice problems demonstrated a higher incidence of voice disorders. The top five self-reported vocal symptoms were worse voice in the morning (50%), pain in throat (46.4%), voice worse with prolonged use (44.6%), vocal fatigue (42.9%), and breathiness (41.1%). Self-reported symptoms are not a reliable screening tool to determine presence or absence of vocal pathology. Voice teachers must be familiar with the singing and speaking voice of each student, so as to perceive early onset of vocal attrition symptoms and encourage the student in seeking medical attention.

Time Perspective (TP) describes the attitude individuals have towards the past, present, and future. This study investigated the associations between TP and self-reported everyday prospective and retrospective memory problems, controlling for stress. Ninety-five participants (18-60 years) completed an online survey which included the Swedish Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (S-ZTPI), the Prospective Retrospective Memory Questionnaire, and the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale. Bivariate correlation analysis revealed that Past Negative, Present Fatalistic, and Future Negative views were associated with more self-reported prospective and retrospective memory problems. Moreover, a Future Positive view was associated with better prospective memory scores. TP biases were assessed using the Deviations From a Balanced Time Perspective measure (DBTP). Hierarchal regression analyses revealed that DBTP accounted for almost 30% of the variance in prospective memory scores and for 25% of the variance in retrospective memory scores, beyond stress. Taken together, the results show a significant link between TP and self-reported everyday memory problems. Future studies should take other variables such as depression, anxiety, mood, and personality into account to shed further light on the association between TP and everyday memory problems. Regarding practical implications, interventions that are aimed at promoting a balanced TP might be used to enhance everyday memory ability. / Tidsperspektiv (TP) beskriver attityden individer har till det förflutna, nuet och framtiden. Denna studie undersökte sambanden mellan TP och självrapporterade vardagliga prospektiva och retrospektiva minnesproblem, som kontrollerat för stress. Nittiofem deltagare (18-60 år) fyllde i en onlineenkät som inkluderade Swedish Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (S-ZTPI), Prospective Retrospective Memory Questionnaire och 10-item Perceived Stress Scale. Bivariat korrelationsanalys avslöjade att tidigare negativa, nuvarande fatalistiska och framtida negativa åsikter var associerade med mer självrapporterade prospektivt och retrospektivt minnesproblem. Dessutom var en framtidspositiv syn förknippad med bättre prospektivt minnespoäng. TP-biaser utvärderades med hjälp av måttet Deviations From a Balanced Time Perspective (DBTP). Hierarkiska regressionsanalyser visade att DBTP stod för nästan 30 % av variansen i prospektiva minnespoäng och för 25 % av variansen i retrospektiva minnespoäng, bortom stress. Sammantaget visar resultaten ett signifikant samband mellan TP och självrapporterade vardagsminnesproblem. Framtida studier bör ta hänsyn till andra variabler som depression, ångest, humör och personlighet för att ytterligare belysa sambandet mellan TP och vardagsminnesproblem. När det gäller praktiska implikationer kan interventioner som syftar till att främja en balanserad TP användas för att förbättra vardagsminnesförmågan.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine brought the intensifying interest in open science to national attention when it joined enthusiastic scientists to introduce and host an Amazon-like rating forum on PubMed—the world's largest database of indexed biomedical and life sciences literature. The result was PubMed Commons. In June 2013, the commenting forum was introduced for open discussion about published scientific literature as part of a three-pronged approach to improve research rigor, reproducibility, and transparency. In Feb. 2018, the forum was unexpectedly discontinued. This retrospective explanatory case study research asked the question, "What happened on the way to the forum?" Answers came from a variety of resources using multiple methodologies for data collection and analysis. Historical data from PubMed Commons' 7,629 comments and 1,551 commenters; key informant interviews with PubMed Commons editors; and a systematized search for published articles, gray literature; and social media content about PubMed Commons were analyzed using computer-mediated discourse analysis and a social network analysis. Results from the quantitative content analysis described a forum with little participation, and the qualitative content analysis demonstrated that active forum members were focused primarily on providing links to other information resources and discussing aspects of post-publication peer review. The social network analysis revealed a disconnected network, which was supported by a sociogram showing a community of independents with only seven small clusters. Findings pointed to 11 factors that affected the forum's adoption and use. Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory scaffolds a forum innovation agility model developed from this work to offer a better understanding of organizational processes and to aid organizations interested in introducing and managing a similar forum. PubMed Commons was a missed opportunity. No comparable alternative is available to promote open science and serve as a tool for the expected paradigm shift in the way we do scholarly communication in science.

Denna kvalitativa intervjustudie syftar till att undersöka vuxna biologiska barns erfarenheter av att vara familjehem och hur familjehemsplaceringarna har påverkat de biologiska barnen. Studien undersöker om den psykosociala utvecklingen har påverkat de biologiska barnen, hur erfarenheterna av att växa upp som biologiskt barn i familjehem har påverkat de vuxna individernas nuvarande livssituation och hur de biologiska barnen upplevde sin delaktighet i beslut gällande familjehemsplaceringar. Studien genomfördes genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer där sju intervjupersoner mellan 19–44 år som hade vuxit upp som biologiskt barn i familjehem fick besvara frågor om deras upplevelser av olika områden av deras uppväxt i familjehem. Tematisk analys användes som analysmetod i studien.Resultatet av intervjuerna visar på att biologiska barn som växer upp i familjehem påverkas i olika grad av de barn som blir familjehemsplacerade hos dem. En del av intervjupersonerna nämner känslor av att hamna i skymundan, då de placerade barnen prioriterades när det gäller uppmärksamheten av vårdnadshavarna. Även skolgången påverkades negativt för en del av intervjupersonerna där dålig sömn var en avgörande faktor för de biologiska barnen, då sömnen gjorde att de presterade sämre i skolan. Även bortprioritering av egna skoluppgifter på grund av de placerade barnens behov att få hjälp i skolan påverkade de biologiska barnens skolgång åt det sämre då de inte fick tillräckligt med tid åt egna uppgifter. Intervjupersonerna nämner däremot hur de blivit mer förstående för när individer har det jobbigt och har enklare att finnas där för andra, detta på grund av uppväxten i familjehem. Majoriteten av intervjupersonerna uppger att de är positivt inställda till familjehem, men är däremot inte villiga att själva bli det som vuxna. / This qualitative interview study aims to investigate adults' biological children's experiences of being in a family home and how the family home placements have affected the biological children. The study examines whether the psychosocial development has affected the biological children, how the experiences of growing up as biological children in family homes have affected the adult’s current life situation and how the biological children experienced their participation in decisions regarding family home placements. The study was conducted through semi-structured interviews where seven interviewees between the ages of 19–44 who had grown up as biological children in family homes answered questions about their experiences of various areas of their upbringing in family homes. Thematic analysis was the chosen analysis method in the study. The results of the interviews show that biological children who grow up in family homes are affected to varying degrees by the children who are placed in family homes with them. Some of the participants mention experiences of being overlooked, when the children placed in family homes was prioritized the guardian’s attention. The education was also negatively affected for some of the interviewees, where poor sleep was a decisive factor for the biological children, as sleep made them perform worse at school. De-prioritization of own school tasks due to the placed children's need for help at school also affected the biological children's education for the worse as they did not get enough time for their own tasks. The participants, on the other hand, mention how they have become more aware when individuals are having a hard time and find it easier to be there for others, this due to growing up in a family home. Most of the interviewee’s state that they have a positive attitude to family homes, but are, on the other hand, not willing to become one themselves as adults.

Purpose: To determine the timing of first ambulation during hospitalization among patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to identify the predictors of first ambulation. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 500 AMI patients admitted during 2004 to one of three hospitals that form the Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The patients were randomly selected from a total of 1,014 charts from the Hamilton Health Sciences Computerized Health Records (SOVERA). Using a chart abstraction tool, the following data were collected from each patient's chart: demographic information, past medical history, treatment, complications, and patterns of ambulation while in hospital. The primary outcome was first ambulation, defined as the first time patients walked during their hospital stay. Secondary outcomes included heart rate at discharge and mortality during hospitalization. The relationship between patient and care-related factors and the time of first ambulation after AMI was explored through a time to event analysis using Cox regression; the associations were expressed as hazard ratios. The fit for the proportional hazard model was assessed and a stratified proportional hazard model was performed for age. Results: Of the 500 charts, 60 were excluded. Of the 440 patients who were included in the final analysis, 340 (77.3%) walked during hospitalization. One hundred fifteen (26.1 %) walked during the first 48 hours (early walking), 98 (22.3%) walked between 49-96 hours (intermediate walking), and 127 (28.9%) walked after 96 hours (late walking). A total of 100 patients (22.7%) were categorized as non-walkers. Factors that emerged in the survival analysis that were positively associated with early ambulation after AMI and that proved the proportionality on the assessment of the fit of the model were: having a family history of cardiovascular disease (HR 1.33; 95% Cl 1.00, 1.44; p=0.05), receiving thrombolysis (HR 1.47; 95% Cl 1.11, 1.49; p=0.007), receiving nitroglycerin (HR 1.51; 95% Cl 1.19, 1.93; p<0.001 ), and taking calcium channel blockers (HR 1.58; 95% Cl 1.22, 2.05; p<0.001 ). Factors that were negatively associated with early ambulation after AMI were age >59 years (HR 0.98; 95% Cl 0.97, 0.99; p<0.001 ), having an arrhythmia in-hospital (HR 0.48; 95% Cl 0.22, 0.94; p=0.04), taking inotropic drugs (HR 0.72; 95% Cl 0.53, 0.98; p<0.001 ), and undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery (HR 0.51; 95% Cl 0.33, 0.78; p=0.002). Conclusion: There is variability in the timing of first ambulation among patients hospitalized with an AMI. Furthermore, those who walked early were more likely to have a family history of cardiovascular disease, have received thrombolysis, and be taking nitroglycerin or calcium channel blockers. Those least likely to walk early were older (>59 years), were more likely to have had an arrhythmia inhospital, to be taking inotropic drugs, and to have undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

BACKGROUND:Available measures of patient-reported outcomes for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) inadequately capture the range of patient-reported treatment effects. The Self-Assessment of Change questionnaire was developed to measure multi-dimensional shifts in well-being for CAM users. With content derived from patient narratives, items were subsequently focused through interviews on a new cohort of participants. Here we present the development of the final version in which the content and format is refined through cognitive interviews.METHODS:We conducted cognitive interviews across five iterations of questionnaire refinement with a culturally diverse sample of 28 CAM users. In each iteration, participant critiques were used to revise the questionnaire, which was then re-tested in subsequent rounds of cognitive interviews. Following all five iterations, transcripts of cognitive interviews were systematically coded and analyzed to examine participants' understanding of the format and content of the final questionnaire. Based on this data, we established summary descriptions and selected exemplar quotations for each word pair on the final questionnaire.RESULTS:The final version of the Self-Assessment of Change questionnaire (SAC) includes 16 word pairs, nine of which remained unchanged from the original draft. Participants consistently said that these stable word pairs represented opposite ends of the same domain of experience and the meanings of these terms were stable across the participant pool. Five pairs underwent revision and two word pairs were added. Four word pairs were eliminated for redundancy or because participants did not agree on the meaning of the terms. Cognitive interviews indicate that participants understood the format of the questionnaire and considered each word pair to represent opposite poles of a shared domain of experience.CONCLUSIONS:We have placed lay language and direct experience at the center of questionnaire revision and refinement. In so doing, we provide an innovative model for the development of truly patient-centered outcome measures. Although this instrument was designed and tested in a CAM-specific population, it may be useful in assessing multi-dimensional shifts in well-being across a broader patient population.