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O objetivo do trabalho foi o de avançar na compreensão dos mecanismos envolvidos no comportamento óptico de diferentes materiais cerâmicos em função da espessura, utilizados para restauração dentária, determinar os coeficientes de absorção e espalhamento e correlacioná-los às características microestruturais de cada material. Além disso, foi avaliada a capacidade de mascaramento e a razão de contraste do material cerâmico nas formas monolítica, em duas camadas e como restauração cimentada. Para tanto, foram analisadas quatro cerâmicas odontológicas, uma porcelana de cobertura (vítrea) e três compósitos cerâmicos infiltrados com vidro do Sistema InCeram (alumina/vidro, alumina/zircônia/vidro e espinélio/vidro), além de uma resina composta odontológica empregada como substrato resinoso e um cimento resinoso para cimentação. Os coeficientes de espalhamento e absorção foram determinados por meio dos modelos de Beer-Lambert e Kubelka-Munk a partir das curvas espectrais de transmitância e reflectância (com fundos branco e preto) geradas em um espectrofotômetro na faixa de comprimento de onda entre 300 e 800 nm. A microestrutura de cada material foi analisada por meio de microscopia eletrônica de varredura com mapeamento elementar, difração de raios X e análise química por fluorescênica de raios X. O comportamento óptico dos materiais estudados foi influenciado pelas características microestruturais do material e a pela espessura. Os valores do coeficiente de espalhamento, S, das cerâmicas avaliadas foram significativamente maiores do que os valores do coeficiente de absorção, K, na região do visível. Foram propostas equações para prever as curvas espectrais de reflectância e transmitância de bilayers e de restaurações cimentadas. / The aim of this work was to advance in the understanding of the mechanisms related to the optical behavior of different ceramic materials as a function of thickness, used for dental restoration, to determine the absorption and scattering coefficients and to correlate them to the microstructural characteristics of each material. The masking ability and the contrast ratio of ceramic material as monolith, bilayer and cemented restoration were also evaluated. For this, four dental ceramics, one porcelain and three glass-infiltrated ceramic composites of InCeram System (alumina/glass, alumina/zirconia/glass, and spinell/glass), besides one dental composite resin used as resinous substrate and one resinous cement for luting. The scattering and absorption coefficients were determined by the Beer-Lambert and Kubelka-Munk models using spectral curves of transmittance and reflectance (with white and black backs) generated in a spectrophotometer in the 300 to 800 nm wavelength range. The microstructure of each material was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy with elemental mapping, X-ray diffraction, and chemical analysis by X-ray fluorescence. The optical behavior of studied materials was affected by the microstructural characteristics and thickness of the material. The values of scattering coefficient, S, of evaluated ceramics were significantly higher than the values of absorption coefficient, K, in the visible range. Equations for the prediction of reflectance and transmittance spectral curves of bilayer and cemented restorations were proposed.

There have been few studies conducted on how children from other than Western populations perceive and learn different graphic symbol sets or systems, especially on how children from poverty contexts learn graphic alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) symbols. Multicultural research is necessary in order to advance and to ensure the quality of the service of AAC for culturally and linguistically diverse AAC users. In the present study the authors strive to describe the learnability of the Blissymbol system in a non-western culture using a semiotic theoretical framework. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the iconicity and learnability of the Blissymbol system for Kenyan children with two different language backgrounds, Swahili and English. This was done in an attempt to investigate potential cultural and linguistic influences of the interpretation and learnability of the Blissymbol. The design and test material was adopted from a previous study (Jennische & Zetterlund, 2012). In the present study, 127 typically developed children in the age six to seven in class one or two in primary school, both from private and public schools, participated. The children had never before encountered Bliss. The children were asked to interpret single Bliss-words and compound Bliss-words, first spontaneously through giving free proposals and then after being given an instructive explanation. The test results were analyzed on a group level and compared between the different groups (age, class and language background). The results show that there was a significant improvement between the pretest and the posttest for all children in the different groups. This indicates that the Blissymbols used in this study had a generally low transparency but a generally high translucency. The results also indicate a generally high learnability and that the children were aided by the instructive explanation. Furthermore, there were significant differences between the different groups, where the children from class two performed better than children from class one and where the English-speaking children performed better than the Swahili-speaking children overall. Age was not significant. The results also indicate that there were differences in how the children interpreted the symbols, but that there were similarities within the specific groups. Further, this indicates that the symbols were interpreted in a similar way by children that belonged to the same age, language and socioeconomic background.

O objetivo do trabalho foi o de avançar na compreensão dos mecanismos envolvidos no comportamento óptico de diferentes materiais cerâmicos em função da espessura, utilizados para restauração dentária, determinar os coeficientes de absorção e espalhamento e correlacioná-los às características microestruturais de cada material. Além disso, foi avaliada a capacidade de mascaramento e a razão de contraste do material cerâmico nas formas monolítica, em duas camadas e como restauração cimentada. Para tanto, foram analisadas quatro cerâmicas odontológicas, uma porcelana de cobertura (vítrea) e três compósitos cerâmicos infiltrados com vidro do Sistema InCeram (alumina/vidro, alumina/zircônia/vidro e espinélio/vidro), além de uma resina composta odontológica empregada como substrato resinoso e um cimento resinoso para cimentação. Os coeficientes de espalhamento e absorção foram determinados por meio dos modelos de Beer-Lambert e Kubelka-Munk a partir das curvas espectrais de transmitância e reflectância (com fundos branco e preto) geradas em um espectrofotômetro na faixa de comprimento de onda entre 300 e 800 nm. A microestrutura de cada material foi analisada por meio de microscopia eletrônica de varredura com mapeamento elementar, difração de raios X e análise química por fluorescênica de raios X. O comportamento óptico dos materiais estudados foi influenciado pelas características microestruturais do material e a pela espessura. Os valores do coeficiente de espalhamento, S, das cerâmicas avaliadas foram significativamente maiores do que os valores do coeficiente de absorção, K, na região do visível. Foram propostas equações para prever as curvas espectrais de reflectância e transmitância de bilayers e de restaurações cimentadas. / The aim of this work was to advance in the understanding of the mechanisms related to the optical behavior of different ceramic materials as a function of thickness, used for dental restoration, to determine the absorption and scattering coefficients and to correlate them to the microstructural characteristics of each material. The masking ability and the contrast ratio of ceramic material as monolith, bilayer and cemented restoration were also evaluated. For this, four dental ceramics, one porcelain and three glass-infiltrated ceramic composites of InCeram System (alumina/glass, alumina/zirconia/glass, and spinell/glass), besides one dental composite resin used as resinous substrate and one resinous cement for luting. The scattering and absorption coefficients were determined by the Beer-Lambert and Kubelka-Munk models using spectral curves of transmittance and reflectance (with white and black backs) generated in a spectrophotometer in the 300 to 800 nm wavelength range. The microstructure of each material was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy with elemental mapping, X-ray diffraction, and chemical analysis by X-ray fluorescence. The optical behavior of studied materials was affected by the microstructural characteristics and thickness of the material. The values of scattering coefficient, S, of evaluated ceramics were significantly higher than the values of absorption coefficient, K, in the visible range. Equations for the prediction of reflectance and transmittance spectral curves of bilayer and cemented restorations were proposed.

Context Subsurface scattering - the effect of light scattering within a material. Lots of materials on earth possess translucent properties. It is therefore an important factor to consider when trying to render realistic images. Historically the effect has been used for offline rendering with ray tracers, but is now considered a real-time rendering technique and is done based on approximations off previous models. Early real-time methods approximates the effect in object texture space which does not scale well with real-time applications such as games. A relatively new approach makes it possible to apply the effect as a post processing effect using GPGPU capabilities, making this approach compatible with most modern rendering pipelines. Objectives The aim of this thesis is to explore the possibilities of a dynamic real-time solution to subsurface scattering with a modern rendering API to utilize GPGPU programming and modern data management, combined with previous techniques Methods The proposed subsurface scattering technique is implemented in a delimited real-time graphics engine using a modern rendering API to evaluate the impact on performance by conducting several experiments with specific properties. Results The result obtained hints that by using a flexible solution to represent materials, execution time lands at an acceptable rate and could be used in real-time. These results shows that the execution time grows nearly linearly with consideration to the number of layers and the strength of the effect. Because the technique is performed in screen space, the performance scales with subsurface scattering screen coverage and screen resolution. Conclusions The technique could be used in real-time and could trivially be integrated to most existing rendering pipelines. Further research and testing should be done in order to determine how the effect scales in a complex 3D-game environment.

Orientador: Marcus Antônio Rossi Feliciano / Resumo: Os objetivos deste estudo foram avaliar as características ultrassonográficas (modo-B e da elastografia) das estruturas do sistema nervoso central (SNC) de fetos caninos, como método complementar para predizer a idade gestacional, avaliar o desenvolvimento dos conceptos, estabelecer padrões de normalidade e auxiliar no diagnóstico de anormalidades gestacionais. Foram utilizadas 26 cadelas braquicefálicas, da raça Bulldog Inglês, com idade entre um e quatro anos e meio. Os exames ultrassonográficos foram realizados em três momentos da gestação, aos 34, 49 e 60 dias, com o aparelho ACUSON S2000/SIEMENS e transdutor multifrequencial matricial e linear de 9,0 MHz. Foram avaliados três fetos de cada fêmea. Verificou-se a presença da massa cerebral fetal, seu formato em corte transversal, ecotextura e ecogenicidade, presença e mensuração da translucência nucal (TN). O cerebelo foi avaliado em corte transversal, verificando-se seu formato, ecotextura, ecogenicidade e comprimento do seu eixo maior. A elastografia foi aplicada ao tecido fetal cerebral e cerebelar obtendo-se velocidades médias de cisalhamento (m/s) e elastogramas. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizado (cadelas), com parcelas subdivididas no tempo (dias gestacionais), e a análise estatística foi realizada pela análise de variância (ANOVA) com medidas repetidas no tempo. Das 26 ninhadas estudadas, 18 tiveram somente fetos saudáveis, 4 apresentaram fetos com anasarca, 3 apresentaram fetos com defeitos da p... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the ultrasound (B-mode and elastography) characteristics of canine fetal central nervous system structures as complementary method to predict gestational age, to evaluate the development of the fetuses, to establish normality patterns and to assist in diagnosis of gestational abnormalities. Twenty-six brachycephalic female dogs of the English Bulldog breed, aged between one and four and a half years were used. Ultrasound examinations were performed at three gestational moments, at 34, 49 and 60 gestation days, with the ACUSON S2000 / SIEMENS device and a 9.0 MHz matrix and linear multifrequency transducer. Three fetuses of each female were evaluated. The presence of fetal brain mass, its cross-sectional shape, echotexture and echogenicity, presence and measurement of nuchal translucency (TN) were verified. The cerebellum was evaluated in cross-section, verifying its shape, echotexture, echogenicity and length of its major axis. Elastography was applied to the fetal brain and cerebellar tissue to obtain mean velocities and elastograms. The experimental design was randomized in blocks (bitches) with plots subdivided in time (gestational days) and statistical analysis was performed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures over time. Of the 26 litters studied, 18 had only healthy fetuses, 4 had fetuses with anasarca, 3 had fetuses with abdominal wall defects, and 1 had both types of alterations. The TN was higher (P=0.02... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Background: Traditionally, zirconia has been used as a core material for allceramic crowns that are later covered by a more esthetic veneering layer. Recently, new zirconia materials with higher translucency commonly referred to as the “full contour zirconia” have been introduced with the aim to allow dentist to fabricate entire allceramic crown from the material with acceptable esthetic and mechanical functions without the need for veneering. However, there is little information in the literature regarding the translucency of full contour zirconia and the degree of conversion of resin cement underneath the full contour zirconia. Objectives: 1) To investigate the translucency parameter (TP) of recently marketed full contour zirconia and compare that to traditional zirconia and lithium disilicate glass ceramic (LDGC) at different thicknesses. 2) To evaluate the degree of conversion (DC) of the resin cement through different thicknesses of the full contour zirconia, traditional zirconia and LDGC. Alternative hypothesis: The new generation zirconia at the clinically recommended thickness has lower translucency than that of LDGC and higher than that of non-veneered traditional zirconia. In addition, DC of resin cement under full contour zirconia is lower than that of LDGC and higher than that of traditional zirconia. Methods: 150 ceramic specimens (12 x12 mm with thickness of 1-2 mm for LDGC and Zirconia) were divided into 6 groups according to the type of material, as follow: LDGC (IPS e-max CAD), Traditional Zirconia (CAP QZ), full contour zirconia (CAP FZ, Zirlux, Bruxzir, KDZ Bruxer). The TP for materials at various thicknesses were measured by a spectrophotometer (CM-2600D). The DC of the light curing resin cement (Variolink II) underneath the ceramic disks was measured by FTIR. Result: All full contour zirconia has lower translucency parameter and light transmission than LDGC. The translucency parameter decreases with increasing thickness of any type of ceramic. There were no significant differences in the degree of conversion of resin cement among the type of ceramic disc, except Bruxzir. The correlation of TP between various thicknesses and the types of ceramic materials was established by a regression analysis.

目前廣泛應用于胎兒醫學的唐氏綜合症篩查法，即結合早孕期胎兒頸項透明層的超聲檢查，及母體血清生化指標的綜合篩查法。頸項透明層是指在早孕期利用超聲檢測到的胎兒頸后的皮下積水，其作為預測胎兒異常的一項重要“軟指標，其臨床意義，尤其是與胎兒染色體異常及器官結構異常之間的關係，逐漸得到深入的認識，但其形成機制尚未明確。現在已知有一百餘種畸形及遺傳綜合征與胎兒頸項透明層增厚相關，但其染色體異常譜系，尤其是亞顯微的染色體異常仍有待明確。大部分頸項透明層增厚但核型正常的胎兒預後良好，但約3-10%的這部分胎兒會伴有畸形或出生后的神經智力發育缺陷。而傳統核型分析無法檢測到亞顯微的染色體異常，從而無法判斷這部分核型正常卻伴有缺陷的胎兒是否因為這類染色體異常而致病。 / 微陣列比較基因組雜交芯片作為檢測兒童發育遲緩者及器官結構異常原因的重要手段已廣泛應用于臨床。在染色體核型正常的胎兒中，若伴有器官結構異常的胎兒，5-12%被檢出與該畸形相關的微缺失及微重複；若僅伴有孕婦高齡或唐氏篩查高危，則微缺失及微重複檢出率約1%。 / 該課題旨在研究頸項透明層增厚但核型正常的胎兒中，染色體拷貝數變異發生的頻率及頻譜；評估微陣列比較基因組雜交芯片在協助臨床判斷胎兒預後中的作用。因此，我們開展該多中心隊列研究，通過納入449例頸項透明層厚度≧3.5 mm但正常核型胎兒的，檢測其染色體拷貝數變異，監測并記錄其圍產、產後及新生兒期情況。微陣列比較基因組雜交芯片總共檢出2.8%的異常拷貝數變異，其大小範圍為0.1 kb至18Mb。在伴有器官結構異常的胎兒組中，異常拷貝數變異檢出率達7.8%。對於頸項透明層厚度≧4.0 mm的胎兒，異常拷貝數變異檢出率可達7.3%。 / 對於頸項透明層增厚的胎兒，致病拷貝數變異暫未發現特定的頻譜。但，該研究中發現重複的致病拷貝數變異，如22號染色體長臂1區1帶的微重複或微缺失，2號染色體長臂2區2帶的微缺失。未在3號、7號、12號、13號、18號、20號、21號或Y染色體上發現與胎兒頸項透明層增厚相關的致病拷貝數變異。 / 頸項透明層增厚的胎兒79.3%預後良好；若經微陣列比較基因組雜交芯片未檢出致病拷貝數變異，則81.2%預後良好。如果僅頸項透明層增厚不伴有結構異常的胎兒，經微陣列比較基因組雜交芯片未檢出致病拷貝數變異，則93.5%預後良好。 / 綜上所述，微陣列比較基因組雜交芯片顯著提高了致病拷貝數變異的檢出率。可考慮將微陣列比較基因組雜交芯片作為頸項透明層厚度≧4.0 mm的胎兒染色體異常檢查的首要方法。對於僅頸項透明層增厚不伴有結構異常的胎兒，且經微陣列比較基因組雜交芯片未檢出致病拷貝數變異，絶大部分預後良好。對於頸項透明層增厚的胎兒，致病拷貝數變異暫未發現特定的頻譜，但發現重複出現的致病拷貝數變異。通過初步的基因本體分析及基因通路分析，神經嵴細胞的分化遷徙功能異常可作為今後研究頸項透明層增厚的病理生理機制的方向。 / Measurement of nuchal translucency (NT) has been recognized as a sensitive marker for fetal chromosomal disorders for more than a decade, and is presently used as a routine first-trimester screening test. Although over 100 abnormalities and genetic syndromes have been reported to be associated with increased NT, these associations have not been fully explored and the relevant spectrum of associated submicroscopic chromosomal abnormalities has not been sufficiently investigated. The majority of euploid fetuses with increased NT have a good outcome, but around 3-10% of fetuses present with structural or neurodevelopmental abnormalities postnatally. A range of genetic syndromes has been reported, many of which are linked to submicroscopic chromosomal abnormalities that are typically missed by conventional karyotyping. / Microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (arrayCGH) has been applied as the first-tier diagnostic tool for the evaluation of developmental delay and structural malformations in children. In fetuses with a normal karyotype, microarray analysis revealed clinically relevant deletions or duplications in 5-12% with a structural anomaly and in about 1% of those whose indications were advanced maternal age or positive screening results. / The objectives of this study were to delineate the frequency and spectrum of pathogenic chromosome copy number variants (CNVs) among fetuses with increased NT and normal karyotype; to evaluate the role of arrayCGH to predict the prognosis of the high NT fetuses; to explore the genotype-phenotype correlations of increased NT. Therefore, a multi-centre cohort of 449 fetuses with NT ≧3.5 mm and normal karyotype were further investigated by arrayCGH. Antenatal surveillance, pregnancy outcome and paediatric follow up were documented. ArrayCGH detected abnormal CNVs in 2.8% (14 of 449) of the fetuses with high NT; the size of CNVs ranged from 0.1 kb to 18Mb. Among fetuses with major congenital abnormalities the incidence of abnormal CNV reached 7.8% (4 of 51). By adjusting the NT to ≧4.0 mm as the referral indication, 7.3% (14 of 192) of the fetuses would have abnormal arrayCGH results. The spectrum of pathogenic CNVs found associated with increased NT was diverse. However, there were recurrent ones such as the deletions or duplications at chromosomal region 22q11, and deletions in ZEB2. There was no pathogenic CNV related with increased NT found in chromosomes 3, 7, 12, 13, 18, 20, 21, or Y. The total normal outcome rate of euploid fetuses with an increased NT was 79.3%; for fetuses with normal arrayCGH results 81.2% had a normal outcome. In fetuses with isolated increased NT, normal arrayCGH results predict a favorable prognosis of 93.5%. / In conclusion, arrayCGH significantly increased the diagnostic yield of pathogenic CNVs. In clinical practice arrayCGH may be considered as the first tier investigation in fetuses with an increased NT more than 4.0 mm. In cases with an isolated increased NT with normal arrayCGH results the pregnancy outcome is likely to be favorable. The spectrum of abnormal CNVs found by arrayCGH is diverse but there are recurrent cases such as del/dup 22q11 and del ZEB2. Our preliminary gene ontology and pathway analysis showed that gene pathways related to neural crest cells may be considered as a future study for physiopathologic mechanisms of NT. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Huang, Jin. / Thesis (Ph.D.) Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-120). / Abstracts also in Chinese.

This work deals with displaying and measuring ultrasonic markers of congenital defects of the fetus in first trimester of pregnancy. Background research of ultrasonic markers was based on the studies of prof. Kypros Nicolaides (Great Britain), the president of the Fetal Medicine Foundation. This work contains a brief description of diagnosing of congenital defects during all three trimesters, and lists in detail defects that can be diagnosed properly during first trimester, as well as methods of calculating the risk of chromosomal abnormalities. In the next parts of this work, there are descriptions of methods used to improve results while measuring nuchal translucence (NT) strongest marker of Down syndrome in first trimester. The imaging capabilities of ultrasound devices were tested. Using scanned images, the influence of different display parameters on the resolution could be determined. Furthermore, using recommendations of the FMF, algorithms for adjusting correct slice of fetus and automatic measurement NT were designed and tested. A program application was designed that enabled testing of those algorithms on real images and calculating risks of chromosomal abnormalities from CRL and NT value. Designed algorithms were tested on real images. The program application, in witch the algorithms for measuring NT (NT detection algorithms) are included, was created.