Digitizing signals - a short tutorial guide

Converting the analogue signal, as captured from a patient, into digital format is known as digitizing, or analogue to digital conversion. This is a vital first step in for digital signal processing. The acquisition of high-quality data requires appropriate choices of system and parameters (sampling rate, anti-alias filter, amplification, number of ‘bits’). Thus tutorial aims to provide a practical guide to making these choices, and explains the underlying principles (rather than the mathematical theory and proofs) and potential pitfalls. Illustrative examples from different physiological signals are provided

Computer theorem proving in math

We give an overview of issues surrounding computer-verified theorem proving in the standard pure-mathematical context. This is based on my talk at the PQR conference (Brussels, June 2003)

A statistical technique for measuring synchronism between cortical regions in the EEG during rhythmic stimulation

The coherence function has been widely applied in quantifying the degree of synchronism between electroencephalogram (EEG) signals obtained from different brain regions. However, when applied to investigating synchronization resulting from rhythmic stimulation, misleading results can arise from the high correlation of background EEG activity. The authors, thus propose a modified measure, which emphasizes the synchronized stimulus responses and reduces the influence of the spontaneous EEG activity. Critical values for this estimator are derived and tested in Monte Carlo simulations. The effectiveness of the method is illustrated on data recorded from 12 young normal subjects during rhythmic photic stimulation

ESO452-SC11: The lowest mass globular cluster with a potential chemical inhomogeneity

We present the largest spectroscopic investigation of one of the faintest and least studied stellar clusters of the Milky Way, ESO452-SC11. Using the Anglo-Australian Telescope AAOmega and Keck HIRES spectrographs we have identified 11 members of the cluster and found indications of star-to-star light element abundance variation, primarily using the blue cyanogen (CN) absorption features. From a stellar density profile, we estimate a total cluster mass of $(6.8\pm3.4)\times10^3$ solar masses. This would make ESO452-SC11 the lowest mass cluster with evidence for multiple populations. These data were also used to measure the radial velocity of the cluster ($16.7\pm0.3$ km s$^{-1}$) and confirm that ESO452-SC11 is relatively metal-rich for a globular cluster ([Fe/H]$=-0.81\pm0.13$). All known massive clusters studied in detail show multiple populations of stars each with a different chemical composition, but many low-mass globular clusters appear to be chemically homogeneous. ESO452-SC11 sets a lower mass limit for the multiple stellar population phenomenon.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

How to find and share community owned solutions

The main aim of this handbook is to promote community owned solutions by proposing approaches that respond to current and future challenges to sustainability, natural resources management and biodiversity conservation. The handbook introduces key concepts and techniques which underpin a participatory and systems approach to community engagement. It helps a community build up practical skills for exploring, recording and disseminating their own community owned solutions

An Independent Special Panel Was Established by Prime Minister Harper on Friday to Review Canada’s Mission and Future in Afghanistan

An edited version of this article was published as Is Afghanistan panel just a crass bid to deflect critics?” in London Free Press on October 17, 2007. London Free Press : http://save6.sunmedia.ca/Save/classic/doc?docid=34038784&q=Is%20Afghanistan%20panel%20just%20a%20crass%20bid%20to%20deflect%20critics&stem=false&spaceop=AND&ttype=xsl&tval=headline_sun&pos=0&hn=1&pubAbbrev=sunmedia&dtokey=yvwzsa#anchor3403878

Social determinants, oral health, school performance and quality of life in children and adolescents

Orientador: Fabio Luiz MialheTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de PiracicabaResumo: O objetivo geral dessa Tese foi avaliar os determinantes sociais da saúde (DSS) associados à saúde bucal, ao rendimento escolar e a qualidade de vida em crianças e adolescentes, além de testar as propriedades psicométricas longitudinais de questionários de Qualidade de Vida Relacionada à Saúde Bucal (QVRSB) e comparar um questionário genérico de qualidade de vida com outro de QVRSB. Para isso, foram usadas duas amostras: uma composta por crianças de 8 a 10 anos, participantes do Programa Sempre Sorrindo (PSS), no município de Piracicaba, São Paulo, e outra composta por escolares de 12 anos provenientes de escolas públicas e privadas do município de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais. Foram coletados dados referentes às condições clínicas e aplicados questionários para avaliação da qualidade de vida (Child Perception Questionnaire ¿ CPQ8-10 e CPQ11-14 e AUQUEI ¿ Autoquestionnaire Qualité de Vie Enfant Image), bem como do nível socioeconômico, do ambiente familiar e do rendimento escolar das crianças. Os resultados demonstraram que os DSS apresentaram associações com cárie dentária e que, em particular, os aspectos socioeconômicos possuíram maior associação com a experiência de cárie, quando comparados com variáveis relacionadas ao ambiente familiar. Observou-se, ainda, que tanto aspectos socioeconômicos, do ambiente familiar e a presença de lesões de cárie, mesmo que tratadas, foram indicadores de risco para o pobre rendimento escolar, e a experiência de cárie foi um importante preditor para mudanças na QVRSB de adolescentes ao longo do tempo. Sobre a responsividade dos instrumentos de QVRSB, verificou-se que o questionário CPQ11-14 apresentou-se responsivo às mudanças longitudinais, avaliadas pelo critério de Longitudinal Construct Validity, mas com pequena alteração quando avaliada pela análise de effect size. Os resultados também demonstraram que o CPQ11-14 apresentou correlação com o instrumento genérico de qualidade de vida AUQUEI e que ambos apresentaram associações com variáveis clinicas e socioambientais. Por fim, verificou-se que o tratamento da cárie dentária impactou positivamente na melhora da QVRSB de escolares, e o CPQ8-10 apresentou boas propriedades psicométricas para avaliar estas mudanças ao longo do tempo. Conclui-se, a partir dos resultados dos estudos supracitados, que houve associações entre DSS e a cárie dentária, e que ambos estiveram associados a um pior rendimento escolar. Da mesma forma, verificou-se que a QVRSB esteve correlacionada à qualidade de vida nesta população. Quando os escolares foram avaliados longitudinalmente, constatou-se que a experiência de cárie foi um preditor importante para mudanças da QVRSB ao longo do tempo nesta população, mensurada pelos questionários Child Perception Questionnaire, que apresentaram boas propriedades psicométricas de responsividade às mudanças de qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal. Dentro deste contexto, o acesso ao tratamento odontológico foi um importante fator para a melhoria da qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal de escolares que vivem sob vulnerabilidade socialAbstract: The overall objective of this thesis was to evaluate the social determinants of health (SDH) associated with oral health, school performance and the quality of life in children and adolescents, as well as test the longitudinal psychometric properties of Oral Health realte Quality of Life (OHRQoL) questionnaires and compare a generic questionnaire of quality of life with other of OHRQoL. For this, two samples were used: one consisting of children 8-10 years participating in the Program Always Smiling (PSS), in Piracicaba, São Paulo, and another composed of schoolchildren of 12 years from public and private schools in the city Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais. Data were collected regarding on clinical conditions and questionnaires to assess quality of life (Child Perception Questionnaire - CPQ8-10 and CPQ11-14 and AUQUEI - Autoquestionnaire Qualité de Vie Enfant Image) and socioeconomic status, home environment and school performance of schoolchildren. The results showed that the SDH were associated with dental caries and, in particular, the socioeconomic aspects contained higher association with caries experience compared to variables related to the home environment. It was observed also that both socioeconomic aspects of the home environment and the presence of caries lesions, even if treated, were risk factors for poor school performance, and caries experience was an important predictor of changes in QVRSB adolescents over time. On the responsiveness of OHRQoL instruments, it has been found that the questionnaire is presented CPQ11-14 responsive to longitudinal changes, as evaluated by Longitudinal Construct Validity, but with little change as determined by the effect size analysis. The results also showed that CPQ11-14 correlated with the generic instrument of quality of life AUQUEI and both were associated with clinical, social and environmental variables. Finally, it was found that treatment of dental caries has impacted positively on improving of OHRQoL, and had good psychometric properties of CPQ8-10 for measuring changes over time. In conclusion, from the results of the aforementioned studies, there were associations between SDH and tooth decay, and both were associated with poorer school performance. Likewise, it was found that the OHRQoL was correlated to quality of life in population. When the students were assessed longitudinally, it was found that caries experience was an important predictor of changes OHRQoL over time in this population, as measured by the Child Perception Questionnaire questionnaires, which showed good psychometric properties of responsiveness to quality of life changes related to oral health. Within this context, access to dental treatment was an important factor in improving the quality of life related to oral health of children living under social vulnerabilityDoutoradoOdontologia em Saude ColetivaDoutora em Odontologi

Impact of social and environmental conditions on oral healthrelated quality of life among schoolchildren

Orientador: Fábio Luiz MialheDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de PiracicabaResumo: Considerando o crescente interesse pelas percepções subjetivas do indivíduo em relação à sua saúde bucal e qualidade de vida, o presente trabalho, teve como objetivo geral avaliar o impacto das percepções subjetivas e condições socioambientais no auto-relato de qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal (QVRSB) em escolares. Para tal, foram desenvolvidas três análises baseadas em um estudo epidemiológico observacional do tipo transversal que apresentou os seguintes objetivos específicos: 1. Investigar, por meio de um inquérito epidemiológico, a existência de associações entre a variável desfecho QVRSB e as variáveis preditoras saúde bucal, nível socioeconômico, ambiente familiar, percepções subjetivas dos escolares e dos seus pais sobre sua saúde geral e bucal; 2. Testar associações entre as condições clínicas e socioambientais e a variável desfecho (QVRSB) de acordo com os domínios do instrumento usado para este fim (Child Perceptions Questionnaires - CPQ11-14); 3. Avaliar a existência de associações entre a percepção dos pais sobre a saúde bucal e geral de seus filhos, as condições de saúde bucal e a QVRSB em escolares. Para o estudo 1, a amostra foi composta de 515 escolares de 12 anos de idade, provenientes de escola públicas e particulares do município de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, mediante processo amostral por conglomerado. Para os estudos 2 e 3, uma subamostra de 283 escolares foi utilizada. Foram coletados dados clínicos relativos à presença de cárie, trauma dentário, sangramento gengival, defeitos do desenvolvimento do esmalte, necessidade de tratamento e má oclusão. Para isto, foram utilizados os seguintes índices: CPOD, ceod, SiC, índice modificado de defeitos de desenvolvimento do esmalte (DDE) e índice de estética dental (DAI). Informações relativas a QVRSB nos escolares foram obtidas por meio da aplicação da versão brasileira do questionário CPQ11-14. Os escolares também responderam as questões referentes ao ambiente familiar e as percepções sobre sua saúde bucal e geral. Aos pais foi enviado um questionário com a finalidade de avaliar as percepções dos mesmos em relação à saúde bucal e geral de seus filhos, além de questões sobre o nível socioeconômico. A análise dos dados foi realizada por meio de estatística descritiva, teste qui-quadrado e regressão de Poisson. Também foram utilizados testes não paramétricos. Em relação ao estudo 1, controlando variáveis confundidoras, observou-se que as variáveis percepção da criança sobre sua saúde bucal ruim, renda familiar menor que três salários, gênero feminino, necessidade de tratamento ortodôntico, mãe com até 8 anos de escolaridade, até 2 irmãos e aglomeração por domicílio maior que uma pessoa por cômodo apresentaram impacto negativo em sua auto-percepção relacionada à QVRSB (p<0,05). Para o estudo 2, verificou-se que o gênero da criança, renda e escolaridade da mãe foram estatisticamente associados com os quatro domínios do CPQ11-14, assim como a necessidade de tratamento ortodôntico foi fortemente associada com o domínio 'limitações funcionais'. As crianças com presença de sangramento e que não moravam com ambos os pais biológicos relataram maior impacto nos domínios bem-estar emocional e social da QVRSB. Para o estudo 3, de acordo com testes não-paramétricos, observaram-se associações estatisticamente significantes entre a percepção dos pais sobre saúde bucal e geral dos escolares e o relato de QVBSB (p<0.05). Conclui-se que as condições socioambientais podem ter influências negativas sobre a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde bucal (Capítulo 1), constatando-se que o impacto desses fatores pode ser diferente entre os quatro domínios do instrumento utilizado (Capítulo 2). Além disso, verificou-se que houve associação entre a percepção subjetiva dos pais e a QVRSB dos escolares (Capítulo 3), demonstrando que o ambiente familiar pode exercer influência sobre aspectos subjetivos relacionados à saúde bucal em escolaresAbstract: Considering the growing interest in the individual's subjective perceptions about their oral health and quality of life, the present study aimed at evaluating the impact of subjective perceptions and socio-environmental conditions on schoolchildren's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). To this end, we developed an analysis based on three observational epidemiological transversal that revealed the following specific objectives: 1. Investigate, by epidemiological survey, the associations outcome variable OHRQoL and oral health, socioeconomic status, home environment, subjective perceptions of parents and schoolchildren about oral and general health; 2. To test associations between clinical conditions and socioenvironmental and outcome variable (OHRQoL) according to the domains of the instrument (Child Perceptions Questionnaires - CPQ11-14); 3. To evaluate the associations between parents'perception about oral and general health of their children, the oral health status of schoolchildren and OHRQoL. For the study a sample composed of 515 students from 12 years old, from public and private schools in the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, through conglomerate sampling process. For studies 2 and 3, a sub-sample of 283 students was used. We collected data on the presence of caries, dental trauma, bleeding gums, developmental enamel defects and dental and malocclusion treatment needs. For this, we used the following indices: DMFT, dmft, SiC, modified developmental defects of enamel index (DDE) and dental aesthetic index (DAI). Information concerning the OHRQoL in schoolchildren were obtained through the application of the Brazilian version of questionnaire CPQ11-14. The students also answered questions relating to home environment and perceptions about oral and general health. Parents were sent a questionnaire about their perception in relation to oral and general health of their children, as well as questions about socioeconomic status. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test and Poisson regression, and nonparametric tests. In relation to Study 1, controlling confounding variables, it showed that the variables children's self perception of their oral health, low family income, female gender, orthodontic treatment need, 8 years of mother's education, until 2 siblings and household overcrowding with more one person for room had negative impact on their self perception related to OHRQoL. For the second study, it was found that the gender of the child, income and mother's education were statistically associated with the four domains of CPQ11-14, as well as the orthodontic treatment need was strongly associated with the domain 'functional limitations'. Children with presence of bleeding and that not living with both biological parents reported greater impact on emotional and social well-being of OHRQoL. For study 3, According to nonparametric tests, it was found statistically significant associations between parents' perception about oral and general health and report of OHRQoL of schoolchildren (p <0.05). We conclude that the socio-environmental conditions can have negative influences on OHRQoL (Chapter 1), noting that the impact of these factors may be different among the four domains of the instrument used - CPQ11-14 (Chapter 2). Moreover, it was found that there was an association between the subjective perception of the parents and schoolchildren's OWRQoL (Chapter 3), demonstrating that the family environment can influence the subjective aspects related to oral health in childrenMestradoSaude ColetivaMestre em Odontologi

Vernacular Knowledge and Water Management - Towards the Integration of Expert Science and Local Knowledge in Ontario, Canada

Complex environmental problems cannot be solved using expert science alone. Rather, these kinds of problems benefit from problem-solving processes that draw on ‘vernacular’ knowledge. Vernacular knowledge integrates expert science and local knowledge with community beliefs and values. Collaborative approaches to water problem-solving can provide forums for bringing together diverse, and often competing, interests to produce vernacular knowledge through deliberation and negotiation of solutions. Organised stakeholder groups are participating increasingly in such forums, often through involvement of networks, but it is unclear what roles these networks play in the creation and sharing of vernacular knowledge. A case-study approach was used to evaluate the involvement of a key stakeholder group, the agricultural community in Ontario, Canada, in creating vernacular knowledge during a prescribed multi-stakeholder problem-solving process for source water protection for municipal supplies. Data sources – including survey questionnaire responses, participant observation, and publicly available documents – illustrate how respondents supported and participated in the creation of vernacular knowledge. The results of the evaluation indicate that the respondents recognised and valued agricultural knowledge as an information source for resolving complex problems. The research also provided insight concerning the complementary roles and effectiveness of the agricultural community in sharing knowledge within a prescribed problem-solving process