Determining the Characteristics of the Air Force Telecommuting Program

This thesis explores advantages and disadvantages to be realized from telecommuting, along with developing a linear regression model that identifies factors correlated with preference for telecommuting among Air Force personnel. This thesis uses a stated preference model derived from existing telecommuting research to characterize the factors impacting the preference for civilian, officer, and enlisted Air Force personnel. The regression models developed showed that factors affecting telecommuting preference were different among different sub-samples. Two factors were universal across the sample. Those were Amount of Telecommuting Job Allows, and Allow More Work Done. These two factors gave R-squared values of over .39 for each major sub-group in the sample. Another significant finding was that telecommuting preference was significantly greater than the amount of telecommuting the job allowed for the entire sample. The discussion includes tables and text, for use by decision makers, describing cumulative amounts of the sample who felt their jobs would allow each amount of telecommuting, along with potential advantages and disadvantages for that amount of telecommuting. This research showed that a linear method can be used to model telecommuting preference and obtain statistically significant results

Functional Imaging: CT and MRI

SYNOPSIS: Numerous imaging techniques permit evaluation of regional pulmonary function. Contrast-enhanced CT methods now allow assessment of vasculature and lung perfusion. Techniques using spirometric controlled MDCT allow for quantification of presence and distribution of parenchymal and airway pathology, Xenon gas can be employed to assess regional ventilation of the lungs and rapid bolus injections of iodinated contrast agent can provide quantitative measure of regional parenchymal perfusion. Advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lung include gadolinium-enhanced perfusion imaging and hyperpolarized helium imaging, which can allow imaging of pulmonary ventilation and .measurement of the size of emphysematous spaces

A Personal Computer Based System for Detection of Regional Wall Motion Abnormalities in Left Ventricular Cineangiograms

Cineangiography is the standard to which most methods of cardiac function evaluation is compared. Left ventricular regional wall motion has been, until recently, qualitatively judged. With the increased sophistication and proliferation of computer technology, it has become possible for implementation of a variety of quantitative methods. This research presents a personal computer based system that measures regional wall motion in the left ventricle. A personal computer was used to illustrate the power and economy available at the present time. The regional wall motion methods were included as part of a general purpose ventricular function program. The scope of this research was further expanded to optimally select a regional wall motion method that best identifies a mildly diseased patient from a normal patient group

Influence of age and gender on the presence of coronary calcium detected by ultrafast computed tomography

AbstractObjectives. This study sought to determine the relation between coronary calcification detected with ultrafast computed tomography and lumen narrowing defined with angiography and evaluated whether this relation is influenced by age and gender.Background. Ultrafast computed tomography has been shown to be a sensitive method for detection of coronary calcification associated with atherosclerotic disease, but the relation between the extent of coronary calcification and degree of lumen narrowing and the possible influence of gender or age, or both, on this relation have not been clarified.Methods. Seventy men and 70 women were studied with ultrafast computed tomography for analysis of coronary calcification and coronary angiography. Coronary atherosclerosis was considered present if any lumen irregularity was noted on angiography, and obstructive coronary artery disease was defined as a lumen diameter narrowing ≥70%.Results. Coronary calcification had a sensitivity of 88% for identification of patients with atherosclerotic disease and 97% for those with obstructive disease, with corresponding specificities of 55% and 41%, respectively. The sensitivity of coronary calcium for detection of atherosclerotic disease in women <60 years old was 50%, significantly less than the 97% sensitivity in women > 60 years old and the 87% sensitivity in men <60 years old (p < 0.05 for each comparison). Logistic regression analysis revealed a 1.81-fold increase in the likelihood of detecting coronary calcification in the atherosclerotic lesions of men compared with those in women (95% confidence interval 1.12 to 2.93, p = 0.016) when controlled for age and severity of coronary disease by angiography.Conclusions. Atherosclerotic lesions in women are less likely to have coronary calcium than lesions with a similar degree of lumen narrowing in men. Differences in the pattern of coronary calcification between men and women may provide insight into the gender differences observed in the clinical development of symptomatic coronary artery disease