Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Lower Units'

This study documents and discusses the detailed sedimentology of the lowermost strata of the Triassic Vikinghøgda Fm. and Vardebukta Fm., and their underlying units, which belong (i) to the Permian Kapp Starostin Fm. in central and western Spitsbergen, and (ii) to the Lower Carboniferous Hornsundneset and Sergeevfjellet fms in south Spitsbergen.Together with a high-resolution sampling for further palynological and isotopic analysis purposes, nine detailed sedimentary sections have been measured and logged at Marmierfjellet, Høgskulefjellet, Kongressfjellet in central Spitsbergen, at Festningen in western Spitsbergen, and at Kovalevskajafjellet, Lidfjellet and Sergeevfjellet on the Sørkapp-Hornsund High. Logs and samples GPS coordinates have been recorded using the UTM 33x grid zone. Fossils and trace fossils have been determined and dated with the assistance of Prof. Hans Arne Nakrem (University of Oslo) and Nils-Martin Hanken (University of Tromsø). Based on the field data and the 19 targeted thin sections analyses, 17 sedimentary facies have been identified after sedimentary textures, structures and composition of the different rocks. They have been grouped into four facies associations, based on the vertical and lateral genetic relations of sedimentary facies, in order to determine and interpret their respective depositional environments, as follow: (i) Braided river, (ii) “Cold” offshore transition, (iii) Upper shoreface shallow marine and (iv) “Warm” water offshore transition.The topmost strata of the Kapp Starostin Fm. suggest a lateral shallowing-up trend within their depositional environment, with the appearance of storm-influenced beds and a lower spiculitic content towards the east. The boundary between the Kapp Starostin Fm. and the Vardebukta/Vikinghøgda fms, interpreted as a major transgressive event throughout the correlated sections of the arctic, shows no evidence of any break in the sedimentation, and display an unexpected “apparent” shallowing-up sequence, which contradicts the typical deepening-up scheme observed in text-book-like transgressive deposits. The occurrence of a fast transgression at the base of the Vardebukta/Vikinghøgda fms could explain the existence of such a sequence at this boundary. This study also shows the occurrence of major thickness variations within the Deltadalen Mb. between Marmierfjellet and Kongressfjellet in central Spitsbergen, which could be due to the existence of unmapped, low angle thrusts within the Triassic shales of the Vikinghøgda Fm.On the Sørkapp-Hornsund High, the conglomeratic Brevassfjellet Beds and the Myalina limestones of Dienerian age overlie (i) the Lower Carboniferous Hornsundneset Fm. at Lidfjellet, and (ii) the Sergeevfjellet Fm. at Sergeevfjellet and Kovalevskajafjellet. The soft shales of the Vardebukta Fm. cap these conglomeratic beds. Both Brevassfjellet Beds and Myalina limestones show both lateral and vertical differences in their internal architecture, as a consequence of spatial and temporal amplitude, and frequency variations of the flow energy. Also, this thesis suggests five amendments to the existing C13G geological map of the Hornsund area: (i) extension of the Hornsundneset Fm. to the boundary with the Triassic sediments at the foot of the northern ridge of Lidfjellet, (ii) the occurrence of the Sergeevfjellet Fm. between the Hornsundneset Fm. and the Brevassfjellet Beds on Kovalevskajafjellet, (iii) the relocation of the normal fault mapped on northern ridge of Sergeevfjellet to its southern ridge (iv) the mapping of a normal fault on Savičtoppen in the continuation of the normal fault existing on Sergeevfjellet, and (v) the existence of two unmapped thrusts on the western slopes of Sergeevfjellet.

The Lower to Middle Ordovician Garden City Formation and Pogonip Group are coeval successions of mixed carbonate and siliciclastic rocks deposited under normal marine conditions on a shallow carbonate ramp on the western margin of Laurentia. The Garden City Formation was deposited in the Northern Utah Basin and the Pogonip Group was deposited in the Ibex Basin. These two basins experienced different rates of thermal subsidence following Neoproterozoic rifting along the western margin of Laurentia resulting in significant thickness differences between rock units and varying lithologic expressions of eustatic change. This study provides a unique opportunity to examine the lithologic, geochemical, and paleontological responses to eustatic oscillations of two coeval sedimentary basins in Utah that formed under different tectonic settings and subsidence rates. The Garden City Formation is composed of fourteen lithotypes and the Pogonip Group is composed of eleven lithotypes. These lithotypes mainly represent depositional environments ranging from inner ramp and middle ramp with minor outer ramp deposits. Many lithologies appear to be storm influenced due to the presence of abundant rip-up clasts (intraclasts), fragmented bioclasts, and occasional mega-ripples. Other lithologies have been extensively bioturbated and burrowed. Nine stratigraphic sequences have previously been identified within the Pogonip Group. Eight equivalent, albeit compressed, sequences within the Garden City Formation were located using biostratigraphic and chemostratigraphic correlations, and increases in insoluble residues often found at the bases of sequence boundaries. Sequences are expressed as deepening-upward packages containing silty/sandy lowstand deposits that transition into wackestones and lime mudstone-rich highstand deposits. Several sequence boundaries appear to coincide with conodont and/or trilobite extinction events. Important sequence boundaries mark the Sauk III-m and Sauk IV-m transition and the Ibexian- Whiterockian Series boundary. Meter-scale cycles are common and likely related to Milankovitch cyclicity. Insoluble residue increases upsection at each location which may indicate a gradual overall drop in sea level due to the onset of the regressive upper portion of the Sauk III supersequence. Insoluble residue from the Pogonip Group ranges from 1.2 to 84.7 wt. % with an average of 16.0 wt. % ± 0.7 wt. %. Insoluble residue from the Garden City Formation ranges from 1.5 to 63.8 wt. % with an average of 13.4 wt. % ± 1.0 wt. %. New stable carbon isotope data (δ13C) from the Garden City Formation and the Pogonip Group range from -2.92 to 1.23 ‰ V-PDB and -2.19 to 0.56 ‰ V-PDB, respectively. Four distinct δ13C trends are recognized in both sections: 1) a drop in δ13C from positive values between 0.2-1.0 ‰ to negative values approaching -1.0 ‰ near the base of the Ordovician, 2) a 0.5 to 1.0 ‰ positive δ13C excursion near the top of the Rossodus manitouensis Zone, 3) a drop in δ13C values to near -2.0 ‰ through most of the Acodus deltatus –Oneotodus costatus Zone, and 4) a gradual increase in δ13C from - 2.0 ‰ to -1.0 ‰ throughout the remainder of the sections. δ13C of the Garden City Formation and the Pogonip Group appear to be correlative based on these distinct trends. This correlative relationship was verified by the lowest occurrence of conodont species Scolopodus filosus and Scalpellodus n. sp. A of the Low Diversity Interval which coincides with the positive δ13C excursion in both the Garden City Formation and the Pogonip Group. New δ13C data likely represent global primary seawater chemistry based on the correlation of similar δ13C trends from the Argentine Precordillera and western Newfoundland.

The lower Mount Rogers Formation (LMRF) is described by Rankin (1993) as a sequence of intercalated metabasalts and volcanogenic sediments with minor metarhyolite. We have chosen to examine the sequence of the LMRF units exposed along Elk Garden Ridge, a high shoulder between the summits of Whitetop Mountain and Mount Rogers in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in SW Virginia. This sequence represents an uplifted block of LMRF units enclosed by exposures of Whitetop and Wilburn metarhyolites. In the field, progressive lithologic changes can be observed walking up-section along Elk Garden ridge that are indicative of changes in lava compositions and eruptive environments. From the bottom of the section, massive basalts with distinctive 1-2 cm long swallowtail plagioclase phenocrysts grade into vesicular basalts, then into sheet flow basalts, followed by a thick sequence of aphyric and amygdaloidal pillow basalts. Further up section, eruptive products transition into rhyolitic ignimbrites and ash and lapilli tuffs. Boulders of cobble conglomerates near the middle of the sequence and sedimentary layers in between individual sheet flows suggest short periods of relative eruptive quiescence. The only unit broken out in the LMRF by Rankin (1993), Fees Rhyolite, is not observed in the field area, suggesting local differences in topography, eruptive products and eruptive styles across the outcrop area during the deposition of these eruptive products. Petrographically, the rocks reflect the regional greenschist facies metamorphic conditions with chlorite and epidote as primary metamorphic minerals, and unakite-like zones of mineralization. Relict plagioclase and pyroxene phenocrysts persist, as do primary igneous textures and structures. Compositionally, all of the rocks in the Elk Garden Ridge sequence are strongly enriched in alkali metals, with elevated Na2O and K2O contents, and high TiO2 in the basalts. Major and trace element systematics suggest that the chemical signatures of the metabasalts are primary controlled by shallow-level crystallization processes. The LMRF metabasalts share many compositional affinities with later (~570 Ma) rift-related basalts preserved in the Appalachians, suggesting that all of these lavas were formed by melting of a compositionally uniform mantle source, followed by shallow crystallization, despite being separated from one another by large stretches of time and space.

Introduction: Recent developments in inertial sensor technology mean real time monitoring and tracking of athletes in the daily training environment is now a possibility. Such developments have the potential for injury prevention and performance maximisation. Stiffness of the lower limb has known links to performance and injury risk; however, these measures have so far been limited to laboratory-based settings. Application of current sensor technology has the potential for ongoing stiffness assessment not only in the laboratory but also in the daily training environment. Actual training monitoring and changes to the way an athlete deals with loading (leg stiffness) on a regular basis could provide vital feedback to athletes, coaches, medical and support staff allowing for effective systems to be put in place to ensure athletes reach their potential. Study 1: The first aim of this thesis was to review existing literature surrounding the longitudinal assessment of lower limb stiffness in adult athletic populations. A systematic review was conducted which initially produced 630 results before being reduced to 6 for final analysis, highlighting the lack of research in this area. Data extracted focused on the population, methodologies and key findings of each study. The results concluded that the longitudinal assessment of lower limb stiffness had so far been isolated to laboratory-based settings and predominately measured through simple vertical hopping and jump tasks in the specific sporting population of Australian Rules Football players. From the results, the need for a field-based measure of lower limb stiffness was identified in order for stiffness to be assessed at more regular intervals to better understand the prospective links between lower limb stiffness, performance and injury. Study 2: Based on the findings from study 1, the primary aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable field-based measure of lower limb stiffness in high-level track and field athletes during running (a task reflective of training and competition) using inertial measurement units. Nineteen high-level track and field athletes completed six running gait trials at a pace reflective of their event during competition. Data was captured using a fourteen-camera motion analysis system (250Hz), a force plate (1000Hz) and three inertial measurement units (500Hz). The gold standard stiffness measures from the motion analysis system were than compared with the stiffness measures derived from the inertial measurement units. Poor validity was found between the gold standard stiffness measures and the measures derived from the inertial measurement units. In addition, the results demonstrated that the data output from the inertial measurement units were not reliable when substituted into the existing measures of stiffness, warranting the need for further research. Conclusion: This thesis makes a novel contribution to the assessment of lower limb stiffness in athletic populations. Although a valid and reliable measure of lower limb stiffness using inertial measurement units still needs to be established, it is hoped that this research is the first step in developing a daily monitoring tool which may provide a proactive approach in managing an athlete’s response to load. However, further refinements to the algorithm and developments in inertial sensor technology are required before this technology can be considered for use outside the traditional laboratory setting.

Low back pain in collegiate athletes has been reported at a rate of 37% from a wide array of sports including soccer, volleyball, football, swimming, and baseball. Whereas, in a military population the prevalence of low back pain is 70% higher than the general population. Compensatory movement strategies are often used as an attempt to reduce pain. Though compensatory movement strategies may effectively reduce pain, they are often associated with altered lower extremity loading patterns. Those who suffer from chronic low back pain tend to walk and run slower and with less trunk and pelvis coordination and variability. Individuals with low back pain also tend to run with more stiffness in their knees. Moving with less joint coordination and more stiffness are potential compensatory movement patterns acting as a guarding mechanism for pain. Overall the purpose of this project was to determine how chronic low back pain influences lower extremity biomechanics and shock attenuation in active individuals compared to healthy individuals and examine how the altered lower extremity biomechanics are related to clinical outcome measures. We hypothesized that individuals who present with chronic low back pain are more likely to exhibit higher vertical ground reaction forces and less knee flexion excursion during landing, compared to healthy individuals. We also hypothesized that individuals with chronic low back pain will have a reduced ability to attenuate shock during landing compared to the healthy individuals. This study was a case control design in which physically active individuals suffering from chronic low back pain were matched to healthy controls. All participants reported for one testing session to assess self-perceived knee function in the form of the Knee Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score (KOOS), lower extremity strength and mechanics during three landing tasks. Isometric strength was assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer during hip abduction, hip extension, and knee extension. The landing tasks included a drop vertical jump, a single leg hop, and a crossover hop. A three-dimensional motion analysis system with two in-ground force plates and four inertial measurement units were used to assess lower extremity mechanics during the landing tasks. Individuals with low back pain presented with reduced KOOS scores compared to healthy individuals in four of the five subscales, including Symptoms (p=0.007), Pain (p=0.002), Activities of Daily Living (p=0.021), and Quality of Life (p=0.003). Alternatively, while there were some strength, kinematic, and kinetic between limb asymmetries noted in the low back pain group, there were not between group differences with the healthy individuals. In the low back pain group, individuals presented with greater dominant limb knee extension strength (p=0.039) and greater dominant limb ankle plantarflexion at initial contact during the drop vertical jump, compared to the non-dominant limb (p=0.022). Individuals with low back pain also presented with greater non-dominant limb tibia impact during the single limb hop (p=0.008). While we did not identify any mechanical differences between individuals suffering from chronic low back pain and those who do not, we did identify that an active population suffering from low back pain does present with decreased self-perceived knee function compared to active individuals without low back pain. As these groups biomechanically perform similarly, they do not clinically perform the same, specifically, in terms of the KOOS. Such differences should not be overlooked when treating active populations with low back pain. If this population is presenting with altered self-perceived knee function at a young age, it is likely that it will continue to decline and negatively affect their function.

Si les neurosciences connaissent d’importants progrès dans l’imagerie et le génotypage, le phénotypage repose encore largement sur des échelles visuelles. Le phénotype chez l’homme repose principalement sur son style perceptivo-moteur qui donne une empreinte à la marche, la posture, l’équilibre, l’habilité des membres supérieurs, les mouvements oculaires etc. La marche, fonction complexe et fondamentale de l’être humain, implique l’ensemble du système musculo-squelettique, le système nerveux central et périphérique ainsi que les organes sensoriels. Elle est le produit d’un patron de marche automatique et inconscient modulé par le tronc cérébral, les noyaux gris centraux et par des retours sensitifs (visuels, proprioceptives, vestibulaires et épicritiques). Enfin, la marche est aussi sous contrôle volontaire. Le phénotypage quantitatif de la marche suppose la construction préalable de bases de données de signaux de marche d’un nombre élevé (centaines) de sujets et de patients. Ceci peut être mené à bien grâce à des outils de mesure simples d’utilisation et adaptés à la pratique médicale de routine. Il existe plusieurs moyens pour phénotyper la marche mais le capteur inertiel, en raison de son prix, de sa souplesse d’utilisation et de l’accès aux données brutes est un outil particulièrement adapté pour l’étude de la marche en consultation de routine. Les capteurs inertiels permettent le calcul de nombreux paramètres. L’exercice de marche de 10 m aller/retour à vitesse de confort départ arrêté donne accès aux différentes phases de la marche (initiation, croisière, demi-tour) dans des conditions de consultation de routine. Ainsi, l’objectif de ce travail est d’approcher les mécanismes d’adaptation des personnes à des perturbations à différents niveaux anatomiques des structures impliquées dans la marche. Nous abordons cette question par un phénotypage quantitatif à partir du signal de capteurs inertiels recueilli sur des patients au cours d’un exercice de marche de 10 m aller/retour en consultation clinique de routine. Nous avons étudié successivement la marche de patients atteints d’arthrose du membre inférieur comme modèle d’adaptation de la marche à la douleur, puis la marche dans la maladie de Parkinson comme modèle d’atteinte du système de la mise en place des procédures motrices, enfin, la locomotion des patients hémiparétiques à la suite d’un accident vasculaire cérébral hémisphérique comme modèle d’atteinte de la commande volontaire. Nous montrons que la douleur dans l’arthrose du membre inférieur mène à une rigidification globale de la cinématique corporelle. Cette rigidification est prépondérante sur le membre atteint. Elle traduit la perte des synergies musculaires par la mise en place de boucle-réflexe anti-douleur. Nous démontrons que ces modifications sont corrélées à la sévérité clinique de l’arthrose. Pour analyser la régularité de la marche dans la maladie de Parkinson indépendamment des variabilités inter-individuelles du patron de marche nous avons développé un outil de visualisation de l’exercice de marche. La maladie de Parkinson affecte en particulier la régularité de la marche. Notre travail apporte la preuve que cette irrégularité est corrélée à la sévérité des symptômes chez les patients atteints de la maladie de Parkinson. Nous montrons enfin qu’une lésion du cortex dans l’accident vasculaire hémisphérique provoque un changement de stratégie dans le demi-tour. Comme d’autres, nous faisons l’hypothèse que les stratégies de demi-tours sont en partie stockées dans le cortex frontal et que les hémisphères droit et gauche ne jouent pas un rôle symétrique. Nous montrons que le choix de stratégie de demi-tour est corrélé avec la survenue de chutes à 6 mois et pourrait constituer un nouvel élément pour orienter la rééducation. (...)
In the field of neurosciences, significant improvement has been made in the last decades in imaging and genotyping. However, phenotyping remains stagnant at the state of visual observation or visual grading scales. The human phenotype is made up of locomotion (gait, posture and displacement of daily living), upper-limb fine and rough movements, eye movements, language, cognition and complex social behaviors. Gait is a central function in humans, implying volitional, emotional and automatic processes. It involves the whole musculoskeletal system as well as the central and the peripheral nervous system including sensory organs. Building a gait phenotyping system implies setting up a database of gait signals of many (hundreds) of subjects and patients. This goal can be achieved with user-friendly devices deployed in routine medical practice. For instance, inertial measurement units (IMUs) are a valid tool to measure spatio-temporal gait parameters and are adapted to routine medical use. The 10-meter walking test forward and back at self-selected walking speed is adapted to routine testing at the doctor’s office. It allows for measuring gait initiation, gait cruise, gait termination and a 180° turn. In that context, beyond technical challenges, the aim of this work was to address the question How does the central nervous system adapt to an external alteration on various levels in the command chain of gait? To answer this question, we studied sequentially the IMU signal of gait spatio-temporal kinematics in lower-limb osteoarthritis as a model of gait affected by pain, in Parkinson disease as a model of a lesion of the central nervous system muscle tone regulator and finally, in post-hemispheric stroke as a model of lesions of brain structures responsible for volitional locomotion. Secondary clinical questions were How can the severity of a disease be objectively graded with gait kinematics? and How can locomotion kinematics participate in the fall risk prediction in frail populations? In osteoarthritis, we showed that pain in lower-limb osteoarthritis led to a global stiffness of the body during locomotion. This stiffness was preponderant on the affected limbs and led to the loss of muscular synergies by the establishment of anti-pain reflexes as a reaction to pain. This change was correlated with the severity of lower-limb osteoarthritis. In Parkinson disease, to analyze gait regularity independently from inter-individual gait signature, we constructed a novel gait visualization tool and show that a lesion of the muscle tone regulator in Parkinson disease affects gait regularity. This regularity was associated with disease symptoms. Finally, in stroke, we showed that a lesion in the cortex implied a change in the 180° turning stepping, a volitional task. In line with other authors, we hypothesized that locomotion patterns could be generated in the frontal cortex and that the right and left frontal cortex did not have a symmetric role. We showed specific stepping patterns associated more with risk of fall, which could constitute a new argument to orientate rehabilitation. Altogether then, this work suggests that simple measuring hardware (here IMUs), with appropriate signal processing, allowed for decomposing and quantifying complex behavioral tasks (here locomotion) in daily hospital settings

On étudie les dépôts carbonatés de l'oxfordien de la bordure occidentale du Bassin parisien. Quatre unités lithostratigraphiques successives sont différenciées par leur microfaciès, leur contenu paléontologique et leurs caractères diagénétiques; elles correspondent à autant de milieux sédimentaires de plateforme carbonatée. Les séquences verticales et horizontales des faciès ainsi que les stades diagénétiques conduisent à une reconstitution de l'évolution de la sédimentation carbonatée oxfordienne

Objective: Acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) remains an important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in low and middle income countries (LMIC). This study aims to describe the clinical features of children admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with severe ALRTI and to investigate risk factors, clinical course and in-hospital outcome. Design: Retrospective cohort study Setting: Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa Patients: 265 children (0-12years) admitted to the PICU during 2012 with a primary diagnosis of ALRTI. Intervention: None. Measurements and main results: 265 patients [median (interquartile range, IQR) age 4 months (2-12months)] were admitted with ALRTI, 157(59.3%) were male. Co-morbid disease was present in 102(38.5%) including cardiac disease in 42(15.9%) or tuberculosis in 7(6.4%) . While only 27(10.2%) were HIV infected, 87(32.8%) children were HIV exposed. The in-hospital mortality was 34(12.8%); 24(9.1%) died in PICU and a further 10 in the medical wards following discharge from PICU. The median duration of ICU and hospital stay was 4.0 days (2.0-8.0) and 12.5 days (7.9-28.0) respectively. Most [192 (72.5%)] children required invasive ventilatory support, while 42 (15.8%) patients required cardiac inotropic support. Risk factors for mortality included severe malnutrition (Odds ratio (OR) 8.25; 95% CI 1.47- 46.21); informal housing without access to piped water and/or electricity (OR11.87; CI 1.89- 20.81); or need for inotropic support (OR 44.35; CI 8.20-239.92). HIV exposure or infection was associated with a significantly longer duration of hospital stay (p=0.002). Conclusion: Severe ALRTI occurs predominantly in young infants and is associated with a high mortality. Several sociodemographic risk factors impact on the risk of severe disease and poorer outcome.

Le contexte de la thèse est celui du quantified-self, un mouvement né en Californie qui consiste à mieux se connaître en mesurant les données relatives à son corps et à ses activités. Les travaux de recherche ont consisté à développer des algorithmes d'analyse des signaux d'un capteur IMU (\textit{Inertial Measurement Unit}) placé sur la jambe pour reconnaître différentes activités de mouvement telles que la marche, la course, la montée d’escalier.... Ces activités sont reconnaissables grâce à la forme des signaux d'accélération et de vitesse angulaire du capteur, tous triaxiaux, pendant le mouvement des jambes lors du cycle de marche. Pour résoudre ce problème de reconnaissance, les travaux de thèse ont permis la construction d'un modèle de chaîne de Markov cachée particulier, appelé chaîne triplet semi-Markov, qui combine un modèle semi-Markov et un modèle de mélange gaussien dans un modèle de Markov triplet. Ce nouveau modèle est adapté à la fois à la nature du cycle de marche et à l'enchaînement des activités que l’on peut réaliser dans la vie quotidienne. Pour adapter les paramètres du modèle aux différences de morphologie et de comportement humain, nous avons développé des algorithmes d'estimation des paramètres en ligne et hors ligne.Pour établir les performances d'apprentissage et de classification des algorithmes, nous avons mené des expériences sur la base d'enregistrements recueillis pendant la thèse et d'un ensemble de données publiques. Les résultats sont systématiquement comparés aux algorithmes de reconnaissance actuels
The thesis context is that of the quantified self, a movement born in California that consists in getting to know oneself better by measuring data relating to one’s body and activities. The research work consisted in developing algorithms for analyzing signals from an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) sensor placed on the leg to recognize different movement activities such as walking, running, stair climbing... These activities are recognizable by the shape of the sensor’s acceleration and angular velocity signals, both tri-axial, during leg movement and gait cycle.To address the recognition problem, the thesis work resulted in the construction of a particular hidden Markov chain, called semi-triplet Markov chain, which combines a semi-Markov model and a Gaussian mixture model in a triplet Markov model. This model is both adapted to the nature of the gait cycle, and to the sequence of activities as it can be carried out in daily life. To adapt the model parameters to the differences in human morphology and behavior, we have developed algorithms for estimating parameters both off-line and on-line.To establish the classification and learning performance of the algorithms, we conducted experiments on the basis of recordings collected during the thesis and on public dataset. The results are systematically compared with state-of-the-art algorithms

L'analyse du mouvement humain s'appuie généralement sur des techniques de suivi de marqueurs cutanés pour reconstruire la cinématique articulaire. Cependant, ces techniques d'acquisition présentent d'importantes limites dont les " artefacts de tissus mous " (i.e., le mouvement relatif entre les marqueurs cutanés et le squelette sous-jacent). La méthode d'optimisation multi-segmentaire viseà compenser ces artefacts en imposant aux trajectoires de marqueurs les degrés de liberté d'un modèle cinématique prédéfini. Les liaisons mécaniques modélisant classiquement les articulations empêchent toutefois une estimation satisfaisante de la cinématique articulaire. Cette thèse aborde des perspectives d'amélioration de la méthode d'optimisation multi-segmentaire pour l'estimation de la cinématique articulaire du membre inférieur,à travers différentes approches : (1) la reconstruction de la cinématique par suivi de la vitesse angulaire, de l'accélération et de l'orientation de centrales inertiellesà la place du suivi de marqueurs, (2) l'introduction d'un modèle articulaire élastique basé sur la matrice de raideur du genou, permettant une estimation physiologique de la cinématique articulaire et (3) l'introduction d'un modèle des artefacts de tissus mous " cinématique-dépendant ", visantà évaluer et compenser les artefacts de tissus mous simultanément avec l'estimation la cinématique articulaire. Ce travail a démontré la polyvalence de la méthode d'optimisation multi-segmentaire. Les résultats obtenus laissent espérer une amélioration significative de cette méthode qui devient de plus en plus utilisée en biomécanique, en particulier pour la modélisation musculo-squelettique
Human movement analysis generally relies on skin markers monitoring techniques to reconstruct the joint kinematics. However, these acquisition techniques have important limitations including the "soft tissue artefacts" (i.e., the relative movement between the skin markers and the underlying bones). The multi-body optimization method aims to compensate for these artefacts by imposing the degrees of freedom from a predefined kinematic model to markers trajectories. The mechanical linkages typically used for modeling the joints however prevent a satisfactory estimate of the joint kinematics. This thesis addresses the prospects of improvement of the multi-body optimization method for the estimation of joint kinematics of the lower limb through different approaches: (1) the reconstruction of the kinematics by monitoring the angular velocity, the acceleration and the orientation of magneto-inertial measurement units instead of tracking markers, (2) the introduction of an elastic joint model based on the knee stiffness matrix, enabling a physiological estimation of joint kinematics and (3) the introduction of a "kinematic-dependent" soft tissue artefact model to assess and compensate for soft tissue artefact concurrently with estimating the joint kinematics. This work demonstrated the versatility of the multi-body optimization method. The results give hope for significant improvement in this method which is becoming increasingly used in biomechanics, especially for musculoskeletal modeling

Today, the main research field for the automotive industry is to find solutions for active safety. In order to perceive the surrounding environment, tracking nearby traffic objects plays an important role. Validation of the tracking performance is often done in staged traffic scenarios, where additional sensors, mounted on the vehicles, are used to obtain their true positions and velocities. The difficulty of evaluating the tracking performance complicates its development. An alternative approach studied in this thesis, is to record sequences and use non-causal algorithms, such as smoothing, instead of filtering to estimate the true target states. With this method, validation data for online, causal, target tracking algorithms can be obtained for all traffic scenarios without the need of extra sensors. We investigate how non-causal algorithms affects the target tracking performance using multiple sensors and dynamic models of different complexity. This is done to evaluate real-time methods against estimates obtained from non-causal filtering. Two different measurement units, a monocular camera and a LIDAR sensor, and two dynamic models are evaluated and compared using both causal and non-causal methods. The system is tested in two single object scenarios where ground truth is available and in three multi object scenarios without ground truth. Results from the two single object scenarios shows that tracking using only a monocular camera performs poorly since it is unable to measure the distance to objects. Here, a complementary LIDAR sensor improves the tracking performance significantly. The dynamic models are shown to have a small impact on the tracking performance, while the non-causal application gives a distinct improvement when tracking objects at large distances. Since the sequence can be reversed, the non-causal estimates are propagated from more certain states when the target is closer to the ego vehicle. For multiple object tracking, we find that correct associations between measurements and tracks are crucial for improving the tracking performance with non-causal algorithms.

The Uitkomst Complex is located within the Great Escarpment area close to the town of Badplaas, approximately 300 km due east of Pretoria, in the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. This complex is believed to represent a layered conduit system related to the 2.06 Ga Bushveld Complex. The succession from the bottom up comprises the Basal Gabbro- (BGAB), Lower Harzburgite- (LHZBG) and Chromitiferous Harzburgite (PCR) Units, collectively referred to as the Basal Units, followed by the Main Harzburgite- (MHZBG), Upper Pyroxenite-(PXT) and Gabbronorite (GN) Units, collectively referred to as the Main Units. The Basal Unit is largely hosted by the Malmani Dolomite Formation, in the Pretoria Group of the Transvaal Supergroup sediments. The Lower Harzburgite Unit contains numerous calc-silicate xenoliths derived from the Malmani Dolomite. The Basal Units host the economically important nickel-bearing sulphide and chromite deposits exploited by the Nkomati Mine. An area of extensive localized talc-chlorite alteration is found in the area delineated for large scale open cast mining. This phenomenon has bearing on the nature and distribution of the sulphide minerals in the Chromitiferous Harzburgite and to a lesser extent the Lower Harzburgite Units. The Basal Unit is comprised of both near pristine areas of mafic minerals and areas of extensive secondary replacement minerals. Of the olivine minerals, only fosterite of magmatic origin is found, the fosterite suffered hydrothermal alteration resulting in replacement of it by serpentine and secondary magnetite. Three different types of diopside are found, the first is a primary magamatic phase, the second is a hybrid “transitional” phase and the third, a skarn phase. Hydrothermal alteration of the matrix diopside led to the formation of actinolite-tremolite pseudomorphs. This secondary tremolite is intergrown with the nickeliferous sulphide grains. Chromite grains are rimmed or replaced by secondary magnetite. Pyrrhotite grains is also rimmed or replaced by secondary magnetite. Talc and chlorite is concentrated in the highly altered rocks, dominating the PCR unit. Primary plagioclase and calcite do not appear to have suffered alteration to the same extent as the other precursor mafic magmatic and hydrothermal minerals. It is suggested that the PCR was the first unit to be emplaced near the contact of the dolomite and shale host rock. The more primitive mafic mineral composition and presence of chromitite attest to this interpretation. The LHZBG and MHZBG units may have been emplaced simultaneously, the LHZBG below and the MHZBG above. Interaction and partial assimilation of the dolomitic country rock led to a disruption of the primary mafic mineralogy, resulting in the preferential formation of diopside at the expense of orthopyroxene and plagioclase. Addition of country rock sulphur resulted in sulphur saturation of the magma and resulted in the observed mineralization. The downward stoping of the LHZBG magma, in a more “passive” pulse-like manner led to the formation of the calc-silicate xenolith lower third of this unit. It is proposed that the interaction with, and assimilation of the dolomitic host rock by the intruding ultramafic magmas of the Basal Units are responsible, firstly, for the segregation of the nickeliferous sulphides from the magma, and secondly for the formation of a carbonate-rich deuteric fluid that affected the primary magmatic mineralogy of the Basal Unit rocks. The fluids released during the assimilation and recrystallization of the dolomites also led to the serpentinization of the xenoliths themselves and probably the surrounding hybrid and mafic- ultramafic host rocks. The CO2-rich fluids migrated up and outward, while the H2O-rich fluids remained confined to the area around the xenoliths and LHZBG unit. The H2O-rich fluid is thought to be responsible for the retrograde metamorphism of the precursor magmatic and metamorphic minerals in the Lower Harzburgite Unit. The formation of an exoscarn within the dolomitic country rocks and a selvage of endoskarn on the contact form an effective solidification front that prevented further contamination of the magma. It is also suggested that these solidification fronts constrained the lateral extent of the conduit. The CO2-enriched deutric fluid was able to migrate up to the PCR unit. Here the fluid was not removed as effectively as in the underlying parts of the developing conduit. This resulted in higher CO2-partial pressures in the PCR unit, and the stabilization of talccarbonate assemblages that extensively replaced the precursor magmatic mineralogy. Intrusion of the magma into the shales, which may have been more susceptible to assimilation and greater stoping, led to a broadening in the lateral extent of the Complex, in the Main units above the trough-like feature occupied by the Basal Units. Late-stage, hydrous dominated fluid migration is inferred to have been constrained to the central part of the conduit. This is demonstrated by the dominance of chlorite in the central part of the Uitkomst Complex in the study area. The Uitkomst Complex was further deformed by later intrusions of dolerite dykes. Weathering of the escarpment led to exposure of the conduit as a valley and oxidation of the surficial exposed rocks.
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012.
Geology
unrestricted

The Lower Units of Alpine Corsica (France) include a stack of tectonic units detached from the European plate margin. These units, that crop out in the central Corsica along a narrow strip at the boundary between the Hercynian Corsica (to the west) and the Alpine Corsica (to the east), are directly thrust on the Hercynian Corsica (i.e. the European plate not involved in the Alpine Orogeny) and topped by the Schistes Lustrés Complex (i.e. the oceanic and continental units buried at the deepest level during the Alpine Orogeny). Slices of the Schistes Lustrés Complex are also found within the Lower Units. In this thesis, the Lower Units cropping out in six selected areas, from Asco and Fium’Orbo valleys, have been studied, in order to provide stratigraphic, structural and metamorphic data needed to constrain their tectonic history. The Hercynian Corsica and the Schistes Lustrés Complex strictly associated to the Lower Units have been also characterized in terms of stratigraphy, structural and metamorphic features. Moreover, some geochronological data related to the Lower Units have been provided, in order to constrain the events that affected these units. The collected data indicate that the stratigraphic log of the Lower Units consists of a Paleozoic basement intruded by Permo-Carboniferous metagranitoids associated to a Permian to Middle - Late Eocene metasedimentary covers. All the formations of this succession are affected by a polyphase deformation history (D1-D3 phase) and the associated multi-step metamorphism as highlighted by the 3 generations of phyllosilicates grown along the S1 and S2 foliations. The study of the metamorphism associated the mesoand micro-structures has indicated that the Lower Units underwent to HP/LT metamorphic conditions (early D1 phase) followed by a polyphase retrograde metamorphism (late D1-D2-D3). The deformation and metamorphic history of the Lower Units is coherent with their subduction and rapid exhumation in the continental collision setting during the Late Eocene–Oligocene time span. The tectono-metamorphic study of several of these units pointed out a clear linkage between their positions in the tectonic stack and the P-T conditions reached during their subduction/exhumation paths. Although the deformation history shows common features in all the Lower Units, several differences in their metamorphism have been observed, in particular concerning the P-T values related to the geobaric and geothermic peaks. The comparison between several areas indicates that these variations can be found systematically in the Alpine Corsica, even if the maximum depth reached by the Lower Units never exceed ~50 km. Investigating the last stages of the exhumation of the Lower Units emerges that the switching from convergence to extension that affected the Western Mediterranean Sea during the Oligocene played an important role in terms of mechanics, leading to the collapse of the orogenic wedge (i.e. the last ductile event) and the activation of a strike-slip fault system (i.e. the Central Corsica Shear Zone). Extending the tectono-metamorphic study to the rim of the Hercynian Corsica at the boundary with the Alpine Corsica and to the slices of the Schistes Lustrés Complex sandwiched between the Lower Units, it made possible to describe the main tectono-metamorphic events that affected the Lower Units as (1) the subduction at depth of the continental crust, (2) its exhumation in a still convergent setting and 3) its further exhumation in an extensional setting.

Given a set of unit disks in the plane with union area A, what fraction of A can be covered by selecting a pairwise disjoint subset of the disks? Richard Rado conjectured 1/4 and proved 1/4.41. In this thesis, we consider a variant of this problem where the disjointness constraint is relaxed: selected disks must be k-colourable with disks of the same colour pairwise-disjoint. Rado's problem is then the case where k = 1, and we focus our investigations on what can be proven for k > 1. Motivated by the problem of channel-assignment for Wi-Fi wireless access points, in which the use of 3 or fewer channels is a standard practice, we show that for k = 3 we can cover at least 1/2.09 and for k = 2 we can cover at least 1/2.82. We present a randomized algorithm to select and colour a subset of n disks to achieve these bounds in O(n) expected time. To achieve the weaker bounds of 1/2.77 for k = 3 and 1/3.37 for k = 2 we present a deterministic O(n^2) time algorithm. We also look at what bounds can be proven for arbitrary k, presenting two different methods of deriving bounds for any given k and comparing their performance. One of our methods is an extension of the method used to prove bounds for k = 2 and k = 3 above, while the other method takes a novel approach. Rado's proof is constructive, and uses a regular lattice positioned over the given set of disks to guide disk selection. Our proofs are also constructive and extend this idea: we use a k-coloured regular lattice to guide both disk selection and colouring. The complexity of implementing many of the constructions used in our proofs is dominated by a lattice positioning step. As such, we discuss the algorithmic issues involved in positioning lattices as required by each of our proofs. In particular, we show that a required lattice positioning step used in the deterministic O(n^2) algorithm mentioned above is 3SUM-hard, providing evidence that this algorithm is optimal among algorithms employing such a lattice positioning approach. We also present evidence that a similar lattice positioning step used in the constructions for our better bounds for k = 2 and k = 3 may not have an efficient exact implementation.

碩士
長庚科技大學
護理系碩士在職專班
105
Background: Surgical intensive care patients are easy to occur extremities’ deep vein and/or pulmonary embolism without obvious symptoms due to iatrogenic interventions that result in unclear consciousness or limited expressive ability, restraint, and immobility. If deep vein thrombosis is not diagnosed in time that may threaten patients’ life and become a chronic disease. Therefore, early diagnosis of venous thrombosis is very important; this issue must be globally confronted patients’ safety and medical burden. Likewise, Taiwan’s nursing staffs of intensive care units less concern about venous thrombosis and rare evidence-based literature is related to risk factors of legs’ deep venous thrombosis in surgical intensive care units. Purposes: (1) compare difference in incidence of deep venous thrombosis on lower extremities among surgical intensive care unit by Wells score and Doppler ultrasound; (2) compare physiological factors, risk factors, and symptoms of deep venous thrombosis with or without deep vein thrombosis; (3) determine factors associated with legs’ deep venous thrombosis among surgical intensive care patients. Methods: This was a prospective, observational study. A convenience sample was recruited from a surgical intensive care unit in a southern medical center. A self-design structured questionnaire was used to collect physiological, clinical, and situational data among surgical intensive care patients merging with modified Wells score and color Doppler ultrasound for assessing possibility of deep vein thrombosis occurrence. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistic, Chi-square test, unpaired test, and logistic regression. Results: The majority of moderately likely patients with clinical deep venous thrombosis (69.9%) and likely deep venous thrombosis (99.5%) using Modified Wells score. The incidence of bilateral lower extremities deep vein thrombosis scan using Color Doppler was 24.0%. Bivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that gender, the presence or absence of femoral vein catheter replacement at the first time assessment, smoking versus non-smoking, and greater versus less or equal seven days’ hospitalization days of intensive care unit were statistically significant associated factors. However, multivariate logistic regression showed that age, body mass index at the first time assessment, and the presence or absence of femoral vein catheter replacement at the first time assessment were the statistically significant associated factor. Conclusions: The incidence of deep vein thrombosis in medical-surgical intensive care patients was nearly one of fourth. Age, body mass index, and femoral vein catheter replacement were the significant associated factors. The occurrence of deep vein thrombosis is related to multiple risk factors. The clinical front line of medical care team members should have the professional knowledge of identifying deep vein thrombosis symptoms, the use of appropriate and reliable assessment tools, establishment of domestic deep vein thrombosis care standards, multiple screening high risk patients, correction of precipitate factors timely for preventing deep vein thrombosis occurrence and reducing patients’ life threat, and thereby improving the quality of medical care.

The main research question associated with this case study is to contribute modestly to the discussion of the relationship between Zero Lower Bound (ZLB) framework and Productivity of the Euro Area, Germany and the GIIPS. The relationship between ZLB and Unit Labor Costs is also analyzed. The series analyzed correspond to the period from the first quarter of 2000 to the third quarter of 2018. The purpose of choosing this period is to maximize the quality of the analysis by addressing multiple stages of the global business cycles. To put this analysis into practice, the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) was applied and the Granger Causality was analyzed. It is possible to conclude that only in Portugal does the ZLB affect Productivity and that the ZLB affect unit labor costs in Portugal and Spain exclusively.
A preocupação do presente estudo de caso é contribuir modestamente para a discussão da relação entre a Zero Lower Bound (ZLB) e a produtividade da Área Euro, da Alemanha e dos GIIPS em particular. Foi também analisada a relação entre a ZLB e os Custos Unitários do Trabalho. As séries analisadas correspondem ao período compreendido entre o primeiro trimestre de 2000 e o terceiro trimestre de 2018. O objetivo da escolha deste período compreende-se com o facto de se pretender maximizar a qualidade da análise, analisando múltiplas fases do ciclo económico global. Para colocar em prática esta análise foi estimado o modelo Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) e analisada a Causalidade à Granger. Foi possível concluir que apenas em Portugal a ZLB afeta a produtividade e que a ZLB afeta os Custos Unitários do Trabalho em Portugal e Espanha, exclusivamente.

碩士
國立臺中教育大學
科學應用與推廣學系科學教育碩士班
96
The purpose of this study was to explore how the integrated Information Technology fuses with the teaching unit “Observing the Stars” to enhance the learning effectiveness of Lower-achievement students and at the same time to help increase teachers’ professional growth in practical teaching by way of action Research.. The subjects in this study are 18 students of fifth grade from an elementary school in Taichung county. The research instruments include questionnaires, interviews, learning motivational scale, discussion forum and regular tests in “Observing the Stars” unit. The study shows that the fusion of integrated Information technology and teaching “Observing the Stars” indeed enhances the learning effectiveness of most Lower-achievement students and hence the requirements of promoting the growth of teaching effectiveness are as follows: 1. To stimulate the learning motives by using all kinds of information technology. 2. To maintain the concentration of students in class by means of giving questions and prizes. 3. To Assist students to learn independently and skillfully by setting up the teaching website. 4. To cultivate the positive attitude for spontaneous learning and self-construction by helping students operate visua simulatel soft ware. 5. To find out the problems of learning in time and give them remedial teaching. Finally, this study collects all the self-reflection of the researcher and bring forth suggestions in a hope of benefiting other teachers from his experience and becoming reference for later researchers.

碩士
國立彰化師範大學
生物學系
99
This study is aimed to investigate the learning effect of the internet remedial instruction to the various-style 7th-grade students with low achievement on the science subject in terms of the e-learning material integrated with the Game Assessment Module of the WATA system. This study takes the quasi-experimental design, and receieves 116 students of 7th-grade students who are low-achieved on the science subject from two junior high schools in middle Taiwan. Those participants are randomly assigned to three groups with different GAM-WATA strategies: Group 1 (one time “Pass & Delete”) has 33 participants, Group 2 (two times “Pass & Delete”) has 38 participants, and Group 3 (three times “Pass & Delete”) has 45 participants. Before the remedial instruction, a learning achievement assessment and a Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory are filled in. One-week remedial instruction is given to the three groups simultaneously. After one week of the instruction, a post test of learning achievement assessment and a WGASS questionnaire are filled by the participants that want to explore the learning effect and the feeling of the low-achieved students using the GAM-WATA system. The results show that there is a significant difference in learning effect among these low-achieved students participated in the different GAM-WATA strategies (p<.05). In particular, the learning effect of Group 2 is significantly superior to those of Group 1 and Group 3. However, there is no significant difference between Group 1 and Group 3. Accordingly, if we would like to apply the GAM-WATA strategy to the remedial instruction for low-achieved students on the science subject, two times “Pass & Delete” strategy is suggested. No significant difference exists among the various-style low-achieved students, and the interaction between the students’learning styles and the GAM-WATA strategies. With regard to the low-achieved students’feelings of the GAM-WATA system, the results show that most of those students assumed the GAM-WATA system is more interesting, more challenging, and more convenient than the traditional assessments. While using the GAM-WATA system, the students are less nervous. In addition, the “Ask-Hint”strategy of the GAM-WATA system can increase the students’ confidence and make them more careful while they are answering the questions. To sum up, the low-achieved students show a positive attitude to those strategies.

碩士
國立彰化師範大學
生物學系
99
The purpose of this research is to assess the effectiveness of a web-based formative assessment on the 7th grade low-achivement students’ learning with different learning styles in an e-Learning environment on “Reproduction Unit” in junior high school. A quasi- experimental design is adopted in the study. The participants were 96 7th grade students from Miaoli, Taichung and Tainan City, and were randomly assigned into different strategies of FAM- WATA in an e-Learning environment. Before conducting the e-Learing instruction, students had asked to complete the Kolb leraning-style inventory and the academic pretest. After remedial instruction, students were taken the academic postest and WFASS questionnaire. The results revealed that there was a significant difference in the learning achievement between different formative assessment strategies (p<.001). The two times and three times “Pass & Delete” strategies performed better than one time’s (F1)(p<.01). However, we found that there was no significant difference between two times and three times “Pass & Delete” strategies. In addition, different learning styles students performed no significantly different in their learning achievement. There was no significant between different formative assessment strategies and different learning styles,and there was no significant between disadvantage and non- disadvantage students either. Eventually,the results from WFASS questionnaire show that these 7th grade low-achivement students in our case represented positive response on e-Learning and FAM-WATA, and thought the repetition does answers the number of times take two times to do answers goes through a strategic pass as best.

碩士
國立彰化師範大學
生物學系
99
Abstract This study focuses on influences of adopting different strategies of Game Assessment Module of the WATA System in e-learning remedial learning “The Brith of New Life” unit among 7th grade student with low academic achievement. In order to explore the effectiveness of remedial learning from the different cognitive styles students and the gender of students. This research used Quasi-experimental design. Participants were 108 seventh grade students of low academic achievement from 2 junior high schools in central Taiwan. Students were randomly assigned into three groups of different GAM-WATA strategies. The control group is G1 (N=33), experimental groups were G2 (N=34) and G3 (N=41). They used different GAM-WATA strategies with one, two and three times “pass and delete”. There is significant difference of learning effectiveness among different GAM-WATA strategies (p<.05).The G2 are perform better than G1 and G3. GAM-WATA historical records of G1 demonstrated non-significant impacts. But the records of G2 and G3 involved in the research courses demonstrated significant impacts on the academic achievements, which included the numbers of test sheets, the numbers of test questions, the accumulation scores and the pass rates. In the numbers of test sheets and numbers of test questions had negative effects on the academic achievement of G2 and G3. But the accumulation scores and the pass rates resulted in positive effects on the academic achievement. The different GAM-WATA historical record between G2 and G3 was shown in numbers of help and numbers of prune. GAM-WATA strategies block the effectiveness of an impact on remedial learning. Two times “pass and delete” is better strategy of GAM-WATA system in e-learning remedial learning “The Birth of New Life” unit among 7th grade student with low academic achievement.