Research Towards High Speed Freeforming

Additive manufacturing (AM) methods are currently utilised for the manufacture of prototypes and low volume, high cost parts. This is because in most cases the high material costs and low volumetric deposition rates of AM parts result in higher per part cost than traditional manufacturing methods. This paper brings together recent research aimed at improving the economics of AM, in particular Extrusion Freeforming (EF). A new class of machine is described called High Speed Additive Manufacturing (HSAM) in which software, hardware and materials advances are aggregated. HSAM could be cost competitive with injection moulding for medium sized medium quantity parts. A general outline for a HSAM machine and supply chain is provided along with future required research

Using an asset-based approach to explore the benefits of involvement in community-centred initiatives

Purpose: To explore with community groups, using an asset-based approach, what local individual and community assets exist in a deprived English Local Authority area; To reflect with participants on how these assets might be utilised to improve health and wellbeing; To consider how such assets might be used to promote public health (PH) as part of changes to PH provision in the context of austerity measures and local authority budget cuts. Background: Effective community engagement is essential if local government is to achieve public health goals (NICE, 2014). However, despite widespread acceptance of the need to enable individuals and communities to take more control over their health and lives, ‘the invaluable contributions and experiences of citizens actively involved in their own communities are rarely considered as part of the evidence base’ (Public Health England, 2015). There has been a recent shift in UK PH policy towards an ‘asset approach’, balancing the evidence base on health deficits (identifying problems and needs) with an equal focus on health assets (resources for creating health and wellbeing). An asset approach seeks to identify and mobilise the capacity, skills, knowledge, connections and potential in individuals, communities and organisations to create positive health and cultivate resilience. Methods: The study used principles of action research, seeking to engage with diverse groups in the locality (professionals and community members) in a process of reflective inquiry. An initial inquiry using ‘knowledge café’ workshops with statutory and voluntary services informed the research focus. Activities included reflective group discussion, photo elicitation and interactive question and answer sessions. Focus groups were held with members of 12 diverse community initiatives, focusing on how the activities and processes involved in community group participation facilitated the health and wellbeing of community members. Data were analysed using Template Analysis. Conclusions: Findings are organised in relation to three main areas: (i) Assets at a community level; (ii) Assets at an individual level; (iii) Making the most of assets: collaborative working between communities and others. Findings provide important insights to inform possibilities for how communities can play a more active role in responding to PH issues. As autonomous and independent entities, community groups described themselves as better able than public sector services to devote the time needed to really understand and respond to their community members. Professionals are seen as offering advice; peers are seen as offering choices. Traditionally ‘hard to reach’ groups may respond better to peer rather than professional assistance. Participants identified numerous mental and physical health benefits from taking part in community groups. Professionals can play an important role supporting community members to develop their own health and wellbeing initiatives. Holistic community based solutions to public health improvement may require the development of an alternative set of indicators to monitor and evaluate change focusing for example on resilience, levels of individual community involvement and peer support rather than more conventional indicators such as decrease in smoking or healthy eating. There is an important role for qualitative research in the development and evaluation of such initiatives

The Relationship of Age to Level of Performance and Independence Associated with Rehabilitative Interventions Provided to Older Adults Who Are Blind

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between rehabilitative interventions and older adults with visual impairments. This study employed an ex post facto, quasi-experimental design which analyzed changes that occurred based on composite pretest and posttest scores representing levels of performance and independence. Participants were visually impaired adults, age 65 and above, who successfully completed a rehabilitation program intended to increase their skills for independent living. A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to determine if there were significant improvements on pretest to posttest levels of performance and independence derived from the rehabilitative interventions, and if improvements were related to age. Statistically significant gains were noted on overall performance and independence for both the ADL and IADL domains.

A Contextual Approach to Investigating Verbal and Nonverbal Behaviors

This investigation utilized a recent concept developed by researchers and theoreticians studying nonverbal behavior--the contextual framework. Instruments of demonstrated reliability were employed to record simultaneous verbal and nonverbal data within the selected contextual framework of student-initiated questions. Data was collected at the University of Northern Iowa; Malcolm Price Laboratory School. The study sample included 15 teachers from grades one through twelve and 60 pupils. Pupils were placed in categories by their teachers: (1) accepting; (2) concerned; (3) indifferent; and (4) rejecting. Objectives of the investigation included: (1) to investigate physical proximity as a quantifiable dimension of nonverbal behavior; (2) to continue the exploration of the situational frame contextual approach to the study of nonverbal behavior; (3) to attempt to simultaneously record verbal and nonverbal behaviors using trained observers; (4) to validate the pupil categories that are currently being employed in investigations of teacher behavior; and (5) to examine the relationships between observed verbal and nonverbal teacher behaviors and the pupil category system developed by Silberman (1969) and used by Willis and Brophy (1974). Significant aspects of the study are that: (1) it presented an expanded view of observable teacher behavior; (2) it quantified the verbal and nonverbal behavior of teachers within the context of student-initiated questions; and (3) it appeared to validate; with additional data; the pupil category system. Six tables illustrate the data. (MM

Concepts and embodiment design of a reentry recumbent seating system for the NASA Space Shuttle

This report deals with the generation of a recumbent seating system which will be used by NASA to shuttle astronauts from the Russian space station Mir. We begin by examining the necessity for designing a special couch for the returning astronauts. Next, we discuss the operating conditions and constraints of the recumbent seating system and provide a detailed function structure. After working through the conceptual design process, we came up with ten alternative designs which are presented in the appendices. These designs were evaluated and weighted to systematically determine the best choice for embodiment design. A detailed discussion of all components of the selected system follows with design calculations for the seat presented in the appendices. The report concludes with an evaluation of the resulting design and recommendations for further development

Overview of the 2007 and 2008 campaigns conducted as part of the Greenland Summit Halogen-HO\u3csub\u3ex\u3c/sub\u3e Experiment (GSHOX)

From 10 May through 17 June 2007 and 6 June through 9 July 2008 intensive sampling campaigns at Summit, Greenland confirmed that active bromine chemistry is occurring in and above the snow pack at the highest part of the Greenland ice sheet (72°36´ N, 38°25´ W and 3.2 km above sea level). Direct measurements found BrO and soluble gas phase Br− mixing ratios in the low pptv range on many days (maxima \u3c 10 pptv). Conversion of up to 200 pg m−3 of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) to reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) and enhanced OH relative to HO2 plus RO2 confirm that active bromine chemistry is impacting chemical cycles even at such low abundances of reactive bromine species. However, it does not appear that Bry chemistry can fully account for observed perturbations to HOx partitioning, suggesting unknown additional chemical processes may be important in this unique environment, or that our understanding of coupled NOx-HOx-Brychemistry above sunlit polar snow is incomplete. Rapid transport from the north Atlantic marine boundary layer occasionally caused enhanced BrO at Summit (just two such events observed during the 12 weeks of sampling over the two seasons). In general observed reactive bromine was linked to activation of bromide (Br−) in, and release of reactive bromine from, the snowpack. A coupled snow-atmosphere model simulated observed NO and BrO at Summit during a three day interval when winds were weak. The source of Br− in surface and near surface snow at Summit is not entirely clear, but concentrations were observed to increase when stronger vertical mixing brought free tropospheric air to the surface. Reactive Bry mixing ratios above the snow often increased in the day or two following increases in snow concentration, but this response was not consistent. On seasonal time scales concentrations of Br− in snow and reactive bromine in the air were directly related

Association of Blood Biomarkers With Acute Sport-Related Concussion in Collegiate Athletes: Findings From the NCAA and Department of Defense CARE Consortium

Importance: There is potential scientific and clinical value in validation of objective biomarkers for sport-related concussion (SRC). Objective: To investigate the association of acute-phase blood biomarker levels with SRC in collegiate athletes. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter, prospective, case-control study was conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the US Department of Defense Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium from February 20, 2015, to May 31, 2018, at 6 CARE Advanced Research Core sites. A total of 504 collegiate athletes with concussion, contact sport control athletes, and non-contact sport control athletes completed clinical testing and blood collection at preseason baseline, the acute postinjury period, 24 to 48 hours after injury, the point of reporting being asymptomatic, and 7 days after return to play. Data analysis was conducted from March 1 to November 30, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1), neurofilament light chain, and tau were quantified using the Quanterix Simoa multiplex assay. Clinical outcome measures included the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-Third Edition (SCAT-3) symptom evaluation, Standardized Assessment of Concussion, Balance Error Scoring System, and Brief Symptom Inventory 18. Results: A total of 264 athletes with concussion (mean [SD] age, 19.08 [1.24] years; 211 [79.9%] male), 138 contact sport controls (mean [SD] age, 19.03 [1.27] years; 107 [77.5%] male), and 102 non-contact sport controls (mean [SD] age, 19.39 [1.25] years; 82 [80.4%] male) were included in the study. Athletes with concussion had significant elevation in GFAP (mean difference, 0.430 pg/mL; 95% CI, 0.339-0.521 pg/mL; P < .001), UCH-L1 (mean difference, 0.449 pg/mL; 95% CI, 0.167-0.732 pg/mL; P < .001), and tau levels (mean difference, 0.221 pg/mL; 95% CI, 0.046-0.396 pg/mL; P = .004) at the acute postinjury time point compared with preseason baseline. Longitudinally, a significant interaction (group × visit) was found for GFAP (F7,1507.36 = 16.18, P < .001), UCH-L1 (F7,1153.09 = 5.71, P < .001), and tau (F7,1480.55 = 6.81, P < .001); the interaction for neurofilament light chain was not significant (F7,1506.90 = 1.33, P = .23). The area under the curve for the combination of GFAP and UCH-L1 in differentiating athletes with concussion from contact sport controls at the acute postinjury period was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.64-0.78; P < .001); the acute postinjury area under the curve for all 4 biomarkers combined was 0.72 (95% CI, 0.65-0.79; P < .001). Beyond SCAT-3 symptom score, GFAP at the acute postinjury time point was associated with the classification of athletes with concussion from contact controls (β = 12.298; 95% CI, 2.776-54.481; P = .001) and non-contact sport controls (β = 5.438; 95% CI, 1.676-17.645; P = .005). Athletes with concussion with loss of consciousness or posttraumatic amnesia had significantly higher levels of GFAP than athletes with concussion with neither loss of consciousness nor posttraumatic amnesia at the acute postinjury time point (mean difference, 0.583 pg/mL; 95% CI, 0.369-0.797 pg/mL; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: The results suggest that blood biomarkers can be used as research tools to inform the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of concussion and provide additional support for future studies to optimize and validate biomarkers for potential clinical use in SRC