Non-speech oro-motor exercise use in acquired dysarthria management : regimes and rationales

Non-speech oro-motor exercises (NSOMExs) are described in speech and language therapy (SLT) manuals, and are thought to be much used in acquired dysarthria intervention, though there is no robust evidence of an influence on speech outcome. Opinions differ as to whether, and for which dysarthria presentations, NSOMExs are appropriate. The investigation sought to collect development phase data, in accordance with the Medical Research Council evaluation of complex interventions. The aims were to establish the extent of NSOMExs use in acquired disorders, the exercise regimes in use for dysarthria, with which dysarthric populations, and the anticipated clinical outcomes. A further aim was to determine the influencing rationales where NSOMExs were or were not used in dysarthria intervention. SLTs throughout Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, working with adult acquired dysarthria, were identified by their service heads. They received postal questionnaires comprising 21 closed and two open questions, covering respondent biographics, use of NSOMExs, anticipated clinical outcomes, and practice influencing rationales. One hundred and ninety one (56% response) completed questionnaires were returned. Eighty-one per cent of respondents used NSOMExs in dysarthria. There was no association with years of SLT experience. Those who used and those who did not use NSOMExs provided similar influencing rationales, including evidence from their own practice, and Higher Education Institute (HEI) teaching. More experienced SLTs were more likely than those more recently qualified to be guided by results from their own practice. Input from the attended HEI was more influential for those less experienced than for those more experienced. Clinical outcome aims were not confined to speech, but included also improvements in movement, sensory awareness, appearance, emotional status, dysphagia and drooling. NSOMExs were used with many neurological disorders, especially stroke, all dysarthria classes, especially flaccid, and all severity levels. Tongue and lip exercises were more frequent than face, jaw and soft palate. The most common regimes were 4-6 repetitions of each exercise, during three practice periods daily, each of 6-10 minutes. Conclusions & Implications: NSOMExs are a frequent component of dysarthria management in the UK devolved government countries. This confirmation, along with the details of SLT practice, provides a foundation for clinical research which will compare outcomes for people with dysarthria, whose management includes and does not include NSOMExs. SLT practice may be guided by evidence that speech outcome is or is not affected by NSOMExs

Experimental effects of wing location on wing-body pressures at supersonic speeds

An experimental study was performed at supersonic speeds to measure wing and body spanwise pressure distributions on an axisymmetric-body delta wing model on which the wing vertical location on the body was systematically varied from low- to high-mounted positions. In addition, for two of these positions both horizontal and radial wing angular orientations relative to the body were tested, and roll angle effects were investigated for one of the positions. Seven different wing-body configurations and a body-alone configuration were studied. The test was conducted at Mach numbers from 1.70 to 2.86 at angles of attack from about -4 deg to 24 deg. Pressure orifices were located at three longitudinal stations on each wing-body model, and at each station the orifices were located completely around the body, along the lower surface of the right wing (looking upstream), and along the upper surface of the left wing. All pressure coefficient data are tabulated and selected samples are shown graphically to illustrate the effects of the test variables. The effects of angle of attack, roll angle, Mach number, longitudinal station, wing vertical location, wing angular orientation, and wing-body juncture are analyzed. The vertical location of the wing on the body had a very strong effect on the body pressures. For a given angle of attack at a roll angle of 0 deg, the pressures were virtually constant in the spanwise direction across the windward surfaces of the wing-body combination. Pressure-relieving, channeling, and vortex effects were noted in the data

Towards Informing an Intuitive Mission Planning Interface for Autonomous Multi-Asset Teams via Image Descriptions

Establishing a basis for certification of autonomous systems using trust and trustworthiness is the focus of Autonomy Teaming and TRAjectories for Complex Trusted Operational Reliability (ATTRACTOR). The Human-Machine Interface (HMI) team is working to capture and utilize the multitude of ways in which humans are already comfortable communicating mission goals and translate that into an intuitive mission planning interface. Several input/output modalities (speech/audio, typing/text, touch, and gesture) are being considered and investigated in the context human-machine teaming for the ATTRACTOR design reference mission (DRM) of Search and Rescue or (more generally) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). The first of these investigations, the Human Informed Natural-language GANs Evaluation (HINGE) data collection effort, is aimed at building an image description database to train a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN). In addition to building an image description database, the HMI team was interested if, and how, modality (spoken vs. written) affects different aspects of the image description given. The results will be analyzed to better inform the designing of an interface for mission planning

Experimental study at low supersonic speeds of a missile concept having opposing wraparound tails

A wind-tunnel investigation has been performed at low supersonic speeds (at Mach numbers of 1.60, and 2.16) to evaluate the aerodynamic characteristics of a missile concept capable of being tube launched and controlled with a simple one-axis canard controller. This concept, which features an axisymmetric body with two planar canards and four wraparound tail fins arranged in opposing pairs, must be in rolling motion to be controllable in any radial plane with the planar canards. Thus, producing a constant rolling moment that is invariant with speed and attitude to provide the motion is desirable. Two tail-fin shaping designs, one shaved and one beveled, were evaluated for their efficiency in producing the needed rolling moments, and the results showed that the shaved fins were much more desirable for this task than the beveled fins

The Impact of Parental Incarceration: Adults Reflect on their Juvenile Years

For many American families, incarceration has become a way of life. Per the National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated, there are more than 2.7 million children who have a parent in prison and some may have one or both in county jail. There are psychological implications in terms of the child\u27s well-being, behavioral, academic, and emotional outcomes, and family-level processes. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the impact that a parent\u27s incarceration has on a child even through adulthood. The research question examined how a parent\u27s incarceration impacts the future of the child into adulthood. Data were collected for this study through interviews with 12 adults who had a parent who had been or; in many cases was still incarcerated. The findings indicated that there is a significant impact on children when a parent is incarcerated and that as a result, children may exhibit externalizing behaviors such as anger, aggression, and hostility towards others. The results of the study may inform social workers and others who serve this population

Flowability of JSC-1a

We have done a complete flowability characterization of the lunar soil simulant, JSC-1a, following closely the ASTM-6773 standard for the Schulze ring shear test. The measurements, which involve pre-shearing the material before each yield point, show JSC-1a to be cohesionless, with an angle of internal friction near 40 deg. We also measured yield loci after consolidating the material in a vibration table which show it to have significant cohesion (approximately equal to 1 kPa) and an angle of internal friction of about 60 deg. Hopper designs based on each type of flowability test differ significantly. These differences highlight the need to discern the condition of the lunar soil in the specific process where flowability is an issue. We close with a list not necessarily comprehensive of engineering rules of thumb that apply to powder flow in hoppers

Sensitizing Students to Functional Limitations in the Elderly: An Aging Simulation

Background and Objectives: Using activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) as a focus, faculty at Eastern Virginia Medical School provide an aging simulation exercise for a mandatory fouth-year clerkship in geriatrics. The specific aims of the simulation are to 1) experience the physical frailties of aging, 2) develop creative problem-solving techniques, 3) identify feelings regarding the experience of functional loss, and 4) develop proactive clinical approaches to the care of the elderly. Methods: Students are assigned one of four diagnoses (Parkinson\u27s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, advanced diabetes, or stroke) and are then impaired to simulate the frailties of the condition, using a variety of clothes, bindings, and other devices. In their impaired states, they perform ADLs and IADLs, such as paying bills, organizing their pills, shopping, toileting, dressing, and eating. Results: Evaluation results show the aging simulation to be the highest rated program in the clerkship. A pre- and post-course survey on attitudes toward the elderly showed a statistically significant improvement in students attitudes toward the elderly following the course. Conclusions: Simulation exercises in aging are useful activities for helping students better understand the feelings and needs of the elderly