Investigating the validity of the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) as a neuropsychological assessment tool for executive functions in the traumatic brain inhury (TBI) in the UK

Background: Deficits in executive functioning is highly prevalent in people with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The Delis Kaplan Executive Function (D-KEFS) comprises a standardised set of tests designed to measure a wide spectrum of abilities associated with executive functioning. Currently there is substantial evidence to support the validity of D-KEFS as a useful instrument to identify deficits in executive functioning. This study aims to investigate the validity of the D-KEFS by comparing the performance of a sample of patients with mild-uncomplicated to severe TBI, with that of orthopaedic controls using selected D-KEFS subtests. The orthopaedic patients are considered as ‘gold standard’ controls for studying TBI given they are arguably representative of the TBI group both demographically and psychosocially. Methods: One hundred patients with mild-uncomplicated to severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and twenty-six orthopaedic patients were recruited. Measures of performance validity were administered to participants. Those who failed the tests were excluded from the study. Selected D-KEFS subtests (Trail Making, Verbal Fluency, Colour Word Interference Test and Tower Test) were administered to both TBI and orthopaedic controls, as well as the application of additional measures of premorbid intellectual functioning and mental processing speed to account for other influences on D-KEFS performance that were not specific to executive functioning. Results: The TBI participants performed significantly worse than the orthopaedic controls on the Trail Making Number-Letter Switching, Colour Word Interference Inhibition, Colour Word Interference Inhibition/ Switching, Letter Fluency and Category Switching tasks, but not on Category Fluency and Tower Test. The Executive Functioning Indices (EFIs) constructed also demonstrated significant group mean differences, with TBI patients performing worse than the orthopaedic controls. More importantly the composite EFIs resulted in greater effect sizes than the individual subtests. Notably, group differences vanished when the effect of processing speed was controlled for. Lastly, the results also indicated that the TBI group presented with a consistently higher rate of obtaining low scores in comparison to the orthopaedic controls. Conclusions: To our knowledge this is the first study in the UK that has compared the performance of a sample of patients with mild-uncomplicated to severe TBI, with that of orthopaedic controls using D-KEFS. Relative to the orthopaedic controls the TBI patients showed marked deficits in executive functioning across some subtests as well as in EFIs, with moderate to large effect sizes. These findings support the use of the D-KEFS EFIs for the assessment of executive functioning in TBI population. Future study might consider using a larger and more gender balanced orthopaedic population and also examine the performances of TBI individuals suffering head trauma of various aetiologies on D-KEFS in order to capture a more comprehensive cognitive profile for this population group

Modeling And Experimental Study On A Direct Expansion Based Enhanced Dehumidification Air Conditioning System

Direct expansion (DX) air conditioning (A/C) systems are widely used for controlling indoor air temperature and humidity in various buildings in hot and humid climates since they are simpler and more energy efficient, and generally cost less to own and maintain. However, it is often problematic for a DX A/C system to provide desired humidity control due to the current system design trends, variable weather conditions and the commonly used control strategies for DX A/C systems. Therefore, a standalone DX based enhanced dehumidification air conditioning (EDAC) system is proposed to provide suitable indoor humidity control at different seasons. There are two evaporators in the EDAC system, thus it could act as a dehumidifier (ADO mode) on the days when less or no additional cooling is required by employing one evaporator as a reheating coil, or act as an enhanced dehumidification A/C system (EDAC mode) by functioning two evaporators to separately deal with sensible and latent cooling. A prototype experimental EDAC system was established in a laboratory. The operational characteristics of the EDAC system at ADO mode in terms of the moisture removal capacity (MRC), the specific moisture extraction rate (SMER) and the resulted supply air temperature were investigated and reported in this paper. Firstly, the experimental results on operational characteristics are reported. Secondly, the development of a steady-state mathematical model for the ADO mode of the EDAC system is presented. The developed model was thereafter used to study the influence of different sizes of the evaporator and the reheating coil on the operational characteristic of the EDAC system at ADO mode. The study results could lead to a better understanding of the operational characteristics of the EDAC system, facilitating its design, operation and control

A Numerical Study On The Indoor Thermal Environment Served By A Novel Air Source Heat Pump Powered Bed-Based Space Heating (ASHP-BBSH) System

A numerical study on the indoor thermal environment served a novel air source heat pump powered bed-based space radiation heating (ASHP-BBSH) system is reported in this paper. This novel system combines the merits from a Chinese Kang, or a heated bed, widely used in northern rural China and a standard ASHP system, which can provide localized space heating via both convection and radiation to maintain a comfortable indoor thermal environment, at reduced energy use. In this novel bed-based system, a bed is heated and thus used as a radiator for providing space heating at both daytime and nighttime. In this paper, firstly, a numerical model for a bedroom with a heated bed was firstly built and a manikin with simplified dimensions and physiological shape sitting on the heated bed has been added to the numerical model. Secondly, using the model, the relationships between indoor thermal environment and a number of influencing factors, including the bed surface temperature and heating area were numerically studied. Thirdly, a comparison between the novel system and a standard ASHP system was numerically conducted to demonstrate the advantages of the novel bed-based space heating system. The numerical results show that compared with a standard ASHP system, a better thermal comfort level and higher energy saving potential can be achieved by applying the ASHP-BBSH system. Necessary parameters for the system design and operation in the follow-up experimental work were provided

Crystallization of Adenylylsulfate Reductase from Desulfovibrio gigas: A Strategy Based on Controlled Protein Oligomerization

Adenylylsulfate reductase (adenosine 5′-phosphosulfate reductase, APS reductase or APSR, E.C.1.8.99.2) catalyzes the conversion of APS to sulfite in dissimilatory sulfate reduction. APSR was isolated and purified directly from massive anaerobically grown Desulfovibrio gigas, a strict anaerobe, for structure and function investigation. Oligomerization of APSR to form dimers–α_2β_2, tetramers–α_4β_4, hexamers–α_6β_6, and larger oligomers was observed during purification of the protein. Dynamic light scattering and ultracentrifugation revealed that the addition of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) or adenosine 5′-phosphosulfate (APS) disrupts the oligomerization, indicating that AMP or APS binding to the APSR dissociates the inactive hexamers into functional dimers. Treatment of APSR with β-mercaptoethanol decreased the enzyme size from a hexamer to a dimer, probably by disrupting the disulfide Cys156—Cys162 toward the C-terminus of the β-subunit. Alignment of the APSR sequences from D. gigas and A. fulgidus revealed the largest differences in this region of the β-subunit, with the D. gigas APSR containing 16 additional amino acids with the Cys156—Cys162 disulfide. Studies in a pH gradient showed that the diameter of the APSR decreased progressively with acidic pH. To crystallize the APSR for structure determination, we optimized conditions to generate a homogeneous and stable form of APSR by combining dynamic light scattering, ultracentrifugation, and electron paramagnetic resonance methods to analyze the various oligomeric states of the enzyme in varied environments

Expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β genes in the cochlea and inferior colliculus in salicylate-induced tinnitus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Changes in the gene expressions for tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and/or interleukin-1β (IL-1β) during tinnitus have not been previously reported. We evaluated tinnitus and mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and <it>N</it>-methyl <it>D</it>-aspartate receptor subunit 2B (NR2B) genes in cochlea and inferior colliculus (IC) of mice after intraperitoneal injections of salicylate.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty-eight 3-month-old male SAMP8 mice were randomly and equally divided into two groups: salicylate-treated and saline-treated. All mice were trained to perform an active avoidance task for 5 days. Once conditioned, an active avoidance task was performed 2 hours after daily intraperitoneal injections of saline, either alone or containing 300 mg/kg sodium salicylate. Total numbers of times (tinnitus score) the mice climbed during the inter-trial silent period for 10 trials were recorded daily for 4 days (days 7 to 10), and then mice were euthanized for determination of mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and NR2B genes in cochlea and IC at day 10.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Tinnitus scores increased in response to daily salicylate treatments. The mRNA expression levels of TNF-α increased significantly for the salicylate-treated group compared to the control group in both cochlea (1.89 ± 0.22 vs. 0.87 ± 0.07, <it>P </it>< 0.0001) and IC (2.12 ± 0.23 vs. 1.73 ± 0.22, <it>p </it>= 0.0040). mRNA expression levels for the IL-1β gene also increased significantly in the salicylate group compared to the control group in both cochlea (3.50 ± 1.05 vs. 2.80 ± 0.28, <it>p </it>< 0.0001) and IC (2.94 ± 0.51 <it>versus </it>1.24 ± 0.52, <it>p </it>= 0.0013). Linear regression analysis revealed a significant positive association between tinnitus scores and expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and NR2B genes in cochlea and IC. In addition, expression levels of the TNF-α gene were positively correlated with those of the NR2Bgene in both cochlea and IC; whereas, the expression levels of the IL-1β gene was positively correlated with that of the NR2B gene in IC, but not in cochlea.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that salicylate treatment resulting in tinnitus augments expression of the TNF-α and IL-1β genes in cochlea and IC of mice, and we suggest that these proinflammatory cytokines might lead to tinnitus directly or via modulating the NMDA receptor.</p

High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells Based on Low-Temperature Processed Electron Extraction Layer

Organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is considered one of the most promising energy harvesting technologies due to its high power conversion efficiency (PCE). The T. Miyasaka group first reported the methylammonium lead halide (CH3NH3PbX3) as a light absorber of dye-sensitized solar cells with a PCE of 3.8% in 2009. Over the past decade, many research groups have been dedicated to constructing high-performance PSCs and have obtained fantastic progress. Before commercialization, many issues have to be overcome. To extend the application of PSCs, flexible PSCs are seen as the preferred choice. However, the conventional process requires high-temperature procedures that are incompatible with the production of flexible PSCs. Here, we specifically focus on the recent developments of the low-temperature process strategies for fabricating high-performance PSCs. This mini-review briefly discusses the development in low-temperature processed metal oxide and carbon-based electron extraction layer (EEL). The approaches for low-temperature solution-processed PSCs are introduced and then the various PSCs with distinctive EEL are discussed. Overall, this mini-review contributes to a better understanding of the low-temperature processed electron extraction layer. Strategies and perspectives are also provided for further high-performance PSCs

The Guardian, April 9, 1982

Eight page issue of The Guardian, the official student-run newspaper for Wright State University. The Guardian has been published regularly since March of 1965.https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/guardian/1998/thumbnail.jp

HIP-KNEE control for gait assistance with Powered Knee Orthosis

A Powered Knee Orthosis (PKO) was developed for the elderly and patients with disordered gait to regain normal walking. In order to enhance the PKO performance and reduce system complexity especially for people with muscle weakness in their knee joints, an algorithm named HIP-KNEE control is proposed. This algorithm is based on the analysis of kinematic gait model, and the desired knee joint angle (KNEE) is estimated from the measurements of hip joint angle (HIP). The relationship between HIP and KNEE is modeled as a polynomial, which can be easily implemented to an embedded controller for real-time control. This control method is suitable to subjects with good function in hip joint, and it can provide help in walking without special training. An Inertia Measurement Units (IMU) is used for obtaining HIP input, and integrated with a footswitch for checking the heel condition; the gait assistance performance can be further improved