Older Adults Retain the Ability to Predict External Perturbations Using Auditory Cues Only

To maintain balance and prevent destabilization, humans utilize anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) prior to the postural perturbations based on predictions and past experience. APAs involve the activation and inhibition of the trunk and leg muscles and a shift of the center-of-pressure (COP) position. The generation of APAs majorly relies on the availability and accuracy of visual information. However, our previous work showed that young adults could rely on an auditory cue only to generate APAs for an external perturbation similar to that when the visual information was available. Older adults generally have diminished APAs and consequently diminished postural control when postural perturbations occur. In this study, we aimed to train older adults to rely on an auditory cue to generate APAs in response to an external perturbation, and examine the retention of this learning effect after 1 week

Curing Sensitivity of Mortars Containing Cement, Calcined Clay, Fly Ash, and Limestone Powder

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of multi-binder systems which consist of cement, calcined clay, fly ash, and limestone powder on the curing sensitivity of mortars. Three series of mortar with different water to binder ratios by weight (w/b) of 0.35 and 0.55 and different paste ratios of 1.2 and 1.4 were produced for testing compressive strength. The specimens of each binder system were put under two conditions of curing water curing (water-cured) and no curing (air-cured). The curing sensitivity index was calculated by considering compressive strength as an indicator. It was found that for the mixes with the same water to binder ratio and paste content, the use of fly ash increased curing sensitivity while limestone powder and calcined clay reduced curing sensitivity. Mixes with a higher water to binder ratio (w/b= 0.55) showed higher curing sensitivity compared to mixes with a lower water to binder ratio (w/b= 0.35).  Reducing paste content resulted in reduced curing sensitivity of the mortars

Young adults can learn to predict unexpected posterior perturbations using an auditory cue

To reduce the effect of an expected postural perturbation, central nervous system uses anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs), which include the activation and inhibition of the postural muscles and a slight shift of the center-of-pressure (COP) position. The generation of APAs majorly relies on the availability of visual information, and is learned through past experience. Hence, such protective mechanism to maintain balance is not implemented when perturbation comes from one’s back unexpectedly. Our previous work showed that young adults could rely on an auditory cue only to generate APAs for a front perturbation similar to that when vision was available. So the purpose was to evaluate whether adults could learn to generate APAs for an external perturbation coming from the back relying only on an auditory cue

The role of an auditory cue in generating anticipatory postural adjustments in response to an external perturbation

Anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) are usually generated to minimize the potential postural disturbance induced by predictable external perturbations. Visual information about a perturbation is important for the generation of APAs, but whether people can rely on auditory information to generate APAs is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of an auditory cue in generating APAs when visual information is not available. Fifteen young adults participated in the study. They received external perturbations a) with visual information but no auditory information available, b) without neither visual nor auditory information, c) with both visual and auditory information available, and d) with only auditory information available. Electromyography (EMG) activities of eight leg and trunk muscles and displacements of the center_of-pressure (COP) were recorded and analyzed during the anticipatory and compensatory (CPAs) phases. Outcome measures included the latencies and integrals of muscle activities, COP displacements, and indices of co-contraction and reciprocal activation of muscles. The results showed that after a short training, participants were able to rely only on the auditory cue to generate APAs comparable to that when the visual information was available. In addition, a training efect was found such that the participants demonstrated stronger APAs and less demands for CPAs through the training trials. The outcome provides a foundation for future studies focusing on the utilization of auditory cues for postural control in older adults and individuals who have vision defcit

เทคนิคการหักล้างวงจรกรองสำหรับการหาค่าอิมพีแดนซ์ของเซลล์เชื้อเพลิงชนิดเมมเบรนแลกเปลี่ยนโปรตอน

Scientists around the world regard fuel cells as a promise solution to the fossil fuel mitigation. However, PEMFC needs a proper electric power converter to convert their dc voltage output to match the conventional dc or ac electric load. To design the proper electric power converter, the characteristic of the targeted PEMFC like the characteristic curve or the cell impedance is required. The equipment for measuring the electrochemical impedance, which is usually available in chemical or material science laboratory, is not suited for evaluating the fuel cell system at the rated operating point. The limit is mainly on the current rating of the measuring equipment. This forces the electric converter designers to evaluate the cell impedance manually. This paper presents several pitfalls and solutions in evaluating the cell impedance. With proper measuring configuration presented in this paper the cell impedance can be extracted from the measured signals without using any high-end equipment

Waste Management Policy in Tourism Area of Saensuk Municipality, Thailand

Saensuk Municipality is a famous tourism city in Thailand, especially Bangsaen beach. In supporting the tourism activity, it has waste managing method by using new generation administrator and technologies. However, the waste problem happened in Saensuk Municipality is included the human resource ability, technical facility, and the amount of waste. By using the qualitative descriptive method and doing a series of interview to selected informants, the researcher studied and analyzed the problem, factors, and solutions of the issue. This study found that the nature of the beach and the visitor behavior is among the reason behind the large amount of waste daily in the site. Moreover, the regulation by the local government is sufficient to cover the issue if implemented fully. The study shows that the city had implemented the good governance idea in several instances, and giving the waste management to the private sector is one of the optionsto resolve the problem since the quality of the work could be improved. Keywords:waste management,public policy, tourism area, Thailan

ประโยชน์สุขคืออะไร: มุมมองทางเศรษฐกิจและสังคม

What “Intended Giving Benefit” is: A Socio-Economic PerspectiveAbstract Recently, the term 'intended giving benefit' has been used extensively, particularly in the development field. However, it was found that the use of this term varies and some confusion and misunderstandings exist, especially between happiness (or subjective well-being) and intended giving benefit. For these reasons, this study conducted documentary research aimed at constructing the definition of 'intended giving benefit' and comparing the similarities and differences among intended giving benefit, happiness, positive externality, sufficiency economy, economics of sharing and philanthropy. The results of this study defined 'intended giving benefit' as the benefits which others gain from helping and sharing, including public voluntary work which increases the social benefit. Those who help and share behave intentionally with an altruistic concern for the well-being of others. In addition, the individual happiness of the giver increases as well.   Keywords: Intended giving benefit, Happiness, Economics of giving, Philanthropy, Social externality, Well-being, Sufficiency econom

Assessing the Calibration Differences in the Reflective Solar Bands of Terra MODIS and Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus

Long-term data records obtained from Earth observing sensors depend not only onthe calibration accuracy of individual sensors but also on the consistency across instruments andplatforms. Hence, sensor calibration intercomparison plays a vital role for a better understandingof various science products. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)and enhanced thematic mapper plus (ETM+) on the Terra and Landsat 7 platforms have operatedsuccessfully since their launch, collecting measurements in the reflective solar and infrared partsof the spectrum. Terra MODIS has employed a reflectance-based calibration since beginning itsmission. In the case of ETM+, a radiance-based calibration was employed until recent years,when a reflectance-based calibration was introduced. Being in the AM constellation with lessthan 30 min difference in overpass times, near-simultaneous Earth scene measurements can beeffectively used to assess the calibration differences between the spectrally matching bands ofthese two instruments. The pseudoinvariant calibration sites (PICS) in the North African desertare widely used for on-orbit calibration and validation of satellite sensors. Four PICS from thisregion have been employed to assess the multitemporal reflectance differences. Correction forbidirectional reflectance, spectral response function mismatch, and impacts of atmosphericwater-vapor have been incorporated to provide an assessment of the long-term stability ofeach spectral band and reflectance differences amongst them. Results indicate that the spectralbands of both instruments show a long-term stability to within 2% from 2000 to 2017. Thetop-of-atmosphere reflectances between the two instruments postcorrection agree to within 4%.Also included in this paper is a detailed discussion of various parameters contributing to theuncertainties of this cross-calibration. The techniques presented in this paper can be furtherextended to perform similar intercomparison between Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager, AquaMODIS, and Suomi-NPP VIIRS

Evaluation of Anti-Oral Pathogen Activity and Safety of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei TISTR 2688, Isolated from Fermented Termite Comb.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the potential of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei TISTR 2688 to be used in the field of oral health care. Materials and methods: The strain TISTR 2688 was assessed for its antimicrobial activity using agar well diffusion assay, ability to suppress plaque formation on prosthetic teeth, tolerance to lysozyme, antibiotic susceptibility and acute oral toxicity based on Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines. Results: Cell-free supernatant of the strain TISTR 2688 possessed inhibitory activity against Actinomyces vericosus, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. polymorphum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Streptococcus mutans, S. sanguinis, and S. sobrinus, but exhibited no antifungal activity against Candida albicans. In terms of safety, TISTR 2688 showed the phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, erythromycin, gentamycin, kanamycin, streptomycin and tetracycline. The acute oral toxicity assay in rats with TISTR 2688 at 1 × 1010 CFU/kg body weight demonstrated no mortality results. In addition, no toxicity or evidence of gross pathological alterations was observed. Conclusion: Due to its antibacterial activity against some oral pathogens and safety in term of antibiotic susceptibility test together with no acute oral toxicity, L. paracasei TISTR 2688 tend to have potential for development as an oral health care product. > ว.ทันต.มศว ปีที่ 16 ฉบับที่ 1 พ.ศ. 2566 หน้า 78-88. > SWU Dent J. 2023;16(1): 78-88