ParaVR: A Virtual Reality Training Simulator for Paramedic Skills maintenance

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Journal of Paramedic Practice, copyright © MA Healthcare, after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://www.paramedicpractice.com/features/article/paravr-a-virtual-reality-training-simulator-for-paramedic-skills-maintenance.Background, Virtual Reality (VR) technology is emerging as a powerful educational tool which is used in medical training and has potential benefits for paramedic practice education. Aim The aim of this paper is to report development of ParaVR, which utilises VR to address skills maintenance for paramedics. Methods Computer scientists at the University of Chester and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust (WAST) developed ParaVR in four stages: 1. Identifying requirements and specifications 2. Alpha version development, 3. Beta version development 4. Management: Development of software, further funding and commercialisation. Results Needle Cricothyrotomy and Needle Thoracostomy emerged as candidates for the prototype ParaVR. The Oculus Rift head mounted display (HMD) combined with Novint Falcon haptic device was used, and a virtual environment crafted using 3D modelling software, ported (a computing term meaning transfer (software) from one system or machine to another) onto Oculus Go and Google cardboard VR platform. Conclusion VR is an emerging educational tool with the potential to enhance paramedic skills development and maintenance. The ParaVR program is the first step in our development, testing, and scaling up of this technology

Resource security impacts men’s female breast size preferences

It has been suggested human female breast size may act as signal of fat reserves, which in turn indicates access to resources. Based on this perspective, two studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that men experiencing relative resource insecurity should perceive larger breast size as more physically attractive than men experiencing resource security. In Study 1, 266 men from three sites in Malaysia varying in relative socioeconomic status (high to low) rated a series of animated figures varying in breast size for physical attractiveness. Results showed that men from the low socioeconomic context rated larger breasts as more attractive than did men from the medium socioeconomic context, who in turn perceived larger breasts as attractive than men from a high socioeconomic context. Study 2 compared the breast size judgements of 66 hungry versus 58 satiated men within the same environmental context in Britain. Results showed that hungry men rated larger breasts as significantly more attractive than satiated men. Taken together, these studies provide evidence that resource security impacts upon men’s attractiveness ratings based on women’s breast size

Promotional effects of H(2)O treatment on NO(x) storage over fresh and thermally aged Pt-BaO/Al(2)O(3) lean NO(x) trap catalysts

A simple liquid water treatment applied to fresh and thermally aged Pt(2 wt%)-BaO(20 wt%)/Al(2)O(3) lean NO(x) trap catalysts at room temperature induces morphological and structural changes in the barium species as followed by XRD and TEM analysis. During the water treatment, liquid water sufficient to fill the catalyst pore volume is brought into contact with the samples. It was found that irrespective of the original barium chemical state (highly dispersed BaO or crystalline BaAl(2)O(4)), exposing the sample to this liquid water treatment promotes the formation of BaCO(3) crystallites (about 15-25 nm of its size) without changing the Pt particle size. Such transformations of the barium species are found to significantly promote NO(x) uptake from 250 to 450 C. The increase in the NO(x) uptake for the water-treated samples can be attributed to an enhanced Pt-Ba interaction through the redistribution of barium species. These results provide useful information for the regeneration of aged lean NO(x) trap catalysts since water is plentiful in the exhaust of diesel or lean-burn enginesclose121

Enhanced High Temperature Performance of MgAl2O4-Supported Pt-BaO Lean NOx Trap Catalysts

The structural and chemical characteristics of Pt/BaO lean NOx trap (LNT) catalysts supported on gamma-Al2O3 and MgAl2O4 are compared in this study. The Pt-BaO/MgAl2O4 sample shows relatively low NOx uptake at temperatures below 300 degrees C, and the temperature of maximum NOx uptake (T-max) is shifted to 350 degrees C in comparison to that of Pt-BaO/Al2O3 (T-max similar to 250 degrees C). More importantly, the NOx uptake over the MgAl2O4-supported catalyst at 350 degrees C is twice that of the alumina-based one. The shift toward the higher temperature NOx uptake is explained by the larger interfacial area between Pt and BaO, due to smaller Pt clusters as evidenced by TEM and Pt L3 EXAFS. In situ TR-XRD results demonstrate that the formation of a BaAl2O4 phase in the BaO/MgAl2O4 LNT catalyst occurs at a temperature about 100 degrees C higher than on BaO/Al2O3, which may also represent a beneficial attribute of the BaO/MgAl2O4 LNT with respect to catalyst stabilityclose3