Synthesis Of Nanofibers For The Development Of Artificial Tactile Sensor

Tactile sensation in human skin is performed by specialized cells called mechanoreceptors. Factors such as surgical procedures, skin burns, injury, and nerve damage may lead to impaired sensation. For these reasons, various methods and approaches are developed to revive tactile sensation. In this poster, a step-by-step procedure to synthesize nanofibers for the development of artificial tactile sensor is presented

The Neural Systems of Working Memory: The Sternberg Working Memory Task in a Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Sample

Working memory tasks are associated with the activation of widely distributed neural networks. The Sternberg working memory task has been used to explore the neural correlates associated with changes in memory load and the resolution of interference. Preliminary research suggests that the integrity of the anterior cingulate is correlated with resolving load adjustments but not in resolving interference demands; the opposite pattern of associations have been observed with the right middle frontal gyrus.Participants in the present study were 28 children who had sustained moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and 28 children who had sustained orthopedic injuries (OI). Participants were aged between 7 and 17 years at the time of injury (mean age = 13.2, s.d.=2.3). The groups were matched on age, gender, socioeconomic level, and pre-injury measures of behavioral and emotional functioning. Participants completed the Sternberg working memory task and structural MRI scans three months post injury. Automated brain parcellation software (Freesurfer) was used to calculate volumetric data for regions of interest. Regions of interest included the anterior cingulate and right middle frontal gyrus; additionally, the volume of the corpus callosum was used as an index of overall brain integrity. There were no significant differences between the groups on percent errors on the Sternberg task. Participants in the TBI group had significantly longer reaction times overall than the OI group. Interference in the Sternberg task has the potential to either help or hinder performance. Participants in the OI group displayed the anticipated effects of interference on reaction time whereas the TBI group as a whole did not display this pattern (priming effect not observed). The TBI group had significantly lower volumes in the regions of interest than the OI group. Hypothesized correlations between the regions of interest and changes in load / interference demands were partially supported. Exploratory analyses identified positive correlations between the volume of the right middle frontal gyrus and reaction time measures that warrant further exploration

The Acceptability of Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training for Couples Impacted by Aphasia: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study

This study explored the acceptability of Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training (RC-CPT) for couples impacted by aphasia. Three couples participated in the program across two sessions. Surveys were administered to assess outcome measures of their marital relationship and communication confidence before and after participation in RC-CPT. The quantitative findings were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Overall, participants generally maintained or experienced improvements in accessibility, responsiveness, engagement, conflict, conflict resolution, and communication within their marriage after participating in RC-CPT. Additionally, individuals with aphasia demonstrated enhanced communication confidence scores. During the third session, couples completed a semi-structured interview to share their experiences with the program. The interviews were transcribed orthographically and coded using reflexive codebook analysis. Reflexive codebook analysis of the semi-structured interviews revealed four prominent themes: (I) Impact on Communication, (II) Impact on Relationship, (III) Impact on Psychosocial Well-Being, and (IV) Feedback for Future Development . The convergence of the quantitative and qualitative data revealed that couples indicated positive changes in their communication, relationship, and psychosocial well-being. These findings suggest that RC-CPT has the potential to effectively address both communicative and psychosocial impacts of aphasia on couples. Moreover, this study highlights the promise of RC-CPT as a relationship-centered counseling tool, warranting further exploratory and experimental research

The Acceptability of Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training for Couples Impacted by Aphasia: A Mixed Methods Pilot Investigation

Purpose: This study explored the acceptability and impact of Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training (RC-CPT) in couples impacted by aphasia. In particular, couples considered whether discussing their relationship roles and responsibilities was important and relevant to the changes they desire. Preliminary quasi-experimental data regarding perceived communication confidence and the marriage relationship were also obtained. Method: Three couples participated in RC-CPT across two sessions. Surveys were used to measure communication confidence and the marital relationship before and after participation in RC-CPT. The quantitative findings were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Couples also participated in a semi-structured interview about the acceptability of RC-CPT, during a third session. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using reflexive codebook analysis. Results: Quantitative data indicated that participants generally maintained or improved self-rated accessibility, responsiveness, engagement, conflict resolution, and communication within their marriage after participating in RC-CPT. Additionally, individuals with aphasia demonstrated enhanced communication confidence scores. Qualitative analysis revealed three themes: (1) “Impact on Communication,” (2) “Impact on Relationship,” and (3) “Impact on Psychosocial Well-Being.” Feedback from participants regarding future development was also included. Conclusions: The convergence of quantitative and qualitative data supports the conclusion that couples experienced positive changes in their communication, relationship, and psychosocial well-being during the intervention suggesting that RC-CPT has the potential to positively impact both communicative and psychosocial effects of aphasia on couples. Moreover, this study highlights the promise of RC-CPT as a relationship-centered counseling tool, warranting further exploratory and experimental research

Post-Concussion Acute Signs and Reliable Cognitive Decline in a Finnish Youth Ice Hockey Sample

M1 - acaa108In sports concussion research, the importance of an individualized approach incorporating neuropsychological assessment data has been emphasized. This study examined the impact of acute signs of concussion on post-injury cognitive functioning using reliable change methodology in a sample of Finnish, elite-level, youth ice hockey players.From a sample of 1,823 players (all male, 14–20 years old) who completed preseason baseline testing with the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT®) battery, two subgroups were identified. First, in total, 312 uninjured athletes, who completed baseline testing twice—1 year apart. The scores were contrasted to calculate reliable change indices (RCIs). Second, from a subsample of 570 athletes participating in an intensive follow-up arm of the project, the analysis included 32 concussed athletes. The RCIs were determined for the five ImPACT composite scores and used in identifying athletes with declined performance 3 days post-injury.Test-retest reliability ranged from .39 to .71. Athletes who had experienced an acute loss of consciousness, amnesia, or postural instability had increased odds for declines in two or more areas assessed by ImPACT (odds ratio = 7.67–8.00, p < .05). In contrast, acute disorientation or vacant look did not lead to cognitive change that met the reliable change threshold.The reliability coefficients and RCIs differed from those published earlier emphasizing the importance of national reference values. The presence of acute loss of consciousness, amnesia, or postural instability may indicate a more severe injury and predict the need for more intensive cognitive follow-up.Objective In sports concussion research, the importance of an individualized approach incorporating neuropsychological assessment data has been emphasized. This study examined the impact of acute signs of concussion on post-injury cognitive functioning using reliable change methodology in a sample of Finnish, elite-level, youth ice hockey players. Methods From a sample of 1,823 players (all male, 14-20 years old) who completed preseason baseline testing with the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT (R)) battery, two subgroups were identified. First, in total, 312 uninjured athletes, who completed baseline testing twice-1 year apart. The scores were contrasted to calculate reliable change indices (RCIs). Second, from a subsample of 570 athletes participating in an intensive follow-up arm of the project, the analysis included 32 concussed athletes. The RCIs were determined for the five ImPACT composite scores and used in identifying athletes with declined performance 3 days post-injury. Results Test-retest reliability ranged from .39 to .71. Athletes who had experienced an acute loss of consciousness, amnesia, or postural instability had increased odds for declines in two or more areas assessed by ImPACT (odds ratio = 7.67-8.00, p < .05). In contrast, acute disorientation or vacant look did not lead to cognitive change that met the reliable change threshold. Conclusions The reliability coefficients and RCIs differed from those published earlier emphasizing the importance of national reference values. The presence of acute loss of consciousness, amnesia, or postural instability may indicate a more severe injury and predict the need for more intensive cognitive follow-up.Peer reviewe

Adolescent athletes with learning disability display atypical maturational trajectories on concussion baseline testing : Implications based on a Finnish sample

Previous research has reported lower cognitive test scores on baseline testing in athletes reporting multiple previous concussions or a history of learning disability (LD). Age also has an important influence on cognitive performance. While these factors have been considered individually in previous studies, the present study is the first to explore the interaction of age, self-reported LD, and history of concussion on baseline Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT (R)) in a nationwide study of adolescent athletes. ImPACT (R) was administered to 1823 Finnish male ice hockey players (aged 12-21 years old) prior to the 2015-2016 or 2016-2017 playing seasons. Linear regressions and simple slopes analyses were used for clarifying the impact of LD and previous concussion history on maturational trajectories. In comparison to typically developing athletes, athletes with LD had lower neurocognitive scores in all composites and differing maturational trajectory in verbal memory and visual motor speed. The number of previous concussions did not impair neurocognitive performance at baseline assessment. Application of standard age-based norms to adolescent athletes with a history of LD has the potential to negatively skew clinical decision-making. Separate reference values for LD athletes are warranted due to their unique developmental cognitive trajectories. The reference values for the Finnish participants in this study are presented.Peer reviewe

Principles of non-invasive ventilation: a critical review of practice issues

This article is the second of a two-part review on mechanical ventilation, with particular emphasis on the practice of non-invasive ventilation. Part 1 explored the principles underpinning artificial ventilation. It went on to explain the difference between positive and negative pressure ventilation, and differentiated between invasive and non-invasive modes of ventilation. Finally, it examined the various operational features, flexibility in use and limitations that artificial ventilation therapy presents. In this second part, the article focuses on the practice of non-invasive ventilation. It addresses the indications and contraindications, patient selection, initiation, maintenance, weaning processes, and problems specifically associated with non-invasive ventilation. Practical remedies are explored and potential areas for research are indicated. </jats:p

QUANTIFICATION OF PLEURAL EFFUSION ON CT IMAGES BY AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL SEGMENTATION

The objective of this research is to make reliable estimation of pleural effusion volume in CT imaging using digital image processing algorithms. In order to make reliable estimation we need to do the manual and automatic segmentation of CT images and to perform the comparison of automatic and manual segmentation for the quantification of pleural effusion on CT images which provides help in the diagnosis of the pleural disease. Pleural effusion is the collection of excess fluid in the pleural cavity. Excessive amount of fluid can impair breathing by limiting the expansion of lungs. Heart failure, cancer, cirrhosis, pneumonia, tuberculosis and many other are the causes of pleural effusion. A number of noninvasive imaging techniques such as radiography, ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) can detect the pleural effusion. The problem faced is the quantification of pleural effusion volume for the purpose of diagnosis of the pleural disease. The objective of this research is to make reliable estimation of pleural effusion volume in CT imaging using digital image processing algorithm. In order to make reliable estimation we need to do the manual and automatic segmentation of CT images and to perform the comparison of automatic and manual segmentation for the quantification of pleural effusion on CT images which provides help in diagnosis of the pleural disease. The results obtained by both the aforementioned techniques indicate that the manual segmentation is better because automated technique has less number of pixels.</jats:p