Recommendations for the Design and Implementation of Virtual Reality for Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation: Systematic Review

Background: Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly being used for the assessment and treatment of impairments arising from acquired brain injuries (ABIs) due to perceived benefits over traditional methods. However, no tailored options exist for the design and implementation of VR for ABI rehabilitation and, more specifically, traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation. In addition, the evidence base lacks systematic reviews of immersive VR use for TBI rehabilitation. Recommendations for this population are important because of the many complex and diverse impairments that individuals can experience. Objective: This study aims to conduct a two-part systematic review to identify and synthesize existing recommendations for designing and implementing therapeutic VR for ABI rehabilitation, including TBI, and to identify current evidence for using immersive VR for TBI assessment and treatment and to map the degree to which this literature includes recommendations for VR design and implementation. Methods: This review was guided by PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). A comprehensive search of 11 databases and gray literature was conducted in August 2019 and repeated in June 2020. Studies were included if they met relevant search terms, were peer-reviewed, were written in English, and were published between 2009 and 2020. Studies were reviewed to determine the level of evidence and methodological quality. For the first part, qualitative data were synthesized and categorized via meta-synthesis. For the second part, findings were analyzed and synthesized descriptively owing to the heterogeneity of data extracted from the included studies. Results: In the first part, a total of 14 papers met the inclusion criteria. Recommendations for VR design and implementation were not specific to TBI but rather to stroke or ABI rehabilitation more broadly. The synthesis and analysis of data resulted in three key phases and nine categories of recommendations for designing and implementing VR for ABI rehabilitation. In the second part, 5 studies met the inclusion criteria. A total of 2 studies reported on VR for assessment and three for treatment. Studies were varied in terms of therapeutic targets, VR tasks, and outcome measures. VR was used to assess or treat impairments in cognition, balance, and anxiety, with positive outcomes. However, the levels of evidence, methodological quality, and inclusion of recommendations for VR design and implementation were poor. Conclusions: There is limited research on the use of immersive VR for TBI rehabilitation. Few studies have been conducted, and there is limited inclusion of recommendations for therapeutic VR design and implementation. Future research in ABI rehabilitation should consider a stepwise approach to VR development, from early co-design studies with end users to larger controlled trials. A list of recommendations is offered to provide guidance and a more consistent model to advance clinical research in this area

Compiling a Functional Logic Language: The Fair Scheme

Abstract. We present a compilation scheme for a functional logic programming language. The input program to our compiler is a constructor-based graph rewrit-ing system in a non-confluent, but well-behaved class. This input is an interme-diate representation of a functional logic program in a language such as Curry or T OY. The output program from our compiler consists of three procedures that make recursive calls and execute both rewrite and pull-tab steps. This output is an intermediate representation that is easy to encode in any number of programming languages. Our design evolves the Basic Scheme of Antoy and Peters by removing the “left bias ” that prevents obtaining results of some computations—a behavior related to the order of evaluation, which is counter to declarative programming. The benefits of this evolution are not only the strong completeness of computa-tions, but also the provability of non-trivial properties of these computations. We rigorously describe the compiler design and prove some of its properties. To state and prove these properties, we introduce novel definitions of “need ” and “fail-ure. ” For non-confluent constructor-based rewriting systems these concepts are more appropriate than the classic definition of need of Huet and Levy

Effect of Anthropogenic Landscape Features on Population Genetic Differentiation of Przewalski's Gazelle: Main Role of Human Settlement

Anthropogenic landscapes influence evolutionary processes such as population genetic differentiation, however, not every type of landscape features exert the same effect on a species, hence it is necessary to estimate their relative effect for species management and conservation. Przewalski's gazelle (Procapra przewalskii), which inhabits a human-altered area on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is one of the most endangered antelope species in the world. Here, we report a landscape genetic study on Przewalski's gazelle. We used skin and fecal samples of 169 wild gazelles collected from nine populations and thirteen microsatellite markers to assess the genetic effect of anthropogenic landscape features on this species. For comparison, the genetic effect of geographical distance and topography were also evaluated. We found significant genetic differentiation, six genetic groups and restricted dispersal pattern in Przewalski's gazelle. Topography, human settlement and road appear to be responsible for observed genetic differentiation as they were significantly correlated with both genetic distance measures [FST/(1−FST) and F′ST/(1−F′ST)] in Mantel tests. IBD (isolation by distance) was also inferred as a significant factor in Mantel tests when genetic distance was measured as FST/(1−FST). However, using partial Mantel tests, AICc calculations, causal modeling and AMOVA analysis, we found that human settlement was the main factor shaping current genetic differentiation among those tested. Altogether, our results reveal the relative influence of geographical distance, topography and three anthropogenic landscape-type on population genetic differentiation of Przewalski's gazelle and provide useful information for conservation measures on this endangered species

Mapping the Deep Blue Oceans

The ocean terrain spanning the globe is vast and complex—far from an immense flat plain of mud. To map these depths accurately and wisely, we must understand how cartographic abstraction and generalization work both in analog cartography and digital GIS. This chapter explores abstraction practices such as selection and exaggeration with respect to mapping the oceans, showing significant continuity in such practices across cartography and contemporary GIS. The role of measurement and abstraction—as well as of political and economic power, and sexual and personal bias—in these sciences is illustrated by the biographies of Marie Tharp and Bruce Heezen, whose mapping of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge precipitated a paradigm shift in geology

Analytical Models for Gravitating Radiating Systems

We analyse the gravitational behaviour of a relativistic heat conducting fluid in a shear-free spherically symmetric spacetime. We show that the isotropy of pressure is a consistency condition which realises a second order nonlinear ordinary differential equation with variable coefficients in the gravitational potentials. Several new classes of solutions are found to the governing equation by imposing various forms on one of the potentials. Interestingly, a complex transformation leads to an exact solution with only real metric functions. All solutions are written in terms of elementary functions. We demonstrate graphically that the fluid pressure, energy density, and heat flux are well behaved for the model, and the model is consistent with a core-envelope framework

Childbirth satisfaction and perceptions of control: Postnatal psychological implications

2020 MA Healthcare Ltd. All rights reserved. Background Satisfaction with childbirth is associated with a number of factors prior to and during birth, including perceived control during labour, and has implications for postnatal psychological health. Methods A total of 38 pregnant women recruited prior to 20-weeks gestation completed questionnaires regarding perceptions of control during, and satisfaction with, childbirth, mental health and maternal attachment at two-months postpartum. Birth details and breastfeeding difficulties were obtained from hospital records. Results Satisfaction with childbirth was associated with perceived control and a physiological birth, and perceived control was associated with a physiological birth and midwife-led continuity of care. At two-months postpartum, satisfaction with childbirth was associated with fewer depressive symptoms, while perceived control was associated with fewer anxiety symptoms. Discussion It is important for healthcare providers to implement practices that support birthing satisfaction, such as provision of midwife-led continuity of care. Healthcare provision should also provide psychological support to mothers whose birthing experience was unsatisfactory and tailor additional support during early breastfeeding for these women

Conversational topics discussed by individuals with severe traumatic brain injury and their communication partners during sub-acute recovery.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the nature and patterns of conversational topics discussed by individuals with severe TBI and familiar communication partners at 3 and 6 months post-injury, and to examine changes occurring in conversational topics during sub-acute recovery. RESEARCH DESIGN: Qualitative content analysis was used to explore the nature of topics and generate conversational themes. Topic analysis provided an understanding of conversational topic management by identifying patterns of topic initiation and maintenance. METHODS: Twenty-two people with severe TBI and a familiar communication partner engaged in a 10-minute casual conversation on self-selected topics at 3 and 6 months post-injury. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Three main conversational themes were identified: connecting; re-engaging; and impacts of injury. The nature of topics related to these themes changed over time to reflect participants' sub-acute rehabilitation experiences. Most conversational dyads maintained similar conversational and topic patterns during sub-acute recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Qualitative analysis provides a new insight into the conversational topics of individuals with severe TBI. Many participants engaged in appropriate conversations and discussed mutually important topics with familiar communication partners. Findings may inform speech-language pathology intervention in sub-acute recovery to improve conversational discourse abilities of individuals with severe TBI and support their communication partners