Subjective Evaluation of Vehicle Semi-Active Suspension for Improved Ride and Handling

The number of passenger cars currently equipped with semi-active suspensions has been steadily increasing in recent decades. These suspension systems provide an improvement in ride and handling when compared to passive suspensions. Currently, the approach to evaluating and tuning semi-active suspensions has been limited to objective methods or time-consuming alterations made on physical components. To alleviate the time and costs and improve the fidelity of such methods, a novel solution to subjectively evaluating vehicle semi-active suspensions is presented. The subjective evaluation method herein involves the use of a state-of-the-art dynamic driving simulator with drivers to subjectively evaluate and tune virtual semi-active suspensions. To consider the results of the proposed evaluation method accurate, high-fidelity vehicle models supplied by an OEM are studied. These vehicle models have previously been validated with objective and subjective performance data by an OEM’s expert drivers. First, offline co-simulations between VI-grade’s CarRealTime vehicle simulation software and several versions of a Simulink semi-active suspension controller are completed to objectively evaluate ride and handling. The semi-active suspension controller is based on several well-known control strategies and incorporates the vehicle’s passive suspension settings as one of the suspension modes. This feature permits a comparison between the passive and semi-active suspensions in terms of ride and handling. For the subjective evaluation, the vehicle and controller models are uploaded in a driver-in-the-loop environment. Expert drivers then execute a series of maneuvers and provide subjective feedback on the ride and handling of the different suspension modes. A questionnaire is implemented involving a list of subjective metrics tailored for ride and handling of semi-active suspensions. Furthermore, a correlation between changes in objective and subjective metrics is made to determine where correlation exists and to suggest predictive methods for future subjective ratings. A specific evaluation procedure is presented to ensure a bias among drivers is removed. The results of the subjective evaluation method prove that the method is effective at capturing relatively small changes in ride and handling, in a timely manner. The subjective ratings from the drivers showed acceptable agreement and considered many ride and handling improvements as major differences according to SAE standards. The correlation study identified a list of strong correlations between objective and subjective metrics. These results can be used to predict subjective performance when implementing offline changes to suspensions

Residential aged care health workers' knowledge, attitudes and confidence in providing care to a person with a stoma : a needs analysis for education

This study of residential aged care health workers’ knowledge, attitudes and confidence in providing care to an older person with a stoma was conducted to identify characteristics of the learners and educational needs to effectively provide stoma care. The findings will be valuable to inform development of an educational program aimed at aged care health workers’ to give appropriate and confident stoma care to residents

A Use of the Theory of Planned Behaviour to Determine the Social Barriers to the Implementation of Stormwater Green Infrastructure on Private Properties in Dundas, Hamilton, Ontario

Climate change has resulted in more extreme rainfall events and most municipalities’ stormwater infrastructure is not prepared to deal with the increased flooding instances that may be associated with the increased rainfall. Updating inferior stormwater infrastructure would put a strain on municipalities’ budgets and require space that is not readily available. A potential option for municipalities is to implement green infrastructure options such as green space, green roofs and bioretention swales. Municipalities may be able to construct some green infrastructure options on publically owned space, however most of the responsibility for implementation will fall on private residents. Previous research has investigated methods of motivating private residents in the implementation of green infrastructure, however very little research has been done on whether residents respond to motivation and what the social barriers to implementation are. This project study focused on three neighbourhoods in the Town of Dundas (Hamilton, ON, Canada) as a case study. Dundas is in a position of pronounced flooding risk because of its location at the valley bottom of a break in the Niagara Escarpment and its past history of flooding. Through a partnership with the Hamilton Conservation Authority, this study used a questionnaire to attempt to elucidate the social barriers to the implementation of green infrastructure on private properties. The questionnaire was theoretically informed using the Theory of Planned Behaviour and analyzed using partial least squares path modelling. The results indicated that behavioural beliefs, attitude, normative beliefs, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control all contributed to the participant’s intention to install green infrastructure and ultimately their final behaviour. The model was able to predict 57% of the variance in intention, based on the associated constructs. Subjective norm contributed the strongest to intention with a path coefficient of 0.542. Attitude had the weakest contribution to intention with a path coefficient of 0.034. Individual question results indicated that time and finances were not statistically significant barriers to the implementation of green infrastructure on private properties. A comparison between the neighbourhoods showed no significant differences in questionnaire answers between any of the three neighbourhoods, however there were differences in income and response rate between the three neighbourhoods. The results from this study can be used to help conservation authorities and municipalities develop engagement and education programs to promote the use of green infrastructure on private properties in order to mitigate the negative effects of climate change

Neonatal Intrahepatic Cholestasis Caused by Citrin Deficiency in Korean Infants

Citrin is a liver-type mitochondrial aspartate-glutamate carrier encoded by the SLC25A13 gene, and its deficiency causes adult-onset type II citrullinemia and neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD). Here, the authors investigated clinical findings in Korean infants with NICCD and performed mutation analysis on the SLC25A13 gene. Of 47 patients with neonatal cholestasis, three infants had multiple aminoacidemia (involving citrulline, methionine, and arginine) and galactosemia, and thus were diagnosed as having NICCD. Two of these three showed failure to thrive. The laboratory findings showed hypoproteinemia and hyperammonemia, and liver biopsies revealed micro-macrovesicular fatty liver and cholestasis. The three patients each harbored compound heterozygous 1,638-1,660 dup/ S225X mutation, compound heterozygous 851del4/S225X mutation, and heterozygous 1,638-1,660 dup mutation, respectively. With nutritional manipulation, liver functions were normalized and catch-up growth was achieved. NICCD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cholestatic jaundice in Korean infants

Next generation sequencing of chromosomal rearrangements in patients with split-hand/split-foot malformation provides evidence for DYNC1I1 exonic enhancers of DLX5/6 expression in humans

This is a freely-available open access publication. Please cite the published version which is available via the DOI link in this recordSplit-hand/foot malformation type 1 is an autosomal dominant condition with reduced penetrance and variable expression. We report three individuals from two families with split-hand/split-foot malformation (SHFM) in whom next generation sequencing was performed to investigate the cause of their phenotype.Wellcome Trus

Improving Metabolic Health Through Precision Dietetics in Mice

The incidence of diet-induced metabolic disease has soared over the last half-century, despite national efforts to improve health through universal dietary recommendations. Studies comparing dietary patterns of populations with health outcomes have historically provided the basis for healthy diet recommendations. However, evidence that population-level diet responses are reliable indicators of responses across individuals is lacking. This study investigated how genetic differences influence health responses to several popular diets in mice, which are similar to humans in genetic composition and the propensity to develop metabolic disease, but enable precise genetic and environmental control. We designed four human-comparable mouse diets that are representative of those eaten by historical human populations. Across four genetically distinct inbred mouse strains, we compared the American diet’s impact on metabolic health to three alternative diets (Mediterranean, Japanese, and Maasai/ketogenic). Furthermore, we investigated metabolomic and epigenetic alterations associated with diet response. Health effects of the diets were highly dependent on genetic background, demonstrating that individualized diet strategies improve health outcomes in mice. If similar genetic-dependent diet responses exist in humans, then a personalized, or “precision dietetics,” approach to dietary recommendations may yield better health outcomes than the traditional one-size-fits-all approach

Use of 3D deformable models for intraoperative visualization and quantification of cerebral tissue resection

The purpose of the project described in this thesis is to provide intraoperative feedback to the neurosurgeon using the equipment comprising a typical IGNS environment. The project accomplishes this task through the use of physically based, deformable models. The major objectives for this mode of intraoperative feedback are to provide useful visual and quantitative feedback to the neurosurgeon about the progress of tissue resection during a surgical procedure using the equipment available in a typical IGNS environment and to be simultaneously being unobtrusive to the surgeon's work.An overview of the current state of IGNS is presented, followed by a logical association between current work and the significance of the project developed for this thesis. The mathematics of deformable models as a means for providing intraoperative feedback are developed and a thorough description of the work completed for this thesis is presented. A series of increasingly realistic validation studies that were undertaken for the project are described, followed by a discussion of the use of the software in intraoperative applications. Finally, conclusions are made as to the utility of the project as a viable means of providing intraoperative feedback and future work is extrapolated from the project. (Abstract shortened by UMI.

Predicting potential global distributions of two Miscanthus grasses: implications for horticulture, biofuel production, and biological invasions.

In many regions, large proportions of the naturalized and invasive non-native floras were originally introduced deliberately by humans. Pest risk assessments are now used in many jurisdictions to regulate the importation of species and usually include an estimation of the potential distribution in the import area. Two species of Asian grass (Miscanthus sacchariflorus and M. sinensis) that were originally introduced to North America as ornamental plants have since escaped cultivation. These species and their hybrid offspring are now receiving attention for large-scale production as biofuel crops in North America and elsewhere. We evaluated their potential global climate suitability for cultivation and potential invasion using the niche model CLIMEX and evaluated the models' sensitivity to the parameter values. We then compared the sensitivity of projections of future climatically suitable area under two climate models and two emissions scenarios. The models indicate that the species have been introduced to most of the potential global climatically suitable areas in the northern but not the southern hemisphere. The more narrowly distributed species (M. sacchariflorus) is more sensitive to changes in model parameters, which could have implications for modelling species of conservation concern. Climate projections indicate likely contractions in potential range in the south, but expansions in the north, particularly in introduced areas where biomass production trials are under way. Climate sensitivity analysis shows that projections differ more between the selected climate change models than between the selected emissions scenarios. Local-scale assessments are required to overlay suitable habitat with climate projections to estimate areas of cultivation potential and invasion risk

Assignment of the SLC25A12 gene coding for the human calcium-binding mitochondrial solute carrier protein aralar to human chromosome 2q24

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A novel genetic locus linked to pro-inflammatory cytokines after virulent H5N1 virus infection in mice

BACKGROUND: Genetic variation in the human population is a key determinant of influenza disease severity. A single nucleotide polymorphism in the antiviral gene IFITM3 was linked to outcomes during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. To identify variant host genes associated with increased virus replication and severe disease, we performed a quantitative trait locus analysis on pro-inflammatory cytokine production 48 hours after intranasal infection with highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus. RESULTS: Pro-inflammatory cytokines CCL2, TNFα and IFN-α, were measured by ELISA in lung homogenates of DBA/2J (D2), C57BL/6J (B6) and 44 different BXD recombinant inbred mouse strains. Virus titer was also assessed in a subset of these animals. CCL2 (8-fold), TNFα (24-fold) and IFN-α (8-fold) concentrations varied significantly among the different BXD RI strains. Importantly, cytokine concentration correlated very well (r =0.86-0.96, P <0.0001) with virus titer suggesting that early cytokine production is due to increased virus infection and replication. Linkage analysis of cytokine concentration revealed a significant locus on chromosome 6 associated with differences in TNFα, IFN-α and CCL2 cytokine concentration (LRS =26). This locus accounted for nearly 20% of the observed phenotypic variation in the BXD population studied. Sequence and RNA expression analysis identified several candidate host genes containing missense mutations or deletions; Samd9l, Ica1, and Slc25a13. To study the role of Slc25a13, we obtained Slc25a13 knockout line, but upon challenge with H5N1 influenza virus observed no effect on CCL2 production, or morbidity and mortality. CONCLUSION: A novel genetic locus on chromosome 6 modulates early pro-inflammatory cytokine production and virus replication after highly pathogenic influenza virus infection. Candidate genes, Samd9l and Ica1, may be important for the control of influenza virus infection and pathogenesis. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-1017) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users