Implementing A Robust Data Storage Software System For CP9

This project focuses on the continuation of the CP9 CubeSat project, specifically the software which will be running on the satellite when it goes into space. This project mostly goes into designing a robust system which stores the data collected from the sensors on board CP9, whose purpose is to collect vibrations data from its launch vehicle during its ascent into space, into an easy to analyze system once the data is downlinked to PolySat’s ground station after launch. One other thing this system does is to prevent CP9 from collecting unnecessary data after launch. Testing was done on this system to verify that this portion of the software for CP9 works as expected and to specifications

Language learning and retention in young language-disordered children

Simultaneous sign and spoken language training was conducted with young, language-disordered children under standardized training and follow-up conditions with a stringent learning criterion to determine if language learned was stable over time. Twenty-one children between 36 and 86 months with no or nonfunctional language participated in the study. Diagnoses included autism, mental retardation, combined autism and mental retardation, and developmental aphasia. Children completed a mean of 74 signed speech training sessions. Sessions were twice daily, 5 days a week. Follow-up evaluations were made approximately 6 months after training. Of the 21 children, 17 learned at least one word and 7 children learned multiple-word phrases during the training. Most language learned in training was found to be retained at follow-up approximately 6 months later. Gestural imitation, play style, language age, developmental age, and fine motor skills had strong correlations with language learning and retention

An interpretative phenomenological analysis of living with chronic low back pain

Objectives:A predominantly quantitative approach to the psychological study of chronic low back pain (CLBP) has shown that enduring negative emotional responses and passive coping strategies contribute towards disability. The main objective of this study was to extend existing knowledge by providing a detailed and contextualized understanding of the meaning of CLBP for participants with long-standing experiences of chronic pain.Design:This is a qualitative, semi-structured interview study. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). This is the first of three sets of individual interviews comprising a longitudinal study of the same participants over 3 years.Methods:Ten patients with CLBP were interviewed prior to their attendance at a medically staffed chronic pain clinic. The sample comprised seven females and three males. Ages ranged between 39 and 66 years. All had experienced CLBP for at least 4 years.Conclusions:The participants' experiences are represented by three main themes: 'maintaining integrity', 'the crucial nature of the pain' and 'managing the pain' that highlight participants' understanding of their pain within a biomedical framework. The findings are discussed with reference to the role of illness beliefs in the management of CLBP

Factors accounting for psychosocial functioning in patients with low back pain

Low back pain (LBP) is a chronic disorder which exerts a profound impact on various spheres of psychosocial functioning, including emotional distress, functional limitations and decrements in social contacts. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between the indices of psychosocial functioning in patients with chronic LBP and a range of psychological factors. Specifically, the study aimed at exploring the relative participation of personality, social support, disease-related cognitive appraisals and coping styles in accounting for the differences in psychosocial functioning of patients with LBP. One-hundred-twenty patients with LBP took part in the study and completed a battery of psychological questionnaires: NEO–Five Factors Inventory, Ways of Coping Questionnaire, Disease-Related Social Support Scale, Disease-Related Appraisals Scale and Psychosocial Functioning Questionnaire (PFQ). The PFQ dimensions were used as dependent variables in a series of stepwise regression analysis models with the scores from other questionnaires entered as independent variables. A cognitive appraisal of the disease in terms of an obstacle was strongly related to all domains of functioning; however, other appraisals (threat, challenge, harm, profit and overall disease importance) were uniquely associated with particular domains of functioning. Deprivation of social support was a significant predictor of distress experienced in interpersonal context and of sense of being disabled. Among basic personality traits, agreeableness was negatively associated with distress in interpersonal context, and conscientiousness was positively related to acceptance of life with the disease. Problem-focus coping was linked to higher acceptance of life with the disease. Among sociodemographic variables, older age and lower educational level were related to greater subjective feelings of being disabled. Pain severity was found unrelated to any of psychosocial functioning domains. Different aspects of psychosocial functioning are best accounted for by diverse patterns of psychological factors, which suggests involvement of different psychological mechanisms in development of LBP-related disability