Self-assembly in the electrical double layer of ionic liquids

We have studied the structure of two ionic liquids confined between negatively charged mica sheets. Both liquids exhibit interfacial layering, however the repeat distance is dramatically different for the two liquids. Our results suggest a transition from alternating cation-anion monolayers to tail-to-tail cation bilayers when the length of the cation hydrocarbon chain is increased

Simulation and analysis of complex human tasks

We discuss how the combination of a realistic human figure with a high-level behavioral control interface allow the construction of detailed simulations of humans performing manual tasks from which inferences about human performance requirements can be made. The Jack human modeling environment facilitates the real-time simulation of humans performing sequences of tasks such as walking, lifting, reaching, and grasping in a complex simulated environment. Analysis capabilities include strength, reachability, and visibility; moreover results from these tests can affect an unfolding simulation

Kinesio Tape as a Primary Modality for Pain Management: A Meta-Analysis

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Strength and Physical Fitness of Rural Versus Urban Boys as Determined by the Rogers Physical Fitness Index

The farm family has been recognized by many as a hardy lot who could endure a hard life and strenuou8s labor. On the other hand, city people have thought of as being weaker because of a life less demanding. In the past it has been accepted generally that the rural boy was superior to the urban boy in over-all physical strength. The rural boy has been stereotyped as a big, muscular individual with a strong back and weak mind. The town boy, on the other hand, has seldom been considered as an exceptionally strong individual. Throughout the years the farm and city families have led different types of lives. The machine age has greatly changed the type and amount of work a man has to perform on the farm. The great influx of machinery since the turn of the century has tended to create less work for the farmer. This increase in mechanization and automation has considerably altered the lives of both rural and urban people. This change has created more time-saving devices, a decline in physical labor, and an increase in leisure time. The general consensus has been that rural people are outstanding examples of healthful living. Rogers tells us that there is a definite correlation between health and strength. This theses, therefore, has been designed to compare one phase of health in rural and urban boys, namely that of strength.

Satellite to Ground-based LIDAR Comparisons using MPLNET Data Products

The Micro-Pulse Lidar Network (MPLNET) is a network of ground-based lidar systems that provide continuous long-term observations of aerosol and cloud properties at approximately 10 different locations around the globe. Each site in the network uses an elastic scattering lidar co-located with a sunphotometer to provide data products of aerosol optical physical properties. Data products from sites are available on a next-day basis from the MPLNET website. Expansion of the network is based on partnering with research groups interested in joining MPLNET. Results have contributed to a variety of studies including aerosol transport studies and satellite calibration and validation efforts. One of the key motivations for MPLNET is to contribute towards the calibration and validation of satellite-based lidars such as GLAS/ICESAT and CALIPSO. MPLNET is able to provide comparison to several of the key aerosol and cloud CALIPSO data products including: layer height and thickness, optical depth, backscatter and extinction profiles, and the extinction-to-backscatter ratio

Bluebelle pilot randomised controlled trial of three wound dressing strategies to reduce surgical site infection in primary surgical wounds

Objective Surgical site infection (SSI) affects up to 25% of primary surgical wounds. Dressing strategies may influence SSI risk. The Bluebelle study assessed the feasibility of a multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different dressing strategies to reduce SSI in primary surgical wounds. Design A pilot, factorial RCT. Setting Five UK hospitals. Participants Adults undergoing abdominal surgery with a primary surgical wound. Interventions Participants were randomised to ‘simple dressing’, ‘glue-as-a-dressing’ or ‘no dressing’, and to the time at which the treatment allocation was disclosed to the surgeon (disclosure time, before or after wound closure). Primary and secondary outcome measures Feasibility outcomes focused on recruitment, adherence to randomised allocations, reference assessment of SSI and response rates to participant-completed and observer-completed questionnaires to assess SSI (proposed primary outcome for main trial), wound experience and symptoms, and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L). Results Between March and November 2016, 1115 patients were screened; 699 (73.4%) were eligible and approached, 415 (59.4%) consented and 394 (35.3%) were randomised (simple dressing=133, glue=129 and ‘no dressing’=132). Non-adherence to dressing allocation was 2% (3/133), 6% (8/129) and 15% (20/132), respectively. Adherence to disclosure time was 99% and 86% before and after wound closure, respectively. The overall rate of SSI (reference assessment) was 18.1% (51/281). Response rates to the Wound Healing Questionnaire and other questionnaires ranged from >90% at 4 days to 68% at 4–8 weeks. Conclusions A definitive RCT of dressing strategies including ‘no dressing’ is feasible. Further work is needed to optimise questionnaire response rates

Effects of Activation Drills Combined with Dynamic Warmup on Performance Field Tests

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The Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document for the GLAS Atmospheric Data Products

The purpose of this document is to present a detailed description of the algorithm theoretical basis for each of the GLAS data products. This will be the final version of this document. The algorithms were initially designed and written based on the authors prior experience with high altitude lidar data on systems such as the Cloud and Aerosol Lidar System (CALS) and the Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL), both of which fly on the NASA ER-2 high altitude aircraft. These lidar systems have been employed in many field experiments around the world and algorithms have been developed to analyze these data for a number of atmospheric parameters. CALS data have been analyzed for cloud top height, thin cloud optical depth, cirrus cloud emittance (Spinhirne and Hart, 1990) and boundary layer depth (Palm and Spinhirne, 1987, 1998). The successor to CALS, the CPL, has also been extensively deployed in field missions since 2000 including the validation of GLAS and CALIPSO. The CALS and early CPL data sets also served as the basis for the construction of simulated GLAS data sets which were then used to develop and test the GLAS analysis algorithms

Psychological interventions as vaccine adjuvants: a systematic review

Objectives: The effectiveness of vaccines is known to be altered by a range of psychological factors. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effects of psychological interventions on the ability of vaccines to protect against disease, as measured by antibody responses. Methods: Electronic databases (EMBASE, Medline, PsychINFO, CINAHL) were searched from their inception to 6th February 2018.Results: The search yielded 9 eligible trials conducted with 1603 participants and four broad categories of intervention: meditation/mindfulness (n=3), massage (n=3), expressive writing (n=2) and cognitive behavioural stress management (n=1). Some evidence of benefit on the antibody response to vaccination was observed in 6/9 of all trials and in 4/7 of randomised controlled trials. However, effects on antibody levels were often mixed, with only 3 of 6 trials showing benefit demonstrating an improvement in all antibody outcomes and at all time points assessed. Trials demonstrating benefit also provided direct or indirect evidence of adequate adherence with the intervention; and in 50% of these trials, there was also evidence that the intervention was effective in changing the mediating psychological constructs targeted by the intervention.Conclusions: This literature is characterised by considerable heterogeneity in terms of intervention type, vaccine type, age of participants and the temporal relationship between vaccination and intervention. We conclude that there is early evidence to suggest that psychological interventions may enhance the antibody response to vaccination. However, the effects are inconsistent, with the greatest likelihood of benefit seen in trials evidencing adequate adherence with the intervention. Future work would benefit from rigorous intervention development that focuses on achieving adequate adherence and large well-controlled randomised trials with a focus on an agreed set of outcomes