Examining Subcomponent Processes of Executive Functioning in Older Adults

Executive Function (EF) is a broad construct used to describe higher-order cognitive abilities used to achieve a goal. Standardized measurements used to evaluate EF abilities in older adults are designed to assess for EF as a unitary complex construct, but may be insufficient in capturing the subcomponent cognitive processes that make up the complex nature of EF. The Unity/Diversity framework is a theoretically derived model of executive function that helps to parse out complex executive function derivatives into specific indices of ability with the use of latent construct analyses (Baddeley & Logie, 1999; Miyake et al., 2000). To date, one study has been published on the use of the unity/diversity framework to examine subcomponent processes of EF in older adults (Vaughan & Giovanello, 2010). In the current study, we aim to use a similar methodological approach as Vaughan and Giovanello (2010) to investigate subcomponent processes of EF in a sample of healthy older adults. Participants included 91 older adults who ranged between the ages of 66 and 90 (mean age= 73.3, SD = 6.34). Participants were excluded if they reported a history of neurological disorders, any current major medical conditions, and any psychiatric conditions or use of medications for psychiatric conditions. Findings suggest that the three-factor hypothesized model did not fit the covariance data of our sample as demonstrated by with significant chi-square results, X² (17, N=91) = 36.49, p = .004. Findings in our studies were not consistent with those of other studies and some limitations of the current study, which may have influenced the findings, are considered

The mediating role of visuospatial planning skills on adaptive function among young adult survivors of childhood brain tumors

The Boston Qualitative Scoring System (BQSS) was used as a method to examine executive skills on the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure (ROCF). Young adult survivors of childhood brain tumor (N = 31) and a demographically-matched comparison group (N = 33) completed the ROCF copy version and Grooved Pegboard, and informants were administered the Scales of Independent Behavior-Revised (SIB-R) and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Survivors had significantly lower BQSS planning and SIB-R community living skills and greater perseveration. Mediation analyses found that BQSS planning skills mediate the relationship between group and community living skills. Convergent findings of the BRIEF Planning, and discriminant findings with the BQSS Fragmentation, BRIEF Emotional Control, and Grooved Pegboard support the planning construct as the specific mediator in this model. Together, these findings highlight the role of planning skills in adaptive functions of young adult survivors of childhood brain tumor

Improved performance of high frequency multilayer CPW inductors on flexible substrates

Advantages in ink-jet printable electronics have opened the door for the manufacturing of sensors and actuators, radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, wireless modules, photovoltaic, and displays [1, 2]. In this paper, we present the modelling, fabrication, measurement technique and characterization of multilayer miniature coplanar waveguide (CPW) meander type inductors for high frequency applications. CPW inductors are fabricated in inkjet printed technology on a flexible plastic polyimide foil (50 μm thickness) with Dimatix material printer DMP-3000. Inductors are made with silver nanoparticle ink which contains 20% wt of silver

Influence of flexible substrates’ thickness on the performance of ink-jet printed CPW inductors

"In this paper, influence of flexible substrates’ thickness on coplanar waveguide (CPW) inductors for high frequency applications is presented. The designed multilayer CPW inductors for high applications are two-port meanders with one turn and outer dimension 1.8 mm × 2.0 mm. The line paths in the presented structures have 200 μm widths. Around the CPW inductors is a ring-shaped ground plane, which is a replacement for a background metallization. In that manner, the structures are manufactured in a low-cost one-side fabrication process. CPW inductors was made in ink-jet printing technology on flexible substrate with nanoparticle ink which contain 20 wt% of silver. For the fabrication process is used DMP 3000 ink-jet printer. The goal of this work was to examine the influence of substrate thickness on inductor’s performance. Because of that, have are fabricated CPW inductors on four substrates with 25, 50, 75 and 125 μm thicknesses. The design, modeling and simulation of CPW inductors were obtained using the Microwave Office (MWO), an electromagnetic (EM) simulator provided by AWR Corp. The printed structures were measured using the vector network analyser and RF probe station. The measurement results were obtained in the frequency range from 1 to 35 GHz. Increasing substrate thickness leads to greater values of quality factor of CPW inductors. Also, we get higher self-resonant frequency of proposed inductors. Changing substrates’ thicknesses, we can change the performance of CPW inductor.

Senzor istezanja realizovan u inkdžet tehnologiji na fleksibilnom supstratu

Opisana je detaljna realizacija senzora istezanja korišćenjem štampača za deponovanje funkcionalnih materijala. Ova tehnologija eliminiše potrebu za maskama i hemijskim nagrizanjem jer se materijal nanosi isključivo tamo gde je predviđen, tzv. kap-na-zahtev (drop-on-demand) tehnika. Ovim se smanjuje potrošnja materijala i zagađivanje životne sredine, a razvojem novih funkcionalnih mastila proširuje se mogućnost primena i proizvoda. Prototip je izrađen sa 20 % srebrnim nanočestičnim mastilom od proizvođača Sankemikal (Suncemical) i štampano štampačem oznake DMP3000 proizvedenog od strane kompanije Fudžiflim Dimatiks (Fujifilm Dimatix). Mastilo se nanosi na fleksibilnu podlogu, napravljenu od polimida, debljine 50,8 μm koji se i koristi kod komercijalnih senzora. Tehnološki postupci izrade su opšte opisani sa konkretnim primerima parametara koji su korišćeni u izradi, s toga ovo tehničko rešenje nije ograničeno samo na primenu na senzorima istezanja već se može koristiti kao uputstvo za primenu ili poboljšanje inkdžet tehnologija u drugim institucijama. Primenom navedenih tehnoloških postupaka uspešno su napravljeni prototipovi senzora istezanja sa električnom otpornošću od 145Ω, 54Ω i 45Ω za jedan, dva i tri sloja respektivno, sa relativno malim međusobnim odstupanjima u pojedinačnim serijama. Tehničke karakteristike: Projektovanje i izrada senzora istezanja u serijama, napravljenog od srebrnih nanočestica na fleksibilnoj polimidnoj podlozi korišćenjem inkdžet tehnologije. Tehničke mogućnosti: Opisano tehničko rešenje omogućava kvalitetnu izradu ponovljivih planiranih struktura u inkdžet tehnologiji u višeslojnoj štampi pri relativno jeftinim troškovima izrade sa konkretnim primerom na senzoru istezanja

Metoda za određivanje karakteristika senzora istezanja realizovanog u inkdžet tehnologiji

Prikazana merna metoda predstavlja postupak određivanja karakteristika senzora istezanja izrađenih štampanjem nanočestičnog mastila sa 20 % težinskih delova srebra piezo inkdžet štampačem na poliimidnoj plastičnoj foliji. Kako bi se odredio faktor osetljivosti senzora, mereno je istezanje čelične konzole koja je jednim krajem uklještena, dok je na slobodnom kraju delovano silom koja je istezala konzolu kao i senzor koji je postavljen sa gornje strane konzole. Da bi se odredilo istezanje, neophodna su precizna merenja malih promena otpornosti senzora, pa je shodno tome, senzor povezan na Keithley 2410 SourceMeter, koji omogućava visoku preciznost merenja i niski šum. Pored postupka merenja, opisan je i postupak analize merenih rezultata i date su potrebne matematičke zavisnosti. Tehničke karakteristike: Merni sistem obuhvata uređaj za merenje otpornosti Keithley 2410 SourceMeter, čeličnu konzolu koja je učvršćena na držaču, merne senzore i digitalno pomično kljunasto merilo Kern IP54 pomoću kojeg je meren ugib konzole na slobodnom kraju. Tehničke mogućnosti: Prikazanom mernom metodom moguće je određivanje karakteristika senzora istezanja izrađenih u inkdžet tehnologiji, štampanih u različitim dimenzijama i oblicima, sa različitim provodnim mastilima, istezanjem različitih vrsta materijala, sa različitim mehaničkim svojstvima, delovanjem statičkim dugotrajnim ili kratkotrajnim silama

Health-Related Quality of Life of Older Adults in Costa Rica as Measured by the Short-Form-36 Health Survey

Objective: To test the validity of a common measure of health-related quality of life (Short-Form-36 [SF-36]) in cognitively healthy older adults living in rural and urban Costa Rica. Method: Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to SF-36 data collected in 250 older adults from San Jose and Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Results: The best fitting model for the SF-36 was an eight first-order factor structure. A high correlation between the Mental Component Summary and Physical Component Summary scores was found. Region differences indicated that rural dwellers perceive a poorer health-related quality of life compared with the urban group. Discussion: Costa Rican older adults perceived health as a unidimensional construct. Age and urbanity of older adult Costa Ricans should be appreciated when trying to measure self-reported physical and mental health. Cultural context of the individuals should be considered when studying health-related quality of life.Fogarty International Center/[R21TW009665]/FIC/Estados UnidosNational Institute on Aging/[P30AG010129]/NIA/Estados UnidosResource Centers for Minority Aging Research/[P30AG043097]/RCMAR/Estados UnidosUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Sociales::Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Movimiento Humano (CIMOHU)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Sociales::Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas (IIP

Improved Performance of Multilayer CPW Inductors on Flexible Substrate

In this paper, we present the modeling, fabrication, measurement techniques, and characterization results of multilayer miniature coplanar waveguide (CPW) meander-type inductors for high-frequency applications. Detailed procedure of the fabrication process based on using ink-jet printing technology is given. Silver nanoparticle ink that contains 20 wt% of silver was printed on a flexible polyimide foil 50 mu m thick in one, two, and three layers. It is shown that multilayer CPW inductors have improved performance. Almost two times better Q-factor value was achieved. This is an encouraging result for multilayer printing in ink-jet technology

Health-Related Quality of Life of Older Adults in Costa Rica as Measured by the Short-Form-36 Health Survey.

Objective: To test the validity of a common measure of health-related quality of life (Short-Form-36 [SF-36]) in cognitively healthy older adults living in rural and urban Costa Rica. Method: Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to SF-36 data collected in 250 older adults from San Jose and Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Results: The best fitting model for the SF-36 was an eight first-order factor structure. A high correlation between the Mental Component Summary and Physical Component Summary scores was found. Region differences indicated that rural dwellers perceive a poorer health-related quality of life compared with the urban group. Discussion: Costa Rican older adults perceived health as a unidimensional construct. Age and urbanity of older adult Costa Ricans should be appreciated when trying to measure self-reported physical and mental health. Cultural context of the individuals should be considered when studying health-related quality of life