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Subjective Verticality Is Disrupted by Astigmatic Visual Distortion in Older People
Get PDFYesPURPOSE:
There is little research evidence to explain why older adults have more problems adapting to new spectacles incorporating astigmatic changes than younger adults. We tested the hypothesis that astigmatic lenses oriented obliquely would lead to errors in verticality perception that are greater for older than younger adults.
METHODS:
Participants included 12 young (mean ± SD age 25.1 ± 5.0 years) and 12 older (70.2 ± 6.3 years) adults with normal vision. Verticality perception was assessed using a computer-based subjective visual vertical (SVV) task, under static and dynamic (in the presence of a moving peripheral distractor) conditions and when viewing targets through the near refractive correction (control condition), and two forms of astigmatic lenses oriented in the vertical, horizontal, and oblique meridians.
RESULTS:
The older group demonstrated much greater dynamic SVV errors (e.g., 3.4° for the control condition) than the younger group (1.2°, P = 0.002), larger errors with vertical and horizontal astigmatic lenses (older group 4.1°and 5.2° for toric and magnifier lenses vs. younger group 1.2° and 1.4°, respectively, P < 0.001), and a larger influence of the oblique astigmatic lenses (older group 5.6° vs. younger group 2.1°, P<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS:
Astigmatic lenses produced little or no errors in SVV in young adults, but large static and dynamic SVV errors in older adults. This indicates a greater reliance on visual input with increased age for SVV, and helps explain why oblique astigmatic refractive corrections can cause dizziness in older patients and why they report greater difficulties adapting to new spectacles with astigmatic changes
Evaluating the introduction of Team-Based Learning in a pharmacy consultation skills module
Get PDFYesThe learning and teaching strategy for a pharmacy consultation skills module was changed to Team-Based Learning (TBL) with the aim of motivating students to engage with course material pre-class and take deeper approaches to learning during class. Results from administering a validated TBL instrument suggests that students are more accountable and are satisfied with and have preference for TBL over traditional methods. Exam results show a 13% improvement in mean end-of-year examinations compared with pre-TBL results. Thematic analysis of written comments on the module evaluation survey suggest that they enjoyed learning using TBL and found it more engaging, stimulating and more effective for their learning; however, it could be improved through better management of workshop timings and more effective facilitation of discussion. TBL appears to have potential as a pedagogic approach in pharmacy education
Numerical simulation of the hydraulic performances and flow pattern of swallow-tailed flip bucket
Get PDFYesIn this study, the evolution process of the swallow-tailed flip bucket water nappe entering into the plunge pool is simulated by using the standard - turbulence model and the volume of fluid method. The effects of the upstream opening width ratio and downstream bucket angle on the flow pattern, the unit discharge distribution and the impact pressure distribution are studied. Based on the numerical results, the inner and outer jet trajectories are proposed by using the data. Results show that the longitudinal stretching length decreases with the increase of the upstream opening width ratio, and increases with the increase of the downstream bucket angle. The water nappe enters the plunge pool in a long strip shape. Thus, the unit discharge distribution of water nappe entry is consistent with the pressure distribution at the plunge pool bottom. The upstream opening width ratio and downstream bucket angle should be chosen as their intermediate values in order to have a uniform discharge distribution and to reduce the pressure peak at the plunge pool floor, which is effectively to avoid instability and destruction of plunge pool floor.National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (No. 51625901) and National Nature Science Foundation of China (No: 51579165)
Developments in silicone technology for use in stoma care
Get PDFYesSoft silicone's flexibility, adhesive capacity and non-toxic, non-odourous and hypoallergenic nature have made it an established material for adhesive and protective therapeutic devices. In wound care, silicone is a component of contact layer dressings for superficial wounds and silicone gel sheeting for reducing the risk of scarring, as well as of barriers for incontinence-associated dermatitis. Regarding stoma accessories, silicone is established in barrier films to prevent contact dermatitis, adhesive removers to prevent skin stripping and filler gels to prevent appliance leaks. Until recently, silicone has not been used in stoma appliances flanges, as its hydrophobic nature has not allowed for moisture management to permit trans-epidermal water loss and prevent maceration. Traditional hydrocolloid appliances manage moisture by absorbing water, but this can lead to saturation and moisture-associated skin damage (MASD), as well as increased adhesion and resultant skin tears on removal, known as medical adhesive-related skin injury (MARSI). However, novel silicone compounds have been developed with a distinct evaporation-based mechanism of moisture management. This uses colloidal separation to allow the passage of water vapour at a rate equivalent to normal trans-epidermal water loss. It has been shown to minimise MASD, increase wear time and permit atraumatic removal without the use of adhesive solvents. Trio Healthcare has introduced this technology with a range of silicone-based flange extenders and is working with the University of Bradford Centre for Skin Sciences on prototype silicone-based stoma appliance flanges designed to significantly reduce the incidence of peristomal skin complications, such as MARSI and MASD. It is hoped that this will also increase appliance wear time, reduce costs and improve patient quality of life
Weight Analysis of the Factors Affecting eWOM Providing Behavior
No full textNoElectronic word of mouth (eWOM) significantly affects the consumer decision-making process. A number of studies investigated why consumers provide eWOM communications. Existing literature has contradicting factors regarding factors affect eWOM providing behaviour. This study aims to evaluate factors affecting eWOM providing behaviour by performing a systematic review and weight analysis of existing research outputs. Based on the result of weight analysis it was found that the best predictors of eWOM providing behaviour are involvement, self-enhancement, and trust in web eWOM services. Scholars can use the results of this study when making decisions regarding the inclusion of factors in their research. Practitioners can pay more attention to the best predictors
The application of PROMETHEE multi-criteria decision aid in financial decision making: case of distress prediction models evaluation
No full textNoConflicting rankings corresponding to alternative performance criteria and measures are mostly reported in the mono-criterion evaluation of competing distress prediction models (DPMs). To overcome this issue, this study extends the application of the expert system to corporate credit risk and distress prediction through proposing a Multi-criteria Decision Aid (MCDA), namely PROMETHEE II, which provides a multi-criteria evaluation of competing DPMs. In addition, using data on Chinese firms listed on Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, we perform an exhaustive comparative analysis of the most popular DPMs; namely, statistical, artificial intelligence and machine learning models under both mono-criterion and multi-criteria frameworks. Further, we address two prevailing research questions; namely, "which DPM performs better in predicting distress?" and "will training models with corporate governance indicators (CGIs) enhance the performance of models?”; and discuss our findings. Our multi-criteria ranking suggests that non-parametric DPMs outperform parametric ones, where random forest and bagging CART are among the best machine learning DPMs. Further, models fed with CGIs as features outperform those fed without CGIs
Environmental Collaboration, Sustainable Innovation, and SME Growth in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Ghana
No full textYesThis article investigates the impact of environmental collaboration on sustainable innovation and its impact on firm growth. The hypotheses are tested using data from 455 small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana. The findings from the study show that environmental collaboration positively relates to sustainable innovation and this relationship is moderated by environmental commitment. The results also show that sustainable innovation is positively associated with SME growth. Finally, the results suggest that sustainable innovation mediates the environmental collaboration‐SME growth relationship. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed
Implementation relations and testing for cyclic systems with refusals and discrete time
Get PDFYesWe present a formalism to represent cyclic models and study di erent semantic frameworks that support testing. These models
combine sequences of observable actions and the passing of (discrete) time and can be used to specify a number of classes of
reactive systems, an example being robotic systems. We use implementation relations in order to formally define a notion of
correctness of a system under test (SUT) with respect to a specification. As usual, the aim is to devise an extension of the classical
ioco implementation relation but available timed variants of ioco are not suitable for cyclic models. This paper thus defines new
implementation relations that encapsulate the discrete nature of time and take into account not only the actions that models can
perform but also the ones that they can refuse. In addition to defining these relations, we study a number of their properties
and provide alternative characterisations, showing that the relations are appropriate conservative extensions of trace containment.
Finally, we give test derivation algorithms and prove that they are sound and also are complete in the limit.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Grant numbers: EP/R025134/2. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad Grant numbers: RTI2018-093608-B-C31. Comunidad de Madrid Grant numbers: S2018/TCS-431