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Galvanic vestibular stimulation modulates EEG markers of voluntary movement in Parkinson's disease
Get PDFWe recently showed that vestibular stimulation can produce a long-lasting alleviation of motor features in Parkinson's disease. Here we investigated whether components of the motor related cortical response that are commonly compromised in Parkinson's - the Bereitschaftspotential and mu-rhythm event-related desynchronization - are modulated by concurrent, low frequency galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) during repetitive limb movement amongst 17 individuals with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Relative to sham, GVS was favourably associated with higher amplitudes during the late and movement phases of the Bereitschaftspotential and with a more pronounced decrease in spectral power within the mu-rhythm range during finger-tapping. These data increase understanding of how GVS interacts with the preparation and execution of voluntary movement and give added impetus to explore its therapeutic effects on Parkinsonian motor features
Book Review: <i>Maritime Men of the Asia-Pacific: True-Blue Internationals Navigating Labour Rights 1906–2006</i> by Diane Kirkby with Lee-Ann Monk and Dmytro Ostapenko
No full textAn investigation into the exploratory use of additive manufacturing in stepped spillway model testing in open channel flow
Get PDFStepped spillways provide an excellent form of energy dissipation and are used in many locations around the world. Effective designs are crucial in improving protection to downstream erosion and providing economic benefits to the stilling basin design. Additive manufacturing (AM) provides a wide range of possibilities of testing complex and varied geometries in fluid flow research at relatively low cost. This research builds upon previous studies in utilising AM in open channel flow applications. This paper presents a comparative analysis between two types of stepped spillway using preceding weir designs in terms of fluid velocity profile, flow rate, water height upstream and downstream; associated fluid flow parameters and experimental observations. For validation and further analysis, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling is conducted to show close comparisons to the experimental results. Conditions are varied to compare the differences between models being sealed and unsealed, allowing for significant side flow. AM technology allows for cost-effective small models to be created, that can significantly improve the design process for larger scale testing and enhances the field of study for experimental fluid flow research
The Effect of isometric handgrip training with and without blood flow restriction on changes in resting blood pressure
No full textTo investigate the effects of high-intensity contractions and low-intensity contractions with and without blood flow restriction on changes in blood pressure and hemodynamic parameters. A total of 179 participants (18-35 years) were randomly assigned to one of three training groups that exercised 3 times per week for six weeks or a non-exercise control group. The groups are as follows: 1) Control [CON, = 44]; 2) completed 4 sets of two-minute isometric contractions at 30% maximal voluntary contraction [LI, = 47]; 3) completed 4 sets of two-minute isometric contractions at 30% maximal voluntary contraction with a 12 cm cuff inflated to 50% of arterial occlusion pressure [LI+BFR, = 41]; or 4) completed 4 maximal isometric contractions lasting 5 seconds [MAX, = 47]. Blood pressure, vascular resistance, and reactive hyperemia were measured at pre and post. Data are presented as means (SD). There was no evidence that SBP (BF : 0.066), DBP (BF : 0.057), vascular resistance (BF : 0.085), or peak reactive hyperemia changed (BF : 0.044) or A.U.C. (BF : 0.074). Change scores for SBP were 1.1 (6.7), 0.7 (5.8), -0.4 (6.5), and -0.9 (6.3) mmHg for CON, LI, LI+BFR, and MAX, respectively. DBP change scores were 1.5 (6.6), 1.5 (7), -0.7 (5.9), and 0.3 (6.3) mmHg for CON, LI, LI+BFR, and MAX, respectively. Although recommended as a non-pharmacological method of blood pressure control, isometric exercise with or without BFR did not lower blood pressure. Future work could examine the inclusion of a daily strength test prior to the low intensity protocol
Rethinking multiple-choice exams: the impact of NLP AI models for online assessment
No full textThis study explores the efficacy of Natural Language Processing (NLP) AI models, specifically ChatGPT and MS Copilot, in answering multiple-choice questions (MCQs) within the framework of Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exams. Our methodology involved presenting these AI systems with a series of exam questions and assessing their responses against a predetermined passing grade threshold. The results demonstrated that the AI-generated answers closely aligned with the expected correct responses, suggesting a high degree of accuracy and reliability.We delve into the broader implications of these findings, discussing the potential applications of AI in enhancing exam preparation, automated grading, and personalized learning experiences. Furthermore, we address the limitations and ethical considerations inherent in deploying NLP AI for educational purposes, such as the potential for over-reliance on technology, issues of academic integrity, and the need for transparency in AI-generated assessments. Our study underscores the significant potential of AI technologies to transform educational assessments and support students and educators alike
The opportunities, challenges, and rewards of ‘community peer research’: reflections on research practice
No full textThis paper shares reflections from a group of academic researchers at the same University on their experience of conducting ‘community peer research’ projects involving non-academics in social research. We review a range of literature that has influenced the development of our practice, stressing the importance of co-production and power relations. We present six case studies that represent the breadth of our different engagements with community peer research, and then go on to reflect on the challenges and benefits of this approach. We identify a number of practical challenges, ways in which we overcame them, and in particular stress the importance of providing well-designed training for community peer researchers. We conclude with some recommendations for other researchers looking to conduct similar research
The spectre of death: revenge and retribution in For Your Eyes Only (1981)
No full textAs Lisa Funnell and Klaus Dodds point out in Geographies, Genders and Geopolitics of James Bond (2017), by connecting the opening sequence of For Your Eyes Only (1981) to Bond’s grief for his late wife, the film frames his actions as vengeance (36). Admittedly, the rather comical dispatch of Bond’s archenemy Blofeld was principally motivated by the ongoing litigation regarding the rights to the screen version of the character (see Sellers, 2008). Nonetheless, in doing so, the pre-credit sequence highlights what Lynette S. Moran (2016) labels a distinctly ‘masculine experience of grief’ frequently articulated in popular culture (14); even in mourning, men at any age can use action-based plots of thrill and adventure to reconcile their past traumas. Such an association between violent (male) revenge and retributive justice has long been a staple of Western art and culture that long predates cinema (see Schumann and Ross, 2010). In his study of revenge drama, for example, literary scholar John Kerrigan (1996) argues that despite the increase in vengeful narratives across contemporary American culture, “there is nothing new in all of this” (vii). He even goes so far as to position revenge as one of the defining themes of narrative construction; ‘a building-block, the seed from which something larger can grow, since, one man’s vengeance being another man’s injury […] will breed others as blood calls for blood and the symmetries of action extend into plot’ (14). As Kerrigan’s distinctly gendered language indicates, violent revenge has historically been the purview of men. In For Your Eyes Only, it is the grieving daughter of Melina Havelock (Carole Bouquet) who seeks revenge for the death of her parents. In this chapter, I argue that the film's inversion of traditional gender roles, particularly as they relate to the execution of grief and revenge, strikes a ready chord with the radical feminist movement of the second wave and present Melina as one of the strongest Bond Girls in the franchise
Challenges and barriers for first-year home and international students in Higher Education in the UK and Ireland: A scoping review
No full textThe challenges and barriers that occur when transitioning to university are widely acknowledged within the Higher Education (HE) sector (Thompson et al., 2021). Previous literature has focused extensively on the importance of breaking down barriers and cultivating a sense of belonging in order to generate student success (Daniels &amp; McNeela, 2021; Thompson et al., 2021). There is also considerable research and literature surrounding the challenges and barriers that international students face (Gbadamosi, 2018). However, the direct comparisons between the challenges and barriers faced by home students and international students are less prominently researched. This scoping review aims to fill this gap by gathering literature on this topic and highlighting the similarities and differences between the challenges and barriers home and international students encounter
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