1,173 research outputs found
Functional assessment of multiple sclerosis
No full textAn appraisal of the Functional Assessment of Multiple SclerosisPeer reviewe
Selecting Rehabilitation Outcome Measures for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis
No full textDespite the well-known benefits of using standardized outcome measures (OMs) in clinical practice, a variety of barriers interfere with their use. In particular, rehabilitation therapists lack sufficient knowledge in selecting appropriate OMs. The challenge is compounded when working with people with multiple sclerosis (MS) owing to heterogeneity of the patient population and symptom variability in individual patients. To help overcome these barriers, the American Physical Therapy Association appointed the Multiple Sclerosis Outcome Measures Task Force to review and make evidence-based recommendations for OM use in clinical practice, education, and research specific to people with MS. Sixty-three OMs were reviewed based on their clinical utility, psychometric properties, and a consensus evaluation of the appropriateness of use for people with MS. We sought to illustrate use of the recommendations for two cases. The first case involves a 43-year-old man with new-onset problems after an exacerbation. The second case pertains to an outpatient clinic interested in assessing the effectiveness of their MS rehabilitation program. For each case, clinicians identified areas that were important to assess and various factors deemed important for OM selection. Criteria were established and used to assist in OM selection. In both cases, the described processes narrowed the selection of OMs and assisted with choosing the most appropriate ones. The recommendations, in addition to the processes described in these two cases, can be used by clinicians in any setting working with patients with MS across the disability spectrum.Peer reviewedCopyright belongs to the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers
Book Review: Marshall’s Great Captain: Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews and Air Power in the World Wars
No full textAuthor: Kathy Wilson
Reviewed by Colonel Evan H. Gardner (US Air Force), faculty instructor, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, US Army War College
Marshall’s Great Captain is a biography of General Frank M. Andrews, one of the founders of the US Army Air Force. The author reveals the story of Andrews’s contribution to the creation of the Air Force and argues that he deserves more recognition. Her argument is accomplished through a detailed look at various aspects of Andrews’ life. This book is for anyone wanting to learn more about a relatively unknown legend of the Air Force.https://press.armywarcollege.edu/parameters_bookshelf/1088/thumbnail.jp
SYNTHESIS AND FUNCTIONALIZATION OF 1,4-POLYKETONES AND ENANTIOSELECTIVE POLYESTER CATALYST DEVELOPMENT USING MOLECULAR LEGO SCAFFOLDS
No full textObjectives of the present study are aimed towards improving upon alternating copolymerization techniques for polyketones and aliphatic polyesters, and the majority of this work is focuses on post-polymerization modifications to alternating polyketones. These materials are currently under studied in the literature, but the aptly spaced, repeating carbonyl functionality creates an easily functionalized material. Complimentary work described herein relates to efforts currently underway to prepare highly enantioselective catalysts for the alternating copolymerization of epoxides with cyclic anhydrides. Aliphatic polyesters currently suffer from a lack of chemical diversity, and, with greener chemistries on the forefront of research efforts, polyesters made from environmentally benign and/or renewable materials are desirable. Additional limitations of aliphatic polyesters include difficulty obtaining stereoregular polyesters. In collaboration with the Schafmeister laboratory we are developing catalysts for the alternating copolymerization of polyesters to address these limitations. The model catalysts are carefully designed scaffolds of spiroligomers encasing a Lewis acidic transition metal at its center ([spiro]MX). The spiroligomer bulk around the metal center imparts significant chirality onto the catalyst thereby controlling which enantiomer of a given monomer is polymerized leading to stereoregular polyesters. Additionally, the use of more than one monomer increases the available chemical space with which to create novel polyesters. To date, three [spiro]MX catalysts have been prepared all of which are catalytically active for poly(propylene maleate) synthesis. A core objective of this work is the study of functionalization methods to create novel materials from an inexpensive polyketones. The chemical modifications performed on polyketones to date have been limited, and the utility of the functionalized materials often goes unmentioned. Efforts to functionalize polyketones in this study were aimed at creating electrically conducting polymeric materials which would be used as hole transport materials in photovoltaic devices. Polyketones were decorated with pendant (tri)arylamine functionality creating several novel polymeric materials, and electrochemical experiments supported the formation of radical cations at the triarylamine nitrogen of the pendants. Further, the functionalization of the polyketones provided enhanced ultraviolet stability of the functionalized polymers. Concurrent to the functionalization of polyketones, we investigated the effects Lewis acids had on the synthesis of the polyketone itself. Through previous research conducted in the Dobereiner laboratory we know that a Lewis acid will interact with carbonyls of molecules during catalytic reactions. The addition of Lewis acids to the synthesis of the polyketones is thought to have similar interactions altering the polymerization. This study explored the bulk properties of the polyketone synthesized in the presence of several Lewis acids. As a result of this study specific polymer properties (e.g. molecular weight) could be targeted through careful selection of the Lewis acid and the amount added during polymerization.Chemistr
Ethics under moral neutrality
No full textHow should we act when uncertain about the moral truth, or when trying to remain neutral between competing moral theories? This dissertation argues that some types of actions and policies are relatively likely to be approved by a very wide range of moral theories—even theories which have never yet been formulated, or which appear to cancel out one another's advice. For example, I argue that actions and policies which increase a moral agent's access to primary goods also tend to increase that agent's
likelihood of bringing about good consequences, even under varying and mutually incompatible hypotheses about what consequences count as "good". We therefore have a subjective, pro tanto moral reason to perform such actions and enact such policies—one
whose justification does not require treating any particular theory as especially probable, but instead merely requires treating at least one at-least-partly consequentialist moral theory as an open hypothesis, and is therefore applicable even under conditions of moral uncertainty or moral neutrality. My discussion begins abstractly, but as it progresses it gradually applies its framework to increasingly concrete issues. I find that the justification of some liberal policies—in the classical sense of "liberal"—can be accomplished with significantly fewer moral assumptions than have traditionally been relied upon.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical referencesby Evan Gregg William
Spontaneous music : the first generation British free improvisers
No full textThe British free improvisation scene originated in London and Sheffield during the
mid 1960s. In groups such as AMM, the Spontaneous Music Ensemble and Joseph
Holbrooke, a distinctive and ambitious musicality developed that still occupies most
of its protagonists forty years later.
Marked stylistic contrasts developed within the genre, notably the `atomistic' and
`laminar' methods of interaction. Nonetheless, a consistency of principle and practice
was also apparent that defined British free improvisation as unique. In some respects
the genre resembled its German, Dutch and American counterparts, and also the jazz
and classical avant-gardes that had inspired them. Both conceptually and practically,
however, clear differences remained.
The British free improvisers refined a method and an aesthetic of musical creativity,
which suggested an intimate perspective and a detailed analysis of that which we
accept as `music'. Its techniques and results were unconventional, but remained
consistent with music's defining concepts and experiences. As such, British free
improvisation suggested a more inclusive model of musicality than is common, and
implied a broad critique of the cultural values that define `music' at all. Though the
free improvisers themselves did not explicitly state the connection, their work may be
viewed in the context of Deconstruction: the post-structuralist analytical strategy
associated with philosopher Jacques Derrida.
British free improvisation culminated from innovations within the twentieth century
avant-garde. Referencing styles such as atonality and free jazz, it challenged the
aesthetic, technical and hierarchical standards of Western tradition in a form that was
striking and extreme, but also of logical development and focus. Free improvisation
owed explicit debt to a variety of other musics; its most singular achievement
however, was the redefinition of `rhythm' by which it disguised this fact.
The music of the first generation British free improvisers is reliant upon precise
conceptual and practical execution. But though this has enabled the genre to be
musically innovative, in the long term it has also become a logical problem. With
British free improvisation as its subject, the scrutiny of Deconstruction reveals
significant discrepancies between what `free improvisation' implies and what it
actually represents
The influence of statistical regularity on perception
No full textA traditional serial model of visual awareness begins with sensory input undergoing rudimentary processing in the peripheral nervous system, then traveling to the central nervous system’s subcortical structures and progressing through the visual cortex for progressively more complex forms of processing, and, only then, makes contact with memory systems. Recent models of visual awareness challenge both the sequence and linearity of this traditional model. In three sets of experiments I advocate for a recursive model whereby perception does not terminate in a memory representation but instead is dependent on a form of memory representation upfront, such that previously existing representations play an active role in shaping ongoing perception. I argue that experience builds a representation of statistical regularity of the environment into the brain and that the brain takes advantage of these learned representations when attempting to make sense of incoming stimuli. Experiment 1 replicates and expands upon previous research showing that statistically regular items are better perceived. Experiment 2 describes the effect of statistical regularity on time perception, whereby statistically regular items are perceived as lasting longer in duration than statistically irregular items. Finally, Experiment 3 asks whether processing of statistical regularity requires attention and provides evidence that the brain makes implicit distinctions based on statistical regularity even when attention is directed elsewhere.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2022-05-01The student, Evan Center, accepted the attached license on 2020-05-05 at 12:22.The student, Evan Center, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2020-05-05 at 12:33.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2020-05-06 at 16:16.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #15219 on 2020-08-25 at 17:29:44Made available in DSpace on 2020-08-26T23:58:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3
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The use of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy to predict protein fractions in free-ranging cattle
No full textDue to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to [email protected], referencing the URI of the item.Includes bibliographical references: p. 104-112.Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.Research was conducted to assess the feasibility of using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) technology to predict fractional protein utilization in cattle on forage based diets. Forage samples were obtained from esophageal and ruminal cannulated cattle grazing native forage (warm and cool season), while fecal samples were acquired from non-fistulated animals grazing the same pastures as the fistulated animals Laboratory analysis for crude protein (CP), 20-hr in vitro protein digestibility, and acid detergent fiber nitrogen (ADFN) were conducted on extrusa, and calculated on a percent dry matter (%DM) basis. Indigestible intake protein (IIP) was considered to be the nitrogen (N) content in the residue from the ADF procedure. Degraded intake protein (DIP) and digestible undegraded protein (DUP) were calculated from ADFN, 20-hr in vitro, and CP content. Fecal sample spectra and forage laboratory analysis provided the dependent and independent variable data needed to conduct stepwise regression analysis and obtain predictive NIRS equations. Standard error of calibration (SEC) for warm-season DIP, DUP, and IIP were 0.96, 0.36, and 0.25, respectively. While coefficients of determination (W) for the same fractions were 0.81, 0.94, and 0.97, respectively. Wavelengths selected were biologically explainable, therefore the equations were deemed satisfactory for first generation predictive technology. Cool-season equations were found to be less encouraging and yielded le values for DIP, DUP, and IEP of 0.90, 0.39, and 0.78, respectively, while SEC values were 0.95, 0.50, and 0.24, respectively. The cool-season calibrated equations for DLTP and IIP were deemed unsatisfactory and need future work. A more robust dataset with greater standardization of lab technique and stricter sampling methods will be required to improve the DUP and IIP cool-season equations. NIRS technology proved to be a feasible means of providing estimations for protein utilization of distinct protein fractions in the gastrointestinal tract of freeranging cattle. However, the stability of these predictions is heavily dependent on forage type. These equations serve as first-generation predictive equations and should be upgraded through enhanced research to provide cattle producers with answers to increasing questions about the nutritional status of cattle on grazinglands
Improving the genome assembly and annotation of the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus borealis)
No full textWidely distributed in North America, the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has recreational and commercial value and is a food source for many communities. The impacts that deer impose on agriculture, conservation, and public health are rising. They are responsible for deer-vehicle collisions and damage to crops and natural areas. The species is affected by infectious diseases such as chronic wasting disease, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, and bovine tuberculosis. Genomic resources facilitate the study of pathogens, host-pathogen interactions, host genetic variation, and behavior. Repetitive elements are ubiquitous within mammalian genomes, and long single-molecule reads produced by third-generation sequencing can span these regions. I present a genome produced with DNA from a single white-tailed deer sequenced on the PacBio Sequel II platform and assembled using Redbean (WTDBG2) long-read assembly software. Post-assembly, long and short reads from the same animal were used for error-correcting and polishing the assembly. Gene models were predicted with the BRAKER annotation pipeline using RNA and protein sequences as extrinsic evidence. The final assembly was highly contiguous, with 90% of the total length represented by 134 contigs. The largest contig was 108 million base pairs. Functional annotation was performed using reciprocal best hits with cattle protein sequences. Protein function was able to be assigned to 16,125 coding sequences. The locations of genes related to CWD, EHD, and bTB were also identified. An analysis using the sequentially Markovian coalescent was used to infer population diversity of white-tailed deer for the past 2 million years. This accurate and more complete assembly will support future genomic studies on white-tailed deer and permit the use of chromatin-contact information to construct a chromosome-level assembly of the genome.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2023-05-01The student, Evan London, accepted the attached license on 2021-04-26 at 11:25.The student, Evan London, submitted this Thesis for approval on 2021-04-26 at 12:07.This Thesis was approved for publication on 2021-04-27 at 16:20.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #16539 on 2021-09-16 at 20:14:12Made available in DSpace on 2021-09-17T04:06:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3
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Retrofitting unreinforced concrete masonry to resist tornado loading
No full textThesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2013.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-101).Advances in structural design and building materials have significantly increased the performance of many structures under the extreme loading conditions associated with natural disasters such as earthquakes. However, catastrophic structural failure after extreme wind events and tornadoes remains a problem which costs the insurance industry billions of dollars and results in an average loss of 200 lives per year in the United States. Accountable for many of these structural failures, buildings with walls of Unreinforced Masonry (URM) are incapable of withstanding the magnitude of forces brought on by a tornado, and the cracking or failure of just one wall can lead to the progressive collapse of the entire structure. The need to reinforce these systems is large, but retrofitting with conventional steel reinforcement is time consuming and costly; however, externally bonded Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites represent a high strength, low cost alternative which and can be installed in a fraction of the time. This thesis investigates the use of FRPs to strengthen URM walls against both out-of-plane flexural loads and debris impact, and attempts to determine if enough strength can be added for such wall assemblies to meet the requirements of a Tornado Safe Room as dictated by FEMA. By adapting current design guidelines and extrapolating evidence on the performance of URM walls strengthened with FRP, a design guide is created which provides the tool necessary to use this innovative retrofitting technique to strengthen URM walls to satisfy both the flexural and impact resistance strength requirements for FEMA Tornado Safe Rooms.by Evan G. Dorshorst.M.Eng
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