Tonnacypris glacialis (Ostracoda, Cyprididae):taxonomic position, (palaeo)ecology, and zoogeography

The freshwater ostracod Tonnacypris glaciallis (Sars, 1890) is reported from the European Pleistocene for the first time. The historical allocation of the species is discussed, and the species composition and characteristics of Tonnacypris is Diebel & Pietrzeniuk (1975) and its phylozoogeography are considered. The significance of T. glacialis is reviewed, particularly from the viewpoint of the possible implications of parthenogenesis (and occasional-male production) for the Quaternary history of the genus, and for the use of the species in palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. It is suggested that the Pleistocene fossil occurrence of I: glacialis in modern temperate latitudes is a robust indicator of mean summer temperatures of 6 degrees C.

Effect of position of near addition in an asymmetric refractive multifocal intraocular lens on quality of vision

Purpose
To evaluate the impact of the position of an asymmetric multifocal near segment on visual quality.

Setting
Cathedral Eye Clinic, Belfast, United Kingdom.

Design
Retrospective comparative case series.

Methods
Data from consecutive patients who had bilateral implantation of the Lentis Mplus LS-312 multifocal intraocular lens were divided into 2 groups. One group received inferonasal near-segment placement and the other, superotemporal near-segment placement. A +3.00 diopter (D) reading addition (add) was used in all eyes. The main outcome measures included uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA), contrast sensitivity, and quality of vision. Follow-up was 3 months.

Results
Patients ranged in age from 43 to 76 years. The inferonasal group comprised 80 eyes (40 patients) and the superotemporal group, 76 eyes (38 patients). The mean 3-month spherical equivalent was −0.11 D ± 0.49 (SD) in the inferonasal group and −0.18 ± 0.46 D in the superotemporal group. The mean postoperative UDVA was 0.14 ± 0.10 logMAR and 0.18 ± 0.15 logMAR, respectively. The mean monocular UNVA was 0.21 ± 0.14 logRAD and 0.24 ± 0.13 logRAD, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the higher-order aberrations, total Strehl ratio (point-spread function), or modulation transfer function between the groups. Dysphotopic symptoms measured with a validated quality-of-vision questionnaire were not significantly different between groups.

Conclusion
Positioning of the near add did not significantly affect objective or subjective visual function parameters.

Physical activity assessment in cystic fibrosis: A position statement

Background

The aim of this position statement was to inform the choice of physical activity tools for use within CF research and clinical settings.

Methods

A systematic review of physical activity tools to explore evidence for reliability, validity, and responsiveness. Narrative answers to “four key questions” on motion sensors, questionnaires and diaries were drafted by the core writing team and then discussed at the Exercise Working Group in ECFS Lisbon 2013.

Results and summary

Our current position is that activity monitors such as SenseWear or ActiGraph offer informed choices to facilitate a comprehensive assessment of physical activity, and should as a minimum report on dimensions of physical activity including energy expenditure, step count and time spent in different intensities and sedentary time. The DigiWalker pedometer offers an informed choice of a comparatively inexpensive method of obtaining some measurement of physical activity. The HAES represents an informed choice of questionnaire to assess physical activity. There is insufficient data to recommend the use of one diary over another. Future research should focus on providing additional evidence of clinimetric properties of these and new physical activity assessment tools, as well as further exploring the added value of physical activity assessment in CF.

A Spiking Neural Network Model of the Medial Superior Olive using Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity for Sound Localisation

Sound localization can be defined as the ability to identify the position of an input sound source and is considered a powerful aspect of mammalian perception. For low frequency sounds, i.e., in the range 270 Hz-1.5 KHz, the mammalian auditory pathway achieves this by extracting the Interaural Time Difference between sound signals being received by the left and right ear. This processing is performed in a region of the brain known as the Medial Superior Olive (MSO). This paper presents a Spiking Neural Network (SNN) based model of the MSO. The network model is trained using the Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity learning rule using experimentally observed Head Related Transfer Function data in an adult domestic cat. The results presented demonstrate how the proposed SNN model is able to perform sound localization with an accuracy of 91.82% when an error tolerance of +/-10 degrees is used. For angular resolutions down to 2.5 degrees , it will be demonstrated how software based simulations of the model incur significant computation times. The paper thus also addresses preliminary implementation on a Field Programmable Gate Array based hardware platform to accelerate system performance.

Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation Induces a Spatial Bias in Whole-body Position Estimates

Letter to the Editor

Core and patch position optimizations for vibration control of piezolaminated structures

This paper deals with a finite formulation baserd on the classical laminated plate tehory, for active control of thin late laminated structures with integrated piezoelectric layers, acting as sensors and actuators. The control is initialized through a previuos optimization of the core of the laminated structure, in order to minimize the vibration amplitude. Also the optimization of the patches position in performed to maximize the piezoelectric actuator efficiency. the simulating annealing mthod is used for these purposes. The finite element model is a single layer triangular nonconforming plate/shell element with 18 degrees of fredom for the generalized displacements, and one electrical potential degree of freedom for each piezoelectric element layer, wich can be surface bonded or imbedded on the laminate. To achieve a mechanism of active control of the structure dynamic response, a feedback control algorirhm is used, coupling the sensor and active piezoelectric layers. To calculate the dynamic response of the laminated structures the Newmark method is considered. The model is applied in the solution of an illustrative case and the results are presented and discussed.

virtX: ein Lehr- und Lernsystem für mobile Röntgengeräte zur Verbesserung der Ausbildung im Strahlenschutz

Hintergrund und Fragestellung: Die durch röntgentechnische Diagnoseverfahren in der Medizin entstehende Strahlenbelastung für Patient und Personal soll laut Strahlenschutzverordnung so gering wie möglich gehalten werden. Um dieses zu erreichen ist ein professioneller und bedachter Umgang mit den Röntgengeräten unabdingbar. Dieses Verhalten kann derzeit jedoch nur theoretisch vermittelt werden, da sich ein Üben mit realer Strahlung von selbst verbietet. Daher stellt sich die Frage wie man die Strahlenschutzausbildung durch eine verbesserte Vermittlung der komplexen Thematik unterstützen kann. Methoden: Das CBT-System (Computer Based Training) virtX, welches das Erlernen der korrekten Handhabung mobiler Röntgengeräte unterstützt, wurde um Aspekte aus dem Bereich des Strahlenschutzes erweitert. Es wurde eine prototypische Visualisierung der entstehenden Streustrahlung sowie die Darstellung des Nutzstrahlenganges integriert. Des Weiteren wurde die Berechnung und Anzeige der virtuellen Einfallsdosis für das durchstrahlte Volumen sowie für den Bereich des Bildverstärkers hinzugefügt. Für die Berechnung und Visualisierung all dieser Komponenten werden die in virtX parametrisierbaren C-Bogen-Einstellungen, z.B. Stellung der Blenden, Positionierung des Röntgengerätes zum durchstrahlten Volumen und Strahlenintensität, herangezogen. Das so erweiterte System wurde auf einem dreitägigen Kurs für OP-Personal mit über 120 Teilnehmern eingesetzt und auf der Basis von Fragebögen evaluiert. Ergebnisse: Von den Teilnehmern gaben 55 einen ausgefüllten Evaluations-Fragebogen ab (Responserate 82%). Das Durchschnittsalter der 39 weiblichen und 15 männlichen Teilnehmer (einer o.A.) lag bei 33±8 Jahren, die Berufserfahrung bei 9,37±7 Jahren. Die Erfahrung mit dem C-Bogen wurde von einem Teilnehmer (2%) mit „Keine oder bisher nur Einführung erhalten“, von acht Teilnehmern (14%) mit „bediene einen C-Bogen gelegentlich“ und von 46 (84%) mit „bediene einen C-Bogen regelmäßig“ angegeben. 45 (92%) der Teilnehmer gaben an, durch die Visualisierung der Streustrahlung etwas Neues zur Vermeidung unnötiger Strahlenbelastung dazugelernt zu haben. Schlussfolgerung: Trotz einer bislang nur prototypischen Visualisierung der Streustrahlung können mit virtX zentrale Aspekte und Verhaltensweisen zur Vermeidung unnötiger Strahlenbelastung erfolgreich vermittelt werden und so Lücken der traditionellen Strahlenschutzausbildung geschlossen werden.

Position-specific Performance Indicators that Discriminate between Successful and Unsuccessful Teams in Elite Women’s Indoor Field Hockey: Implications for Coaching

The aim of this investigation was to establish median performance profiles for the six playing positions in elite women’s indoor hockey and then identify whether these position-specific profiles could discriminate between qualifying (top four), mid-table and relegated teams in the 2011-12 England Hockey premier league. Successful passing in relegated teams was significantly lower (p<0.008) than in mid-table and qualifying teams in four of the five outfield positions. Furthermore, the right backs of qualifying teams demonstrated significantly fewer (p<0.008) unsuccessful passes (x̃=15.5 ±CLs 15.0 and 10.0 respectively) and interceptions (x̃=4.0 ±CLs 4.0 and 3.0 respectively) than relegated teams (x̃=19.5 ±CLs 21.0 and 17.0; x̃=7.5 ±CLs 8.0 and 6.0 respectively). Finally, the right forwards of relegated teams demonstrated significantly fewer (p<0.008) successful interceptions (x̃=4.0 ±CLs 5.0 and 4.0 respectively) than qualifying teams (x̃=5.0 ±CLs 6.0 and 3.0 respectively) and significantly more (p<0.008) unsuccessful interceptions (x̃=5.5 ±CLs 6.0 and 4.0 respectively) than mid-table teams (x̃=3.0 ±CLs 3.0 and 2.0 respectively). Based on these findings, coaches should adapt tactical strategies and personnel deployment accordingly to enhance the likelihood of preparing a qualifying team. Research should build from these data to examine dribbling, pressing and patterns of play when outletting.

Program slice metrics and their potential role in DSL design, position paper

The advantages a DSL and the benefits its use potentially brings imply that informed decisions on the design of a domain specific language are of paramount importance for its use. We believe that the foundations of such decisions should be informed by analysis of data empirically collected from systems to highlight salient features that should then form the basis of a DSL. To support this theory, we describe an empirical study of a large OSS called Barcode, written in C, and from which we collected two well-known 'slice' based metrics. We analyzed multiple versions of the system and sliced its functions in three separate ways (i.e., input, output and global variables). The purpose of the study was to try and identify sensitivities and traits in those metrics that might inform features of a potential slice-based DSL. Results indicated that cohesion was adversely affected through the use of global variables and that appreciation of the role of function inputs and outputs can be revealed through slicing. The study presented is motivated primarily by the problems with current tools and interfaces experienced directly by the authors in extracting slicing data and the need to promote the benefits that analysis of slice data and slicing in general can offer.

Optimizing the embedded heaters position in the pultrusion process using finite element analysis

This study is based on a previous experimental work in which embedded cylindrical heaters were applied to a pultrusion machine die, and resultant energetic performance compared with that achieved with the former heating system based on planar resistances. The previous work allowed to conclude that the use of embedded resistances enhances significantly the energetic performance of pultrusion process, leading to 57% decrease of energy consumption. However, the aforementioned study was developed with basis on an existing pultrusion die, which only allowed a single relative position for the heaters. In the present work, new relative positions for the heaters were investigated in order to optimize heat distribution process and energy consumption. Finite Elements Analysis was applied as an efficient tool to identify the best relative position of the heaters into the die, taking into account the usual parameters involved in the process and the control system already tested in the previous study. The analysis was firstly developed with basis on eight cylindrical heaters located in four different location plans. In a second phase, in order to refine the results, a new approach was adopted using sixteen heaters with the same total power. Final results allow to conclude that the correct positioning of the heaters can contribute to about 10% of energy consumption reduction, decreasing the production costs and leading to a better eco-efficiency of pultrusion process.