scholarly journals The Conceptualisation and Development of a Space-Saving Multipurpose Table for Enhanced Ergonomic Performance

Inventions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
Hou Yip Cheng ◽  
Poh Kiat Ng ◽  
Robert Jeyakumar Nathan ◽  
Adi Saptari ◽  
Yu Jin Ng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Daily Living ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Furniture Industry ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Survey Analysis ◽  
Single Function ◽  
Space Saving ◽  
Process Documentation ◽  
Spearman’S Correlation ◽  
Usage Efficiency

Foldable furniture is a trend of the modern furniture industry. However, apart from limitations attributed to multifunctionality and space saving characteristics, a complete design process documentation of foldable furniture is uncommon in furniture research. This study aims to develop a space-saving multipurpose table for improved ergonomic performance. Features and functions are extracted from research articles and patents for concept generation. The final concept is modelled using Autodesk Inventor Professional 2019. Mechanical simulations are done to confirm the structural integrity of the invention before prototyping and testing. The tests accounted for usage efficiency, space and usability. Using Minitab 19, the experimental data are analysed with t-tests. The survey data are analysed using Spearman’s correlation test via IBM SPSS Statistics version 21. Participants were able to complete tasks around 1.1–1.5 times faster with the proposed invention than with single-function furniture items. The amount of space occupied with the proposed invention was approximately 25–80% lesser than with the single-function furniture items placed together. The survey analysis demonstrated that there was a strong, positive and significant correlation between space saving effectiveness and ergonomic performance. Further developments to transition this invention to its commercialisation phase should be done to facilitate daily living domestic activities of society at large.

scholarly journals Effects of ammonia on growth performance, lipid metabolism and cecal microbial community of rabbits

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0252065
Author(s):  
Jia Cui ◽  
Xinyu Yang ◽  
Fengxia Wang ◽  
Shudong Liu ◽  
Shuaijuan Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Intestinal Flora ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Intestinal Barrier ◽  
Apolipoprotein A1 ◽  
Daily Weight Gain ◽  
Spearman’S Correlation

This study was designed to investigate the effect of ammonia on growth performance, lipid metabolism and intestinal flora of rabbits. A total of 150 female IRA rabbits (35-days-old) were randomly divided into three groups including 0 ppm (CG), 10 ppm (LAC) and 30 ppm ammonia (HAC) groups for a period of 28 days. The average daily weight gain (ADG) of rabbits was significantly reduced in LAC (-17.11%; p < 0.001) and HAC groups (-17.46%; p < 0.001) as compared with the CG. Serum concentration of high density lipoprotein (HDL) and glucose (Glu) were increased in LAC (+80.95%; +45.99; p < 0.05) and HAC groups (+219.05%; +45.89; p < 0.001), while apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) was decreased in LAC (-58.49%; p < 0.001) and HAC groups (-36.92%; p < 0.001). The structural integrity of cecum was damaged, and the thickness of mucosa and serosa were significantly decreased in LAC and HAC. The acetate, butyrate and propionate level of cecal chyme were reduced in HAC group (-21.67%; -19.82%; -30.81%; p < 0.05). Microbial diversity and burden of Firmicutes were significantly decreased, while that of pathogenic bacteria, such as Bacteroidetes, Clostridium and Proteobacteria were increased in ammonia treated groups. Spearman’s correlation confirmed that burden of Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group showed significantly negative correlation with acetic acid (r = -0.67; p < 0.001) while Barnesiellaceae_unclassified showed significantly positive correlation with propionic acid (r = 0.50; p < 0.001). In conclusion, ammonia treatment was responsible for an imbalance of intestinal flora, which affected lipid metabolism and damaged intestinal barrier of rabbits, resulting in low growth performance due to lipid metabolism dysfunction.

Electron Beam Damage of Biomolecules Assessed by Energy Loss Spectroscopy

1978 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 61-69
Author(s):  
M. Isaacson ◽  
M.L. Collins ◽  
M. Listvan
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Radiation Damage ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Analytical Electron Microscopy ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Dose Rates ◽  
Special Cases ◽  
Analytical Electron ◽  
Atom Migration ◽  
Beam Damage

Over the past five years it has become evident that radiation damage provides the fundamental limit to the study of blomolecular structure by electron microscopy. In some special cases structural determinations at very low doses can be achieved through superposition techniques to study periodic (Unwin & Henderson, 1975) and nonperiodic (Saxton & Frank, 1977) specimens. In addition, protection methods such as glucose embedding (Unwin & Henderson, 1975) and maintenance of specimen hydration at low temperatures (Taylor & Glaeser, 1976) have also shown promise. Despite these successes, the basic nature of radiation damage in the electron microscope is far from clear. In general we cannot predict exactly how different structures will behave during electron Irradiation at high dose rates. Moreover, with the rapid rise of analytical electron microscopy over the last few years, nvicroscopists are becoming concerned with questions of compositional as well as structural integrity. It is important to measure changes in elemental composition arising from atom migration in or loss from the specimen as a result of electron bombardment.

Structural integrity after cold storage of human epidermal model in hypothermosol: A correlative ultrastructural and fluorescent assay

1994 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 270-271
Author(s):  
Henry H. Eichelberger ◽  
John G. Baust ◽  
Robert G. Van Buskirk
Keyword(s):  
Cold Storage ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Culture Media ◽  
Cell Structure ◽  
Natural State ◽  
Sodium Cacodylate ◽  
Ruthenium Tetroxide ◽  
Cacodylate Buffer ◽  
Before And After

For research in cell differentiation and in vitro toxicology it is essential to provide a natural state of cell structure as a benchmark for interpreting results. Hypothermosol (Cryomedical Sciences, Rockville, MD) has proven useful in insuring the viability of synthetic human epidermis during cold-storage and in maintaining the epidermis’ ability to continue to differentiate following warming.Human epidermal equivalent, EpiDerm (MatTek Corporation, Ashland, MA) consisting of fully differentiated stratified human epidermal cells were grown on a microporous membrane. EpiDerm samples were fixed before and after cold-storage (4°C) for 5 days in Hypothermosol or skin culture media (MatTek Corporation) and allowed to recover for 7 days at 37°C. EpiDerm samples were fixed 1 hour in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in sodium cacodylate buffer (pH 7.2). A secondary fixation with 0.2% ruthenium tetroxide (Polysciences, Inc., Warrington, PA) in sodium cacodylate was carried out for 3 hours at 4°C. Other samples were similarly fixed, but with 1% Osmium tetroxide in place of ruthenium tetroxide. Samples were dehydrated through a graded acetone series, infiltrated with Spurrs resin (Polysciences Inc.) and polymerized at 70°C.

High-Resolution electron crystallography of the light-harvesting chlorophyll-a/b protein complex from chloroplast membranes

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 610-610
Author(s):  
Werner Kühlbrandt ◽  
Da Neng Wang ◽  
K.H. Downing
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Electron Diffraction ◽  
Chlorophyll A ◽  
Protein Complex ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Light Harvesting ◽  
Lhc Ii ◽  
Diffraction Patterns ◽  
Difference Fourier ◽  
2D Crystals

The light-harvesting chlorophyll-a/b protein complex (LHC-II) is the most abundant membrane protein in the chloroplasts of green plants where it functions as a molecular antenna of solar energy for photosynthesis. We have grown two-dimensional (2d) crystals of the purified, detergent-solubilized LHC-II . The crystals which measured 5 to 10 μm in diameter were stabilized for electron microscopy by washing with a 0.5% solution of tannin. Electron diffraction patterns of untilted 2d crystals cooled to 130 K showed sharp spots to 3.1 Å resolution. Spot-scan images of 2d crystals were recorded at 160 K with the Berkeley microscope . Images of untilted crystals were processed, using the unbending procedure by Henderson et al . A projection map of the complex at 3.7Å resolution was generated from electron diffraction amplitudes and high-resolution phases obtained by image processing .A difference Fourier analysis with the same image phases and electron diffraction amplitudes recorded of frozen, hydrated specimens showed no significant differences in the 3.7Å projection map. Our tannin treatment therefore does not affect the structural integrity of the complex.

The Production of Gesture and Speech by People With Aphasia: Influence of Communicative Constraints

2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 4417-4432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carola de Beer ◽  
Jan P. de Ruiter ◽  
Martina Hielscher-Fastabend ◽  
Katharina Hogrefe
Keyword(s):  
Language Impairment ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Linguistic Performance ◽  
Task Effects ◽  
Communicative Abilities ◽  
Gesture Production ◽  
And Task ◽  
Group Effects

Purpose People with aphasia (PWA) use different kinds of gesture spontaneously when they communicate. Although there is evidence that the nature of the communicative task influences the linguistic performance of PWA, so far little is known about the influence of the communicative task on the production of gestures by PWA. We aimed to investigate the influence of varying communicative constraints on the production of gesture and spoken expression by PWA in comparison to persons without language impairment. Method Twenty-six PWA with varying aphasia severities and 26 control participants (CP) without language impairment participated in the study. Spoken expression and gesture production were investigated in 2 different tasks: (a) spontaneous conversation about topics of daily living and (b) a cartoon narration task, that is, retellings of short cartoon clips. The frequencies of words and gestures as well as of different gesture types produced by the participants were analyzed and tested for potential effects of group and task. Results Main results for task effects revealed that PWA and CP used more iconic gestures and pantomimes in the cartoon narration task than in spontaneous conversation. Metaphoric gestures, deictic gestures, number gestures, and emblems were more frequently used in spontaneous conversation than in cartoon narrations by both participant groups. Group effects show that, in both tasks, PWA's gesture-to-word ratios were higher than those for the CP. Furthermore, PWA produced more interactive gestures than the CP in both tasks, as well as more number gestures and pantomimes in spontaneous conversation. Conclusions The current results suggest that PWA use gestures to compensate for their verbal limitations under varying communicative constraints. The properties of the communicative task influence the use of different gesture types in people with and without aphasia. Thus, the influence of communicative constraints needs to be considered when assessing PWA's multimodal communicative abilities.

Assistive Technology for Cognition: Perspectives on Funding

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-89
Author(s):  
Kathy de Domingo
Keyword(s):  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Personal Digital Assistants ◽  
Speech Language Pathology ◽  
Prosthetic Devices ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Ankle Foot Orthoses ◽  
Language Pathology ◽  
Communication Challenges

Physical and occupational therapists commonly provide services that incorporate prosthetic and orthotic devices such as crutches, canes, reachers, and ankle–foot orthoses to support mobility and activities of daily living (ADLs). Likewise, speech-language pathologists provide services incorporating prosthetic devices to support communication such as an electrolarynx, microcomputers, and mobile devices and apps with voice output capability. Assistive technology for cognition (ATC) includes the use of personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablets, and smart phones — cognitive prostheses — to compensate for cognitive challenges following acquired brain injury (ABI). Whereas funding sources for devices and services that support/compensate for mobility, ADLs, and communication challenges are generally well established, funding for ATC devices and services is relatively new to the field of speech-language pathology. This article explores the funding aspect of ATC devices and services.

Comparative Analysis: The State of Colorado Study, Part II

2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Christopher R. Brigham ◽  
Kathryn Mueller ◽  
Douglas Van Zet ◽  
Debra J. Northrup ◽  
Edward B. Whitney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Daily Living ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Pain Syndrome ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Clinical Assessments ◽  
Physician Judgment ◽  
History Of ◽  
Key Terms ◽  
Causation Analysis ◽  
Work Interference

Abstract [Continued from the January/February 2004 issue of The Guides Newsletter.] To understand discrepancies in reviewers’ ratings of impairments based on different editions of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides), users can usefully study the history of the revisions as successive editions attempted to provide a comprehensive, valid, reliable, unbiased, and evidence-based system. Some shortcomings of earlier editions have been addressed in the AMA Guides, Fifth Edition, but problems remain with each edition, largely because of the limited scientific evidence available. In the context of the history of the different editions of the AMA Guides and their development, the authors discuss and contextualize a number of key terms and principles including the following: definitions of impairment and normal; activities of daily living; maximum medical improvement; impairment percentages; conversion of regional impairments; combining impairments; pain and other subjective complaints; physician judgment; and causation analysis; finally, the authors note that impairment is not synonymous with disability or work interference. The AMA Guides, Fifth Edition, contrasts impairment evaluations and independent medical evaluations (this was not done in previous editions) and discusses impairment evaluations, rules for evaluations, and report standards. Upper extremity and lower extremity impairment evaluations are discussed in terms of clinical assessments and rating processes, analyzing important changes between editions and problematic areas (eg, complex regional pain syndrome).

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