The Influence of Altered-Gravity on Bimanual Coordination: Retention and Transfer

Many of the activities associated with spaceflight require individuals to coordinate actions between the limbs (e.g., controlling a rover, landing a spacecraft). However, research investigating the influence of gravity on bimanual coordination has been limited. The current experiment was designed to determine an individual’s ability to adapt to altered-gravity when performing a complex bimanual force coordination task, and to identify constraints that influence coordination dynamics in altered-gravity. A tilt table was used to simulate gravity on Earth [90° head-up tilt (HUT)] and microgravity [6° head-down tilt (HDT)]. Right limb dominant participants (N = 12) were required to produce 1:1 in-phase and 1:2 multi-frequency force patterns. Lissajous information was provided to guide performance. Participants performed 14, 20 s trials at 90° HUT (Earth). Following a 30-min rest period, participants performed, for each coordination pattern, two retention trials (Earth) followed by two transfer trials in simulated microgravity (6° HDT). Results indicated that participants were able to transfer their training performance during the Earth condition to the microgravity condition with no additional training. No differences between gravity conditions for measures associated with timing (interpeak interval ratio, phase angle slope ratio) were observed. However, despite the effective timing of the force pulses, there were differences in measures associated with force production (peak force, STD of peak force mean force). The results of this study suggest that Lissajous displays may help counteract manual control decrements observed during microgravity. Future work should continue to explore constraints that can facilitate or interfere with bimanual control performance in altered-gravity environments.

A Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Dynamic Numerical Optimization of the Risks of Stope Blasting Based on FOA-GRNN

The fruit fly optimization algorithm-general regression neural network (FOA-GRNN) coupled model and the Finite Element Method-Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (FEM-SPH) numerical calculation method are comprehensively used. The control problem of blasting vibration in the process of mining hidden resources under complex environmental conditions has been studied. Taking a lead-zinc mine as the engineering background, the development of hidden resources in the collapse area due to unreasonable mining was studied. Based on the establishment of the first mining stope and its mining method in this area, biosimulation and generalized neural networks were introduced to solve this problem, the coupling of blasting parameters was analyzed, and the 3D nonlinear dynamic coupling model was constructed for numerical simulation. The results show that the blasting parameters of deep-hole mining were optimized, including the values of six output quantities: hole distance, row spacing, side hole distance, explosive unit consumption, minimum resistance line, and interval ratio (the Root Mean Squared Error value is only 0.051). The error between the network optimization parameters and the empirically obtained values was controlled to within 0.05; five possible edge-hole charge structures were designed (the interval ratio is 0.696), and the vibration velocity peak and pressure peak variations with time after detonation are reflected by the simulation results. The dynamic evolution law of the rock mass velocity vector and the damage of the rock damage was revealed. According to the analysis in this paper, the smallest and optimal edge-hole charge structure of the surrounding rock was obtained.

On the Roles of Complexity and Symmetry in Cued Tapping of Well-formed Complex Rhythms

Production of relatively few rhythms with non-isochronous beats has been studied. So we assess reproduction of most well-formed looped rhythms comprising K=2-11 cues (a uniform piano tone, indicating where participants should tap) and N=3-13 isochronous pulses (a uniform cymbal). Each rhythm had two different cue interonset intervals. We expected that many of the rhythms would be difficult to tap, because of ambiguous non-isochronous beats and syncopations, and that complexity and asymmetry would predict performance. 111 participants tapped 91 rhythms each heard over 129 pulses, starting as soon as they could. Whereas tap-cue concordance in prior studies was generally >> 90%, here only 52.2% of cues received a temporally congruent tap, and only 63% of taps coincided with a cue. Only −2 ms mean tap asynchrony was observed (whereas for non-musicians this value is usually c. −50 ms). Performances improved as rhythms progressed and were repeated, but precision varied substantially between participants and rhythms. Performances were autoregressive and mixed effects cross-sectional time series analyses retaining the integrity of all the individual time series revealed that performance worsened as complexity features K, N, and cue inter-onset interval entropy increased. Performance worsened with increasing R, the Long: short (L: s) cue interval ratio of each rhythm (indexing both complexity and asymmetry). Rhythm evenness and balance, and whether N was divisible by 2 or 3, were not useful predictors. Tap velocities positively predicted cue fulfilment. Our data indicate that study of a greater diversity of rhythms can broaden our impression of rhythm cognition.

Implementasi Financial Literacy Dalam Upaya Meningkatkan Financial Performance Pada Keberlangsungan Usaha Koperasi

The purpose of this research is to know the level of implementation of cooperative’s financial literacy in an effort to increase financial performance in cooperative’s business sustainability at the GKSI West Java Regional. Based on the research result that the level of financial literacy of administrators and managers are in Sufficient Literate (Quite Intellect), afterwards there are also supported by the indirect cash flow data which is in the third (3) cash flow pattern, it means the operating cash flow and financing cash flow is in positive (+) pattern, however the investment cash flow is in negative (-) pattern. Based on the financial performance from liquidity ratio, the cooperative is in very unwell criteria because the cooperative’s interval ratio is >300%, and from the activity ratio, the cooperative is in very unwell criteria because the cooperative’s interval ratio is <6 times, and from the leverage ratio, the cooperative is in well criteria because the cooperative’s interval ratio is <40%, and from the profitability ratio, the cooperative is in very unwell criteria because the cooperative’s interval ratio is <3%. Based on trend analysis, the sales forecasting rate for the next 5 years will be decreased every year. Then, it can be concluded that the administrators and managers have to reincrease their financial literacy to increase financial performance in its cooperative’s business sustainability.

Senioritas Auditor, Pengalaman Auditor Dan Keahlian Auditor Terhadap Profesional Judgment Dengan Locus of Control Sebagai Variabel Moderasi

The purpose of this research is to see the effect of auditor seniority, experience, expertise of auditors on professional judgment with locus of control as a moderating variable (a case study of the DKI Jakarta area public accounting firm). The research method used is quantitative research with a survey research form. The research technique in this study used a survey method, which aims to collect information from respondents using a questionnaire containing a list of statements submitted directly to the respondent. Data analysis in this study used the Partial Least Square (PLS) method. PLS can be used in any type of data (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio) as well as less rigid and more flexible assumption requirements. The results of this study indicate that auditor seniority has no significant effect on professional judgment, but auditor experience and auditor expertise have a significant effect on professional judgment, whereas Locus of Control is unable to moderate the effect of auditor seniority, auditor experience, auditor expertise on professional judgment.

Evaluation of inflammatory and cardiac-electrophysiological markers in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis

Background: The Tp-e/QT (peak to end of T-wave duration/QT interval) ratio is a promising marker of myocardial repolarization and ventricular arrhythmogenesis. Its elevation is associated with sudden cardiac death in different clinical conditions. This study was designed to assess the possible association between increased Tp-e/QT ratio and clinical factors in peritoneal dialysis patients. Materials & methods: We devised a prospective cross-sectional study, which included 107 patients who were divided into groups according to their Tp-e/QT ratio. The association of an increased Tp-e/QT ratio with related factors was analyzed with multivariate logistic regression. Results: Thirty-one patients, who had an elevated Tp-e/QT ratio, showed higher values of IL-6, left ventricular end-systolic diameter, Tp-e, percentage of diabetes mellitus, coronary artery calcification, and left ventricular ejection fraction. Multivariate analysis revealed that IL-6 was an independent risk factor for a higher Tp-e/QT ratio after adjustments. Conclusion: Our study revealed that a high serum IL-6 level in peritoneal dialysis patients increased the risk of a higher Tp-e/QT ratio, which indicated a potentially hazardous interplay between inflammation and arrhythmogenesis.

Suitability of Ultra-Short-Term Heart Rate Variability in Military Trainees

We aimed to (a) evaluate the agreement between ultra-short-term and criterion resting heart rate variability (HRV) measures in military trainees, and (b) compare associations between HRV recording lengths and body composition. HRV recordings were performed for 10 min in 27 military male students. Mean RR interval, the root-mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), RMSSD:RR interval ratio, standard deviation of normal-to-normal RR intervals (SDNN), and SDNN:RR interval ratio were determined from the last 5 min of the 10-min recording and considered the criterion. Parameters were also recorded in successive 1-min epochs from the 5-min stabilization period. No differences were observed between criterion values and any of the 1-min epochs (p > 0.05). Effect sizes ranged from −0.36–0.35. Intra-class correlations ranged from 0.83–0.99. Limits of agreement ranged from 38.3–78.4 ms for RR interval, 18.8–30.0 ms for RMSSD, 1.9–3.1 for RMSSD:RR, 24.1–31.4 ms for SDNN, and 2.5–3.0 for SDNN:RR. Body fat% was associated (p < 0.05) with all HRV parameters at varying time segments. A 1-min HRV recording preceded by a 1-min stabilization period seems to be a suitable alternative to criterion measures. Ultra-short procedures may facilitate routine HRV tracking in tactical populations for status-monitoring purposes.

Measurement Essentials in a Nutshell

A quick introduction to scales of measurement, ordinal, interval, ratio, and absolute, and related issues of meaningfulness as invariance.

Association of Mild Hyperbilirubinemia with Decreased ECG-Based Ventricular Repolarization Parameters in Young Men

Objective Hyperbilirubinemia is associated with protection against various oxidative stress-mediated diseases. We aimed to investigate the association between bilirubin and novel electrocardiography (ECG)-based ventricular repolarization parameters. Methods We enrolled 201 healthy men with mild hyperbilirubinemia (group 1) and 219 healthy men with normal bilirubin levels (group 2). The Tpeak-Tend (Tp-e) interval (defined as the interval from the peak of the T wave to the end of the T wave), corrected (c) Tp-e interval, QT interval, cQT interval, and Tp-e interval/QT interval ratio were measured from leads V5 and V6 with 20 mm/mV amplitude and 50 mm/second rate. Results The Tp-e interval, cTp-e interval, and Tp-e interval/QT interval ratio were significantly lower in group 1 compared with group 2. The cTp-e interval showed a significant negative correlation with total bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin, and unconjugated bilirubin. The cTp-e interval (odds ratio [OR], 0.900; P =.002) and Tp-e interval/QT interval ratio (OR, 0.922; P =.04) were significantly associated with mild hyperbilirubinemia. Conclusion We showed the association of mild hyperbilirubinemia with decreased novel ECG-based ventricular repolarization parameters.