Normative Values for 18-30 Age Group of Benton Visual Retention Test Scores and Pre-morbid Intelligence Quotients: New Data Comparisons for Diagnosing Memory and Visual Spatial Deficits in Alzheimer's Disease and Stroke

The Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) is a well known test used to assess visual memory deficits and visual spatial abilities in patients. Normative data for the 18-30 age group is not presently covered thoroughly; hence, this study continues the work of previous series that examined data comprising BVRT scores, intelligence quotients (IQ), anxiety and depression levels, and gender effects. Correlations between pre-morbid estimates of IQ across different BVRT administrations were examined and discussed in order to compile a database of new data comparisons for this age group

Normative Values for 18-30 Ages of Benton Visual Retention Test Correct Scores and Intelligence Quotients: A Short Report for Clinical Comparison

The Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) is a well known test used to assess visual memory deficits and visual spatial abilities in patients. There is normative data available for the 18-30 age range though it is not comprehensive and does not cover the higher intelligence quotient ranges. Findings from two studies are presented in combination for use as normative correct score values

Are Mock Jurors Influenced by the Defendants Gender, Socio-Economic Status and Emotional State in Forensic Medicine?

The aim of this study was to investigate whether mock jurors’ decisions were affected by the defendant’s gender, socio-economic status and emotional state in mock cases. The implications are far reaching, especially in trials that involve forensic medicine. An experimental design was used where a total of 24 participants from Bournemouth University took part, and were assigned to one of four groups. In these groups, the three independent variables were manipulated. Participants were presented with two murder/manslaughter cases. The results suggest male defendants received harsher judgements than female defendants. More female defendants were found not guilty than male defendants. Male defendants from a high socio-economic background received harsher judgements than male defendants from a low socio-economic background. Female defendants from a low socio-economic background received harsher judgements than female defendants from a high socio-economic background. Female defendants were found to be more trustworthy than male defendants. These findings are discussed are discussed in the context of the jury’s verdict, sentence length and personal opinion of the defendant

The importance of incorporating technological advancements into the artificial eye process: a perspective commentary

Application of technology into healthcare has typically been targeted to high demand illnesses and treatments. However, with an increasing need to meet patient’s expectations combined with increased accessibility and reduced costs, smaller healthcare fields are starting to investigate its function and usability. Services have historically been led by skills and expertise, and recent developments are being seen by ocularists in the field of prosthetic eyes who acknowledge the potential benefit from technological advancement. Utilising the technologies recently investigated in maxillofacial prosthesis can start the evolutionary process where products are continually re-designed and re-developed to achieve excellent patient outcome and satisfaction levels

Establishing normative values for 18-35 years age in neuropsychological tests used with head and brain injury patients during cognitive rehabilitation: Benton Visual Retention Test and National Adult Reading Test

The Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) is a neuropsychological assessment of visuo-spatial and visuo-memory ability. Claims of high reliability and validity are based on solitary samples representative of a wide age range. This study validated theBVRTagainst the National Adult Reading Test (NART), a highly validated and reliable test of estimated pre-morbid IQ in an age-specific group of participants (18-35 years). Using Between-subjects factorial design, fifty-three participants (24 female, 29 male) aged 18-35 years (inclusive) were administered the NART and 3 administrations of the BVRT. Significant positive correlations were found betweenBVRTError scores and NART Error scores for administrations B and C of theBVRTwhich is when presented stimuli are followed by a short time delay before allowing respondents to recall. Significant negative correlations were found over these administrations forBVRTCorrect scores and NART Error scores. No significant relationship was found between depression and performance on theBVRT. However, a weak, non-significant relationship was found between anxiety andBVRTperformance. The BVRTis a well-validated and highly reliable neuropsychological test of visuo-spatial and visuo-memory abilities. Findings provide new data for the 18-35 years age group as well as providing a cautionary note on the possible influence of anxiety on performance levels in light of the frequent occurrence of anxiety post-neurological injury

Scoping Review of the development of artificial eyes throughout the years

Losing an eye following trauma can lead to profound psychosocial difficulties making it imperative for the wearer to be fitted with an aesthetically pleasing custom-made artificial eye. Despite recent technological advancements, current design and manufacturing processes have remained unchanged in over 55 years. With the aim of portraying current knowledge regarding the development of artificial eyes in order to aid future development, a scooping review was conducted. Six online search engines were used: Scopus, PubMed, MedLine Complete, Web of Science, Science Direct and Google Scholar. Thirty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria and underwent numerical and thematic analysis with three thematic themes emerging. History and the current process of artificial eyes has been well documented, however, the impact of wearing artificial eyes is sparse. On-going research and development into the design and manufacturing processes of artificial eyes and the psychosocial impact of wearing an artificial eye is needed

Retinoblastoma: Identifying the Diagnostic Signs for Early Treatment

Retinoblastoma is a rare but significant cause of childhood eye cancer world-wide. The prognosis depends upon early diagnosis and treatment but also upon accurate classification of the tumours. Unilateral incidence is normally non-hereditary compared with bilateral incidence where secondary tumours are more common. Survivorship is much better for unilateral compared with bilateral and trilateral retinoblastoma. Early signs are important to detect and photography can assist in identifying no return of “red-eye” during flash photography and yellow appearance of the tumour. Treatment options are discussed together with new psycho-oncology approaches that address potential trauma in the survivor as well as in the family of the survivor

Questionnaire study to gain an insight into the manufacturing and fitting process of artificial eyes in children: an ocularist perspective

Purpose To gain an insight into the manufacturing and fitting of artificial eyes in children and potential improvements to the process. Method An online qualitative survey was distributed to 39 ocularists/prosthetists in Europe and Canada. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling, specifically maximum variation sampling from the researcher’s contacts and an online search. Results The findings highlighted the current impression technique as being the most difficult yet most important part of the current process for both the ocularist and child patient. Negatively affecting obtaining a good impression, the child patients distress can be reduced by their parents by providing encouragement, reassurance, practicing the insertion and removal of the artificial eye and being matter of fact. Whilst improvements to the current process provided mixed views, the incorporation of current technology was perceived as not being able to meet the requirements to produce aesthetically pleasing artificial eyes. Conclusion The current artificial eye process can be seen as an interaction with its success being dependent on the child patient’s acceptance and adjustment which is dependent on the factors associated to the process. Investigation into the needs of the patient and whether technology can improve the process are the next steps in its advancement

Maternal age effect and severe germ-line bottleneck in the inheritance of human mitochondrial DNA

The manifestation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diseases depends on the frequency of heteroplasmy (the presence of several alleles in an individual), yet its transmission across generations cannot be readily predicted owing to a lack of data on the size of the mtDNA bottleneck during oogenesis. For deleterious heteroplasmies, a severe bottleneck may abruptly transform a benign (low) frequency in a mother into a disease-causing (high) frequency in her child. Here we present a high-resolution study of heteroplasmy transmission conducted on blood and buccal mtDNA of 39 healthy mother–child pairs of European ancestry (a total of 156 samples, each sequenced at ∼20,000× per site). On average, each individual carried one heteroplasmy, and one in eight individuals carried a disease-associated heteroplasmy, with minor allele frequency ≥1%. We observed frequent drastic heteroplasmy frequency shifts between generations and estimated the effective size of the germ-line mtDNA bottleneck at only ∼30–35 (interquartile range from 9 to 141). Accounting for heteroplasmies, we estimated the mtDNA germ-line mutation rate at 1.3 × 10−8 (interquartile range from 4.2 × 10−9 to 4.1 × 10−8) mutations per site per year, an order of magnitude higher than for nuclear DNA. Notably, we found a positive association between the number of heteroplasmies in a child and maternal age at fertilization, likely attributable to oocyte aging. This study also took advantage of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to validate heteroplasmies and confirm a de novo mutation. Our results can be used to predict the transmission of disease-causing mtDNA variants and illuminate evolutionary dynamics of the mitochondrial genome

Gravity changes from a stress evolution earthquake simulation of California

The gravity signal contains information regarding changes in density at all depths and can be used as a proxy for the strain accumulation in fault networks. A stress evolution time-dependent model was used to create simulated slip histories over the San Andreas Fault network in California. Using a linear sum of the gravity signals from each fault segment in the model, via coseismic gravity Green's functions, a time-dependent gravity model was created. The steady state gravity from the long-term plate motion generates a signal over 5 years with magnitudes of ±~2 μGal; the current limit of portable instrument observations. Moderate to large events generate signal magnitudes in the range of ~10 to ~80 μGal, well within the range of ground-based observations. The complex fault network geometry of California significantly affects the spatial extent of the gravity signal from the three events studied.Peer reviewe