Cycle Ergometer and Voluntary Hyperventilation Exercises in Patients With Chronic Airflow Obstruction. Design of a Randomized Controlled Trial

A strategy to investigate the effect of two exercise modes upon patients with chronic airflow obstruction (CAD) is developed. The difficulties in defining and diagnosing the various pathological entities covered by the umbrella term CAO are discussed. Following a review of the published studies of endurance exercise in the before mentioned patient population a clinical problem is identified. Cycle ergometer exercise and voluntary hyperventilation were the two modalities chosen to be investigated. A 2² factorial design is selected in order that both modalities may be efficiently studied, singly and in combination, with the inclusion of a placebo exercise group. A statistical method is depcribed for measuring agreement between two technicians conducting a test identifying the diagnostic inclusion criteria. An additional criterion for entry into the study will be inclusion of only those patients who are particularly likely to maintain the randomly assigned maneuver. This will be determined by the response to carried out a pre-experimental sequence of three weekly test events carried out current to a CAO stabilization period. The intensity of the exercise will be established using a standardized progressive exercise test and a maximum sustainea ventilatory capacity procedure. The choice of the three dutcomes was based upon a more total definition of rehabilitation. The three primary outcomes are endurance as measured by both a twelve minute walking test and a progressive multistage treadmill test. The patients' perception of their social, emotional and physical function in response to the exercise regimen is additionally measured using a health index questionnaire.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD

Investigating the interaction between personalities and the benefit of gamification

Many studies have confirmed the benefit of gamification on learners’ motivation. However, gamification may also demotivate some learners, or learners may focus on the gamification elements instead of the learning content. Some researchers have recommended building learner models that can be used to adapt gamification elements based on learners’ personalities. Building such a model requires a strong understanding of the relationship between gamification and personality. Existing empirical work has focused on measuring knowledge gain and learner preference. These findings may not be reliable because the analyses are based on learners who complete the study and because they rely on self-report from learners. This preliminary study explores a different approach by allowing learners to drop out at any time and then uses the number of students left as a proxy for motivation and engagement. Survival analysis is used to analyse the data. The results confirm the benefits of gamification and provide some pointers to how this varies with personality

Can Large Retailers Localize Supply Chains? A Case Analysis of the Challenges Facing One Canadian Retailer

Extensive access to a major Canadian retailer (referred to as the Company) provided an opportunity to understand more fully its challenges when buying local food. Many of the Company volume and quality requirements of vendors are difficult to meet because they require a scale sophistication that is typically absent for local growers. Particularly challenging are the needs to lengthen product life, coordinate transport, and aggregate supply. Liability associated with spoiled product is especially onerous for small growers. Using a value supply-chain framework (Stevenson & Pirog, 2008), we conclude that the steps taken by the retailer toward localization will not be successful without significant investments in product differentiation, the financial health of their supplier base, strategic alliances, and shared governance

Can Large Retailers Localize Supply Chains? A Case Analysis of the Challenges Facing One Canadian Retailer

Extensive access to a major Canadian retailer (referred to as the Company) provided an opportunity to understand more fully its challenges when buying local food. Many of the Company volume and quality requirements of vendors are difficult to meet because they require a scale sophistication that is typically absent for local growers. Particularly challenging are the needs to lengthen product life, coordinate transport, and aggregate supply. Liability associated with spoiled product is especially onerous for small growers. Using a value supply-chain framework (Stevenson & Pirog, 2008), we conclude that the steps taken by the retailer toward localization will not be successful without significant investments in product differentiation, the financial health of their supplier base, strategic alliances, and shared governance

A Time-Course-Based Estimation of the Human Medial Olivocochlear Reflex Function Using Clicks

The auditory efferent system, especially the medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR), is implicated in both typical auditory processing and in auditory disorders in animal models. Despite the significant strides in both basic and translational research on the MOCR, its clinical applicability remains under-utilized in humans due to the lack of a recommended clinical method. Conventional tests employ broadband noise in one ear while monitoring change in otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) in the other ear to index efferent activity. These methods, (1) can only assay the contralateral MOCR pathway and (2) are unable to extract the kinetics of the reflexes. We have developed a method that re-purposes the same OAE-evoking click-train to also concurrently elicit bilateral MOCR activity. Data from click-train presentations at 80 dB peSPL at 62.5 Hz in 13 young normal-hearing adults demonstrate the feasibility of our method. Mean MOCR magnitude (1.7 dB) and activation time-constant (0.2 s) are consistent with prior MOCR reports. The data also suggest several advantages of this method including, (1) the ability to monitor MEMR, (2) obtain both magnitude and kinetics (time constants) of the MOCR, (3) visual and statistical confirmation of MOCR activation.</jats:p

Linearity of a Ka band SiGe receiver

A 30 to 40 GHz receiver fabricated in SiGe is presented. The receiver contains an LO-tripler-amplifier, balanced mixer and LNA. Measured data is presented for the complete receiver and for the LO tripier-amplifier subcircuit. Comparisons are made with simulation. The receiver has measured mid-band conversion gain of 18 dB, IIP3 of -10 dBm and lIPS of -14 dBm.2 page(s