E-readers as an alternative to coloured overlays for developmental dyslexia in adolescents

This explorative study investigated whether there was a difference in reading speed and errors made when reading using a coloured overlay and reading using an e-reader for adolescents with developmental dyslexia. A clinical sample of adolescents (N = 17) aged 11-16 were used. It was found that there were only very small (non-significant) differences in the mean reading speeds and reading errors when reading using either a coloured overlay of any colour or on an e-reader. This suggests that coloured overlays and e-readers are equally effective interventions for developmental dyslexia. The application of e-readers in an educational setting is discussed

A revision on the doctrine of disability of mind

Does a person have the capacity to initiate his or her thinking process, of "getting into" some state of mind on his or her own accord? This is indeed the ancient philosophical question of whether at a most fundarnentallevel one is a free agent. If one is a free agent, it would appear that being free just within this sphere of one's self would make the most sense. AH the best arguments for free will suggest that freedom is a matter of one's control over one's consciousness. Philosophers as diverse as Aristotle, Kant, Sartre, and Hart seem to view the matter along such lines. The arguments about why determinism is selfrefuting do the same. And finally the occasional scientific accounts ofthe nature offree will also lead to this conclusion14. Perhaps the aboye adjustment will help further to preserve in law the notions of criminal responsibility as well as sensible excusing conditions based on disabilities of mind 15

Představení projektu icompose - integrované řízení sdruženého pohonu a duálního zdroje energie u plně elektrických vozidel

This paper introduces the current state of research project related to novel comprehensive energy management system for different drivetrain configurations (with single or multiple electric motors, 1 or 2 energy storage systems), which improves energy efficiency, driveability, safety and comfort of FEVs. This subject is currently investigated within the European Union (EU) funded Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) consortium iCOMPOSE, focused on the development and experimental testing of novel control strategies. Project is solved by consortium research public and private institutions/companies Kompetenzzentrum - Das virtuelle Fahrzeug ,Forschungsgesellschaft mbH; Univerzita v Surrey; Lotus Cars Limited; ŠKODA AUTO a.s., Flanders' Drive; Hutchinson SA, AVL List GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG; Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung E.V.Tento příspěvek přináší stručné představení výzkumného projektu iCOMPOSE financovaného 7. rámcovým programem Evropského společenství jako součást evropské Iniciativy za zelené automobily. Cílem projektu je vytvořit jednotný koncept kontrolního systému řízení spotřeby energie pro různé konfigurace pohonného systému (s jedním nebo více elektromotory a jedním či dvěma systémy skladování energie), což umožňuje zvýšit energetickou účinnost, jízdní vlastnosti, bezpečnost a pohodlí FEV. Projekt je řešen konsorciem partnerských společností a výzkumných institucí Kompetenzzentrum - Das virtuelle Fahrzeug ,Forschungsgesellschaft mbH; Univerzita v Surrey; Lotus Cars Limited; ŠKODA AUTO a.s., Flanders' Drive; Hutchinson SA, AVL List GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG; Fraunhofer- Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung E.V

Universal Reconfigurable Translator Module (URTM) Final Report

This report describes the Universal Reconfigurable Translation Module, or URTM. The URTM was developed by Sigma Space Corporation for NASA in order to translate specific serial protocols, both logically and physically. At present, the prototype configuration has targeted MIL-STD-1553B (RT and BC), IEEE 1394b (Firewire), and ECSS-E-50-12A (SpaceWire). The objectives of this program were to study the feasibility of a configurable URTM to translate serial link data as might be used in a space-flight mission and to design, develop, document, and deliver an engineering prototype model of the URTM with a path to spaceflight. By simply connecting two of the three Physical Interface Modules (PIM) on either end of the RPTM (Reconfigurable Protocol Translator Module), the URTM then self configures via a library of interface translation functions, thereby allowing the two data links to communicate seamlessly

Monocular and binocular visual impairment in the UK Biobank study: prevalence, associations and diagnoses

Objective; To determine the prevalence of, associations with and diagnoses leading to mild visual impairment or worse (logMAR >0.3) in middle-aged adults in the UK Biobank study. Methods and analysis; Prevalence estimates for monocular and binocular visual impairment were determined for the UK Biobank participants with fundus photographs and spectral domain optical coherence tomography images. Associations with socioeconomic, biometric, lifestyle and medical variables were investigated for cases with visual impairment and matched controls, using multinomial logistic regression models. Self-reported eye history and image grading results were used to identify the primary diagnoses leading to visual impairment for a sample of 25% of cases. Results; For the 65 033 UK Biobank participants, aged 40–69 years and with fundus images, 6682 (10.3%) and 1677 (2.6%) had mild visual impairment or worse in one or both eyes, respectively. Increasing deprivation, age and ethnicity were independently associated with both monocular and binocular visual impairment. No primary diagnosis for the recorded level of visual impairment could be identified for 49.8% of eyes. The most common identifiable diagnoses leading to visual impairment were cataract, amblyopia, uncorrected refractive error and vitreoretinal interface abnormalities. Conclusions; The prevalence of visual impairment in the UK Biobank study cohort is lower than for population-based studies from other industrialised countries. Monocular and binocular visual impairment are associated with increasing deprivation, age and ethnicity. The UK Biobank dataset does not allow confident identification of the causes of visual impairment, and the results may not be applicable to the wider UK population

Sleep apnoea and metabolic dysfunction.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a highly prevalent condition often associated with central obesity. In the past few years, several studies have analysed the potential independent contribution of OSA to the pathogenesis of metabolic abnormalities, including type 2 diabetes, the metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. New perspectives in OSA patient care have been opened by the promotion of lifestyle interventions, such as diet and exercise programmes that could improve both OSA and the metabolic profile. The rich clinical literature on this subject, together with the growing amount of data on pathophysiological mechanisms provided by animal studies using the chronic intermittent hypoxia model, urged the organising Committee of the Sleep and Breathing meeting to organise a session on sleep apnoea and metabolic dysfunction, in collaboration with the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. This review summarises the state-of-the-art lectures presented in the session, more specifically the relationship between OSA and diabetes, the role of OSA in the metabolic consequences of obesity, and the effects of lifestyle interventions on nocturnal respiratory disturbances and the metabolic profile in OSA patient

National Football League Skilled and Unskilled Positions Vary in Opportunity and Yield in Return to Play After an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury.

BACKGROUND: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries pose a significant risk to the careers of players in the National Football League (NFL). The relationships between draft round and position on return to play (RTP) among NFL players are not well understood, and the ability to return to preinjury performance levels remains unknown for most positions. PURPOSE: To test for differences in RTP rates and changes in performance after an ACL injury by position and draft round. We hypothesized that skilled positions would return at a lower rate compared to unskilled positions. We further hypothesized that early draft-round status would relate to a greater rate of RTP and that skilled positions and a lower draft round would correlate with decreased performance for players who return to sport. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: Utilizing a previously established database of publicly available information regarding ACL tears among NFL players, athletes with ACL tears occurring between the 2010 and 2013 seasons were identified. Generalized linear models and Kaplan-Meier time-to-event models were used to test the study hypotheses. RESULTS: The overall RTP rate was 61.7%, with skilled players and unskilled players returning at rates of 64.1% and 60.4%, respectively (P = .74). Early draft-round players and unskilled late draft-round players had greater rates of RTP compared to skilled late draft-round players and both unskilled and skilled undrafted free agents (UDFAs). Skilled early draft-round players constituted the only cohort that played significantly fewer games after an injury. Unskilled UDFAs constituted the only cohort to show a significant increase in the number of games started and ratio of games started to games played, starting more games in which they played, after an injury. CONCLUSION: Early draft-round and unskilled players were more likely to return compared to their later draft-round and skilled peers. Skilled early draft-round players, who displayed relatively high rates of RTP, constituted the only cohort to show a decline in performance. Unskilled UDFAs, who exhibited relatively low rates of RTP, constituted the only cohort to show an increase in performance. The significant effect of draft round and position type on RTP may be caused by a combination of differences in talent levels and in opportunities given to returning to play