Exploring the association between working memory and driving performance in Parkinson's disease

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore whether varying levels of operational and tactical driving task demand differentially affect drivers with Parkinson's disease (PD) and control drivers in their sign recall.

Methods: Study participants aged between 50 and 70 years included a group of drivers with PD (n = 10) and a group of age- and sex-matched control drivers (n = 10). Their performance in a sign recall task was measured using a driving simulator.

Results: Drivers in the control group performed better than drivers with PD in a sign recall task, but this trend was not statistically significant (P =.43). In addition, regardless of group membership, subjects' performance differed according to varying levels of task demand. Performance in the sign recall task was more likely to drop with increasing task demand (P =.03). This difference was significant when the variation in task demand was associated with a cognitive task; that is, when drivers were required to apply the instructions from working memory.

Conclusions: Although the conclusions drawn from this study are tentative, the evidence presented here is encouraging with regard to the use of a driving simulator to examine isolated cognitive functions underlying driving performance in PD. With an understanding of its limitations, such driving simulation in combination with functional assessment batteries measuring physical, visual, and cognitive abilities could comprise one component of a multitiered system to evaluate medical fitness to drive.     

北京市典型废弃物焚烧源2010—2017年二NFDA1英排放特征和减排效果分析

分析2010—2017年北京市三类典型废弃物焚烧源的废气二NFDA1英排放监测数据,计算排放因子和排放量,评估减排政策成效,并分析不同排放源达标排放时同类物分布特征异同和变化规律,探讨影响排放的重要因素。结果表明: 5家焚烧源平均排放浓度为 0.008～0.069 ng/m³(以TEQ计,下同),废气二NFDA1英排放因子为 0.027～1.7 μg/t,2016年向空气中排放的二NFDA1英量为 0.002 5～0.058 g;生活垃圾、危险废物和医疗废物焚烧源的低、高氯代同类物质量分数比的平均值分别为接近于 0.5、大于0.5和小于0.5,危险废物焚烧源的 ∑PCDFs、∑PCDDs质量分数比的平均值大于2; 123478-HxCDF和123678-HxCDF质量浓度接近且线性相关,具有相近的生成机理和去除效率; I-TEQ变化趋势与∑PCDFs质量分数的变化趋势基本一致,活性炭喷射和布袋除尘的去除效率是影响二NFDA1英排放的重要因素之一;危险废物焚烧源HWI1随运行时间增加排放浓度增加,而及时更换烟道管壁有助于消除“记忆效应”的不良影响。     

邻苯二甲酸二丁酯影响阿尔茨海默病大鼠学习记忆能力的分子机制研究

为探究邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(DBP)影响阿尔茨海默病(AD)大鼠学习记忆能力的分子机制,将56只SPF级5～6周龄雌性Wistar大鼠随机平均分为7组:阴性对照组、0.25 mg·kg-1·d-1 DBP 组、2.5 mg·kg-1·d-1 DBP 组、25 mg·kg-1·d-1 DBP 组、250 mg·kg-1·d-...     

平板及焊缝中裂纹磁记忆检测技术研究

为了将磁记忆技术用于裂纹缺陷的检测领域,应用试验研究和有限元分析相结合的方法,分析裂纹的深度、埋深、宽度以及扫描角度对平板中裂纹磁记忆检测的影响。针对45号钢板建立深度和宽度2个影响参量与磁记忆信号之间的量化关系。沿焊缝长度方向和垂直焊缝长度方向对焊接裂纹进行磁记忆检测,研究焊接裂纹的检测方法和信号特征。提出根据局部波形呈现正弦波形态判别缺陷的方法。研究结果表明,用磁记忆检测技术能够对裂纹进行定位,并根据波形信号特征量对裂纹深度、宽度进行量化评价。     

近场长周期强地震动幅值谱研究

本文研究了近场长周期强地震动加速度的傅氏谱和功率谱模型及其参数估计方法,基于强地震动参数统计上的无向性,提出了一种结合地震学模拟模型和工程学统计回归模型的综合方法。文中定义了强地震动平稳段均方根加速度的计算方法,并通过均方根加速度建立了震源力学参数和强地震动工程参数间的关系。通过对目前使用的主观持时定义的应用分析,指出主观持时定义使得估计的地震动过程的峰值加速度的变异性与实际地震动过程的峰值加速度的变异性有显著不同,明显偏小,这对于结构抗震可靠度分析可能会得到失效概度偏小的结果,应引起工程界的重视。     

Influence of visual clutter on the effect of navigated safety inspection: a case study on elevator installation

Introduction. Navigated safety inspection based on task-specific checklists can increase the hazard detection rate, theoretically with interference from scene complexity. Visual clutter, a proxy of scene complexity, can theoretically impair visual search performance, but its impact on the effect of safety inspection performance remains to be explored for the optimization of navigated inspection. This research aims to explore whether the relationship between working memory and hazard detection rate is moderated by visual clutter. Methods. Based on a perceptive model of hazard detection, we: (a) developed a mathematical influence model for construction hazard detection; (b) designed an experiment to observe the performance of hazard detection rate with adjusted working memory under different levels of visual clutter, while using an eye-tracking device to observe participants’ visual search processes; (c) utilized logistic regression to analyze the developed model under various visual clutter. Conclusion. The effect of a strengthened working memory on the detection rate through increased search efficiency is more apparent in high visual clutter. This study confirms the role of visual clutter in construction-navigated inspections, thus serving as a foundation for the optimization of inspection planning.     

Suppression of flame propagation in a long duct by inertia isolation with inert gases

Experimental studies were done with a small pipe with a diameter of 0.043 m and a large pipe with a diameter of 0.49 m to demonstrate the flame propagation suppression with inertia isolation in a long duct. Tests were carried in an ignition section containing propylene/air mixture near stoichiometric concentration and generating a peak flame propagation speed of approximately 100 m/s. The ignition section is connected to a section filled with an inert gas, another section with flammable mixtures, and finally a sufficiently long, ambient section to accommodate flame propagation. The critical length of the inert gas section required for successful suppression of flame from the igniting the flammable section is found to be 0.6 m for CO₂ and 0.9 m for N₂ in the large pipe and 0.2 m for CO₂ and 0.3 m for N₂ in the small pipe. Additional tests with a 3 m of ignition section and peak flame propagation speed of 225 m/s showed that the critical length for successful suppression by CO₂ is only increased slightly to 0.9 m, confirming that the suppression is a result of inertia isolation rather than inert gas dilution. Finally, application of the results in responding to large-scale leak into a long, underground duct is discussed.     

远程监控城乡管网饮用水的低量色度

选用480 nm单色光及长光程技术进行吸光光度分析,测定水质色度。通过对比普通分光光度法可知,吸光光度测试的光程长度增加10倍,测试灵敏度显著提高,从而保证低色度饮用水(30度)的测定精准度。监测的色度数据利用GSM无线通信传输系统,可实现对水质色度监测结果的远程实时动态遥传,为预警突发性水污染事故提供数据支撑。     

深水钻井隔水管磁记忆内检测装置研发及应用

为了解决深水钻井隔水管裂纹、磨损、疲劳损伤等检测难题,基于磁记忆检测技术研制1种内检测器.其主要结构包括:数据采集腔,周向布置的60路GMR高灵敏度传感器,导向支撑轮,吊装牵拉钩等.该设备可以在不拆卸浮力块的情况下完成隔水管内壁的覆盖式扫查.结果表明:检测器具备较高的可靠性,操作简单、检测效率高;检测数据可以有效反映隔...     

应用形状记忆合金-橡胶复合支座的结构隔震

对橡胶支座存在的问题进行了分析，介绍了SMA-橡胶复合支座的基本构造和工作原理，建立了设置不同支座的单自由度结构的运动方程。应用大型有限元软件ANSYS对分别设置固定支座、普通叠层橡胶支座和形状记忆合金（SMA）-橡胶复合支座这3种不同支承条件的结构进行了，单向地震作用下的隔震仿真模拟，及节点位移和加速度的时程分析。分析表明，SMA-橡胶复合支座和普通叠层橡胶支座都能有效地减小结构的位移和加速度反应，而SMA-橡胶复合支座比普通叠层橡胶支座能更有效地减小结构的绝对位移反应，防止因隔震层位移过大而导致支座失稳。