Designing inclusive products for everyday environments: the effects of everyday cold temperatures on older adults’ dexterity

This paper focuses on the effect that an everyday cold temperature (5 °C) can have on older adults’ (+65 years) dexterous capabilities and the implications for design. Fine finger capability, power and pinch grip were measured using objective performance measures. Ability to perform tasks using a mobile phone, stylus, touch screen and garden secateurs were also measured. All measures were performed in a climatic cold chamber regulated at 5 °C and in a thermo-neutral environment regulated between 19 °C and 24 °C. Participants were exposed to the cold for a maximum of 40 min. Results from the study showed that older adults’ fine finger dexterity, ability to pick up and place objects and ability to use a mobile phone were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by an everyday cold temperature of 5 °C when compared to performance in the thermo-neutral environment. However, power and pinch grip strength and ability to use the gardening secateurs were not significantly affected by the cold. Based on these findings, the following guidance is offered to designers developing products that are likely to be used outside in an everyday cold environment: (1) minimise the number of product interactions that require precise fine finger movements; (2) try to avoid small controls that have to be pressed in a sequence; (3) maximise the number of product interactions that can be operated through either exerting a gripping action (power or pinch grip) or by gross hand and arm movements.     

Consumer acceptance of dairy products with a saturated fatty acid–reduced,monounsaturated fatty acid–enriched content

Agriculture-based reformulation initiatives, including oleic acid–rich lipid supplementation of the dairy cow diet, provide a novel means for reducing intake of saturated fatty acids (SFA) at a population level. In a blinded manner, this study evaluated the consumer acceptance of SFA-reduced, monounsaturated fatty acid–enriched (modified) milk, Cheddar cheese, and butter when compared with control and commercially available comparative samples. The effect of providing nutritional information about the modified cheese was also evaluated. Consumers (n = 115) rated samples for overall liking (appearance, flavor, and texture) using 9-point hedonic scales. Although no significant differences were found between the milk samples, the modified cheese was liked significantly less than a regular-fat commercial alternative for overall liking and liking of specific modalities and had a lower liking of texture score compared with the control cheese. The provision of health information significantly increased the overall liking of the modified cheese compared with tasting the same sample in a blinded manner. Significant differences were evident between the butter samples for overall liking and modalities of liking; all of the samples were significantly more liked than the commercial butter and sunflower oil spread. In conclusion, this study illustrated that consumer acceptance of SFA-reduced, monounsaturated fatty acid–enriched dairy products was dependent on product type. Future research should consider how optimization of the textural properties of fatty acid–modified (and fat-reduced) cheese might enhance consumer acceptance of this product.     

Effect of strain on the properties of a styrene–butadiene rubber filled with multiwall carbon nanotubes

Multiwall carbon nanotubes were dispersed in a styrene–butadiene copolymer. The effect of nanotube concentration on the tensile characteristics of the composites was examined. Electrical properties carried out under uniaxial extension show an increase in resistivity upon gradual stretching. A second stretch performed after total release of the stress was shown to lead to a flat response in resistivity. Atomic force microscopy was used to examine orientational effects and changes in filler structure occurring upon application of an uniaxial deformation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

The role and uses of technologies in mathematics classrooms: Between challenge and modus Vivendi

Abstract

Drawing support from theoretical frameworks, this article analyses the role and uses of technology in the teaching of mathematics, with specific reference to the complexity of integrating technology into teaching. Four aspects are discussed here: the changes that technology brings about in classroom mathematical activity, the difficulties students encounter in solving problems in a technology‐rich environment, the evaluation of potential assignments and the creation of conditions appropriate for learning, and the difficulties faced by teachers who use technology in deciding when and how to intervene. This analysis is illustrated by examples taken primarily from dynamic geometry, but similar analyses could be conducted for computerized environments of other kinds.     

Structure of waterborne coatings by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and a thermostimulated current method: influence of fillers

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was coupled with a thermostimulated current (TSC) method to investigate the effect of fillers on the barrier properties of an epoxy-polyamido amine waterborne coating on a 2024 aluminium alloy. Four systems were studied: a clear coat and three pigmented coatings (with and without chromates). The results obtained by TSC highlight the specific action of chromates which decrease the molecular mobility (hardening) of the coating by comparison with neutral fillers. This has been explained by the high polarity of chromates that enhances interactions with the binder. Impedance measurements carried out for free-standing films and for coated aluminium alloy have corroborated the role of chromates on the barrier properties of the coating which remain high as a function of exposure time in a 0.5 M NaCl solution. TSC was also used to measure the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the hydrated systems. T_g was significantly decreased when the coatings were hydrated due to a strong plasticization effect induced by water uptake. For the different systems, we conclude that the weak barrier properties of the films (attached films) or the decrease of the barrier properties with time (free-standing films) were linked to the variation of the glass transition temperature by water uptake.     

In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of PLLA-316L Stainless Steel Electromechanical Devices for Bone Tissue Engineering—A Preliminary Study

Bone injuries represent a major social and financial impairment, commonly requiring surgical intervention due to a limited healing capacity of the tissue, particularly regarding critical-sized defects and non-union fractures. Regenerative medicine with the application of bone implants has been developing in the past decades towards the manufacturing of appropriate devices. This work intended to evaluate medical 316L stainless steel (SS)-based devices covered by a polymer poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) coating for bone lesion mechanical and functional support. SS316L devices were subjected to a previously described silanization process, following a three-layer PLLA film coating. Devices were further characterized and evaluated towards their cytocompatibility and osteogenic potential using human dental pulp stem cells, and biocompatibility via subcutaneous implantation in a rat animal model. Results demonstrated PLLA-SS316L devices to present superior in vitro and in vivo outcomes and suggested the PLLA coating to provide osteo-inductive properties to the device. Overall, this work represents a preliminary study on PLLA-SS316L devices’ potential towards bone tissue regenerative techniques, showing promising outcomes for bone lesion support.     

An accurate real-time PCR test for the detection and quantification of cauliflower mosaïc virus (CaMV): applicable in GMO screening

Maher Chaouachi and Marie Noelle Fortabat are contributed equally to this work.     

Optical and physical properties of stratospheric aerosols from balloon measurements in the visible and near-infrared domains. II. Comparison of extinction,reflectance, polarization,and counting measurements

The physical properties of stratospheric aerosols can be retrieved from optical measurements involving extinction, radiance, polarization, and counting. We present here the results of measurements from the balloonborne instruments AMON, SALOMON, and RADIBAL, and from the French Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique and the University of Wyoming balloonborne particle counters. A cross comparison of the measurements was made for observations of background aerosols conducted during the polar winters of February 1997 and January-February 2000 for various altitudes from 13 to 19 km. On the one band, the effective radius and the total amount of background aerosols derived from the various sets of data are similar and are in agreement with pre-Pinatubo values. On the other hand, strong discrepancies occur in the shapes of the bimodal size distributions obtained from analysis of the raw measurement of the various instruments. It seems then that the log-normal assumption cannot fully reproduce the size distribution of background aerosols. The effect ofthe presence of particular aerosols on the measurements is discussed, and a new strategy for observations is proposed.     

From conceptual modelling to requirements engineering

Conceptual modelling is situated in the broader view of information systems requirements engineering. Requirements Engineering (RE) explores the objectives of different stakeholders and the activities carried out by them to meet these objectives in order to derive purposeful system requirements and therefore lead to better quality systems, i.e., systems that meet the requirements of their users. Thus RE product models use concepts for modelling these instead of concepts like data, process, events, etc., used in conceptual models. Since the former are more stable than the latter, requirements engineering manages change better. The paper gives the rationale for extending traditional conceptual models and introduces some RE product models. Furthermore, in contrast to conceptual modelling, requirements engineering lays great stress on the engineering process employed. The paper introduces some RE process models and considers their effect on tool support. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Constructing the Lyee method with a method engineering approach

This paper proposes an Evolution driven ME approach aiming to support the evolution of an existing method (the As–Is method) in order to obtain a new method (the To–Be method) better adapted to a given engineering situation and/or satisfying new methodogical requirements. The proposed approach is used in order to evolve the existing Lyee method into a Lyee user driven method.¹