scholarly journals Writing with the Eyes: The Effect of Age on Eye-Tracking Performance in Non-Disabled Adults and a Comparison with Bimanual Typing

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Marco Caligari ◽  
Marica Giardini ◽  
Ilaria Arcolin ◽  
Marco Godi ◽  
Stefano Corna ◽  
...  

Eye-tracking technology is advancing rapidly, becoming cheaper and easier to use and more robust. This has fueled an increase in its implementation for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Nowadays, Eye-Tracking Communication Devices (ETCDs) can be an effective aid for people with disabilities and communication problems. However, it is not clear what level of performance is attainable with these devices or how to optimize them for AAC use. The objective of this observational study was to provide data on non-disabled adults’ performance with ETCD regarding (a) range of eye-typing ability in terms of speed and errors for different age groups and (b) relationship between ETCD performance and bimanual writing with a conventional PC keyboard and (c) to suggest a method for a correct implementation of ETCD for AAC. Sixty-seven healthy adult volunteers (aged 20–79 years) were asked to type a sample sentence using, first, a commercial ETCD and then a standard PC keyboard; we recorded the typing speed and error rate. We repeated the test 11 times in order to assess performance changes due to learning. Performances differed between young (20–39 years), middle-aged (40–59 years), and elderly (60–79 years) participants. Age had a negative impact on performance: as age increased, typing speed decreased and the error rate increased. There was a clear learning effect, i.e., repetition of the exercise produced an improvement of performance in all subjects. Bimanual and ETCD typing speed showed a linear relationship, with a Pearson’s correlation coefficient of 0.73. The assessment of the effect of age on eye-typing performance can be useful to evaluate the effectiveness of man-machine interaction for use of ETCDs for AAC. Based on our findings, we outline a potential method (obviously requiring further verification) for the setup and tuning of ETCDs for AAC in people with disabilities and communication problems.

2021 ◽  
pp. 112067212110233
Author(s):  
Marcelina Sobczak ◽  
Magdalena Asejczyk ◽  
Malwina Geniusz

Objectives: The main goal of this research was to determine the differences between the values of intraocular pressure (IOP) in the supine and sitting positions, and to assess the effect of age and cardiovascular parameters. Methods: Seventy-two healthy adults were enrolled and classified into age groups: 20–30 years (group A), 31–40 years (group B), and 41–71 years (group C). Corneal biometry and cardiovascular parameters, such as heart rate (HR), were measured. IOP measurements were taken in the sitting position (IOPS) and in the supine position (IOPL) using the iCare® Pro tonometer. Results: A significant difference between the IOPS and IOPL in the entire cohort was found ( p < 0.001). Regarding the age subgroups, a significant difference ( p < 0.001) between the IOPS and IOPL was obtained in group A (2.6 ± 1.6 mmHg) and group C (1.5 ± 1.3 mmHg). There were no significant differences in the IOPS between groups. The highest IOP values were obtained for group A. The correlations between HR and IOPS are statistically significant for group A and group B, and for HR and IOPL-S for group B only. Multivariate analysis showed that HR has a significant influence on the difference in IOP in the two body positions. Conclusion: A statistically significant difference between the effect of age and the values of IOPS and IOPL was shown. Cardiovascular parameters showed some relevant statistical dependencies, but with a rather marginal significance in young people. The influence of body position for the measurement of IOP for healthy subjects does not seem to matter, despite the fact that there are some dependencies that are statistically significant.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Güldenpfennig ◽  
Marion Schmicke ◽  
Martina Hoedemaker ◽  
Ursula Siebert ◽  
Oliver Keuling

AbstractHunting can easily be linked to stress in wildlife. Drive hunts performed two to three times in one area during the respective hunting period, are thought to decrease the pressure hunting places on wildlife. Nevertheless, the expression of cortisol—one of the main mammalian stress hormones—is considered to have negative impacts on animals’ well-being if expressed excessively, which may occur during some (especially repeated) hunting events. We explored the effect of drive hunts on cortisol levels in wild boar in Lower Saxony, Germany, compared these cortisol levels to reference values given by a similar study, and investigated the effect of age, sex, and pregnancy. Blood collected from wild boar shot on drive hunts was analysed using a radioimmunoassay. As expected, we observed elevated cortisol levels in all samples, however, we still found significant differences between age groups and sexes, as well as an influence of pregnancy on cortisol levels. The effect of drive hunts on cortisol levels appears to be weaker than predicted, while the effects of other variables, such as sex, are distinct. Only half of the evaluated samples showed explicitly increased cortisol levels and no significant differences were found between sampling months and locations. Group living animals and pregnant females showed significantly higher cortisol levels. The impact of hunting is measurable but is masked by natural effects such as pregnancy. Thus, we need more information on stress levels in game species.


Author(s):  
Eric Emerson ◽  
Allison Milner ◽  
Zoe Aitken ◽  
Lauren Krnjacki ◽  
Cathy Vaughan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Exposure to discrimination can have a negative impact on health. There is little robust evidence on the prevalence of exposure of people with disabilities to discrimination, the sources and nature of discrimination they face, and the personal and contextual factors associated with increased risk of exposure. Methods Secondary analysis of de-identified cross-sectional data from the three waves of the UK’s ‘Life Opportunities Survey’. Results In the UK (i) adults with disabilities were over three times more likely than their peers to be exposed to discrimination, (ii) the two most common sources of discrimination were strangers in the street and health staff and (iii) discrimination was more likely to be reported by participants who were younger, more highly educated, who were unemployed or economically inactive, who reported financial stress or material hardship and who had impairments associated with hearing, memory/speaking, dexterity, behavioural/mental health, intellectual/learning difficulties and breathing. Conclusions Discrimination faced by people with disabilities is an under-recognised public health problem that is likely to contribute to disability-based health inequities. Public health policy, research and practice needs to concentrate efforts on developing programs that reduce discrimination experienced by people with disabilities.


Author(s):  
Shivani Vashishtha ◽  
Sona Ahuja ◽  
Mani Sharma

With the present era being technology driven, social media has become an indispensable part of many people irrespective of their age. Among different age groups, the maximum users are adolescents and among different social networking sites (SNS), Facebook shares the major part of usage by them. Many adolescents are tending towards excessive usage of Facebook leading to its addiction. Does this addiction have negative influence on adolescents or it actually helps them to keep up with their counterparts and be socially connected to them for their betterment? This question is unanswered specifically when it concerns the impact that it has on the study habits and academic achievement of adolescents. The hypotheses were tested in order to explore the impact of six dimensions (mood modification, deficient self-regulations, salience, loss of control, withdrawal, and relapse) of Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD) using Bergens' Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS), developed by Andreassen (2012). The results are based on the survey conducted on 200 adolescents studying in different schools of India. The findings indicate that there is a significant negative impact of Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD) on study habits and academic achievement of adolescents. The major implication derived is that the higher the addiction to Facebook the study habit become poor and academic achievement decreases resulting in lower grades.


2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Sultana ◽  
KS Huque ◽  
MZ Rahman ◽  
NG Das

The study was conducted with the objectives to understand the effect of age of native Pabna bulls on feed conversion ratio (FCR), digestibility and carcass yield characteristics. Fifteen Pabna bulls having five  in each age groups of 6 to12, 13 to 24 and 25 to 36 months  were fed   ad libitum mix silages of Splendida (Setaria splendida) and Andrpogan (Andropogon gyunus) grasses (1:1 fresh) and supplemented with a concentrate mixture at 1% of live weight (LW) for a period of 72 days. With the increase of age, and subsequently LW (initial LW: 98.2, 182.6 and 288 kg, respectively), there was significant decrease in dry matter (DM) intake as % LW (<0.05; 2.94, 2.61 and 2.36, respectively) and increased daily gain (<0.01; 294, 519 and 597 g/d, respectively). However, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (>0.05; 10.88, 10.10 and 12.24, respectively) and DM digestibility (>0.05; 51.0, 48.1 and 49.1 %, respectively) of bulls were remained unchanged. In case of carcass yield characteristics, significantly lower yield grade (<0.01; 1.79, 1.27 and 0.20, respectively) of bulls of 25 to 36 years produced higher closely trimmed boneless retail cuts (CTBRC) (<0.01; 50.47, 51.64 and 54.14 %, respectively), retail cut (<0.01; 76.14, 78.55 and 83.48 %, respectively) and meat quality index (MQI) (<0.01; 67.28, 67.89 and 69.07, respectively) compared to younger bulls. It may, therefore, be recommended that beef cattle farming with native Pabna bulls of 24 to 36 months will give more daily LW gain and produce more CTBRC at a similar FCR compared to younger ones.Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2017. 46 (1): 17-23


2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (8) ◽  
pp. 1470
Author(s):  
J. S. Richards ◽  
M. A. Sladek ◽  
G. J. Lee

Reproduction is an important driver of profitability in commercial sheep flocks. Historically, Merino flocks have been run with a fixed age structure, ignoring individual merit and casting for age at a specific age. More recently, research has focussed on utilising the variation within age groups by keeping productive older ewes longer and culling less productive ewes earlier. Previous studies have also examined the effect of age on reproduction and the impact of reproduction status on productivity, but little research has been conducted on cumulative effects of reproductive performance on later productivity, reproduction and health. The present study examined the impact of higher lifetime reproduction on other key production and fitness traits in older ewes run under commercial conditions. Data were collected from two commercial wool-producing properties in the South West Slopes and the Central West Plains of New South Wales during 2009–2011. Reproduction, fleece measurements, bodyweight and condition and dental health were recorded during the study. The results showed that age had a bigger effect on productivity and dental health than did cumulative lifetime reproduction. Environment and genetics determined the level of impact, with minimal loss in productivity from increased age of animals occurring in the South West Slopes flock, whereas the Central West Plains flock would appear to require closer monitoring of productivity as ewes aged. The data collected did not allow separation of the genetic and environmental influences within the study. Retaining animals with a higher reproductive performance past normal culling age does not necessarily result in reduction of productivity or ewe health, but this must be monitored.


2006 ◽  
pp. 109-122
Author(s):  
Dragan Gacic

Antler growth in male roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L) was studied on the representative sample consisting of 546 trophies (227 from Backa and 319 from Banat) hunted in the period 19982005. No significant differences in antler characters and trophy values were noted between Backa and Banat (except weight of antlers for 5 year old males), and the data for both regions were pooled. Antler growth is a curvilinear function of age. Mean values of length, weight and volume of antlers, and total trophy score varied significantly between the males in different age groups. The study results prove that in Vojvodina field hunting grounds, healthy males attain the culmination in antler growth and trophy value at the age of six years but already after the age of seven years, they show the first sign of old age and decline.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. e39466
Author(s):  
Lilian Bertoletti ◽  
Fernanda Cristina Scarpa ◽  
Michelli Osanai da Costa ◽  
Eduarda Correa Freitas ◽  
Luana Goulart Marin ◽  
...  

Aims: identifying sleep disorders (SDs) in children who experienced child maltreatment.Methods: the study evaluated the sleep pattern of 123 children (from 2 to 10 years old), who received assistance with child maltreatment, based on the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) – applied in a medical consultation after confirmation of the veracity of the child’s report of a violation. The study applied the questionnaire to children seen by doctors in the sector for 11 months.Results: among the children evaluated, 66.7% had SDs. The sample profile was predominantly female (59.3%) and aged between 4 and 7 years old (48.8%). Physical violence was found in 40.7% of the children, in addition to sexual (35.8%), psychological (24.4%), negligence (14.6%) and other types of violence (OTV) (4.5%). SDs are significantly associated with sexual, psychological and OTV (p=0.016). Regarding the subscales, there was a significant difference between the age groups in the bedtime resistance (BR) factor score (p=0.033). The BR characteristic typifies sexual, psychological and OTV. Sleep anxiety (SA) typifies more psychological, sexual and OTV. Night awakenings (NAs) typify psychological, sexual and physical violence. According to the type of violence, significant differences were found in SA (p=0.039), NAs (p=0.026) and BR (p=0.004).Conclusions: the outcomes highlight the association between SDs and child maltreatment. Certain types of violence have a greater negative impact on children’s sleep and correlate with specific SD.


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