Vehicle-to-grid uses vehicles with on-board electricity storage as an energy storage system for the electricity grid. Vehicles not only take power from the grid when charging, but can supply power back to the grid. This storage mechanism can then be used in various applications, for example, providing balancing services and helping the introduction of renewable energy sources. Research into vehicle-to-grid suggests that it is feasible in certain applications. Indeed, the component technology required for vehicle-to-grid has been successfully demonstrated. Gaps in the analysis of vehicle-to-grid feasibility remain. Notably, the behaviour of individuals in a vehicle-to-home context is not well understood. A vehicle-to-home simulation tool was developed to address these gaps. The tool incorporates a use case methodology and a Matlab Simulink model. Application of the use case methodology identifies the inputs and constraints determined by users in a vehicle-to-home system. Feeding these inputs into the model facilitates the sensitivity analysis of vehicle-to-home operation to these user dependent variables. The use of the simulation tool is demonstrated in two case studies: Using an electric vehicle as back-up power supply; and using an electric vehicle to support small-scale distributed generation. The operation of a vehicle-to-home system in these case studies is presented, along with the sensitivity of operation to input parameters including: battery storage capacity, vehicle usage and vehicle charging. Both case studies demonstrated that, given the correct conditions|notably cooperation of the vehicle user|vehicle-to-home can operate successfully in storage applications. It was shown that an electric vehicle could provide back-up storage to households for a useful amount of time|between 20 hours and several days. It was shown that an electric vehicle can be used to store energy from a small-scale wind turbine such that the generation is better utilised than if no storage is available. The developed simulation tool enables analysis of novel vehicle-to-home applications not possible with previous models of vehicle-to-grid. The use of the tool highlighted the importance of including individual variation in behaviour when studying vehicle-to-home systems.

Club motorsport, a low cost, amateur form of motorsport, forms a significant part of the motorsport industry in the United Kingdom. If efforts are not made to move towards more environmentally friendly technologies, then this form of motorsport is at risk of becoming irrelevant. One approach taken by other motorsport sectors has been to implement hybrid electric vehicle technology, which can result in improved vehicle performance on the race track. However, the companies that operate in the club motorsport sector do not typically have the resources and experience necessary to develop these technologies. An innovative process was used to guide the design of a new hybrid electric vehicle drivetrain for use in club motorsport. This process made use of the ability for vehicle manufacturers to set the vehicle specifications in club motorsport. A conjoint analysis of customer requirements was carried out, a first for the industry, and led to the development of a market simulation tool. A vehicle simulation tool was then developed to assist in the evaluation of the hybrid electric drivetrain design options. The result of following this process was a new and innovative hybrid electric drivetrain installed in a Westfield Sportscars Sport Turbo, reducing 0-60mph acceleration time from 5.4 seconds to 3.8 seconds. An innovative type of system control was implemented, by where the driver is given a finite amount of boost energy for use throughout the race. The drivetrain can also be easily transferred to other vehicle platforms, as the first shelf engineered hybrid drivetrain for motorsport, allowing its use by multiple manufacturers across the club motorsport and niche vehicle sectors. This project has shown that it is possible to implement environmentally friendly technologies, such as hybrid electric vehicle technology, into club motorsport and be able to meet customer, technical and cost requirements. The process that has been developed enables innovation in hybrid electric race car design. This has been shown in the development of a hybrid electric vehicle suitable for use, and sale, in the club motorsport industry.

Two questions can be posed for study: 1) Will the effect of auditory masking provided by a clinical noise significantly affect the performance of hearing children on the Knox Cube Test? 2) Are there significant differences among brain-injured, mentally, retarded, and "normal" children in ability to adjust to auditory masking in the performance of the Knox Cube Test?

The problem of this study was to investigate the effects of massed and distributed practice upon the learning and retention of a novel gross motor task. The motor task was a soccer dribble around three evenly-spaced standards.

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a ubiquitous environmental toxin. Exposure to MeHg in humans occurs primarily through the consumption of contaminated seafood. MeHg has been shown to act most strongly during neural development. Epidemiological data on the effect MeHg exposure through seafood has on children and fetuses is conflicted, with large cohort studies showing both presence and absence of MeHg-induced deficits in achieving developmental milestones. Because of this uncertainty in the literature it is important that we come to understand the mechanisms of MeHg toxicity so that we might advise the public more accurately on the risks of MeHg exposure. Research into the mechanisms of MeHg toxicity has found a number of cellular and molecular effects including disruptions of microtubule formation, Ca2+ homeostasis, and glutamate signaling. However, none of these effects of MeHg fully explains its neurodevelopmental specificity. Previous work in Drosophila neural-derived cell lines has shown that MeHg causes upregulation of the canonical Notch response gene E(spl)m . The Notch pathway is crucial to neural development and perturbation of a Notch target may explain the developmental specificity of MeHg. In this dissertation I describe experiments I performed to test the hypothesis that the observed upregulation of E(spl)m plays an important role in MeHg toxicity in Drosophila. I first describe experimental evidence that E(spl)m is upregulated by MeHg treatment in vivo in Drosophila embryos in addition to cells, as has previously been shown. By contrasting the effects of the toxic inorganic mercurial HgCl2 with MeHg I show that the E(spl)m expression response to MeHg is not simply a stress response and is a likely specific activity of MeHg. I also show that the effect of MeHg on E(spl)m expression is not simply due to a developmental delay induced by the toxin. I also identify two neural phenotypes of MeHg toxicity in Drosophila embryos, in the outgrowth of the intersegmental and segmental motor nerves. Genetic manipulation causing overactivity of the Notch pathway in neurons can mimic these phenotypes. However, induced expression of E(spl)m in neurons does not cause a failure of motor nerve outgrowth. Upon further examination I demonstrate that endogenous expression of E(spl)m occurs in the muscle. Induced E(spl)m expression in the muscle causes a segmental nerve phenotype similar to MeHg treatment, indicating a role for E(spl)m in MeHg toxicity in this system. MeHg treatment and E(spl)m overexpression in the muscle causes a failure of normal muscle development. Yet, this gross developmental abnormality only partially explains the observed motor nerve phenotype. E(spl)m is unique among the E(spl) genes in its ability to cause these muscle and motor nerve phenotypes as shown by contrasting genetic manipulation of the closely related E(spl)m . Overall my findings support the hypothesis that MeHg toxicity in Drosophila is mediated in part by E(spl)m . They also suggest that E(spl)m plays an important role in the formation of the muscle during embryonic development, contributing to the literature describing disparate functions for E(spl) genes despite structural similarities. Finally, my findings suggest that MeHg may be able to impact neural development through toxicity in supporting tissues rather than neurons themselves. This final finding has implications for the study of MeHg toxicity in humans, and is supported by previous findings that describe a role of glia in modulating MeHg neurotoxicity.

A research report submitted to the faculty of health sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of science in occupational therapy Johannesburg, 2017 / MT2017

Motor deficits are debilitating in that they affect everyday function in human beings (Zillmer & Spiers, 2001). Cerebral Palsy (CP) is one particular disorder that is primary characterised by motor deficits, more specifically gross motor function deficits. As a result, people with CP are restricted in their everyday function and lack independence and self-sufficiency. With other factors such as stigmatisation and prejudice, social participation becomes limited which leads to isolation and loneliness, which may further lead to psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, low self esteem and poor quality of life. These assumptions are based on the application of the mental health model, and one could assume the poorer the level of functioning the more likely a person’s psychological well-being will suffer. Thus, the study attempted to investigate these assumptions by exploring the relationship between levels of gross motor function and psychological well-being. A sample of 43 participants based in a care centre in Johannesburg completed a demographic questionnaire, the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), The Becks Anxiety Inventory (BAI), The Rosenburg Self Esteem Scale (RSE) and the Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale (COMQOL – A5). In addition, through observation, the level of gross motor function was determined by utilising the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). The data that was gathered and was statistically manipulated to explore three main questions. Before the relationship between gross motor function and psychological well-being could be explored it was necessary to examine the suitability of the use of psychological measure on an adult with CP sample. Results indicated that the MDI (r = 0.78), BAI (r = 0.76). RSE (0.77), and COMQOL (r = 0.99) had high internal constancy reliability. The relationship between demographical variables, namely, age, gender, years of residency, experience of motor deterioration and presence of epilepsy, were tested against the level of gross motor function. No significant results were found apart from motor PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.softwarelabs.com 4 deterioration. More participants with a higher level of gross motor function experienced motor deterioration (77%) than those with a lower level of gross motor function (44%). Lastly, the relationship between psychological variables and gross motor function was investigated as well as difference between the levels. Correlations revealed very weak positive relationships, with the exception of depression having a very weak negative relationship. All relationship were non significant. Although slight differences were seen between levels, they were non significant. 7% of participants were diagnosed with depressive disorders, and 47% with anxiety disorders. Problems with certain questions pertaining to the BAI raised concerns over the suitability of its use in CP adult samples. The study concluded that psychological measures, excluding the BAI, were suitable for use on a sample of adults with CP. It also highlighted that the level of motor functioning is not related to or determines psychological well-being in adults with CP. PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.softwarelabs.com

A imobilização de membros e/ou articulações é prática utilizada na clínica no tratamento de diversas patologias, podendo variar em sua extensão e duração. Acometimentos ortopédicos comuns, como fraturas e lesões músculo-tendíneas, podem exigir como tratamento de dias a semanas de imobilização do segmento afetado. Além dos efeitos clínicos almejados, a imobilização desencadeia alterações negativas que afetam localmente o sistema musculoesquelético, mas que também trazem consequências para o sistema nervoso central (SNC) e sistema nervoso periférico. Tais consequências negativas implicam em perdas funcionais, que podem levar à dependência parcial ou completa para a realização de atividades da vida diária, como a higiene, a alimentação e a locomoção, com enormes custos individuais, familiares e sociais. É necessário, portanto, esclarecer a natureza de tais efeitos negativos e, em especial identificar o quão cedo se apresentam as alterações comportamentais e fisiológicas decorrentes do imobilismo, assim como quantificá-las e determinar a efetividade de estratégias de interferência neste processo. Neste trabalho, investigamos os efeitos de 24 horas de imobilização sobre diferentes tarefas motoras, como apertar botões, realizar a oposição do polegar em sequências variadas e fazer o alcance de alvos com o membro superior. Investigamos também, para a tarefa de oposição do polegar, o potencial terapêutico do treino motor imaginário durante o período de imobilização. Em nossos resultados, não encontramos efeitos estatísticamente significativos da imobilização sobre o comportamento motor nas tarefas pesquisadas. Adicionalmente, o treino motor imaginário na tarefa de oposição do polegar levou a uma piora no desempenho na tarefa de alcance. Esses resultados são relevantes no sentido de ressaltar que a imobilização, um recurso terapêutico importante, apresenta efeitos colaterais, mas esses não se instalam tão rapidamente quanto inicialmente hipotetizamos. É provável, ainda, que a imobilização atue de forma distinta sobre diferentes habilidades motoras, sendo umas prejudicadas com maior intensidade e precocidade do que outras. Entre as habilidades motoras afetadas pela imobilização, pode ser que encontremos, inclusive, a habilidade de imaginar cinestesicamente movimentos. O presente estudo investigou um tipo específico de treino motor imaginário, em voluntários saudáveis, submetidos a um período extremamente curto de imobilização. Possivelmente, os resultados de outros tipos de treino (variando, por exemplo, a intensidade do treino, a forma de admnistração e até mesmo a tarefa) podem ser diferentes. As sutilezas envolvidas na execução do treino motor imaginário provavelmente são a raiz da variabilidade nos resultados obtidos nos diversos experimentos da literatura. Os usos do treino motor imaginário devem, portanto, continuar a ser submetidos à experimentação, para que sua prescrição seja criteriosa e beneficie satisfatoriamente a função motora após a imobilização / The immobilization of body segments is frequently used for the treatment of orthopaedic injuries, such as fractures and soft tissue lesions. Immobilization may be as long as days or weeks, leading to several undesired side effects. The negative effects due to immobilization are felt not only in the immobilized limb, but also in the central nervous system. They lead to several functional impairments, compromising the independency of the patients in fulfilling their daily activities. Therefore, its necessary to determine the nature of such negative effects, and, specially, determine how early the functional and physiological impairments present themselves, as much as to quantify them and stabilish strategies for interference on them. In the present work, we investigated the effects of a 24-hour period of immobilization of the upper limb over several motor tasks, such as pressing buttons, oppose the thumb to the other fingers in several sequences and reaching targets. We also addressed the issue of the potential benefits of delivering a motor imagery training session, specific to the thumb opposition, during the immobilization period. Our results showed no significant effect of immobilization over the motor behavior in the evaluated tasks. Aditionally, the motor imagery training in opposing the thumb lead to an impairment on the reaching task. These results are relevant to reassure that immobilization is a safe therapeutic tool, for its side effects do not present themselves as early as hypothesized by us. Its possible, yet, that immobilization has distinct effects over different motor habilities and, in doing so, that some of the motor skills are more affected than others. It is possible that, between the motor skills affected by immobilization, we found the motor imagery hability. The present study investigated specific schedule of motor imagery training, in healthy volunteers, submited to a very short immobilization period. Its possible that other training schedules (varying the intensity, the way of administering it e even the task) might have other results then ours. The subtleties involved in motor imagery training may be the cause for the great amount of variance found in literature about it. The uses of motor imagery should be submitted to experimentation. In this way, it might be prescribed with criteria and benefit the restoration of motor function

Slotted aerofoils have been suggested by numerous researchers as an effective means of controlling boundary layer flow separation, and improving aerodynamic performance. Numerous slot designs have been studied at high Reynolds number, but there is scarcity of study of such slots effect on aerofoil performance in low Reynolds number scenarios. In the present work, wind tunnel and numerical investigation of the effect of a unique slot configuration and its geometric parameters on the aerodynamic performance of a NACA0018 aerofoil at low Reynolds number was executed. The aim of this work is to ascertain if the unique slot configuration on the NACA0018 can improve the aerodynamic performance compared to a plain NACA0018, and if the slotted NACA0018 could be applied as rotors on a Darrieus-style vertical axis micro wind turbine for small scale energy conversion at low wind speeds. Four aerofoils were initially fabricated for the wind tunnel tests, each conforming to the NACA0018 profile; a plain aerofoil and three other slotted aerofoils, each with a span–length slot positioned at X=15%, X=45% and X=70% from the leading edge. The, chord length (c), span, slot slope (ψ) and slot width of the slotted aerofoils were 0.25m, 0.3m, 55° and 0.02c respectively. A 2D wind tunnel set up was used in testing the four aerofoils at Reynolds numbers of 92x103 138x103, 184x103 and 230x103, within 0° to 20° range of incidence. Comparing the slotted and plain aerofoils, the aerodynamic force data shows that the presence of the slots was detrimental to aerodynamic performance especially when the slot location is closer to the leading edge. Therefore, a 2D numerical parametric study of slot width and slope was carried out using ANSYS FLUENT 16.0 with the intention of improving the lift–to–drag (L/D) ratio of the span–length slotted aerofoils. Furthermore, a final slot configuration consisting of segmented slot pattern which incorporated the results of the parametric study was fabricated and tested in a wind tunnel. The aerodynamic force analysis shows a 50% increase in L/D ratio of the slotted aerofoil with slot position at X=70%, but its aerodynamic performance was still less than the Plain NACA0018. Thus this work proves that the suggested slot layout did not improve the aerodynamic performance of the NACA0018 aerofoil and as a result, it cannot be recommended to be used as a vertical axis wind turbine rotor. Finally, in order to improve the NACA0018 aerofoil performance, it was suggested that a new slot layout with slot slope on the pressure side inclined towards the leading edge should be designed and studied.

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