bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are Lebanese schools adopting a health promotion approach in their curricula?
Authors: Akel Marwan , Fahs Iqbal , Salameh Pascale , Godeau Emmanuelle
Published: September 2018

Introduction:

The concept of the health promoting school offers a coherent approach to promoting health and well-being within a whole school community. This study sought to evaluate the health programmes and policies adopted by different Lebanese schools, and their appropriateness for this role as part of health promotion.

Methods:

Our research took the form of a prospective observational study involving 50 schools from different areas of Lebanon. Data were collected using a questionnaire based on the Health Assessment Tool for Schools (HATS). Data were analysed to describe school characteristics and to reveal differences in the health topics addressed.

Results:

Most of the schools included in the study came from Mount Lebanon (56%). Around 70% of the involved schools offered health-related courses in their curricula. Health-related seminars and workshops (60%) and health awareness campaigns took place at the studied schools, with 98% incorporating physical education into the curriculum. Dental health (74%), smoking cessation (72%) and physical activity (68%) were among other most addressed topics, while mental health was the least discussed (20%). The majority (70%) of schools had a shared vision of what promoting health involved and sought to promote the active involvement of community members in the life of the school (60%). Around two-thirds of the schools (66%) provided physical support and facilities, and had developed policies for health promotion. Less than half of these schools’ health committees, however, had developed plans to improve health promotion and review data to ensure the effectiveness of their programmes.

Conclusion:

The study findings suggest that despite weaknesses, the majority of the sampled schools had either implemented or were in the process of implementing a health promoting school programme to improve health education and students’ well-being.
Coupled Approximation of U.S. Driving Speed and Volume Statistics using Spatial Conflation and Temporal Disaggregation
Authors: Kaushik Kartik , Wood Eric , Gonder Jeffrey
Published: September 2018

The advent of mobile devices with embedded global positioning systems has allowed commercial providers of real-time traffic data to develop highly accurate estimates of network-level vehicle speeds. Traffic speed data have far outpaced the availability and accuracy of real-time traffic volume information. Limited to a relatively small number of permanent and temporary traffic counters in any city, traffic volumes typically only cover a handful of roadways, with inconsistent temporal resolution. This work addressed this data gap by coupling a commercial data set of typical traffic speeds (by roadway and time of week) from TomTom to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Performance Monitoring System database of annual average daily traffic (AADT) counts by roadway. This work is technically novel in its solution for establishing a national crosswalk between independent network geometries using spatial conflation and big data techniques. The resulting product is a national data set providing traffic speed and volume estimates under typical conditions for all U.S. roadways with AADT values.
Control of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles with Cut-in Movement using Spring Mass Damper System
Authors: Bang Soohyuk , Ahn Soyoung
Published: September 2018

This paper proposes a theoretical framework to control a platoon of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) in the presence of cut-in movements. The control method is developed based on the spring–mass–damper (SMD) system concept and aims to improve the platoon efficiency and stability after a cut-in movement (e.g., lane change and merging from on-ramp). The method seeks to resolve a disturbance created by a cut-in vehicle by systematically setting two control parameters, spring constant and damping coefficient, of the SMD-based control model based on the prevailing traffic conditions. The control method is evaluated through a simulation based on the changes in speed and spacing, recovery time to reach the desired speed, disturbance propagation, and platoon flow. The simulation result shows that the control method can effectively reduce the disturbance caused by a cut-in movement and improve platoon flow.
Big Data Fusion to Estimate Urban Fuel Consumption: A Case Study of Riyadh
Authors: Kalila Adham , Awwad Zeyad , Di Clemente Riccardo , González Marta C.
Published: September 2018

Falling oil revenues and rapid urbanization are putting a strain on the budgets of oil-producing nations, which often subsidize domestic fuel consumption. A direct way to decrease the impact of subsidies is to reduce fuel consumption by reducing congestion and car trips. As fuel consumption models have started to incorporate data sources from ubiquitous sensing devices, the opportunity is to develop comprehensive models at urban scale leveraging sources such as Global Positioning System (GPS) data and Call Detail Records. This paper combines these big data sets in a novel method to model fuel consumption within a city and estimate how it may change in different scenarios. To do so a fuel consumption model was calibrated for use on any car fleet fuel economy distribution and applied in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The model proposed, based on speed profiles, was then used to test the effects on fuel consumption of reducing flow, both randomly and by targeting the most fuel-inefficient trips in the city. The estimates considerably improve baseline methods based on average speeds, showing the benefits of the information added by the GPS data fusion. The presented method can be adapted to also measure emissions. The results constitute a clear application of data analysis tools to help decision makers compare policies aimed at achieving economic and environmental goals.
Performance Evaluation of Various Missing Data Treatments in Crash Severity Modeling
Authors: Ye Fan , Wang Yong
Published: September 2018

Data quality, including record inaccuracy and missingness (incompletely recorded crashes and crash underreporting), has always been of concern in crash data analysis. Limited efforts have been made to handle some specific aspects of crash data quality problems, such as using weights in estimation to take care of unreported crash data and applying multiple imputation (MI) to fill in missing information of drivers’ status of attention before crashes. Yet, there lacks a general investigation of the performance of different statistical methods to handle missing crash data. This paper is intended to explore and evaluate the performance of three missing data treatments, which are complete-case analysis (CC), inverse probability weighting (IPW) and MI, in crash severity modeling using the ordered probit model. CC discards those crash records with missing information on any of the variables; IPW includes weights in estimation to adjust for bias, using complete records’ probability of being a complete case; and MI imputes the missing values based on the conditional distribution of the variable with missing information on the observed data. Those missing data treatments provide varying performance in model estimations. Based on analysis of both simulated and real crash data, this paper suggests that the choice of an appropriate missing data treatment should be based on sample size and data missing rate. Meanwhile, it is recommended that MI is used for incompletely recorded crash data and IPW for unreported crashes, before applying crash severity models on crash data.
Method for Quick Prediction of Hydraulic Conductivity and Soil-Water Retention of Unsaturated Soils
Authors: Dong Shaoyang , Guo Yuan , Yu Xiong (Bill)
Published: September 2018

Hydraulic conductivity and soil-water retention are two critical soil properties describing the fluid flow in unsaturated soils. Existing experimental procedures tend to be time consuming and labor intensive. This paper describes a heuristic approach that combines a limited number of experimental measurements with a computational model with random finite element to significantly accelerate the process. A microstructure-based model is established to describe unsaturated soils with distribution of phases based on their respective volumetric contents. The model is converted into a finite element model, in which the intrinsic hydraulic properties of each phase (soil particle, water, and air) are applied based on the microscopic structures. The bulk hydraulic properties are then determined based on discharge rate using Darcy’s law. The intrinsic permeability of each phase of soil is first calibrated from soil measured under dry and saturated conditions, which is then used to predict the hydraulic conductivities at different extents of saturation. The results match the experimental data closely. Mualem’s equation is applied to fit the pore size parameter based on the hydraulic conductivity. From these, the soil-water characteristic curve is predicted from van Genuchten’s equation. The simulation results are compared with the experimental results from documented studies, and excellent agreements were observed. Overall, this study provides a new modeling-based approach to predict the hydraulic conductivity function and soil-water characteristic curve of unsaturated soils based on measurement at complete dry or completely saturated conditions. An efficient way to measure these critical unsaturated soil properties will be of benefit in introducing unsaturated soil mechanics into engineering practice.
Effect of Increased Scapular Internal Rotation on Glenohumeral External Rotation and Elbow Valgus Load in the Late Cocking Phase of Throwing Motion
Authors: Itami Yasuo , Mihata Teruhisa , McGarry Michelle H. , Lin Charles C. , Patel Nilay A. , Kantor Adam , Neo Masashi , Lee Thay Q.
Published: September 2018

Background:

Scapular dyskinesis among throwers is thought to affect kinetic chain function and increase the load demands on the shoulder and/or elbow. However, the biomechanical relationship between scapular orientation and elbow valgus load, which is associated with ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury, has not been determined.

Purpose:

To evaluate the effect of increased scapular internal rotation (IR) and glenohumeral external rotation (GHER) on elbow valgus load in a static simulation of the late cocking phase of throwing.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Seven fresh-frozen male cadaveric upper extremities were used with a custom testing system to simulate the late cocking phase. First, the authors evaluated the effect of increasing scapular IR on maximum GHER and forearm angle (forearm axis relative to the ground). Each parameter was evaluated at 20° to 40° (5° increments) of scapular IR by applying 2.2-N·m external rotation torque to the humerus and 0.75-N·m valgus torque to the forearm. Next, to evaluate elbow valgus stability, the humerus was locked in maximal GHER at 40° of scapular IR, and sequentially increasing torque (0.75-7.5 N·m by 0.75-N·m increments) was applied to the forearm. Valgus angle and joint gap were evaluated at each torque.

Results:

Increases in scapular IR ≥5° significantly decreased GHER ( P < .01). With increasing valgus torque, forearm angle also increased linearly ( R2 = 0.85, P < .001). To compensate for the GHER deficit at 40° of scapular IR, a linear regression model showed that 25.3 N·m of valgus torque would be necessary to reach the original forearm position. In the intact condition, applying elbow valgus torque ≥5.25 N·m significantly increased valgus angle and the joint gap ( P < .01).

Conclusion:

Increased scapular IR significantly decreased GHER. Compensation for the GHER deficit significantly increased the elbow valgus load required to reach the same forearm position.

Clinical Relevance:

Increased scapular IR may increase the risk of elbow UCL injury among throwing athletes.
Novel Mutations in CLN5 of Chinese Patients With Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis
Authors: Ge Lv , Li Han Yun , Hai Yuan , Min Liu , Xing Li , Min Jiang , Shu Hu Xiang , Mei Ou Yang , Hua Li
Published: September 2018

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis is a hereditary disease, and ceroid-lipofuscinosis neuronal protein 5 (CLN5) has been proved to be associated with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Here we report 3 patients from 2 families diagnosed with CLN5 neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Whole genome sequencing of DNAs from 3 patients and their families revealed 3 novel homozygous mutations, including 1 deletion CLN5.c718 719delAT and 2 missense mutations c.1082T>C and c.623G>A. We reviewed 278 papers about neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis resulting from CLN5 mutations and compared Chinese cases with 27 European and American cases. The overall age of onset of European and American patients occur mainly at 3 to 6 years (66%, 18/27), 100% (27/27) of patients had psychomotor regression, 99% (26/27) patients presented vision decline, and 70% (19/27) of patients suffered seizures. In China, the age of onset in 3 patients was 5 years, but for 1 patient it was at 17 months. Four Chinese patients presented psychomotor deterioration and seizures; only 1 had visual problems.
The Association Between Stereotypical Gender and Dating Beliefs and Digital Dating Abuse Perpetration in Adolescent Dating Relationships
Authors: Reed Lauren A. , Ward L. Monique , Tolman Richard M. , Lippman Julia R. , Seabrook Rita C.
Published: September 2018

Digital media have become a significant context for adolescent dating relationships. As the use of social media and mobile phones increases, so do concerns that these media might be a context for “digital dating abuse” (DDA), or the use of digital media to harass, pressure, threaten, coerce, or monitor a dating partner. Although DDA has been shown to be common in adolescent dating relationships, little is known about the predictors of DDA perpetration or the role of stereotypical gender and dating beliefs in shaping these behaviors. This survey study of 703 high school students with dating experience investigated the role of gender beliefs in DDA perpetration using structural equation modeling. The survey included items pertaining to participants’ digital media use, stereotypical gender and dating beliefs, and three types of DDA perpetration. Girls reported more frequent perpetration of some types of DDA, and boys expressed greater endorsement of stereotypical gender and dating beliefs. The data supported our hypothesized models, such that endorsement of stereotypical beliefs was associated with different types of DDA perpetration for girls and boys. Higher endorsement of stereotypical beliefs was related to perpetration of digital monitoring and control behaviors for girls, and to directly aggressive and hostile digital behaviors for boys. These patterns align with stereotypical gender roles. Associations with sexually coercive digital behaviors for both girls and boys are discussed. This study suggests that beyond the gender of the perpetrator, societal beliefs about gender and dating may shape the problematic use of digital media in dating relationships.
Both Researcher and Second-Generation Witness—On Rescuing Local Memory of the Holocaust in Poland
Authors: Sułek Antoni
Published: September 2018

This sketch narrates an account of the author’s abundant years of fieldwork, delving into the Holocaust and memory thereof in the Polish countryside. The region selected is highly representative in a phenomenological sense: much of the destiny met by Polish Jews in rural areas played itself out in these lands. Born and raised in this vicinity, the author of the text at hand was able to obtain otherwise inaccessible information about the fate of local Jews, culled from conversations with current and former inhabitants. Moreover, this inquiry was accompanied by engagement: a complementary goal was to reintroduce Polish Jews and the Shoah into the memory of a community and, by the same token, to demonstrate that the rebuilding of memory is possible in contemporary Poland. In consequence, a memory that includes the Jews who used to live in this area is gradually returning to the region under investigation. Among other things, a monument now stands in the village, playing a central role for the community—a wall commemorating murdered local Jews as well as local non-Jewish Poles recognized as Righteous Among the Nations. This provincial society has thus also been prepared to face knowledge about local persecutors and perpetrators of Holocaust crimes against local Jews.
A retrospective study of flow cytometric characterization of suspected extranodal lymphomas in dogs
Authors: Martini Valeria , Melega Maverick , Riondato Fulvio , Marconato Laura , Cozzi Marzia , Bernardi Serena , Comazzi Stefano , Aresu Luca
Published: September 2018

Flow cytometry (FC) is widely applied to characterize and stage nodal lymphomas in dogs because it has a short turnaround time, requires minimally invasive sampling, and allows contemporary evaluation of neoplastic cells in the primary lesion and of blood and marrow involvement. We investigated advantages and limitations of FC in suspected extranodal lymphomas in dogs. The likelihood of obtaining a suitable FC sample was significantly lower for aspirates of extranodal lesions than for lymph node aspirates. However, we noted no differences among different extranodal lesion sites. We also describe FC results for 39 samples compatible with extranodal lymphoma. A dominant population of large cells was easily identified on morphologic FC scattergrams in many cases. Phenotypic aberrancies were frequently present, mainly in T-cell lymphomas. Lymphoma cells were distinguishable from normal residual lymphocytes in >85% of cases, facilitating the quantification of putative blood and marrow involvement by FC. Despite the high percentage of non-diagnostic samples (32 of 73, >40%), we support the inclusion of FC in the diagnostic workup of suspected extranodal lymphomas in dogs, in conjunction with histopathology. Histopathology is the gold standard for diagnosing lymphoma, provides relevant information, including tissue invasion and epitheliotropism, but has a longer turnaround time.
Conducting a Device Feasibility Study
Authors: Mulkey Malissa A. , Hardin Sonya R. , Schoemann Alexander M.
Published: September 2018

Feasibility studies are often the first attempt researchers use to test whether a new process or part of a process is practical for use in a clinical setting or a device will provide the desired information. When conducting a device feasibility study there are several unique considerations that must be addressed. This manuscript describes the processes and considerations.
Rethinking the politics of writing differently through écriture féminine
Authors: Vachhani Sheena J.
Published: September 2018

This article examines the writing practices most often associated with French feminist thought called écriture féminine and subjects it to debates concerning embodied writing in management and organisation studies. Écriture féminine explores the intersections between language, sexual difference and writing from the body. Often considered a distinct and alluring strand of feminist writing and philosophy, I draw together possibilities for its use and explore implications that emerge for teaching and researching management and organisations. With focus on two modes of writing the feminine, through Luce Irigaray and Hélène Cixous, the intersections between sex/text are examined and form ways of decentring conventional modes of writing. The article concludes with discussing the politics of writing differently for researching, teaching and writing about organisations, the need to expose the effects of a masculine singularity in writing and how it may suppress and conceal possibilities but also offer opportunities for claiming space for an affective feminist politics inscribed in language.
Non-baseline method for damage detection in truss structures using displacement and strain measurements
Authors: Ren Peng , Zhou Zhi , Ou Jinping
Published: September 2018

Realistic problems restrict the application of many existing structural damage detection methods. Due to the requirement of a comparison between two system states, lack of appropriate baseline data may become one of the limitations to undertake structural health monitoring strategy. This article suggests a non-baseline damage detection approach based on the mixed measurements and the transmissibility concept and demonstrates it in truss structures. The algorithm uses the measurement data from the strains of the truss elements and the displacements of the truss joints, in which the displacements are utilized to estimate the baseline strains based on the transmissibility matrix from an initial finite element model. Wavelet-based damage-sensitive features are extracted from both estimated and measured strains to detect damages of the target elements. Numerical and experimental studies are performed to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach. It is concluded from the instances that the robustness of the algorithm is realized when handling the measurement noise, modeling errors and the operational condition variability. These permit the potential development of the damage detection method for real structures in site.
Evaluating the Use of Patient-Reported Non-Routine Events in Pediatric and Radiation Oncology: A Pilot Study
Authors: Tippey Kathryn G. , Slagle Jason M. , Cleary Ryan K. , Friedman Debra L , Kachnic Lisa A. , Shotwell Matthew S. , Xu Jie , Moroz Sarah , Anders Shilo , Weinger Matthew B.
Published: September 2018

This prospective pilot study evaluated (1) the potential for collecting structured longitudinal data on patient-reported non-routine events (PNREs) (i.e., events that deviate from expected or optimal care) during pediatric and adult radiation cancer therapies and (2) the potential relationship between PNREs, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs), and unplanned treatment events (UTEs). Along with PNREs, data were collected on patient’s background, distress, quality of life, hospital system care experience rating, and treatment intensity, during a 3-month period; UTEs were retrospectively captured through review of patients’ records. Initial results suggest a relationship exists between both PNREs and safety-relevant PNREs with patient distress, quality of life, and care experience ratings. UTEs occurred more often in pediatric patients and were primarily related to patients’ underlying disease. This systems-safety approach to identifying at-risk points in treatment pathways has the potential to provide actionable information for the mitigation of shortcomings in cancer therapy.
Agreement between the 3-minute Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) Embedded in a Wrist-worn Device and the Laptop-based PVT
Authors: Matsangas Panagiotis , Shattuck Nita Lewis
Published: September 2018

The study assesses the agreement between the 3-minute version of the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) with an interstimulus interval (ISI) of 2 to 10 seconds and the validated 3-minute laptop-based PVT (ISI=1-4 seconds). The experiment utilized a randomized, within-subject, repeated-measures design with three factors (PVT device type, the backlight feature of the wrist-worn device, ambient lighting). Results show the differences in reaction times (RT) between devices are incrementally associated with the magnitude of the RTs. These differences tend to be in opposing directions when the backlight feature in the wrist-worn device is on. That is, RTs in the wrist-worn device tend to be faster compared to the laptop for (on average) faster individuals, whereas (on average) slower individuals tend to do better in the laptop compared to the wrist-worn device. The proportional bias introduced by the wrist-worn device compared to the laptop makes it difficult to translate individual RTs between different devices. The proportional bias, however, may work in favor for detecting differences between slow and fast RTs.
Energy Use and Weatherization Practices: Applications for Agent-Based Modeling to Support Vulnerable Populations
Authors: Stonewall Jacklin , Huang Wanyu , Dorneich Michael , Krejci Caroline , Shenk Linda , Passe Ulrike
Published: September 2018

This work surveyed residents of an economically disadvantaged community on their attitudes toward weatherization and their energy use behaviors. To support urban leaders making decisions to mitigate the effects of large-scale climate change, data-driven simulation models are being developed. To ensure that these models are equitable, the needs of all citizens must be included, especially those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The results of this survey indicate that residents are taking steps to weatherize and conserve energy, but they are hindered by a lack of resources and knowledge of available assistance programs. These results are being applied to agent-based models (ABM) to model emergent community behavior. These models will be used to design decision support systems for city stakeholders.
Preliminary Analysis and Simulation of Railroad Dispatcher Workload
Authors: Huang Lixiao , Cummings M. L. , Nneji Victoria C.
Published: September 2018

Railroad dispatch centers increasingly use technology to assist dispatchers as they interact with multiple entities across a variety of tasks to ensure trains and track personnel function safely on an efficient schedule. A railroad dispatcher workload simulation could, therefore, be useful in estimating the impact of new technologies on dispatchers’ workload and overall system performance, particularly in the concept generation phase of a systems engineering process. This paper first discusses railroad dispatchers’ work analysis based on a large dispatch center and then presents the development of the Railroad Dispatcher Workload Simulation (RDWS), which generates models of dispatcher workload given various settings.
Preliminary Evaluation of a Brief Team Cohesion Manikin Scale
Authors: Bonny Justin W.
Published: September 2018

The performance of small groups of individuals is substantially influenced by team cohesion. Past research has examined the processes involved in the development of cohesion, the extent to which a group of individuals are drawn together as a team, between team members across large temporal scales. Questions remain, however, regarding the progression of team cohesion within a specific set of activities. To address these questions, brief measures that are able to reliably assess team cohesion are required. In the present study, a novel set of team cohesion scales, designed to be completed rapidly and at multiple times during a task, was examined. Three team cohesion manikin scales were developed to assess interpersonal attraction, commitment, and pride. Ratings from the scales were gathered as small groups of participants completed two sets of tasks, the first in which participants observed video clips of teams that varied in displayed cohesion, and the second where groups completed two activities. High reliability was observed across the scales when participants used them to rate groups observed in video clips. During group activities, significant relations were observed between scale scores and past measures of team cohesion. The present study provides preliminary evidence that brief self-report measures can be used to assess team cohesion when observing as well as participating in group activities.
Modeling Hand Trajectories during Sequential Reach Movements in a Pulley Threading Task
Authors: Haney Justin M. , Wang Tianke , D’Souza Clive , Jones Monica L. H. , Reed Matthew P.
Published: September 2018

Modeling of human motion is common in ergonomic analysis of industrial tasks and can help improve workplace design. We propose a method for modeling the trajectories of hand movements in the frontal plane during a sequential reach task that involves threading string through a system of pulleys. We model the motions as a combination of two consecutive phases, one where the hand is reaching between pulleys and another when the hand is engaged in threading a target pulley. Hand trajectories were modeled separately for each phase by fitting basis-splines to the observed data. Predicted trajectories were computed using task parameters as the input and compared to observed trajectories from the 12 participants who completed the study.
Effect of Load Weight and Starting Height on the Variability of Trunk Kinematics
Authors: Norasi Hamid , Koenig Jordyn , Mirka Gary
Published: September 2018

Trunk kinematic variables have been used to understand the risk of low back injuries in the workplace. Variability in trunk kinematics has not been explored to the same level. In the current study, it was hypothesized that workplace variables (starting height and load weight) would have an impact on the variability in the kinematic variables describing trunk motion. Ten participants performed a repetitive lifting task under four different conditions representing two levels of load weight and starting height. The Lumbar Motion Monitor was used to capture key trunk kinematic variables from the concentric range of lifting motion. The dominant parameter in this experiment was found to be the starting height of the lift which significantly affected the variability of trunk kinematics in sagittal plane. In the transverse plane neither starting height of the load nor the weight of the load were found to influence the variability of trunk kinematics significantly.
Effects of Lumbar Facet Nerve Block on Standing Balance among Lower Back Pain Patients
Authors: Zolghadr Mohammad , Hu Boyi , Vaglienti Richard , Ning Xiaopeng
Published: September 2018

Lower Back Pain is one of the leading causes of disability globally. Its degradation to patients’ standing stability has been reported in the past. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the influence of immediate pain relief enabled by a lumbar facet joint anesthetic injection on patients’ standing stability. A total of 91 chronic LBP patients were recruited, each patient performed standing balance tests both before and after a lumbar facet nerve block treatment while their dynamic center of pressure data were recorded and compared. Results of our study showed that after the injection, participants showed 10% smaller total excursion and up to 30% smaller sway area. These results suggested patients’ balance might be used as an objective measurement to evaluate pain reduction among LBP patients.
Head tilt angle when using smartphone while walking
Authors: Han Hyeseon , Gwon Soonyoung , Kim Misol , Shin Gwanseob
Published: September 2018

Prolonged or frequent looking down posture when using a smartphone in mobile has been assumed as a risk factor for neck musculoskeletal problems. However, existing knowledge on the severity of the head tilt posture when using the smartphone while walking is quite limited. An experiment was conducted to know how much users would tilt the head forward when using their smartphones while walking. Twenty-eight healthy young smartphone users participated, and they walked along a 60-meter straight track while conducting one-hand web-browsing and two-hands texting tasks using their smartphones. The amount of head tilt was quantified using an inertial measurement unit sensor, which was attached to the forehead. Participants maintained a forward tilt posture at 31.1° (median angle) from vertical when web-browsing and 38.5° (median angle) when reading and sending text messages, with significantly greater (p<0.05) tilt from the texting task. Results of this study confirm the association between smartphone use while walking and risks for neck musculoskeletal problems.
Differences in trapezius muscle activation patterns in office workers with and without chronic neck-shoulder pain, as quantified through exposure variation analysis
Authors: Kelson Denean , Srinivasan Divya , Mathiassen Svend Erik
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this study was to quantify upper-trapezius muscle activation patterns using exposure variation analysis (EVA) in healthy computer workers and those with chronic neck-shoulder pain. Eight healthy and five chronic pain participants were asked to complete three computer-based tasks (TYPE, CLICK, and FORM) in two pacing conditions (self-paced and control-paced). EVA was used to quantify variation using five amplitude classes and five duration classes. Performance in each task was also quantified. Healthy workers and those with chronic pain did not differ in performance, and they both exhibited similarly low levels of muscle activation amplitude. Pain participants, however, were found to spend less time in lower duration classes across tasks and conditions. These results indicate that individuals with chronic neck-shoulder pain utilize movement strategies involving sustained durations of continuous muscle activation. This may be suggestive of decreased temporal variation in muscle activation patterns in those with chronic pain.
A Field Study on College Marching Band Players’ Workload
Authors: Wells Robyn , Zhu Xinhui
Published: September 2018

College marching band players expose to high physical and cognitive workloads; however, there is lack of understanding on this matter. The purposes of this study were to investigate the workloads associated with marching band performance and to evaluate the effect of players’ role (leader vs. non-leader) on their workload. Forty participants were recruited from the Oregon State University Marching Band (OSUMB). They were conducted to complete a set of surveys before and after their performance on a game day. Their body discomfort and subjective workload were assessed using Borg-CR10 and NASA-TLX, respectively. Results found leaders’ discomfort ratings at their neck and upper back areas were significantly higher (p<0.10) than those of non-leaders. Also, a consistent trend was found across all NASA-TLX scales that leasers reported higher workloads than non-leaders. These findings indicate that college marching band players exposed to high workload and the leadership role can increase the players’ workload.
Upper extremity muscle activity during household floor vacuuming with upright cleaners
Authors: Bak Haerim , D’Souza Clive , Shin Gwanseob
Published: September 2018

Physical demands of household carpet vacuuming and associated risks for musculoskeletal problems have received little attention although the level of muscle exertions is often assumed to be similar to that of occupational vacuuming. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess the level of muscle activities of the upper extremity during carpeted floor vacuuming with household upright vacuum cleaners. Eighteen participants conducted four different carpet vacuuming tasks with two different cleaner models. Electromyography data from seven upper extremity muscles were collected. Median muscle activity ranged from 4.5% to 47.5% of the maximum voluntary contraction capacity for female participants and from 2.7% to 23.6% for male participants. Normalized muscle activity levels were significantly higher in women compared to men across tasks and muscle groups. Study results suggest that home vacuuming with upright vacuum cleaners is physically intensive work, especially for female users who are less physically capable.
Environmental Design, Personality, and Online Learning
Authors: Stone Nancy J.
Published: September 2018

Students completed an online tutorial presented as a video or PowerPoint presentation in a room with or without a window with blue, green, red, or white draperies to determine the impact of the environment on online learning. Students’ scores improved significantly from pretest to posttest; however, contrary to expectation, there were no main effects of windows, color, or the type of tutorial. There was a Room X Color interaction effect. Contrary to expectation, posttest scores were highest in the windowed room with red drapes and in the windowless room with green or white drapes. The lowest posttest scores occurred in a windowless room with red drapes and a windowed room with green drapes. Learners high in extraversion and agreeableness tended to have lower posttest scores, but high levels of conscientiousness were not related to performance. These results suggest that the presence of a window influences the impact of color in the learning environment, but the relation between personality and online performance is still unclear.
Effects of Automation Reliability and Trust on System Monitoring Performance in Simulated Flight Tasks
Authors: Ferraro James , Clark Logan , Christy Naomi , Mouloua Mustapha
Published: September 2018

The current study was designed to empirically examine the effects of trust and automation reliability on multi-tasking performance in a simulated cockpit setting using the Multi-Attribute Task Battery II (MATB-II). The MATB-II simulates tasks often performed by pilots in-flight, tasking the operator with attending to automated systems and correcting errors when they inevitably occur. Over the course of three 30-minute trials, two levels of automation reliability were presented in the current study (R50% and R90%). It was hypothesized that automation reliability and trust would affect both workload and performance in this multi-tasking environment. Results indicated that reliability significantly affected monitoring performance on the MATB-II. More reliable automation resulted in poorer monitoring performance, while trust appeared to have little impact. These results provide further evidence for how operators trust and interact with automation, a topic that is relevant to the implementation of automated systems in a variety of human-machine systems such as aviation.
Elicitation by Critiquing: Applications to Computer Network Defense
Authors: Scott Alexander , Cooke Ian , Sliwinska Katarzyna , Wong Novia , Schuster David
Published: September 2018

With an increasing frequency of data breaches suffered by organizations, computer network defense (CND) is becoming an increasingly important concern. With understanding of how cybersecurity professionals engage in the cognitive aspects of their work, human factors researchers and practitioners can improve tools and training. By optimizing the tools and training network defenders rely on to detect and respond to novel network threats, the cybersecurity workforce will be strengthened. While cognitive task analysis (CTA) is well-positioned to represent the cognitive work of CND, we identify challenges practitioners are likely to encounter in the field. Through a review of published CTAs in CND and other domains, we provide guidance for future CTA efforts in CND. Finally, we present an argument for the use of Elicitation by Critiquing (EBC) and demonstrate its efficacy in mitigating the challenges of applying CTA in CND.
Dual-task Interference: Swimming and Verbal Free Recall
Authors: Stets Andrew J. , Helton William S.
Published: September 2018

Dual-task interference studies have been performed using a variety of different tasks, however, there has been limited research examining dual-tasks interference where one of the tasks is an ecologically realistic physically demanding task. Swimming is a task that involves three spatial axes, similar to flying, but is also physically demanding for the entire body as all four limbs are used to propel the swimmer through the water. A dual-task case study was conducted to compare repeated performance in a swimming task, a verbal free recall task and a dual-task where swimming and free recall were combined. While previous research has examined running and climbing when combined with the verbal free recall task, these studies were one-off studies, whereas the present study was conducted longitudinally with repeated sessions. The current study was performed in a single individual across several weeks to investigate the longitudinal change of dual-task interference.
The Effects of Color Vision Deficiencies on Medical Professionals and Proposed Countermeasures
Authors: Costedoat Gregory , Palmer Evan McHughes
Published: September 2018

Diagnosing various medical conditions and interpreting the results of colorimetric tests requires medical professionals to utilize color-based cues. However, those with a color vision deficiency (CVD) are at an increased risk of misdiagnosing patients and incorrectly interpreting the results of colorimetric tests. The most common CVDs afflicting medical professionals are deuteranomaly, deuteranopia, protanomaly, and protanopia, all of which reduce the ability to perceive a difference between green, yellow, orange, and red hues. For example, it has been found that medical professionals and students with a CVD have a decreased ability to detect blood in stool samples and are more likely to misread the results of colorimetric tests. In an effort to reduce these types of errors, potential countermeasures are explored, including screening for CVDs early on in medical school, implementing redundant coding principles for colorimetric medical tests, and designing efficient support systems for medical professionals with a CVD.
Thinking “Out-of-the-Box” with Board Games
Authors: Pierce Matthew B. , Shelstad William J. , Rickel Emily , Chaparro Barbara S.
Published: September 2018

This study demonstrates the user experience measurement technique of Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) with a commercially available board game. This method of study has yet to be tested on board games in the current literature. Participants experienced four phases of the board game - Unboxing, Setup, Initial Play, and Disassembly – and were queried for their feedback and expectations. Analysis of this data revealed several themes contributing to overall user satisfaction. Players gravitated to the art style, look and theme of the board and pieces. However, users were frustrated with the written instructions and fundamental mechanics of gameplay. These themes can be used for design recommendations and improvements. Overall, these findings show how OOBE can be applied to understand aspects of first impressions that may impact game satisfaction before game play even begins.
Measuring Satisfaction With Standard Survey Instruments and Single-Button Responses on Kiosks
Authors: Rabbitt Laura R. , Hasselgren Jacob A. , Cook Cynthia , Sirotin Yevgeniy B.
Published: September 2018

User satisfaction with a technology is an essential usability metric. Unlike efficiency and effectiveness, which are generally recorded during use, satisfaction is often measured subsequently using questionnaires, such as the modified version of the system usability scale (MSUS). This makes satisfaction the most costly usability measure to acquire in large-scale testing. To mitigate this cost, we compared the performance of a four-button kiosk with a standard SUS instrument for measuring satisfaction. Three hundred and fifty four demographically diverse subjects used the kiosk and completed a SUS questionnaire immediately after using one of two different alternative technologies. Kiosk ratings took only 11.43 ( sd = 7.30) seconds on average to collect, much faster than 1200 seconds on average for the SUS. Kiosk ratings and MSUS scores were strongly correlated ( r = 0.62, p < .005), showing the same pattern of differences between the tested technologies. However, the index of dispersion for kiosk ratings was 71.74% larger than for MSUS scores. We conclude that satisfaction kiosks are a cost-effective alternative for measuring satisfaction in usability studies with large sample sizes.
Training for Generalization: The Role of Integrated Skills and Knowledge in Technology Domains
Authors: Billman Dorrit , Catrambone Richard , Feldman Jolene , Caddick Zachary , Eurich Sky , Leventhal Jonathan , Martin Rob , Sliwinska Kasia
Published: September 2018

Training is of little value if trainees can only do the exact tasks on which they were trained, in the identical context of training. Rather, the value typically comes from the ability to apply skills and knowledge across novel variation in contexts and tasks. Training in dynamic technical domains can be particularly challenging because the future tasks can rarely be fully anticipated. We hypothesize that generalization in technology domains will be facilitated when principles (such as device models) are taught in addition to operational procedures, and, particularly, when principles and procedures are integrated. We conducted an exploratory study, including method development, using a micro-world with simulated International Space Station Habitat systems. We compared the effects of Integrated versus Component-wise Training Conditions on generalization to varied tasks, quite different from those in training. Exploratory analyses suggested better generalization and transfer in the Integrated Condition.
Effectiveness of Pictogram Instructions for Donning Smoke Hoods
Authors: Abulhassan Yousif , Bani Hani Dania , Davis Gerard A.
Published: September 2018

Smoke hoods or respiratory protective emergency devices (RPEDs) are marketed to assist in evacuation from fire emergencies. Many smoke hood manufacturers often rely on pictograms to instruct proper donning procedures to smoke hood users. Comprehending the instructions delivered through pictograms plays an important role in properly donning a smoke hood, and avoiding further injuries or complications from improper usage of the smoke hood. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of pictogram instructions used by three types of smoke hoods for donning a smoke hood. Results of this study indicate that the type of pictogram instructions have a significant effect on the ability of a user to properly don a smoke hood. While detailed pictogram instructions help users properly don smoke hoods, they also have an impact on the time required to don a smoke hood.
The Effect of 5 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Key Switch Profiles on Typing and Gaming Muscle Activity, Performance and Preferences
Authors: Miller Charles , Barr Alan , Riemer Raziel , Harris Carisa
Published: September 2018

Introduction:Single force-displacement characteristics of mechanical key switches have been shown to affect performance, fatigue and discomfort during keyboard use. This study compared the effects of mechanical key switches with differing force-displacement characteristics on forearm muscle activity, typing performance, Fitts Study task performance, subjective fatigue and user preference. Methods: Using a within subjects intervention study of crossover design, 64 subjects completed modified Fitts and typing tasks on five different mechanical key switches to mimic dual word processing and gaming keyboard use. Bilateral muscle activity was recorded using surface electromyography (EMG); typing and Fitts task performance measures were tracked. Results: The key switch with a linear force displacement curve had higher net strokes and lower net typing speed than two key switches with tactile feedback (p<0.05). The key switch with the longest tactile travel, operating travel and highest bottom force required slightly higher peak muscle activity compared to 2 other key switches with lower values (p<0.05). Key switches with shorter tactile and operating travel and lower bottom forces were preferred over other key switches.Conclusions: Among mechanical key switches, a linear force displacement curve had the worst outcomes; key switches with shorter tactile (1.2mm) and operating travel (2.0mm) and a lower bottom force (35-40g) had best outcomes overall.