bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ex Vivo Generation of Donor Antigen-Specific Immunomodulatory Cells
Authors: Watanabe M. , Kumagai-Braesch Makiko , Yao M. , Thunberg S. , Berglund D. , Sellberg F. , Jorns C. , Enoksson S. Lind , Henriksson J. , Lundgren T. , Uhlin M. , Berglund E. , Ericzon B.-G.
Published: September 2018

Adoptive transfer of alloantigen-specific immunomodulatory cells generated ex vivo with anti-CD80/CD86 mAbs (2D10.4/IT2.2) holds promise for operational tolerance after transplantation. However, good manufacturing practice is required to allow widespread clinical application. Belatacept, a clinically approved cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4-immunoglobulin that also binds CD80/CD86, could be an alternative agent for 2D10.4/IT2.2. With the goal of generating an optimal cell treatment with clinically approved reagents, we evaluated the donor-specific immunomodulatory effects of belatacept- and 2D10.4/IT2.2-generated immunomodulatory cells. Immunomodulatory cells were generated by coculturing responder human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) (50 × 106 cells) with irradiated donor PBMCs (20 × 106 cells) from eight human leukocyte antigen-mismatched responder–donor pairs in the presence of either 2D10.4/IT2.2 (3 μg/106 cells) or belatacept (40 μg/106 cells). After 14 days of coculture, the frequencies of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and natural killer cells as well as interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production in the 2D10.4/IT2.2- and belatacept-treated groups were lower than those in the control group. The percentage of CD19+ B cells was higher in the 2D10.4/IT2.2- and belatacept-treated groups than in the control group. The frequency of CD4+CD25+CD127lowFOXP3+ T cells increased from 4.1±1.0% (preculture) to 7.1±2.6% and 7.3±2.6% (day 14) in the 2D10.4/IT2.2- and belatacept-treated groups, respectively ( p<0.05). Concurrently, delta-2 FOXP3 mRNA expression increased significantly. Compared with cells derived from the no-antibody treated control group, cells generated from both the 2D10.4/IT2.2- and belatacept-treated groups produced lower IFN-γ and higher interleukin-10 levels in response to donor-antigens, as detected by enzyme-linked immunospot. Most importantly, 2D10.4/IT2.2- and belatacept-generated cells effectively impeded the proliferative responses of freshly isolated responder PBMCs against donor-antigens. Our results indicate that belatacept-generated donor-specific immunomodulatory cells possess comparable phenotypes and immunomodulatory efficacies to those generated with 2D10.4/IT2.2. We suggest that belatacept could be used for ex vivo generation of clinical grade alloantigen-specific immunomodulatory cells for tolerance induction after transplantation.
Identification of Histophilus somni by a nanomaterial optical fiber biosensor assay
Authors: Bandara Aloka B. , Zuo Ziwei , McCutcheon Kelly , Ramachandran Siddharth , Heflin James R. , Inzana Thomas J.
Published: September 2018

Histophilus somni is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for respiratory and systemic diseases of cattle and sheep. Rapid and accurate detection of H. somni is essential to distinguish H. somni from other potential pathogens for proper control and treatment of infections. Nanomaterial optical fiber biosensors (NOFS) recognize analyte interactions, such as DNA hybridization, with high specificity and sensitivity, and were applied to detect H. somni DNA in culture and clinical samples. An ionic self-assembled multilayer (ISAM) film was fabricated on a long-period grating optical fiber, and a biotinylated, nucleotide probe complementary to the H. somni 16S rDNA gene was coupled to the ISAM film. Exposure of the ISAM::probe to ⩾100 killed cells of H. somni strain 2336 without DNA amplification resulted in attenuation of light transmission of ⩾9.4%. Exposure of the complexed fiber to Escherichia coli or non– H. somni species of Pasteurellaceae reduced light transmission by ⩽3.4%. Exposure of the ISAM::probe to blood, bronchoalveolar fluid, or spleen from mice or calves infected with H. somni resulted in ⩾24.3% transmission attenuation. The assay correctly detected all 6 strains of H. somni tested from culture, or tissues from 3 separate mice and calves tested in duplicate. Six heterologous strains (representing 6 genera) reacted at below the cutoff value of 4.87% attenuation of light transmission. NOFS detected at least 100 H. somni cells without DNA amplification within 45 min with high specificity. Although different fibers could vary in signal sensitivity, this did not affect the sensitivity or specificity of the assay.
From Qualitative Meta-Summary to Qualitative Meta-Synthesis: Introducing a New Situation-Specific Theory of Barriers and Facilitators for Self-Care in Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Herber Oliver Rudolf , Kastaun Sabrina , Wilm Stefan , Barroso Julie
Published: September 2018

Situation-specific theories provide nurses with a vehicle to interpret situations, guide their decisions or make assumptions about factors influencing a health problem. In this article, we used meta-synthesis techniques to integrate statements of findings pertaining to barriers and facilitators to heart failure self-care that were derived previously through meta-summary techniques leading to a new situation-specific theory. According to our proposed theory, self-care behavior is the result of a patient’s naturalistic decision-making process. This process is influenced by two key concepts: “self-efficacy” and the “patient’s disease concept of heart failure.” Numerous facilitative and inhibitive factors have been identified influencing these two key concepts as well as the decision-making process, thereby either enabling or hampering the execution of effective heart failure self-care. Further research is needed to validate the model through empirical testing. Once fully matured, the model may be useful in developing behavioral interventions aiming at enhancing adherence to self-care recommendations.
Functional and Neuroanatomical Bases of Developmental Stuttering: Current Insights
Authors: Chang Soo-Eun , Garnett Emily O. , Etchell Andrew , Chow Ho Ming
Published: September 2018

Affecting 5% of all preschool-aged children and 1% of the general population, developmental stuttering—also called childhood-onset fluency disorder—is a complex, multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by frequent disruption of the fluent flow of speech. Over the past two decades, neuroimaging studies of both children and adults who stutter have begun to provide significant insights into the neurobiological bases of stuttering. This review highlights convergent findings from this body of literature with a focus on functional and structural neuroimaging results that are supported by theoretically driven neurocomputational models of speech production. Updated views on possible mechanisms of stuttering onset and persistence, and perspectives on promising areas for future research into the mechanisms of stuttering, are discussed.
Addressing Discrepancies Between ADHD Prevalence and Case Identification Estimates Among U.S. Children Utilizing NSCH 2007-2012
Authors: Song MinKyoung , Dieckmann Nathan F. , Nigg Joel T.
Published: September 2018

Objective: Among U.S. children, ADHD epidemiological estimates (3%-5%) vary significantly from case identification rates (over 11%), leading to confusion about true incidence and prevalence. We investigated the extent to which this discrepancy could be resolved by definitional issues through reexamining the most cited U.S. survey of case identification, the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). Method: Using NSCH 2007/2008 and 2011/2012, we stratified identification of ADHD by current status, severity, psychiatric comorbidity, and ADHD medication usage. Using those criteria, definitional strength was coded into “Definite,” “Probable,” “Doubtful,” and “No.” Results: “Definite” ADHD in caseness in 2007/2008 was 4.04%, increasing to 5.49% in 2011/2012, roughly corresponding to epidemiological estimates. “Definite” ADHD was the primary contributor to an overall increase in caseness over that period. Conclusion: This analysis strengthens understanding of discrepancies in estimated ADHD rates. When low confidence identification is considered false positives, ADHD case identification rates match epidemiological estimates more closely.
A closer look at the health of cats showing urinary house-soiling (periuria): a case-control study
Authors: Ramos Daniela , Reche-Junior Archivaldo , Mills Daniel S , Fragoso Priscila L , Daniel Alexandre GT , Freitas Mariana F , Cortopassi Silvia G , Patricio Geni
Published: September 2018

Objectives

The aim of this study was to perform a case-control medical evaluation of cats from multi-cat households presenting with inappropriate latrining and spraying behavior.

Methods

Owners of 18 ‘spraying’ and 23 ‘latrining’ cats with normal control subjects available from the same households were recruited for a case-control study. Otherwise overtly healthy dyads (each dyad consisting of a case cat and a control cat) were brought together to the veterinary hospital of the University of São Paulo for a medical work-up (ie, physical examination, complete blood count, biochemical profile, urinalysis and urine culture, abdominal ultrasound of the urinary system and in females, where possible, cystoscopy).

Results

Medical problems were identified with similar frequency in the ‘sprayers’ (38.9%), ‘latriners’ (39.1%) and controls of the latrining group (26.1%), but not the controls of the spraying group (5.5%). The difference between ‘cases’ and ‘controls’ from spraying households was significant. Common potential health-related changes include renal insufficiency, cystitis and bladder lithiasis. Renal calculi, higher creatinine levels (within normal reference interval) and ‘glomerulations’ (detected during cystoscopy) were also found in the remaining sprayers and latriners that were considered clinically healthy. Post-cystoscopy, a new form of periuria occurred in two cats (one sprayer and one latriner).

Conclusions and relevance

These results indicate that spraying or latrining behavior in the home, as well as living with a cat that is not using the litter box as a latrine, are all associated with a higher level of urinary tract abnormalities; living with a cat that is spraying, however, does not have this association. The findings also suggest that both forms of periuria might be associated with interstitial cystitis. We therefore conclude that all cats with periuria need to be carefully evaluated medically and that treatment of latrine-related problems should consider all cats in the house, whereas spraying may be more focused on the individual displaying the problem.
New Directions in Hate Reporting Research: Agency, Heterogeneity and Relationality
Authors: Donovan Catherine , Clayton John , Macdonald Stephen J
Published: September 2018

The third-party hate reporting project Arch, based in the north-east of England, has one of the largest datasets on third-party reporting of hate crime/incidents in the UK. Spanning a 10-year period from 2005, this dataset, though limited, provides a unique opportunity to trace the patterns of those reporting hate, based on ‘race’ and faith, sexuality and transgender identity, and disability. Focusing on reports of hate, based on perceived sexuality and/or transgender identities, the article considers the timing, location, and nature of hate crime/incidents reported, as well as some of the patterns in the repeat reporting data. This is done to suggest three features of those who are victimised by hate crime/incidents. First, they can be understood as agentic, indeed, of inhabiting transformative identities: not only do they challenge their perceived stigmatised identities by reporting their hate experiences, but by doing so they reframe the identities of those normals who enact hate as stigmatised. Second, they are heterogeneous, with multiple, intersecting identities, different experiences of hate, and responses to them. Third, we suggest that, by drawing on the parallels between domestic violence and hate, it might be more fruitful to think of those who report repeat victimisations, especially of apparently ‘low level’ experiences, as being caught up in hate relationships. In conclusion, a new agenda is suggested for hate research to include a focus on agency, heterogeneity, and relationality.
The social capitals of recovery in mental health
Authors: Brown Brian , Baker Sally
Published: September 2018

In this article, we examine the process of recovery in people who have undertaken treatment for mental health problems, based on interviews with 34 participants. We describe their experiences through the lens of social capital, focusing on the social networks and relationships within which they are embedded and which they utilise to give purpose and meaning to their lives. The accounts give sense of movement from relationships, institutions and networks which were provided through their engagement with services towards relationships outside the health care system which were more freely chosen and which provided a sense that they were able to achieve recognition and make a contribution. The latter included activities such as art, theatre and sport. The relationships and institutions with which they were engaged via the statutory services were described as burdensome and inappropriate, whereas those which were freely chosen appeared more emancipatory and positively constitutive of identity. We have called this latter experience one of ‘intentional social capital’ because the participants were deliberately choosing and orienting to these networks and were able to derive pleasure and a sense of self from them. The findings have implications for how we see the situation of people recovering from mental health problems inasmuch as professional attitudes and practices could usefully be extended to more fully recognise and encourage wider patterns of social engagement and fulfilment occurring outside the limited contribution of clinical definitions and clinical interventions.
Hyperglycemia activates the renin-angiotensin system and induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in streptozotocin-induced diabetic kidneys
Authors: Chen Chung-Ming , Juan Shu-Hui , Chou Hsiu-Chu
Published: September 2018

Introduction:

The renin–angiotensin system and epithelial–mesenchymal transition play crucial roles in the development of kidney fibrosis. The connection between the renin–angiotensin system and transforming growth factor-β in epithelial–mesenchymal transition remains largely unknown.

Materials and methods:

We assessed oxidative stress, cytokine levels, renal morphology, profibrotic growth factor and renin–angiotensin system component expression, and cell-specific E- and N-cadherin expression in the kidneys of gerbils with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus.

Results:

Animals in the experimental group received an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to induce diabetes. The diabetic gerbil kidneys presented kidney injury, which was manifested as distorted glomeruli, necrosis of tubular cells, dilated tubular lumen, and brush border loss. Additionally, the diabetic gerbil kidneys exhibited significantly higher expressions of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, nuclear factor-kB, toll-like receptor 4, tumor necrosis factor-α, transforming growth factor-β, connective tissue growth factor, α-smooth muscle actin, and N-cadherin and higher collagen deposition than did the control gerbil kidneys. Compared with the control kidneys, the diabetic gerbil kidneys exhibited significantly lower E-cadherin expression. These epithelial–mesenchymal transition characteristics were associated with an increase in renin–angiotensin system expression in the diabetic gerbils.

Conclusions:

We demonstrate that hyperglycemia activated the renin–angiotensin system, induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and contributed to kidney fibrosis in an experimental diabetes mellitus model.
A 5-Year Follow-Up of The Benefits of an Exercise Training Program in Liver Recipients Transplanted Due to Familial Amyloidotic Polyneuropathy
Authors: Tomás Maria Teresa , Melo Xavier , Mateus Élia , Gonçalves Mafalda , Barroso Eduardo , Santa-Clara Helena
Published: September 2018

Background:

Supervised (SE) and home-based exercise (HBE) training regimes are effective on reconditioning patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) after liver transplantation, but research of the long-term retention of the benefits attained in patients with FAP has not yet been conducted.

Purpose:

In this 5-year follow-up study, we aimed to determine whether the exercise training gains in body composition, physical activity, and function promoted by a 24-week SE or HBE training regimes are retained in patients with FAP who resume normal activity.

Methodology:

Sixteen liver-transplanted patients with FAP were reassessed for body composition (dual X-ray absorptiometry), physical activity (questionnaire), and function (handgrip strength and 6-minute walk test).

Results:

Total body fat increased with both exercise regimes during follow-up ( P < .05; η2 = 0.432-0.625) as well as femoral neck bone density ( P = .048; η2 = 0.119). However, gains in upper limbs muscle quality during follow-up ( P < .001; η2 = 0.597) were only found in the SE group ( P = .042; η2 = 0.245). Both exercise regimes showed retaining aptitudes in walking capacity ( P < .05; η2 = 0.329-0.460) and muscle mass ( P = .05; η2 = 0.245). Still, none could retain the physical activity levels.

Conclusion:

Long-term resumption of normal activity following a 24-week SE or HBE regime in patients with FAP resulted in loss of exercise induced increases in physical activity but counterweighted postoperative losses in bone mineral density and substantially retained the benefits in walking capacity, muscle mass, and quality, in particular, in the SE group.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Detection and Classification of Its Subtypes Using Pretrained Deep Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Shafique Sarmad , Tehsin Samabia
Published: September 2018

Leukemia is a fatal disease of white blood cells which affects the blood and bone marrow in human body. We deployed deep convolutional neural network for automated detection of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and classification of its subtypes into 4 classes, that is, L1, L2, L3, and Normal which were mostly neglected in previous literature. In contrary to the training from scratch, we deployed pretrained AlexNet which was fine-tuned on our data set. Last layers of the pretrained network were replaced with new layers which can classify the input images into 4 classes. To reduce overtraining, data augmentation technique was used. We also compared the data sets with different color models to check the performance over different color images. For acute lymphoblastic leukemia detection, we achieved a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 98.11%, and accuracy of 99.50%; and for acute lymphoblastic leukemia subtype classification the sensitivity was 96.74%, specificity was 99.03%, and accuracy was 96.06%. Unlike the standard methods, our proposed method was able to achieve high accuracy without any need of microscopic image segmentation.
The expression of somatostatin receptor 2 decreases during cyst growth in mice with polycystic kidney disease
Authors: Lin Cong , Happé Hester , Veraar Kimberley , Scharpfenecker Marion , Peters Dorien JM ,   The Dipak Consortium
Published: September 2018

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is characterized by progressive renal cyst formation and expansion. Several clinical trials show that somatostatin analogs halt cyst growth and progression of ADPKD by inhibiting adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) signaling. However, two studies suggest that the effect of the somatostatin analog octreotide on kidney growth during the first year of treatment is reduced in the subsequent follow-ups and the kidney enlargement resumes. We hypothesize that this biphasic change in kidney growth during octreotide treatment may be due to changes in somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) expression. Here we analyzed the expression of renal SSTR2 in various polycystic kidney disease (PKD) mouse models in which PKD1 gene expression was disrupted on postnatal day 10 or 18 by tamoxifen. Using immunohistochemical analysis, we showed that the distribution of SSTR2 in murine kidneys is mainly in distal tubules and collecting ducts. In addition, in both PKD models, we observed a significant decrease in SSTR2 expression in epithelia of dilated tubules and cystic epithelia in mice with end stage of PKD compared to wild-type mice. These findings were further confirmed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) on mRNA levels of SSTR2. In conclusion, our data show that SSTR2 expression levels are reduced during kidney cyst growth, which may suggest reduced efficacy in long-term treatment with somatostatin analogs.
Socially Responsible Practice: The Battle to Reshape the American Institute of Planners
Authors: Thomas June Manning
Published: September 2018

This article explores how events of a particular era, 1959–1974, contributed to the reshaping of ideas about planners’ social responsibilities. It describes encounters between Planners for Equal Opportunity and American Institute of Planners (AIP) relating to the need for planners to help protect the disadvantaged and to counter racial or economic oppression in professional practice. It suggests that the years from 1959, when AIP issued a slight revision of its code of professional conduct, to 1974, when it developed a proposal for dispersed advocacy planning, were the setting for major changes in understanding about the need for social justice in planning practice.
An Empirical Study Investigating the Effectiveness of Integrating Anecdotal Patient Experiences into Healthcare Public Reports
Authors: Agnisarman Sruthy , Ponathil Amal , Lopes Snehal , Chalil Madathil Kapil
Published: September 2018

Public reports provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provide information on the per-formance and quality of the healthcare professionals and hospitals, as a way to help consumers make in-formed decisions about their healthcare choices. Recent studies indicate that consumers’ infrequent use of public reports is due to reports’ poor design, irrelevant content, and inadequate dissemination. Patient gen-erated feedback is considered to be easily understandable to consumers as compared to the technical infor-mation provided in the public report. However, there has been limited research focused on the specific role of integrating such feedback into healthcare public reports, and its effect on the consumers’ decision mak-ing process. Using a between subjects design, 362 participants completed this study. The independent vari-ables were, anecdotal information: supporting or criticizing facilities presented; and performance of healthcare facility based on public report: below average, average and above average. Although participants based their decisions on public report information, negative anecdotal information influenced their decision when provided alongside positive public reports, suggesting that it is imperative to develop a new genre of decision aids to aid a consumer’s informed decision making process.
Naturalistic Decision Making by Older Adults with Chronic Heart Failure: An Exploratory Study Using the Critical Incident Technique
Authors: Daley Carly N. , Bolchini Davide , Varrier Anagha , Rao Kartik , Joshi Pushkar , Blackburn Jessica , Toscos Tammy , Mirro Michael J. , Wagner Shauna , Martin Elizabeth , Miller Amy , Holden Richard J.
Published: September 2018

Older adults with chronic heart failure (CHF) make daily decisions to manage their disease, with some of these decisions resulting in major health outcomes such as acute decompensation, hospitalization, and death. To understand how older adults with CHF make these decisions in their natural sociotechnical system context, we analyzed data from critical incident technique interviews with 12 older adults with CHF and 6 (family or friend) support persons. We identified key decision-making barriers, strategies, and distributed activity in stages of monitoring information or data, interpreting the information, and acting as a result. Our findings contribute to the broader research literature on CHF self-care as a naturalistic phenomenon and can aid in the exploration of design requirements for the development of technologies and interventions to assist in heart failure self-management.
Using Scenarios Throughout The User-Centered Design Process in Healthcare
Authors: Reale Carrie , Speir Ross , Ruark Kurt , Herout Jennifer , Slagle Jason , Weinger Matthew B. , Anders Shilo
Published: September 2018

Context-specific descriptions of the intended user interactions with health information technology (HIT) systems provide an important perspective to the overall goals of HIT design. These descriptions — or scenarios — that represent the clinicians’ perspectives can describe how HIT should support users in providing patient care effectively, efficiently, and safely. Scenarios may improve the design of HIT systems by ensuring clinician needs are well-articulated for high-value patient-care situations. This Practice- Oriented paper presents suggestions for the development and application of clinical scenarios throughout a robust user-centered design (UCD) process. As a flexible artifact, different types of scenarios can be used at each point across the UCD process and the rationale for their use are discussed, and we suggest key aspects that must be included for each specific type of scenario. This practice innovation will be beneficial to practitioners working within UCD processes, as guidance on adding scenarios as a tool in their work.
Battlefield trauma care
Authors: Berggren Peter , Svensson Filip , Lampi Maria , Prytz Erik
Published: September 2018

Introduction: Rapid and structured medical care is important to increase wounded patients’ chances of survival in modern warfare. This requires a functioning medical chain. Aim: The aim of this study was to expand the knowledge of how the battlefield trauma care affects patient outcome in situations with a large number of casualties in the Swedish armed forces. Methods: An empirical study with a convergent parallel mixed methods design, which included observations and semi-structured interviews. Results: The results show that the trauma care performed at Role 1-units functioned well. The most prominent issue discovered was deficiency in transportation resources for medical evacuation throughout the entire medical chain. Conclusion: Despite that the trauma care performed at Role 1-units functions well, casualties are at risk for preventable complications or death. Improved transportation logistics are required to improve the medical capabilities of the Swedish armed forces.
The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Used by Penetration Testers: Results of Interviews with Cybersecurity Professionals in Vulnerability Assessment and Management
Authors: Armstrong Miriam E. , Jones Keith S. , Namin Akbar Siami , Newton David C.
Published: September 2018

There is a growing need for cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) necessary for risk and vulnerability analysis of security incidents. Currently, little is known about the relative importance of KSAs or tools used in vulnerability assessment and management, which leads to inefficiencies in education, personnel selection, and research. We interviewed 38 cybersecurity professionals to determine which KSAs are most important in Vulnerability Assessment and Management work. Of the 31 KSAs, 12 were rated as being significantly important to Vulnerability Assessment and Management work and indicate that four key areas should be prioritized in education, recruitment, and research: 1) knowledge of and skills in identifying vulnerabilities and robustness of systems and applications; 2) conceptual familiarity with classes of attacks and attack stages; 3) knowledge of and skills in penetration testing principles and tools; and 4) knowledge of network traffic and network protocols.
The effect of video game experience and the ability to handle workload and workload transitions
Authors: Devlin Shannon P. , Riggs Sara L.
Published: September 2018

Dynamic and complex domains, like those found in the military and healthcare require operators to experience and cope with changes in task demands, i.e. workload transitions. The literature has shown individual differences affect a person’s ability to handle workload transitions, but the role of individual experience has not been thoroughly examined. The focus of this work aims to understand how the role of video game experience, affects an individual’s ability to handle workload transitions in the context of simulated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control. Twenty-one participants completed a UAV simulation under four workload scenarios: low, high, gradual shift from low to high, and sudden shift from low to high. Performance was compared across self-reported video-game players (VGPs) and non-video game players (NVGPs). Overall accuracy for VGPs was higher than NVGPs. This line of work provides the foundation to understand the effect of video game experience, which can help inform training programs and workplace design for operators in various data-rich environments.
Improving Work and Rest Patterns of Military Personnel in Operational Settings with Frequent Unplanned Events
Authors: Shattuck Nita Lewis , Matsangas Panagiotis , Saitzyk Arlene
Published: September 2018

Members of the military get inadequate sleep due to a variety of reasons. Reduced manning, extended work hours, shiftwork schedules that result in circadian misalignment – all of these factors contribute to the sleep debt and degraded alertness observed in much of the military population. The issue of watchstanding schedules, performance, and alertness is of critical importance to the US military and is the focus of the current study. Based on a sample of active duty military members (N=75), this study had two goals. First, to conduct a field-based monitoring of the sleep and performance of military personnel while performing their duties. Second, to create and validate optimal recommendations based on the results of this empirical study. Participants wore actigraphs over a two-week period, completed daily activity logs, and took three-minute reaction time tests before and after standing watch on their regular schedules. Participants worked on a 2-day on/2-day off schedule, either in 3-section 8-hour shifts, or 2-section 12-hour shifts. Although there were no significant differences in the sleep amounts between the two schedules, results showed that participants on 8-hr shifts had fewer errors and less variable reaction time performance than those working 12-hr shifts. The 8-hr group reported better sleep quality, too. Our results suggest that the 8-hour schedule is better than the 12-hour schedule in terms of sleep and performance but may be more difficult to be applied. This study clearly shows the difficulty of implementing a specific watchstanding schedule in operational environments overloaded with unplanned, and irregular operational duties.
Distributions of Job Physical Exposure Data in a Pooled Study of Low Back Pain Prospective Cohorts
Authors: Tang Ruoliang , Lu Ming-Lun , Merryweather Andrew S. , Thiese Matthew S. , Hegmann Kurt T. , Ferguson Sue A. , Marras William S. , Kapellusch Jay M.
Published: September 2018

Low back pain (LBP) is a common health problem and a major cause of lost productivity in workplaces. Lifting and lowering (LL) activities have traditionally been regarded as risk factor for LBP. In the literature, very little data have been reported describing industrial workers’ exposures to measured job physical demands using comprehensive and quantitative method, such as the revised NIOSH lifting equation (RNLE). This study pooled physical exposure data for the RNLE commonly collected in three independent LBP prospective studies. In total, over one million subtasks (i.e., lifting/lowering activities) were included in this pooled study. Examination of the pooled dataset revealed an increased data distribution of the physical job demands quantified by the RNLE. Research using the pooled dataset will improve the overall statistical power and help address the weaknesses identified in previous studies.
Dimensions of Holistic Automotive Seat Comfort Experience: A Card Sorting Approach
Authors: Erol Tuğra
Published: September 2018

The literature review conducted on various automotive seat comfort item questionnaires indicated that an in depth research of automotive seat comfort descriptors derived with native speakers of English language was lacking. This paper tries to improve the identification and analysis of how a “holistic automotive seat comfort experience” is constructed by the consumers enabling an insight in to how the concept is imagined and retrospectively categorized by the end users. In total 28 people (14 female, 14 male) were selected to participate in the research. The study attempted to identify the frequently utilized descriptors by end users and the structure of the construct with card sort data. The results were analyzed using xSort software application, treated with R package for structure detection and interpreted with the utilization of the category labels where three major dimensions were identified as: Visual Impression & Aesthetical Appearance Design, Safety & Design Functionality and Feelings & Well-being.
The Wearer, the Device, and Its Use: Advances in Understanding the Social Acceptability of Wearables
Authors: Kelly Norene , Gilbert Stephen B.
Published: September 2018

The WEAR Scale was used to collect data on the social acceptability of three wearable devices from 1,387 participants from the US Midwest and Silicon Valley. The most notable result was that a head-worn “medical device” was rated as more socially acceptable ( d=0.78) than the same device described as a “brain fitness tool,” which was the opposite of what was hypothesized. Also, as hypothesized, Silicon Valley participants found the wearables more socially acceptable than Midwestern U.S. participants. The Scale and these results enable industry to better predict the human factors affecting social acceptability of wearables throughout development and before market release.
Older Adult Preferences for Robot Care Providers
Authors: Stuck Rachel E. , McDonald Emily M. , Rogers Wendy A.
Published: September 2018

As the population of older adults increases throughout the world, there is increased demand for specialized interventions for older adults who receive assistance from care providers. Robot care providers are a potential technology intervention to support this population. Although previous research has explored older adults’ perceptions of robot care providers, the studies primarily included independently functioning older adults. This study explored the perceptions of robot care providers from older adults who are currently receiving assistance from a human care provider to gain insight into their understanding of successful care, and how robot care providers can be designed to effectively care for older adults. The results suggest that in the care provider context, older adults desire a robot that goes beyond simply performing the tasks, but is also caring, kind, and sociable. When designing robots for older adult care, robots should also be social to support successful interactions.
Acquiescence Bias in Aided Visual Search
Authors: Dolgov Igor , Schwark Jeremy D.
Published: September 2018

This study looked for evidence of acquiescence bias, a tendency to agree rather than disagree, in human-automation interaction. This bias has not previously been identified in automation use and its existence could help explain operator mistakes made when interacting with automated decision aids. In the first two experiments, it was as beneficial to agree with the aid in one condition and it was beneficial to disagree with the aid in the other. The third experiment gave participants a 50% accurate aid, which offered them no meaningful help. Experiments 1A and 1B revealed that participants performed better when it was beneficial to agree rather than beneficial to disagree with the aid. Experiment 2 revealed that the aid influenced participants’ search strategies even though they were told that the aid was as helpful as a coin flip. The findings suggest that participants display acquiescence bias when making decisions with an automated aid.
A Comparison of Near-Field Gesture, Touch, and Mouse Input
Authors: Harris Dennis , McIntyre Trevor , Jones Keith
Published: September 2018

Near-field gesture (NFG) is an input method that involves in-air gesticulation. Increasingly, system designers must decide whether to employ it or a more traditional method such as touch-or mouse-based input. Existing comparisons of NFG-, touch-, and mouse-based input had several noteworthy limitations. The present experiment compared NFG-, touch-, and mouse-based input in such a way as to avoid the limitations that were present in existing comparisons. The results indicated that NFG-based input led to a) worse user productivity, b) lower general comfort, c) lower preference ratings, and d) lower usability ratings than touch-and mouse-based input. These results suggest that designers must carefully weigh whether the benefits associated with NFG-based input, e.g., interacting with the system without physical contact, outweigh its costs. Further, they suggest future research such as investigating ways to reduce the fatigue associated with NFG-based input.
Driverless Ambulances: A Possibility, but Will Patients Ride?
Authors: Winter Scott R. , Keebler Joseph R. , Rice Stephen , Mehta Rian , Baugh Bradley S.
Published: September 2018

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provide a needed and necessary service in the healthcare industry worldwide. However, many EMS agencies find themselves understaffed to fill the needs of the communities they serve. As a result, this can lead to decreases in the quality of service provided in times of emergencies. Simultaneously, technology is advancing in driverless vehicles which pose the question of the possibility of building driverless ambulances and if so, patients’ willingness to ride in them. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine patients’ willingness to ride in an ambulance operated autonomously as opposed to one driven by a human. Affect measures were collected to determine if affect mediated the relationship between willingness to ride and the type of ambulance configuration. The research used a three-study approach to answer the research questions. First, a general scenario was used to examine patient's willingness to ride in an ambulance based on a human or driverless condition. In Study 2, the affect was implemented to serve as a mediator between the type of operator, human or driverless. In Study 3, the researchers used the six universal facial expressions to determine if specific emotions could be identified as mediators between the condition and willingness to ride score. Through the three studies, the findings indicated that patients were less willing to ride in the scenario where the ambulance was operated autonomously than in the traditional configuration. A significant interaction was found between gender and type of ambulance configuration, where females were less willing to ride in the autonomous ambulance than males. Affect was found to act as a mediator between willingness to ride and the type of ambulance. Additionally, through the use of the six universal facial expressions, it was determined that the mediating emotions for males were fear and happiness, and the mediating emotion for females was anger. In general, participants were not willing to ride in driverless ambulances; however, this finding is also limited by the hypothetical scenario posed in this study which was the need to be transported to the hospital due to phoning 911 in an emergency. Additional research should investigate how patients would feel about riding in a driverless ambulance based on the type of condition as it is possible the willingness to ride may be different in a non-emergency scenario. There may also be other factors that could predict a patient’s willingness to ride in a driverless ambulance. In summary, while driverless technology is becoming a near-term possibility, further research is needed into whether patients would be willing to accept this technology for usage.
Does the Vigilance Decrement Occur for Elementary Features?
Authors: DeLucia Patricia R. , Greenlee Eric T. , Warm Joel S.
Published: September 2018

The aim of the current study was to determine whether the vigilance decrement occurs when observers search for a critical signal that consists of an elementary feature (line orientation). Elementary features are processed quickly and presumably with minimal attentional resources (Treisman & Gormican, 1988). Such features should be resistant to the vigilance decrement, according to theories of the decrement that posit depletion of attentional resources as the underlying mechanism. Observers completed a vigilance task in which they reported the presence of a critical signal, which consisted of a slanted line presented amidst vertical lines. A vigilance decrement was evident in correct detections and reaction time. In a follow-up study, a pop-out effect for the slanted line was replicated in a traditional search task. To the extent that an elementary feature is processed preattenatively, the occurrence of a vigilance decrement challenges theories of the decrement based on depleted attentional resources. However, whether elementary features are processed without attention has been debated and further studies are needed. Identifying display characteristics that can be processed automatically without depleting attention will enhance monitoring performance by eliminating the decrement in safety critical tasks such as aviation and baggage screening.
Ergonomic Analysis of Modern Day Kitchen Knives
Authors: Stone Richard T. , Janusz Olivia , Schnieders Thomas
Published: September 2018

The focus of this study was on how different knife characteristics affect the consumer’s ability to slice vegetables. The aim of this study was to investigate if there is a difference in cutting between a chef knife and a santoku knife, a ceramic knife and a stainless-steel knife, and a sharp and dull knife in terms of muscle activation, body part discomfort, time, and slice performance. The results show for the consumer that knife characteristics do not affect the user’s performance.
Perceived Effectiveness of Potential Music Piracy Warnings
Authors: Ullman Joanne R. , Silver N. Clayton
Published: September 2018

Because music piracy from the internet imposes fines upon individuals, it is important to construct and test warnings in an effort to curb potentially illegal behavior. Each icon contained an eighth note to denote music, action symbol ( upload or download), a prohibition symbol ( slash or cross), and/or a computer for context. Four icons that initially met the ISO 67% comprehension rate were combined with various signal word and consequence messages, yielding 60 test stimuli. Results revealed that participants generally viewed the icon with a computer for context and download symbol with a prohibitive slash as opposed with a cross (“X”) symbol as more effective, than icons with an upload symbol. Signal words conveying the presence of a risk (i.e., IMPORTANT and STOP) received higher perceived effectiveness ratings than NOTICE. Increasing the number of consequences in the warning led to greater perceived warning effectiveness ratings. Hence, a possible warning for music piracy is suggested, with its implications discussed.
A Usability and Safety Study of Bone-Conduction Headphones During Driving while Listening to Audiobooks
Authors: Granados Jasmine , Hopper Matthew , He Jibo
Published: September 2018

Bone-conduction technology has been around since the 1800s but using this technology in headphones is relatively new. Bone-conduction transmits sound through the bones of the skull. This research compared the effect of different auditory delivery methods (bone-conduction versus traditional air-conduction) on driving performance, story comprehension, and subjective workload. Results showed that auditory delivery method did not significantly affect driving performance or story comprehension. This supports one of the hypotheses that bone-conduction headphones are no more distracting than air-conduction speakers. There were significant differences in workload between driving conditions compared to non-driving conditions, but there was no difference in workload between bone-conduction headphones in driving conditions. Bone-conduction headphones do not impair story comprehension and may leave the ear canal open making it a viable option for use while driving.
Psychometric Evaluation of the USE (Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of use) Questionnaire for Reliability and Validity
Authors: Gao Meiyuzi , Kortum Philip , Oswald Frederick
Published: September 2018

The Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of Use Questionnaire (USE, Lund, 2001) measures the subjective usability of a product or service. It is a 30-item survey that examines four dimensions of usability: usefulness, ease of use, ease of learning, and satisfaction. This metric can be applied to various scenarios of usability assessment because it is non-proprietary and technology-agnostic. Items in the USE also have good face validity with unambiguous and relevant descriptions. However, little published research has reported reliability or validity of the USE. The current study aims to address this issue by investigating psychometric properties of the USE. One hundred and fifty-one participants from Mechanical Turk (MTurk) evaluated Microsoft Word and Amazon.com on the USE and the System Usability Scale (SUS, Brooke, 1996). Ignoring the four dimensions in the USE, Cronbach’s alpha was .98, which indicates high reliability of overall USE score. The scale-reliability of dropping any item was .98 in both products. In terms of correlations between the USE dimensions and the SUS, validity was statistically and practically significant ( r between .60 and .82, p < .001). System sensitivity of the USE was also demonstrated via significant t-tests on the USE scores between Microsoft Word and Amazon.com . A principal axis factor analysis revealed a four-factor model that is different from the original model. Three factors resembled the original dimensions, and a fourth factor was related to multiple dimensions. Overall, the USE is a valid and reliable instrument that needs further refinement.
The Sensitivity and Role of Equipment Bulk on a Military Mission Oriented Obstacle Course
Authors: Mitchell K. Blake , Brown Stephanie A.T. , Villa Jose , Garlie Todd N.
Published: September 2018

Standardized military mission oriented obstacle courses are being used to assess the impact of clothing and individual equipment on Warfighter performance. While the role of and sensitivity of weight has been investigated, the role and sensitivity of the course to bulk has not. Bulk was varied using lightweight foam inserts, with limited variation in weight at 0% (duty uniform), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% (based on encumbered measurements of a body armor vest with grenadier load configuration). Bulk had minimal impact on total completion time until the largest bulk configuration was added. Individual obstacle completion time findings were similar, although the sprint and agility may have been less sensitive and the walls and windows may have been more sensitive. Chest depth was the most predictive anthropometric measure for completion time. This information will aid equipment designers in understanding how their design impacts performance.