bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Passive Upper-Extremity Exoskeleton Use on Motor Performance in a Precision Task
Authors: Kelson Denean M. , Kim Sunwook , Nussbaum Maury A. , Srinivasan Divya
Published: November 2019

Upper-extremity exoskeletons (UEXO) are promising interventions for reducing the physical demands of work performed with arms elevated (e.g., overhead work). In this study, we investigated the effects of passive UEXO use on motor performance and physical demands in a repetitive precision overhead task. Eleven participants completed repetitive tapping of targets in both vertically-aligned (targets above/below shoulder level) and horizontally-aligned (targets at shoulder level) configurations, using two UEXOs (Levitate AirframeTM and Eksobionics EksoVestTM) and in a no-device (control) condition. Median levels of muscle activity in the upper trapezius and anterior deltoid muscles decreased using both UEXOs compared to the control. However, the two UEXOs caused distinct effects on end-point precision. End-point precision was similar between devices in the horizontal configuration, but using the EksoVest significantly decreased precision in the vertically-aligned task. These results indicate that task performance may be device-specific, and should be considered when using industrial exoskeletons in diverse tasks.
Using Haptic Feedback as a Treatment for Position Dependent, Severe, Chronic Snoring
Authors: Murph Imani A. , French John , Kukuvka Matt , Bush Dylan
Published: November 2019

Severe snoring reduces sleep duration, sleep quality and has been linked to severe daytime fatigue, obesity and possibly sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease. Most snoring is position dependent and most prominent while sleeping on one’s back. The haptic sleep device (HSD) prevents sleeping on the back by using vibrating disks, which are activated until the sleeper rotates off the back. We monitored four heavy snorers, six moderate to light snorers, and four non-snorers. Our results show that wearing the HSD was associated with a reduction in sleeping on the back, a longer duration of sleep, and a reduction in restlessness during sleep. The HSD is designed to train a person, over time, to sleep on their side. These data indicate that the HSD is an effective anti-snoring device and could lead to other health benefits for the user.
Expertise and Complexity as Mediators of Knowledge Loss in Open Source Software Development
Authors: Newton Olivia B. , Fiore Stephen M. , Song Jihye
Published: November 2019

This paper describes an approach integrating cognitive engineering with computational social science in the context of open source software (OSS) development. Through an analysis of large-scale collaborations in a complex operational setting, we study how expertise and task complexity predict changes in productivity when knowledge loss occurs. Using team data from thousands of software files, we model the effects of expertise, complexity, and knowledge loss on productivity. On its own, knowledge loss had a negative effect on productivity, but this effect was reversed when knowledge loss was combined with high complexity and high numbers of newcomers, suggesting that experts are better able to utilize crowdsourced work. We identify opportunities for research to inform prediction of outcomes in OSS projects based on team and task characteristics and demonstrate the value of integrating cognitive engineering with computational social science to study collaborative work in sociotechnical systems.
Some On-Road Glances are More Equal Than Others: Measuring Engagement in the Driving Task
Authors: Hoekstra-Atwood Liberty , Prendez David , Campbell John L. , Richard Christian M.
Published: November 2019

The current work examines a methodology developed for assessing driver attention management using high-precision eye glances towards safety-relevant driving information. The Task Analysis Eye Movement Overlay (TAEMO) method uses task analyses, video recordings of a driving scenario, and eye glance data toward visual keys that drivers sample during the driving scenario to directly measure driver engagement. This methodology has applications for evaluating infrastructure design, driver impairment assessment, driver training, driver distraction research, and vehicle human-machine interface (HMI) system design.
User-centered design for a customized mobile dialysis device for patients with ESRD: an interview study
Authors: McCauley Zach , Niiyama Itsumi , Kessler Larry , Kim Ji-Eun
Published: November 2019

Dialysis is performed mostly in-center for patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) who lose normal functionality of their kidneys. The Center for Dialysis Innovation (CDI) at the University of Washington is developing a mobile dialysis device called the Ambulatory Kidney to Improve Vitality (AKTIV). Existing mobile dialysis devices focus on functionality, paying limited attention to human factors. The goal of the current study is to identify human factors-related recommendations for the wearable, constantly dialyzing device currently being developed. To reach this goal, we interviewed both patients and caregivers to understand their needs and preferred attributes for such a device while performing daily activities. We found that travel, recreation, and physical exercise were key task types for a wearable dialysis device to accommodate. In addition, safety and accuracy were found to be the attributes most important to participants Incorporating human factors considerations into the design of the mobile dialysis device has the potential to improve the quality of life for patients and caregivers.
Performance in Noise: The Relationship Between Workload And Situation Awareness in Navy Tactical Teams
Authors: Holthausen Brittany E. , Becerra Zoe M. , David Keller M. , Ziriax John M. , Walker Bruce N.
Published: November 2019

The relationship between workload and situation awareness (SA) has been researched generally; however, the relationship between measures of SA and workload, SPAM and NASA TLX respectively, has not been established. This study was completed using a tactical military scenario in which two participants acted as they would standing watch on a US Navy ship. One participant, the Tactical Action Officer (TAO) had reduced speech intelligibility in some trials. The results showed that the relationship between workload and SA differed by role (TAO or CICWO) and by the speech intelligibility level. This work shows the complex relationship between workload and SA and shows the need further investigation in this area, especially in teams.
The impact of mouse weight and connection type on muscle activity and performance while gaming
Authors: Li Guangchuan , Wang Mengcheng , Wiesinger Alexander , Hoeglinger Elias , Barr Alan , Liu Yue , Harris Carisa
Published: November 2019

E-sports are popular around the world and has become a full-time profession for an increasing number of players. Specialized keyboards, mice, headphones and gaming workstations have been developed to improve performance and reduce physical discomfort associated with prolonged gaming. Games have special requirements of operation requiring faster and larger movement, greater mouse sensitivity and higher input efficiency of pointing devices like the computer mouse. The rapid and precise movements of the mouse may impact performance and pose challenges to musculoskeletal health. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare muscle activity and performance while gaming with mice that vary in connection type (wired versus wireless) and weight (light versus heavy).
Comparison of Whole-Body Vibration Exposures When Operating a City Bus with an Active, Passive and Static Suspension Bus Seat
Authors: Johnson Peter W. , Ibbotson-Brown Jennifer , Menocal Serf , Parison Jim
Published: November 2019

Municipal bus drivers have a high rate of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMDSs) and Whole Body Vibration (WBV) has been shown to be a risk factor associated with WMSDs. Recently, active suspension seats, which cut WBV exposures in half relative to the current, industry-standard air suspension seats, have become commercially available for use in buses. This study compared WBV exposures while bus drivers operated a municipal bus over a standardized test route using three different types of seats: 1) an active (electromechanical) suspension bus seat, 2) a passive (air) suspension bus seat, and 3) a static (suspension-less) bus seat. Similar to their performance in semi-trucks, the active suspension seat reduced bus driver WBV exposures between 35% to 61% relative to the passive suspension and static seats. Based on these preliminary results, the active suspension bus seat appears to have the potential to substantially reduce a bus driver’s exposure to WBV.
Return on Investment of Ergonomics Interventions – Discussion Panel
Authors: McGowan Blake , Reid Christopher R. , Bao Stephen , Kapellusch Jay
Published: November 2019

Business value is commonly defined as the importance or worth to the operation. Effectively communicating the value of ergonomics to business stakeholders is key to gaining support (Dul et al., 2012). How do we best convey the value of ergonomics to business stakeholders? How do we engage and communicate in terms that matter to them? How do we educate and demonstrate return in investment? Basically, how does good ergonomics affect the bottom line? During this discussion panel, experts from industry, government, and academia will share their approaches and results. The session will start with brief presentations from three experts, followed by a panel discussion led by the moderator. The audience will be encouraged to participate with their own questions and comments.
Drivers’ Perceptions of Events: Implications for Theory and Practice
Authors: Sall Robert J. , Wagner Richard B. , Feng Jing
Published: November 2019

People are known to naturally segment meaningful units of activity into individual events. Though an influential body of work demonstrating the relationship between event perception and human performance in daily tasks does exist, less consideration has been given to ideas that event perception can shape driving performance. This paper offers an introduction to event perception for the transportation community with a study measuring drivers’ perceptions for events in simulated driving scenes. The results demonstrate consistency in drivers’ perceptions of events and that specific features of a driving scene can predict event boundaries. This study also provides some evidence for a relationship between event perception and driving skill as measured by driving frequency. Discussed are the study’s implications to predict and shape the cognitive performance of drivers, along with potential benefits for driver training programs.
Evaluation of a Trunk Supporting Exoskeleton for reducing Muscle Fatigue
Authors: Poon Nathan , van Engelhoven Logan , Kazerooni Homayoon , Harris Carisa
Published: November 2019

Although the effect of wearing a back-support exoskeleton during lifting has been demonstrated to reduce overall muscle activation, less is known about how wearing exoskeletons affect muscular fatigue and oxygen consumption. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of wearing a back-support exoskeleton (backX) on muscle fatigue during repetitive lifting by assessing whether wearing backX increases endurance time relative to lifting unassisted. A secondary objective of this study is to quantify changes in oxygen consumption rate while performing a repetitive lifting task with and without backX to address a common industry concern. The UC Ergonomics Lab evaluated backX on twelve male subjects by measuring bilateral muscle activity of the erector spinae and oxygen consumption rate. Summary measures of muscle activity for 50 and 90 percent of the repetitive lifting session were used to characterize peak and mean muscle activity. Oxygen consumption rate was collected continuously during the repetitive lifting session. Compared to the unassisted condition, wearing backX reduced peak lumbar erector spinae activation by 16.5% and 21.8% (p < 0.05). The time subjects could hold a back-straining posture after the repetitive lifting session increased by 52% after wearing backX during the lifting task. The was no significant negative change in oxygen consumption rate. This study confirms that wearing a backX reduces muscle activation in the lower back for this specific dynamic lifting task. Additionally, we find that wearing a backX may reduce the risk of low back injuries by reducing muscle activity and increasing endurance time to fatigue
Training and Transfer: Exploring Issues of Embedded Training in Complex Systems
Authors: Nemeth Christopher , Fosha Rebecca , Veinott Elizabeth S.
Published: November 2019

Integrating training into the design and development of new systems is a challenging goal for many organizations. Embedded training (ET) has been a research topic for many years, but as systems become more complex, teams more distributed, and development and training timelines shortened, ET is more critical. This panel with research and operational experience provide their perspective on ET with examples from different domains. Discussion will include training and transfer, as they relate to ET design.
Evaluation of Muscular Forces That Can be Applied to Flight Controls
Authors: Beringer Dennis B. , Joslin Robert E.
Published: November 2019

Excessive pilot flight-control forces have been identified as a causal factor in aircraft accidents, incidents, and anomalous events. However, the regulatory design requirements for fixed-wing and rotary-wing air-craft that are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) have not been validated or updated in decades, and data for some specific situations were never included in the specifications. Results are presented for a recent study of over 300 participants categorized by gender, pilot/nonpilot status, and age group (10-year brackets from 18 through 69). Controls examined included sticks (left, center, right), yoke, rudder pedals (left, right), and helicopter collective. Results indicated that, on average, more than half of the sample could not achieve the short-term tabled forces used as reference points. However, more than half (60 to 87%) were able to sustain the prescribed long-term forces for 4 minutes or more in some control axes. It is recommended that reference tables both internal to the CFR and referenced by the CFR be modified to accommodate a larger percentage of the current user population.
UX in Industry: An ‘Unconference’ w/ the Practitioners
Authors: Jackson France
Published: November 2019

UX roles in industry come in various flavors. From job titles, roles and responsibilities to organizational structure, companies define user experience practitioners in varying ways. The purpose of this alternative session is to give students a diverse look at UX in Industry. Seattle and the Pacific Northwest are home to several major technology companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Intel. This alt session will utilize the unconference format. This will allow facilitators to lead small group discussions based on topics posed by the session attendees. The group of facilitators will consist of a diverse collective of UX researchers and designers from various companies with varying degrees of formal education. Conference attendees will be asked to submit questions via Twitter and at the beginning of the session. Following introductions, the session attendees will be broken into 5 smaller groups. The industry practitioners will serve as discussion facilitators leading the conversation around the submitted topics. It is the intent that they will be able to discussed topics such as what “UX looks like” at their respective companies and the best approach a student can take to prepare now to be successful at their company, but ultimately the topics will come from the attendees. The five panelists have several years of industry experience and have worked for multiple companies; therefore, they can bring perspective from a myriad of experiences.
How to Prevent Players from Teaming Up in Free-for-all Games: The Importance of Initial Contact
Authors: Rheem Hansol , Verma Vipin , Cho Yang Seok
Published: November 2019

It has often been reported that gamers temporarily team up with their enemies in games that prohibit teaming in pursuit of accomplishing the final objective of the game. This behavior, referred to as “teaming”, is frequently observed in free-for-all games and spoils the enjoyment of other players. The current study analyzed data from an iterated economic game with a payoff structure and player constraints similar to those of free-for-all games. Results indicated that cooperative behaviors equivalent to teaming behavior emerged when cooperative intent between participants was successfully signaled and attended in the early stages of the game. Suggestions are made based on these findings which aim to prevent teaming behavior observed in free-for-all games.
Transitional care planning: A pilot study to explore patient, hospital, and primary care perspectives
Authors: Hall Kara G. , Chen Huei-Yen Winnie , Hewner Sharon
Published: November 2019

The care plan aims to align key stakeholders via the exchange of meaningful, timely, and actionable patient care information during transitions of care. This exploratory study used a qualitative approach that includes field observations and semi-structured interviews to further understand the barriers and current process of care planning. A thematic analysis identified clinician strategies in addition to barriers at system, care-team, and patient levels. Specific themes included limited time and resources to establish value-based care, inconsistent/vague role definitions across settings, disconnections in care team communication, inconsistent care planning definitions and goals, patients’ lack of knowledge of care planning, and social behavioral determinants that prevent patients from engaging in their care planning. Further research is necessary to gain a deeper understanding of these barriers and clinician strategies to support a clearer definition of the care planning process.
Systematic approach for the design of flight simulator studies
Authors: Krutein Klaas Fiete , Boyle Linda Ng
Published: November 2019

The examination of commercial pilot workload often requires the use of controlled simulated studies to identify causal effects. The specific scenarios to consider within a simulator study require an extensive understanding of the safety situations that can occur in flight while also considering the specific training that pilots are provided within a simulated environment. The purpose of this paper is to provide a more systematic approach to scenario identification based on historical data, feasibility of capturing behavioral changes, simulator constraints, and training curricula.
An Exploration of Patient Ergonomics in Historically Marginalized Communities
Authors: Valdez Rupa S. , Holden Richard J. , Madathil Kapil , Benda Natalie , Holden Richard J. , Montague Enid , Valdez Rupa , Werner Nicole
Published: November 2019

The growing field of patient ergonomics is built on an understanding that patients and their social network members increasingly play a key role in managing their health and healthcare across a wide range of settings including the home, workplace, and community. Over the last several years, we have traced, explored, and debated emerging research in this area, including the theories, methods, and strategies for implementation that are needed to support this new area of human factors and ergonomics. In this current panel, we begin a new dialogue in this space, one that is inspired not only by our previous discussions but also by recent conversations in our community about the need for human factors and ergonomics to consider issues of inclusivity, diversity, and social justice. To that end, each of our five panelists will present the patient ergonomics research they are conducting within a historically marginalized community or population and highlight lessons learned from their experiences. This presentation of work spanning considerations of gender, age, race, geographic setting, educational background, and disability will serve as a foundation for a wider discussion with the audience about how patient ergonomics as a field can prioritize and support this type of work.
Sociotechnical analysis of the Uber collision with a pedestrian: Actor Maps and AcciMaps
Authors: Stanton Neville A , Salmon Paul M
Published: November 2019

The aim of this paper is explore, the Actor Map and AcciMap methods as applied to the Uber collision with a pedestrian. This approach moves the foci of study away from the immediate events surrounding the driver, to show decisions taken in the broader system created the circumstances necessary for the accident to occur.
Associations of Mail Survey Length and Layout With Response Rates
Authors: Burkhart Q , Orr Nate , Brown Julie A. , Hays Ron D. , Cleary Paul D. , Beckett Megan K. , Perry Suzanne E. , Gaillot Sarah , Elliott Marc N.
Published: November 2019

We assess the association between survey layout and response rates (RRs) in the 2017 Medicare Advantage Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems mail survey. Among 438 Medicare Advantage plans surveyed by six vendors, there was latitude in survey layout, and plans could add up to 12 supplemental items. Regression models predicted survey response from survey characteristics (page count, number of supplemental items, and survey attractiveness), and beneficiary sociodemographics. Beneficiary-age-by-survey-characteristic interactions assessed whether survey characteristics were more strongly related to RRs among older beneficiaries. We found that surveys with more supplemental items and less attractive layouts had lower adjusted odds of response. RRs were more sensitive to format among older beneficiaries. The difference in adjusted RRs for the most favorable versus the least favorable survey design was 14.5%. For a 65-year-old, this difference was 13.6%; for an 80-year-old, it was 21.0%. These findings suggest that even within a relatively standardized survey, formatting can substantially influence RRs.
The Efficacy of a Resilience Intervention Among Diverse, At-Risk, College Athletes: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Chandler Genevieve E. , Kalmakis Karen A. , Chiodo Lisa , Helling Jim
Published: November 2019

BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with psychological and physiological disease, and risky health behaviors. A person’s ability to be resilient may protect them from these negative health outcomes, as resilience has been associated with increased emotional awareness, coping, belonging, and greater likelihood of good health and well-being. AIMS: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the efficacy of a strengths-based resilience intervention to improve access to internal and external resources that effect perceptions of stress, resilience, emotional awareness, and belonging among student-athletes. METHODS: A mixed-methods design was used to examine variables of interest between intervention and control groups. A sample of 56 college athletes completed surveys and engaged in expressive writing during a 5-week resilience intervention. RESULTS: Self-report data indicated that student-athletes in the intervention group improved decision making, lowered perceived stress, and increased resilience compared with controls. Of note, participants with ACEs showed greater increments of positive change in emotional awareness scales than participants without ACEs. Descriptions of emotion management, authentic connections, and increased ability to request support from others were identified in the qualitative data. CONCLUSIONS: A strengths-based course designed to increase resilience—offered as academic and athletic stress is mounting—provided a unique opportunity to promote student-athlete success. Participants gained skills key to victory on and off the field, including health-promoting behaviors, a sense of belonging, persistence, and the ability to negotiate external resources.
De-securitization, sexual violence, and the politics of silence
Authors: Hirschauer Sabine
Published: November 2019

Drawing on the author’s archival research in Germany and the US, empirical data about US-allied troop sexual violence during post-World War II occupied Germany suggests a complex interplay between gender, security, silence production, and state identity. Through a feminist security studies lens, this article theorizes about an unexplored, obscured form of de-securitization: the unmaking of a security issue or referent object as active silence. De-securitization as silence provides a unique insight into silence production, gender’s normativity, and security. To move beyond de-securitization’s presumed politicization, the argument identifies specific hypervisibilities and new state-self, dominant memory regimes as acts, discursive representations, processes, or incidents of de-securitization – producing and reproducing active silence and facilitating the making of a newly imagined, ‘good’ German state-self.
Photoacoustic image-guided interventions
Authors: Karthikesh Madhumithra S , Yang Xinmai
Published: November 2019

Photoacoustic imaging has demonstrated its potential for diagnosis over the last few decades. In recent years, its unique imaging capabilities, such as detecting structural, functional and molecular information in deep regions with optical contrast and ultrasound resolution, have opened up many opportunities for photoacoustic imaging to be used during image-guided interventions. Numerous studies have investigated the capability of photoacoustic imaging to guide various interventions such as drug delivery, therapies, surgeries, and biopsies. These studies have demonstrated that photoacoustic imaging can guide these interventions effectively and non-invasively in real-time. In this minireview, we will elucidate the potential of photoacoustic imaging in guiding active and passive drug deliveries, photothermal therapy, and other surgeries and therapies using endogenous and exogenous contrast agents including organic, inorganic, and hybrid nanoparticles, as well as needle-based biopsy procedures. The advantages of photoacoustic imaging in guided interventions will be discussed. It will, therefore, show that photoacoustic imaging has great potential in real-time interventions due to its advantages over current imaging modalities like computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound imaging.

Impact statement

Photoacoustic imaging is an emerging modality for use in image-guided interventional procedures. This imaging technology has a unique ability to offer real-time, non-invasive, cost-effective, and radiation-free guidance in a real-world operating environment. This is substantiated in this article which sums up the current state and underlines promising results of research using photoacoustic imaging in guiding drug delivery, therapy, surgery, and biopsy. Hence, this minireview facilitates future research and real-world application of photoacoustic image-guided interventions.
A Case Study on the Utility of Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound in Acute Stroke Evaluation
Authors: Thibeault Corey M. , Dorn Amber Y. , Thorpe Samuel G. , Canac Nicolas , Jalaleddini Kian , Wilk Seth J. , Shah Ruchir , Hamilton Robert B. , Devlin Thomas G.
Published: November 2019

The use of transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound in the acute stage of large vessel occlusion diagnosis has, for a number of reasons, not seen widespread adoption. The high temporal fidelity of TCD provides information about the neurovasculature that neurological tests and standard computed tomography (CT) imaging cannot. This presents an opportunity in the early evaluation of patients that can help clinicians make informed decisions. The case study presented here illustrates the complementary information that TCD can provide in a situation where other available tests failed to fully elucidate the underlying pathology.
Big Qual: Defining and Debating Qualitative Inquiry for Large Data Sets
Authors: Brower Rebecca L. , Jones Tamara Bertrand , Osborne-Lampkin La’Tara , Hu Shouping , Park-Gaghan Toby J.
Published: November 2019

Big qualitative data (Big Qual), or research involving large qualitative data sets, has introduced many newly evolving conventions that have begun to change the fundamental nature of some qualitative research. In this methodological essay, we first distinguish big data from big qual. We define big qual as data sets containing either primary or secondary qualitative data from at least 100 participants analyzed by teams of researchers, often funded by a government agency or private foundation, conducted either as a stand-alone project or in conjunction with a large quantitative study. We then present a broad debate about the extent to which big qual may be transforming some forms of qualitative inquiry. We present three questions, which examine the extent to which large qualitative data sets offer both constraints and opportunities for innovation related to funded research, sampling strategies, team-based analysis, and computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS). The debate is framed by four related trends to which we attribute the rise of big qual: the rise of big quantitative data, the growing legitimacy of qualitative and mixed methods work in the research community, technological advances in CAQDAS, and the willingness of government and private foundations to fund large qualitative projects.
Exploring how instructional leadership affects teacher efficacy: A multilevel analysis
Authors: Ma Xiaorong , Marion Russ
Published: November 2019

This study employed a multilevel modeling approach to examine the impact of principal instructional leadership on teacher efficacy and the mediating role played by faculty trust in that process. A total of 50 secondary school principals and 714 teachers in a minority region of Western China participated in the study. The results indicate that instructional leadership, in terms of developing a positive learning climate, directly and positively affects teacher efficacy. Instructional leadership practices that define the school’s mission, manage the instructional program, and develop positive school learning climate, positively affect faculty trust. The results underscore the fact that specific instructional leadership practices have more indirect than direct impacts on teacher efficacy through faculty trust in the principal. The areas of significance identified by this study may guide policy makers and practitioners for informed decisions and interventions targeting to build up teacher efficacy.
Units-first or tens-first: Does language matter when processing visually presented two-digit numbers?
Authors: Poncin Alexandre , Van Rinsveld Amandine , Schiltz Christine
Published: November 2019

The linguistic structure of number words can influence performance in basic numerical tasks such as mental calculation, magnitude comparison, and transcoding. Especially the presence of ten-unit inversion in number words seems to affect number processing. Thus, at the beginning of formal math education, young children speaking inverted languages tend to make relatively more errors in transcoding. However, it remains unknown whether and how inversion affects transcoding in older children and adults. Here we addressed this question by assessing two-digit number transcoding in adults and fourth graders speaking French and German, that is, using non-inverted and inverted number words, respectively. We developed a novel transcoding paradigm during which participants listened to two-digit numbers and identified the heard number among four Arabic numbers. Critically, the order of appearance of units and tens in Arabic numbers was manipulated mimicking the “units-first” and “tens-first” order of German and French. In a third “simultaneous” condition, tens and units appeared at the same time in an ecological manner. Although language did not affect overall transcoding speed in adults, we observed that German-speaking fourth graders were globally slower than their French-speaking peers, including in the “simultaneous” condition. Moreover, French-speaking children were faster in transcoding when the order of digit appearance was congruent with their number-word system (i.e., “tens-first” condition) while German-speaking children appeared to be similarly fast in the “units-first” and “tens-first” conditions. These findings indicate that inverted languages still impose a cognitive cost on number transcoding in fourth graders, which seems to disappear by adulthood. They underline the importance of language in numerical cognition and suggest that language should be taken into account during mathematics education.
Adaptation of the event history calendar for Ugandan adolescents
Authors: Saftner Melissa , Thompson Meagan , Ngabirano Tom D. , McMorris Barbara J.
Published: November 2019

Adolescent and emerging adult risk behavior is a concern globally. Discussing health promotive and risk behaviors with adolescents and young adults can be challenging regardless of the country of data collection and dominant culture. In the United States, event history calendars have been used in both research and clinical settings to identify healthy and risky behaviors among adolescents and emerging adults, and contextual factors that may influence their behavior. After an unsuccessful attempt to employ a particular event history calendar on family life, negative and positive events, sexual behavior and substance use in data collection in rural fishing villages in Western Uganda, the current study aimed to modify the United States validated event history calendar for use with adolescents in Uganda, as a first step to cultural adaptation. Focus groups with 24 college students provided information about ways to modify the event history calendar for Ugandan youth. This paper discusses the modifications of the event history calendar for Ugandan young people.
Backstage Staff Communication: The Effects of Different Levels of Visual Exposure to Patients
Authors: Lim Lisa , Kanfer Ruth , Stroebel Robert J. , Zimring Craig M.
Published: November 2019

Objective:

This article examines how visual exposure to patients predicts patient-related communication among staff members.

Background:

Communication among healthcare professionals private from patients, or backstage communication, is critical for staff teamwork and patient care. While patients and visitors are a core group of users in healthcare settings, not much attention has been given to how patients’ presence impacts staff communication. Furthermore, many healthcare facilities provide team spaces for improved staff teamwork, but the privacy levels of team areas significantly vary.

Method:

This article presents an empirical study of four team-based primary care clinics where staff communication and teamwork are important. Visual exposure levels of the clinics were analyzed, and their relationships to staff members’ concerns for having backstage communication, including preferred and nonpreferred locations for backstage communication, were investigated.

Results:

Staff members in clinics with less visual exposure to patients reported lower concerns about having backstage communication. Staff members preferred talking in team areas that were visually less exposed to patients in the clinic, but, within team areas, the level of visual exposure did not matter. On the other hand, staff members did not prefer talking in visually exposed areas such as corridors in the clinic and visually exposed areas within team spaces.

Conclusions:

Staff members preferred talking in team areas, and they did not prefer talking in visually exposed areas. These findings identified visually exposed team areas as a potentially uncomfortable environment, with a lack of agreement between staff members’ preferences toward where they had patient-related communication.
“I Wasn’t Expecting It”: High School Experiences and Navigating Belonging in the Transition to College
Authors: Offidani-Bertrand Carly , Velez Gabriel , Benz Claudia , Keels Micere
Published: November 2019

For emerging adults transitioning to college, normative social and contextual shifts present challenges that are largely a productive aspect of development. But not all students have the same experiences, nor do all students manage similar experiences in similar ways. Black and Latinx emerging adults transitioning to Historically White Institutions must adjust not only to college life but also to feeling different and, sometimes, isolated. There is a dearth of qualitative work examining how students of color make meaning of their racial-ethnic experiences on campus. Our article draws on a mixed-methods study of Black and Latinx emerging adults’ transition to college to investigate how high school racial-ethnic contexts shape students’ interpretations of experiences of difference on college campuses. There was substantial variation in how Black and Latinx students interpreted experiences of difference on campus and coped with their feelings of otherness, and this variation was predicted by racial-ethnic high school context.
Outcomes After Cervical Disc Arthroplasty Versus Stand-Alone Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Gendreau Julian L. , Kim Lily H. , Prins Payton N. , D’Souza Marissa , Rezaii Paymon , Pendharkar Arjun V. , Sussman Eric S. , Ho Allen L. , Desai Atman M.
Published: November 2019

Study Design:

Systemic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives:

To review and compare surgical outcomes for patients undergoing stand-alone anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) versus cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) for the treatment of cervical spine disease.

Methods:

A systematic search was performed on PubMed, Medline, and the Cochrane Library. Comparative trials measuring outcomes of patients undergoing CDA and stand-alone ACDF for degenerative spine disease in the last 10 years were selected for inclusion. After data extraction and quality assessment, statistical analysis was performed with R software metafor package. The random-effects model was used if there was heterogeneity between studies; otherwise, the fixed-effects model was used.

Results:

In total, 12 studies including 859 patients were selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Patients undergoing stand-alone ACDF had a statistically significant increase in postoperative segmental angles (mean difference 0.85° [95% confidence interval = 0.35° to 1.35°], P = .0008). Patients undergoing CDA had a decreased rate of developing adjacent segmental degeneration (risk ratio = 0.56 [95% confidence interval = −0.06 to 1.18], P = .0745). Neck Disability Index, Japanese Orthopedic Association score, Visual Analogue Scale of the arm and neck, as well as postoperative cervical angles were similar between the 2 treatments.

Conclusions:

When compared with CDA, stand-alone ACDF offers similar clinical outcomes for patients and leads to increased postoperative segmental angles. We encourage further blinded randomized trials to compare rates of adjacent segmental degeneration and other postoperative outcomes between these 2 treatments options.
LAM-003, a new drug for treatment of tyrosine kinase inhibitor–resistant FLT3-ITD–positive AML
Authors: Beeharry Neil , Landrette Sean , Gayle Sophia , Hernandez Marylens , Grotzke Jeff E. , Young Peter R. , Beckett Paul , Zhang Xuan , Carter Bing Z. , Andreeff Michael , Halene Stephanie , Xu Tian , Rothberg Jonathan , Lichenstein Henri
Published: November 2019

Key Points

The heat shock protein 90 inhibitor LAM-003 displays potent in vitro and in vivo activity as a single agent and combined with venetoclax. LAM-003 retains antileukemic activity against AML cells rendered resistant to FLT3 kinase inhibitors by mutation or stromal signaling.
Exploring emergency department visits: factors influencing individuals’ decisions, knowledge of triage systems and waiting times, and experiences during visits to a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alhabdan Nawaf , Alhusain Faisal , Alharbi Abdulkareem , Alsadhan Muatassem , Hakami Moath , Masuadi Emad
Published: November 2019

Background

In recent years, there has been an increased utilization of emergency departments (EDs) in many countries. Additionally, it is reported that there are major delays in delivering care to ED patients. Longer waiting times are associated with poor patient satisfaction, whereas an understanding of the triage process increases satisfaction. This study aimed to assess ED visitor’s awareness of the triage procedure and their preferences regarding delayed communication.

Methods

Cross-sectional study of King Abdulaziz Medical City – Emergency Department visitors using a previously validated questionnaire (Seibert 2014) which was translated to Arabic, piloted, and then used for this study.

Results

A total of 334 questionnaires were returned. The mean age of respondents was 33 years. Regarding primary care physicians, only 16% of respondents said that they have one. About 21% of those tried to communicate with them before coming to the ED. Even though only 11% of respondents knew exactly what triage is, 51% were able to correctly explain why some patients are seen before others. Statistical analysis did not show any factors that are associated with increased knowledge of triage. Most respondents (75%) want to hear updates regarding delays with 69% of them preferring to be updated every 30 min.

Conclusions

This study showed that the majority of patients do not know what triage means and that most of them want to know how the ED works. Moreover, a lot of respondents said that they do not have a primary care physician. These results support increasing patient awareness by education and involving them if any delay happens.
Multiplatform biomarker identification using a data-driven approach enables single-sample classification
Authors: Zhang Ling , Thapa Ishwor , Haas Christian , Bastola Dhundy
Published: November 2019

Background

High-throughput gene expression profiles have allowed discovery of potential biomarkers enabling early diagnosis, prognosis and developing individualized treatment. However, it remains a challenge to identify a set of reliable and reproducible biomarkers across various gene expression platforms and laboratories for single sample diagnosis and prognosis. We address this need with our Data-Driven Reference (DDR) approach, which employs stably expressed housekeeping genes as references to eliminate platform-specific biases and non-biological variabilities.

Results

Our method identifies biomarkers with “built-in” features, and these features can be interpreted consistently regardless of profiling technology, which enable classification of single-sample independent of platforms. Validation with RNA-seq data of blood platelets shows that DDR achieves the superior performance in classification of six different tumor types as well as molecular target statuses (such asMETorHER2-positive, and mutantKRAS,EGFRorPIK3CA) with smaller sets of biomarkers. We demonstrate on the three microarray datasets that our method is capable of identifying robust biomarkers for subgrouping medulloblastoma samples with data perturbation due to different microarray platforms. In addition to identifying the majority of subgroup-specific biomarkers in CodeSet of nanoString, some potential new biomarkers for subgrouping medulloblastoma were detected by our method.

Conclusions

In this study, we present a simple, yet powerful data-driven method which contributes significantly to identification of robust cross-platform gene signature for disease classification of single-patient to facilitate precision medicine. In addition, our method provides a new strategy for transcriptome analysis.
Comparative genomics reveals a novel genetic organization of the sad cluster in the sulfonamide-degrader ‘Candidatus Leucobacter sulfamidivorax’ strain GP
Authors: Reis Ana C. , Kolvenbach Boris A. , Chami Mohamed , Gales Luís , Egas Conceição , Corvini Philippe F.-X. , Nunes Olga C.
Published: November 2019

Background

Microbial communities recurrently establish metabolic associations resulting in increased fitness and ability to perform complex tasks, such as xenobiotic degradation. In a previous study, we have described a sulfonamide-degrading consortium consisting of a novel low-abundant actinobacterium, named strain GP, and Achromobacter denitrificans PR1. However, we found that strain GP was unable to grow independently and could not be further purified.

Results

Previous studies suggested that strain GP might represent a new putative species within the Leucobacter genus (16S rRNA gene similarity < 97%). In this study, we found that average nucleotide identity (ANI) with other Leucobacter spp. ranged between 76.8 and 82.1%, further corroborating the affiliation of strain GP to a new provisional species. The average amino acid identity (AAI) and percentage of conserved genes (POCP) values were near the lower edge of the genus delimitation thresholds (65 and 55%, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis of core genes between strain GP and Leucobacter spp. corroborated these findings. Comparative genomic analysis indicates that strain GP may have lost genes related to tetrapyrrole biosynthesis and thiol transporters, both crucial for the correct assembly of cytochromes and aerobic growth. However, supplying exogenous heme and catalase was insufficient to abolish the dependent phenotype. The actinobacterium harbors at least two copies of a novel genetic element containing a sulfonamide monooxygenase (sadA) flanked by a single IS1380 family transposase. Additionally, two homologs of sadB (4-aminophenol monooxygenase) were identified in the metagenome-assembled draft genome of strain GP, but these were not located in the vicinity of sadA nor of mobile or integrative elements.

Conclusions

Comparative genomics of the genus Leucobacter suggested the absence of some genes encoding for important metabolic traits in strain GP. Nevertheless, although media and culture conditions were tailored to supply its potential metabolic needs, these conditions were insufficient to isolate the PR1-dependent actinobacterium further. This study gives important insights regarding strain GP metabolism; however, gene expression and functional studies are necessary to characterize and further isolate strain GP. Based on our data, we propose to classify strain GP in a provisional new species within the genus Leucobacter, ‘Candidatus Leucobacter sulfamidivorax‘.