bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gait-Guided Adaptive Interfaces: Managing Cognitive Load In Older Users
Authors: Blumenthal Jenna , Tong Tiffany , Chignell Mark
Published: September 2017

Mobile computing provides new ways to interact with technology; applications such as navigation, social facilitation, and augmented reality are used while walking. We introduce Gait-Guided Adaptive Interfaces (GGAIs) as a way to manage cognitive load in dual-task conditions (walking while using a device). Gait markers that can be suitably assessed using smartphone sensors (decreased gait speed, increased variability) have been shown to be indicative of cognitive load in older adults. Motor-cognitive interference is a more significant issue as we age, gait becomes less automatic, and the risk of falls under distraction increases. Apps with GGAIs measure changes in gait to infer load and then adapt the way that the App interacts with the user accordingly. We validate this approach using a simple Go/No-Go task, and then show how gait responds to changes in task complexity. We conclude with a discussion of how GGAIs may be used by developers to improve the usability of apps for older users.
Modeling Task Scheduling in Complex Healthcare Environments: Identifying Relevant Factors
Authors: Barg-Walkow Laura H. , Rogers Wendy A.
Published: September 2017

Multiple task coordination involves scheduling tasks, completing tasks, and integrating tasks into a workflow. Task scheduling can influence outcomes of safety, satisfaction, and efficiency when completing tasks. This is especially important in complex life-critical environments such as healthcare, which incurs many situations where there are multiple tasks and limited resources for addressing all tasks. One approach for understanding tasks coordination is the Strategic Task Overload Management (STOM) model, which is a model for task scheduling behavior. In this theoretical paper, we discuss how this model can be extended to a complex healthcare environment. There are additional considerations (e.g., time) which must be considered when applying this model to healthcare. Ultimately, understanding how emergency physicians make multiple task scheduling decisions will advance theories and models, such as STOM, which can then in turn be implemented to improve scheduling behaviors in complex healthcare environments.
Personality Measurement and Design in Human-Robot Interaction: A Systematic and Critical Review
Authors: Santamaria Tricia , Nathan-Roberts Dan
Published: September 2017

This work aims to summarize research methods for measuring personality in human-robot interaction. A systematic review was performed, resulting in 35 studies that were categorized by whether they assessed human personality, robot personality, or both. It was found that the five-factor model (Big Five) of personality (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, and neuroticism) was a common theme as it was used to assess personality in 31% of studies, and the extraversion dimension alone was used to assess personality in an additional 26% of studies. The strengths, limitations, and the human factors influences of user expectations of the Big Five as well as the recommendation for its use are discussed.
An Empirical Study Investigating the Effectiveness of Decision Aids in Supporting the Sensemaking Process on Anonymous Social Media
Authors: Ponathil Amal , Agnisarman Sruthy , Khasawneh Amro , Narasimha Shraddhaa , Madathil Kapil Chalil
Published: September 2017

Recent times have seen an increase in the usage of anonymous social media. This freedom of anonymity has led people to write posts neglecting the potential consequences of their actions. Moreover, such information could be unreliable. This study investigated the level of trust and confidence level when participants viewed posts written on an anonymous social media. Using a between-subjects experimental design, 189 participants completed the study. The independent variables were, attitude of the yaks: supporting and non-supporting yaks, and decision aid: no sign aid, positive aid for supporting/negative aid for non-supporting yaks and positive aid for non-supporting/negative aid for supporting yaks. We found that positive decision aid for supporting yaks improved the likelihood rating, trust, and confidence level when compared to negative decision aid. It was easier for the participants to accept positivity than negativity.
Role Network Analysis of Team Interactions and Individual Activities: Application to VTE Prophylaxis
Authors: Hundt Ann Schoofs , Carayon Pascale , Yang Yushi , Stamm Jason , Agrawal Vaibhav , Kleinschmidt Peter , Hoonakker Peter
Published: September 2017

In this paper, we describe the role network analysis method to capture and visually convey healthcare team members’ clinical interactions as well as individual activities performed in light of VTE prophylaxis management for hospitalized patients. Our visual representations expand on the role network analysis work of Pasmore (1988) and flow model of Beyer and Holtzblatt (1998) and offer a deeper sociotechnical representation of the work of healthcare team members.
Development of Underwater Motion Capture System for Space Suit Mobility Assessment
Authors: Bernal Yaritza , Kim K. Han , Benson Elizabeth , Jarvis Sarah , Harvill Lauren , Meginnis Ian , Rajulu Sudhakar
Published: September 2017

The objective of this study was to develop and deploy a novel motion capture system that utilizes off-the-shelf, dive-rated hardware to measure 3-D whole body reach envelopes of space suits in an underwater analog, which simulates a microgravity environment. The accuracy of the developed system was compared to a gold standard motion capture system in a dry-land condition before deployment. This study is ultimately aimed at providing a methodology for quantitative metrics to evaluate and compare the mobility performances of a newly developed prototype space suit versus an existing space suit at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Effects of Key Travel Distances on Biomechanical Exposures and Typing Performance During UltraLow Key Travel Keyboards
Authors: Sisley Jonathan , Kia Kiana , Johnson Peter W , Kim Jeong Ho
Published: September 2017

This study investigated how differently ultra-low key travel (< 2.0 mm) keyboards affect typing force, muscle activity, and typing productivity as compared to a conventional keyboard. In a repeated-measures laboratory-based study with 20 subjects, we collected and compared typing forces, muscle activity in extrinsic finger muscles (flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) and extensor digitorum communis(EDC)), and typing performance among five keyboards with different key travel distances (0.5, 0.7, 1.2, 1.6, and 2.0 mm). The results showed that there were differences between ultra-low key travel keyboards (0.5, 0.7, 1.2 and 1.6 mm) and a conventional keyboard (2.0 mm) in typing force (p < 0.001), muscle activity (p > 0.07) expect for FDS (p < 0.01), and typing speed (p < 0.001). However, in general, the differences appears to be practically small: muscle activity (less than 1.3%) and typing force (less than 0.5 newton). The study findings indicates that the ultra-low key travel keyboards may not increase or decrease physical risk factors and typing performances as compared to conventional keyboards.
Effects of Brake Pedal Horizontal Location of Hospital Beds on Force Exertions and Work Efficiency
Authors: Zhou Jie , Wiggermann Neal
Published: September 2017

The brake pedal on hospital beds is critical during bed maneuvering, however, substantial force and awkward postures are usually required during pedal engagement tasks. Nine professional caregivers were recruited to investigate how brake pedal horizontal location affected maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force, acceptable force to engage the pedal (AFE), force efficiency and task completion time. The results demonstrated reduced MVC, AFE and force efficiency whereas increased task completion time with greater pedal depths. Pedal depth was significantly correlated with MVC, force efficiency and task completion time and these correlations are moderate (0.25≤r<0.50) or good (0.50≤r<075). These findings provide important information for hospital bed design.
Evaluation of Offshore Shiftwork using Heart Rate Variability
Authors: Shortz Ashley E. , Franke Madeline , Kilic E. Simay , Peres S. Camille , Mehta Ranjana K.
Published: September 2017

The high fatality rate in oil and gas extraction (OGE) is a growing concern within the industry. OGE workers are exposed to long work hours, intense mental and physical workload, coupled with changing shift patterns, which can lead to elevated fatigue levels. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of shiftwork on heart rate variability indicators of workload and fatigue using wearable monitors in offshore operations. Ten male operators (age: 31.3 (6.1) years; stature: 1.72 (0.1) m; weight: 85.24 (9.8) kg) were monitored throughout their daily shifts for six days on an offshore drillship using physiological sensors. Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured in the frequency (ratio of low to high frequency; LF/HF) and temporal (root mean square of successive differences; RMSSD) domains. Six of the ten operators underwent swing shifts in the middle of the data collection period. There was a main effect of shift time on HRV parameters (i.e., operators on night shift were in a more fatigued state), and a main effect of swing shift on LF/HF (i.e., when swing shift occurred, those operators were more fatigued). Findings suggest that physiological profiles differ based on shift time and swing shifts, and that swing shifts for night shift workers adversely affect heart rate variability responses.
The Effect of Movement and Cue Complexity on Tactile Change Detection
Authors: Betza Scott M. , Reeves Scott T. , Abernathy James H. , Riggs Sara Lu
Published: September 2017

There is a growing interest in using touch to offload the often overburdened visual channel as its merit has been demonstrated in various work domains. However, more work is needed to understand the perceptual limitations of the tactile modality, including how it is affected by change blindness (i.e., failure to detect changes due to transients) as the majority of work on change blindness has been in vision. This study examines how movement and cue complexity affects the ability to detect tactile changes. The findings indicate the ability to detect changes are affected by: 1) movement (walking resulted in worse change detection rates compared to sitting) and 2) cue complexity (high complexity cues had worse change detection rates compared to low complexity). Overall, this work adds to the knowledge base of tactile perception and can inform the design of tactile displays for multiple work domains such as anesthesiology.
Examining Change Sensitivity to Vibrotactile Beats in a Hand-Held Touchscreen Device
Authors: Suh Youngbo , Ferris Thomas K.
Published: September 2017

While recent research has employed vibrotactile feedback as a means of communication, one novel form of vibrotactile feedback involves the generation of “beats”. They are amplitude-modulated vibratory signals that can be created by sending multiple sinusoidal signals at dissonant frequencies (Lim, Kyung, & Kwon, 2012; Yang et al., 2014). The resulting perception of a rising-and-falling amplitude signal (a single “beat”), can be characterized per unit time as beat frequency, which is a function of the difference between the two input signal frequencies. Although vibrotactile beat cues have potentials in better supporting multitasking contexts that are visually demanding, the fundamental psychophysical characteristics of absolute and difference sensitivities have not been well-studied. To build on the promising but sparse findings involving the application of vibrotactile beats, it is important to define the limits of human perceptual ability to differentiate vibrotactile beats at distinct beat frequencies.
The Impact of Reduced Speech Intelligibility on Reaction Time in a Naval Combat Environment
Authors: Sheffield Benjamin , Ziriax John , Keller M. David , Barns William , Brungart Douglas
Published: September 2017

Despite attempts to limit noise exposure, noise-induced hearing loss remains prevalent in the military. Both hearing loss and the noise itself can lead to communication issues which could negatively impact operational performance. This study builds upon a series of experiments examining the relationship between reduced speech intelligibility and performance in a naval command and control environment by equipping Navy watch standers with hearing loss simulators that control speech intelligibility in real time as they were engaged in a simulated operational scenario. This effort focused on the effects that a Sailor with impaired hearing might have on unimpaired shipmates and how the mission might specifically be impacted. Results showed that as speech intelligibility decreased for the impaired watch stander perceived workload increased in an unimpaired shipmate and the latency of the crew to respond to incoming missile threats and a direct order to kill an enemy ship increased significantly.
The Extent of Distraction of Cell Phone Conversations for Passengers in Simulated Flight
Authors: Li Tianhua , Dattel Andrew R. , Davis Amber , Babin Andrey , Melendez Stefan , Yang Qianru , Chen Jie
Published: September 2017

Currently, passengers are forbidden from making cell phone calls during flights in the United States due to cellular electronic interference. However, related research has demonstrated that the use of cell phones has little interference with avionics. Furthermore, any potential electronic interference can be eliminated by using new technology. Although talking on the cell phone does not cause electronic interference, the distraction of a passenger caused by a cell phone may negatively impact safety. The purpose of the research was to compare the extent of safety compliance (checking seatbelts, raising tray tables) and retention of announcements among three groups: cell phone conversation, face-to-face conversation (i.e., talking with the passenger next to them), and control. Findings revealed that the cell phone group and the face-to-face group recalled less information from safety announcement and complied with safety behaviors to a lesser degree than the control group. The face-to-face group was not safer than the cell phone group on any measure. Therefore, it is recommended that lifting the ban on in-flight cell phone calls should be considered.
Design Considerations for Educational Mobile Apps for Young Children
Authors: Mak Derek , Nathan-Roberts Dan
Published: September 2017

Mobile touchscreens are widely recognized as accessible educational tools to enhance the cognitive and intellectual development of children as young as two. Early-childhood educators readily integrate technology in the instruction of young children, preparing them to be digital citizens. This proceeding examines the body of research performed in child-computer interaction to inform designers on best practices for developing educational tablet applications. Young children may justifiably constitute a specialist user group, so special design considerations should be applied. These guidelines were formed by examining children’s cognitive, physical, and emotional levels of development.
Individuals Perform Better in Teams but Are Not More Aware - Performance and Situational Awareness in Teams and Individuals
Authors: Parush Avi , Hazan Maya , Shtekelmacher Daniel
Published: September 2017

The relation between situational awareness and performance is inconclusive. Although effective performance has been typically associated with higher situational awareness, some studies did not find this trend. This study examined some of the factors that could influence that relationship. Using a firefighting simulator, we asked participants to run through four urban firefighting scenarios, two as individual players and the other two as two-person teams. The findings show better performance in teams as compared to individuals. In contrast, individuals had higher levels of SA when they played alone compared to playing in a team. In other words, even though the team performed better, it was not associated with team members having better situational awareness in the team scenarios. It is possible that team processes, such as communication and coordination, were not effective in the team play in the experiment, resulting in poorer SA, yet not disruptive enough to the performance. This was probably because they could have reached high performance without effective teamwork. There may also be some tacit situational knowledge not measured by SAGAT, that mediates situational awareness and performance.
Analyzing Semantic Structure: Testing Simple Metrics from Conceptual Recurrence Analysis using Language Models
Authors: Tolston Michael T. , Finomore Victor , Funke Gregory J.
Published: September 2017

Team communication analyses can provide insight into critical team processes. However, such methods often rely on time-consuming subjective rater evaluations, or on techniques that need extensive preparation and yield results that may be difficult to interpret. As part of an effort to identify reliable automated techniques that can be used on small datasets, this research explores the use Conceptual Recurrence Analysis (CRA) to detect changes in conceptual structure in simulated data. We discuss several metrics that quantify conceptual alignment and test the sensitivity of these metrics to changes in relational structure among groups of words generated from language models. We show that CRA summary statistics are sensitive to changes in relational structure among terms and other manipulations in ways consistent with expectations, and give insight into the changing structure of word distributions as constraints are relaxed. We conclude that CRA presents a sensitive and customizable framework for evaluating linguistic exchanges.
Human-Robot Collaborated Exploration and Wayfinding: Orientation Awareness and itS Enhancement
Authors: Stone Richard T. , Zhong Peihan , Schnieders Thomas
Published: September 2017

Orientation awareness, being aware of heading direction, current location, and an object’s location relative to current location are all critical for wayfinding. Obtaining and maintaining the orientation awareness is a challenging task and even more difficult in remote wayfinding where the wayfinder cannot physically be in the environment. This study designed an interface to enhance the orientation awareness under a remote wayfinding condition by providing a route map showing the previous path taken by the operator and evaluated its effectiveness. Sixteen participants were tested in this study with eight people in each group. The experimental group received the interface enhancement while the control group did not. Participants were required to remotely navigate a robot to explore an unknown environment, learning the layout as well as searching for exists and dangerous objects. They were then asked to draw the layout of the area and mark out exists and dangerous objects on the map they made. It was found that with the previous route map available, participants resulted in better understanding of the layout as reflected by the quality of the maps they made, compared to those that received no external information. It was also found that even with more information to perceive and process for the users of the enhanced interface, efficiency and subtask performance stayed the same as those who had less information to perceive or process. Results of this study proved the effectiveness of the proposed enhancement.
Trust in Automation Inventories: An Investigation and Comparison of the Human-Computer Trust and Trust in Automated Systems Scales
Authors: Dolgov Igor , Kaltenbach Elizabeth K.
Published: September 2017

There are numerous ways to measure trust in automation and each has its advantages and disadvantages. The current experiment evaluated and compared the trust in automated systems scale (TASS) and the human-computer trust scale (HCTS). Both the HCTS and TASS showed high internal consistency. While participants’ scores on the HCTS and TASS were highly correlated, the strength of the relationship was stronger between the positive valence items of the TASS and HCTS than between the negative valence items of the TASS and HCTS. Additionally, principal components analyses showed that the TASS had two underlying factors whereas the HCTS had four. Thus, while these trust in automation survey instruments are similar, they are also fundamentally different.
Group Interactions with Robots in a Robotics Tournament
Authors: Huang Lixiao , Gillan Douglas
Published: September 2017

In a dynamic environment that involves multiple humans and multiple robots, competitive and collaborative work, and high time pressure, understanding how team players interact with each other and with teleoperated robots has a significant potential to improve human–robot team performance. This study used a naturalistic observation method to explore group interactions with robots during a qualifying robotics tournament. Teams of high school students had six weeks to design, build, and program a robot that plays a field game against other robots. In each match, three robot teams played collaboratively as an alliance against the other three-team alliance, gaining points by defending their stronghold and conquering the opponent’s stronghold. The study identified five areas where groups interacted with robots in a typical tournament (e.g., pit, queuing hall, and match field) and major team roles (e.g., mechanical, programming, electrical work, marketing, and driving). Critical group interactions with robots were captured in several situations, varying according to activity areas and individuals’ roles on their robotic teams. Potential cognitive and emotional issues, future research directions, and implications of the study were discussed.
Performance analysis of K-nearest neighbor, support vector machine, and artificial neural network classifiers for driver drowsiness detection with different road geometries
Authors: Li Zhenlong , Zhang Qingzhou , Zhao Xiaohua
Published: September 2017

This article comparatively analyzed the performance of K-nearest neighbor, support vector machine, and artificial neural network classifiers for driver drowsiness detection with different road geometries (straight segments and curve segments) based on a driving simulator. First, vehicle performance measures (speed, acceleration, brake pedal, gas pedal, steering angle, and lateral position) were collected through sensors. These measures were analyzed, and their correlation with drowsiness on different road segments was examined. The analysis was based on data obtained from a study that involved 22 subjects in the driving simulator located in the Traffic Research Center, Beijing University of Technology. Second, six classifiers were constructed for six curve segments, respectively, while only one classifier was constructed for all straight segments because the waveforms by subtracting the road curvature from the steering angle in the curve segments were different from the waveforms of the straight segments. Furthermore, the less the radius of curvature, the more the difference. Third, the performance of K-nearest neighbor, support vector machine, and artificial neural network classifiers were compared and evaluated. The experimental results illustrate that the support vector machine classifier achieved the fastest classification time and the highest accuracy (80.84%). Support vector machine and artificial neural network are effective classification methods for detecting drowsy driving on different road segments.
The Medina Embolic Device: Karolinska experience
Authors: Bhogal P , Brouwer PA , Yeo L , Svensson M , Söderman M
Published: September 2017

Background

The aim of this study was to report our single centre experience with the Medina Embolic Device (MED).

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data to identify all patients treated with the MED. A total of 14 aneurysms (non-consecutive), in 13 patients, were treated including one ruptured and one partially thrombosed aneurysm. Fundus diameter was ≥5 mm in all cases. We evaluated the angiographic appearances, the clinical status, complications, and the need for adjunctive devices or repeat treatments.

Results

Aneurysm location was cavernous internal carotid artery (ICA; n = 1), supraclinoid ICA ( n = 1), terminal ICA ( n = 2), anterior communicating artery (AComA; n = 4), A2–3 ( n = 1), M1–2 junction ( n = 1), posterior communicating artery (PComA; n = 1), superior cerebellar artery (SCA; n = 1), and basilar tip ( n = 2). The average aneurysm fundus size was 8.6 mm (range 7–10 mm) and average neck size 3.75 mm (range 1.9–6.9 mm). Immediate angiographic results were modified Raymond–Roy occlusion classification (mRRC) I n = 2, mRRC II n = 1, mRRC IIIa n = 2, mRRC IIIb n = 2, the remaining 7 aneurysms showed complete opacification. At follow-up angiography (mean 5 months) mRRC I n = 5, mRRC II n = 5, mRRC IIIa n = 3, and persistent filling was seen in 1 aneurysm. Overall, four patients had repeat treatment and one is pending further treatment. Of the aneurysms treated with more than one MED, 75% showed complete occlusion at 6-month follow up whereas only one aneurysm treated with a single device showed complete occlusion. Overall, three patients had temporary complications and there were no deaths.

Conclusions

The MED is an intra-saccular flow-diverting device with satisfactory angiographic results and an acceptable safety profile. Use of a single MED cannot be recommended and further longer term studies are needed prior to widespread clinical use.
Endovascular treatment for acute basilar thrombosis via a transradial approach: Initial experience and future considerations
Authors: Oselkin M , Satti SR , Sundararajan SH , Kung D , Hurst RW , Pukenas BA
Published: September 2017

Acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO) secondary to emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) has an extremely poor natural history, with a reported mortality rate up to 95%. Mechanical thrombectomy in the setting of ELVO is generally performed via a transfemoral approach. However, radial access is increasingly being utilized as an alternative. We report our initial multi-institutional experience using primary radial access in the treatment of acute BAO in nine consecutive cases. Technical success defined as a TICI score of 2B or 3 was achieved in 89% of cases. Average puncture to revascularization time was 35.8 minutes. There were no complications related to radial artery catheterization. We contend radial access should potentially be considered as the first-line approach given inherent advantages over femoral access for mechanical thrombectomy for BAO.
Multi-sensor three-dimensional Monte Carlo localization for long-term aerial robot navigation
Authors: Perez-Grau Francisco J , Caballero Fernando , Viguria Antidio , Ollero Anibal
Published: September 2017

This article presents an enhanced version of the Monte Carlo localization algorithm, commonly used for robot navigation in indoor environments, which is suitable for aerial robots moving in a three-dimentional environment and makes use of a combination of measurements from an Red,Green,Blue-Depth (RGB-D) sensor, distances to several radio-tags placed in the environment, and an inertial measurement unit. The approach is demonstrated with an unmanned aerial vehicle flying for 10 min indoors and validated with a very precise motion tracking system. The approach has been implemented using the robot operating system framework and works smoothly on a regular i7 computer, leaving plenty of computational capacity for other navigation tasks such as motion planning or control.
A new redundancy resolution for underwater vehicle–manipulator system considering payload
Authors: Wang Yaoyao , Jiang Surong , Yan Fei , Gu Linyi , Chen Bai
Published: September 2017

For the motion coordination problem between the underwater vehicle and manipulator of the underwater vehicle–manipulator system, a new redundancy resolution method is proposed and investigated. The proposed method mainly has two parts: a fuzzy logic part and a multitasks weighted gradient projection method part. The fuzzy logic part is used to decide the weight factors of the motion distribute matrix and the priorities of all the secondary objectives, while the multitasks weighted gradient projection method part is used to handle the secondary objectives with the weight factors and priorities decided by the fuzzy logic part. Moreover, a new secondary objective is proposed to optimize underwater vehicle–manipulator system’s attitude, which takes the payload into consideration. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed redundancy resolution is verified through some comparative simulations.
In Praise of Rebellion: Constituent Power and Dissent in the American Revolution
Authors: Pereira Márcio
Published: September 2017

In the context of the American Revolution, alongside the influential notion of constituent power advocated, for instance, by the Federalists, emerged an alternative and potent perspective about this concept. This perspective, which was particularly strong in revolutionary Pennsylvania, had at least two distinctive features. First, rather than limiting constituent power to a sort of ante-room of constitutional authority, this view conferred primacy to the constituent process over the institutional machinery. Second, instead of exclusively assigning the exercise of constituent power to a few specialists, this perspective invented ways for the multitude to exercise its power directly. This article examines this particular vision of constituent power. This investigation, as I argue, can both assist in demystifying some common assumptions entrenched in the concept of constituent power and provide insights for contemporary reflection on the limits of representative democracy.
Game equilibria and unification dynamics in networks with heterogeneous agents
Authors: Matveenko Vladimir , Korolev Alexei , Zhdanova Maria
Published: September 2017

We study game equilibria in a model of production and externalities in network with two types of agents who possess different productivities. Each agent may invest a part of her endowment (it may be, for instance, time or money) in the first of two time periods; consumption in the second period depends on her own investment and productivity as well as on the investments of her neighbors in the network. Three ways of agent’s behavior are possible: passive (no investment), active (a part of endowment is invested), and hyperactive (the whole endowment is invested). For star network with different productivities of agents in the center and in the periphery, we obtain conditions for existence of inner equilibrium (with all active agents) and study comparative statics. We introduce adjustment dynamics and study consequences of junction of two complete networks with different productivities of agents. In particular, we study how the behavior of nonadopters (passive agents) changes when they connect to adopters (active or hyperactive) agents.
Clinical trial protocol for TRANSFORM‐UK: A therapeutic open‐label study of tocilizumab in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Hernández‐Sánchez Jules , Harlow Louise , Church Colin , Gaine Sean , Knightbridge Emily , Bunclark Kate , Gor Dee , Bedding Alun , Morrell Nicholas , Corris Paul , Toshner Mark
Published: September 2017

Our aim is to assess the safety and potential efficacy of a novel treatment paradigm in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), immunomodulation by blocking interleukin‐6 (IL6) signaling with the IL6 receptor antagonist, tocilizumab. Inflammation and autoimmunity are established as important in PAH pathophysiology. One of the most robust observations across multiple cohorts in PAH has been an increase in IL6, both in the lung and systemically. Tocilizumab is an IL‐6 receptor antagonist established as safe and effective, primarily in rheumatoid arthritis, and has shown promise in scleroderma. In case reports where the underlying cause of PAH is an inflammatory process such as systemic lupus erythematosus, mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), and Castleman’s disease, there have been case reports of regression of PAH with tocilizumab. TRANSFORM‐UK is an open‐label study of intravenous (IV) tocilizumab in patients with group 1 PAH. The co‐primary outcome measures will be safety and the change in resting pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Clinically relevant secondary outcome measurements include 6‐minute walk distance, WHO functional class, quality of life score, and N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP). If the data support a potentially useful therapeutic effect with an acceptable risk profile, the study will be used to power a Phase III study to properly address efficacy.
Partially Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection to Solitary and Persistent Left Superior Caval Vein in Usual Visceroatrial Arrangement
Authors: Ayyappan Anoop , Gopalakrishnan Arun , Raman Kapilamoorthy Tirur
Published: September 2017

Although the occurrence of bilateral superior caval veins (SCVs) is not unusual, persistence of the left SCV with atretic right SCV is extremely uncommon in the setting of normal visceroatrial arrangement. We report such a case that was also associated with anomalous pulmonary venous connection of the right pulmonary veins to the solitary left SCV.
Role of Maternal and Child Health Care Services on Postpartum Contraceptive Adoption in India
Authors: Dixit Priyanka , Dwivedi Laxmi Kant , Gupta Amrita
Published: September 2017

The aim of this article is to examine the impact of maternal and child health care (MCH) service utilization on the timing of initiation and type of contraceptive use in the subsequent months after delivery of the most recent child. The required data were extracted from India’s third round of National Family Health Survey conducted during 2005-2006, which first time provides the 5 years retrospective monthly information about contraceptive history. Overall, 36,115 currently married women who had delivered live birth during 5 years preceding the survey were included in the analysis. Discrete-time complementary log-log multilevel model was applied to examine the impact of MCH service utilization on the timing of initiation and type of contraceptive use in the subsequent months after delivery of the most recent child. Result shows that after controlling the impact of socioeconomic factors, women who visited health center more than twice for antenatal care (ANC; coefficient = 0.28, SE = .02) were more likely to initiate modern contraceptive methods compared with women who had lower number of visits (coefficient = 0.16, SE = .02). Findings also show that compared with ANC visits, postnatal care did not emerge as a significant factor for contraceptive adoption. Study shows that among programmatic factors, all the three selected MCH indicators emerged as significant predictors of early contraceptive adoption. A significant program implication of the findings is that the promotion of more number of ANC visits, institutional delivery, and postnatal care within 2 weeks of delivery services should be regarded as a mechanism to promote postpartum family planning use.
Detection of Feigning Psychosis With Multiscale Personality Inventories: A Simulation Design Pilot Study in Taiwan
Authors: Chang Yi-Ting , Tam Wai-Cheong Carl , Chiang Shih-Kuang
Published: September 2017

Assessing feigning psychosis is extremely important in forensic psychological assessment. This pilot study investigated the utility of three multiscale personality inventories, namely, the Chinese Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), the Ko Mental Health Questionnaire (KMHQ), and the Health-Personality-Habit Inventory (HPH), in the detection of feigning psychosis in Taiwan. It was hypothesized that the above three inventories were effective in the detection of feigning psychosis. The sample consisted of 70 participants (students and community members; with 19 men and 51 women), with mean age of 22.01 years ( SD = 3.86), who were randomly assigned to two different groups: feigning psychosis and honestly responding. The KMHQ, the HPH, and the Chinese MMPI-2 were administered to each participant in this sequential order. Altogether 16 scales from these inventories were statistically analyzed using MANOVA, t test, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis, and discriminant analysis. Of these 16 scales, the scores of 14 scales differed significantly between the feigning psychosis and honestly responding groups. In addition to the exploration of the best discriminant variables, the effect size, best cutoff score, classification accuracy rate, sensitivity, and specificity of the scales of the above three inventories in discriminating participants between feigning psychosis and honestly responding were presented, respectively. The results of this study supported the utility of the Chinese MMPI-2, the KMHQ, and the HPH in the detection of feigning psychosis.
Pathologic Findings of Chronic PML-IRIS in a Patient with Prolonged PML Survival Following Natalizumab Treatment
Authors: Himedan Mai , Camelo-Piragua Sandra , Mills Elizabeth A. , Gupta Avneesh , Aburashed Rany , Mao-Draayer Yang
Published: September 2017

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is a common complication during treatment for natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Although severe IRIS can result in acute worsening of disability and is associated with poor prognosis, effective immune reconstitution may account for the high survival rate of this cohort of PML patients. We present pathological evidence of chronic IRIS 3.5 years after diagnosis with natalizumab-associated PML. Our case showed that the IRIS initially developed after plasma exchange therapy and resolved clinically and radiologically following a combination treatment with corticosteroids, maraviroc, and cidofovir. Autopsy 3.5 years later revealed evidence of grey-white matter junction demyelinating lesions characteristic of PML and perivascular leukocyte infiltrates predominated by CD8+ T-lymphocytes, and polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated the presence of JC viral DNA in this tissue, indicative of persistent PML-IRIS. While clinical symptoms of PML-IRIS typically stabilize within 6 months, our case report suggests that prolonged low-grade inflammation may persist in some patients. Better assays are needed to determine the prevalence of prolonged low-grade IRIS among PML survivors.
Role of the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens in an operant model of checking behaviour and uncertainty
Authors: d’Angelo Camilla , Eagle Dawn M. , Coman Cristina-M. , Robbins Trevor W.
Published: September 2017

Background:

Excessive checking is a common, debilitating symptom of obsessive–compulsive disorder. To further examine cognitive processes underpinning checking behaviour, and clarify how and why checking develops, we designed a novel operant paradigm for rats, the observing response task. The present study used the observing response task to investigate checking behaviour following excitotoxic lesions of the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens core and dorsal striatum, brain regions considered to be of relevance to obsessive–compulsive disorder.

Methods:

In the observing response task, rats pressed an ‘observing’ lever for information (provided by light onset) about the location of an ‘active’ lever that provided food reinforcement. Following training, rats received excitotoxic lesions of the regions described above and performance was evaluated post-operatively before histological processing.

Results:

Medial prefrontal cortex lesions selectively increased functional checking with a less-prominent effect on non-functional checking and reduced discrimination accuracy during light information periods. Rats with nucleus accumbens core lesions made significantly more checking responses than sham-lesioned rats, including both functional and non-functional checking. Dorsal striatum lesions had no direct effect on checking per se, but reduced both active and inactive lever presses, and therefore changed the relative balance between checking responses and instrumental responses.

Conclusions:

These results suggest that the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens core are important in the control of checking, perhaps via their role in processing uncertainty of reinforcement, and that dysfunction of these regions may therefore promote excessive checking behaviour, possibly relevant to obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Mutation load and an effector T-cell gene signature may distinguish immunologically distinct and clinically relevant lymphoma subsets
Authors: Bolen Christopher R. , McCord Ronald , Huet Sarah , Frampton Garrett M. , Bourgon Richard , Jardin Fabrice , Dartigues Peggy , Punnoose Elizabeth A. , Szafer-Glusman Edith , Xerri Luc , Sujobert Pierre , Salles Gilles , Venstrom Jeffrey M.
Published: September 2017

Key Points

Low mutation load is associated with a benefit from rituximab maintenance. The Teff signature correlates with high mutation load, is prognostic, and may distinguish immunologically distinct FL subgroups.
Haploidentical transplant in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome
Authors: Robin Marie , Porcher Raphael , Ciceri Fabio , van Lint Maria Teresa , Santarone Stella , Ehninger Gerhard , Blaise Didier , Güllbas Zafer , Gonzáles Muñiz Soledad , Michallet Mauricette , Velardi Andrea , Koster Linda , Maertens Johan , Sierra Jorge , Selleslag Dominik , Radujkovic Aleksandar , Díez-Martin José L. , Kanz Lothar , Arroyo Concepcion Herrera , Niederwieser Dietger , Huang He , McDonald Andrew , de Witte Theo , Koc Yener , Kröger Nicolaus
Published: September 2017

Key Points

Nonrelapse mortality remains high in MDS patients who underwent haploidentical transplant before 2015. Haplotransplantation using PT-CY and reduced-intensity conditioning seems an acceptable option in MDS patients lacking HLA-matched donors.
High-resolution microseismic imaging
Authors: Grechka Vladimir , Li Zhao , Howell Bo , Garcia Hugo , Wooltorton Tom
Published: September 2017

We examine the feasibility of high-resolution microseismic imaging of unconventional reservoirs. Given frequencies in typical downhole microseismic data that are almost an order of magnitude higher than in seismic reflection data, a comparable increase in image resolution might be expected, bringing potential resolution of downhole microseismic images to a few meters. We demonstrate that such a resolution is indeed achievable and present two case studies illustrating the reservoir features that can be imaged. Our first example, constructed with P-waves recorded in the Woodford Field, reveals internal fabric of the Woodford reservoir and formations surrounding it, allowing us to discriminate the stimulated and unstimulated zones of the Lower Woodford Shale. Encouraged by those results, in our second example, this time from the Bakken Field, we use the slow shear waves, which are more sensitive to fluids than P-waves, to find out whether hydraulic fractures themselves could be imaged. Our seismic volume contains peculiar geobodies, growing precisely from perforation holes spaced at a 40 ft interval in a treatment well landed in the Middle Bakken. These geobodies penetrate through the Lower Bakken Shale reservoir and terminate at the top of the Three Forks dolomites. While our interpretation of the extracted geobodies as hydraulic fractures remains an interpretation, the remarkably high resolution of seismic images obtained in both case studies is unquestionable.
Reviews
Authors: Treitel Sven , Bartel David , MacGregor Lucy , Liu Lanbo
Published: September 2017

Numerical Simulation in Applied Geophysics, by Juan Enrique Santos and Patricia Mercedes Gauzellino, ISBN 978-3-319-48456-3, 2016, Springer International Publishing, 309 p., US $79.99 (paper), US $59.99 (eBook). Chemostratigraphy: Concepts, Techniques, and Applications, edited by Mu Ramkumar, ISBN 978-0-12-419968-2, 2015, Elsevier, 515 p., US$180 (print and eBook). Electromagnetic Seabed Logging, by Stéphane Sainson, ISBN 978-3-319-45355-2, 2017, Springer International Publishing, 536 p., US$229 (print), US$179 (eBook). Theory of Electromagnetic Well Logging, by C. Richard Liu, ISBN 978-0-12-804008-9, 2017, Elsevier, 732 p., US$180 (paper and eBook).
Discordance in Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) Phenotype Between Primary Tumor and Circulating Tumor Cells in Women With HER2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: De Gregorio Amelie , Friedl Thomas W.P. , Huober Jens , Scholz Christoph , De Gregorio Nikolaus , Rack Brigitte , Trapp Elisabeth , Alunni-Fabbroni Marianna , Riethdorf Sabine , Mueller Volkmar , Schneeweiss Andreas , Pantel Klaus , Meier-Stiegen Franziska , Jaeger Bernadette , Hartkopf Andreas , Taran Florin-Andrei , Fasching Peter A. , Janni Wolfgang , Fehm Tanja
Published: September 2017

Purpose

Discordance in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status between primary tumor and metastases might have important implications for treatment response and therapy decisions. Here, we evaluate both the frequency of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and the factors predicting HER2 discordance between primary tumor and CTCs as a potential surrogate for tumor biology and tumor heterogeneity in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Patients and Methods

The number of CTCs in 7.5 mL of peripheral blood and HER2 status were evaluated in 1,123 women with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. HER2 discordance was defined as the presence of at least one CTC with a strong immunocytochemical HER2 staining intensity. Factors predicting discordance in HER2 phenotype were assessed using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Overall, 711 (63.3%) of 1,123 screened patients were positive for CTCs (≥ one CTC). Discordance in HER2 phenotype between primary tumor and CTCs was observed in 134 patients (18.8%) and was significantly associated with histologic type (lobular v ductal; odds ratio [OR], 2.67; 95% CI, 1.63 to 4.39; P < .001), hormone receptor status (positive v negative; OR, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.15 to 7.02; P = .024), and CTC number (≥ five v one to four; OR, 7.64; 95% CI, 3.97 to 14.72; P < .001).

Conclusion

HER2 discordance between primary tumor and CTCs was observed in 18.8% of patients and was associated with histologic type, hormone receptor status of the primary tumor, and CTC number. The clinical utility of CTCs as liquid biopsy to assess tumor heterogeneity of metastatic disease and guide treatment decisions must be evaluated in prospective randomized trials.