bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibitory Effects of Spirulina platensis on Carcinogen-Activating Cytochrome P450 Isozymes and Potential for Drug Interactions
Authors: Savranoglu Seda , Tumer Tugba Boyunegmez
Published: October 2013

Spirulina platensis (SP) has been considered as potential food source of 21st century due to its remarkable nutrient profile and therapeutic benefits. However, the cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated drug/chemical interaction potential of SP has not yet been pursued. We investigated the effects of SP on the expressions and enzymatic activities of main CYP isozymes. After the rats were orally administered with SP daily for 5 consecutive weeks, there were significant downregulations in hepatic expression levels and inhibition in enzymatic activities of CYP1A2 and CYP2E1 compared to controls. In addition, a significant decrease was observed in CYP2C6-associated enzyme activity with no remarkable changes in messenger RNA (mRNA)/protein levels. The SP application resulted in significant increases in mRNA/protein levels of both CYP2B1 and CYP3A1 without a significant change in enzyme activities. These findings partly explain the chemopreventive properties of SP toward various organ toxicities, mutagenesis, and carcinogenesis; however, its coadministration with some CYP substrates may lead to undesirable drug interactions.
Zederone, a Sesquiterpene from Curcuma elata Roxb, is Hepatotoxic in Mice
Authors: Pimkaew Prapapan , Suksen Kanoknetr , Somkid Koravit , Chokchaisiri Ratchanaporn , Jariyawat Surawat , Chuncharunee Aporn , Suksamrarn Apichart , Piyachaturawat Pawinee
Published: October 2013

The present study aimed to investigate the hepatotoxicity of zederone isolated from Curcuma elata in mice. Adult male mice were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of zederone (50-300 mg/kg body weight [BW]). Twenty-four hours after the injection, zederone induced liver enlargement with scattered white foci over the organ. The medium lethal dose (LD50) value at 24 hours of zederone was approximately 223 mg/kg BW. Hepatic centrilobular necrosis with marked increases in plasma alanine transaminase activity and total bilirubin levels was observed. Zederone at a dose of 200 mg/kg BW markedly decreased the activity of superoxide dismutase and the hepatic glutathione content, whereas the activity of catalase was not altered. The compound at this dose also increased the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Cyp2b10 and Cyp3a11, which are the main drug-metabolizing enzymes in the liver. The mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor α was increased. The nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 protein, which is the transcription factor regulating the antioxidant gene expression, was decreased. The histopathology of massive hepatic centrilobular necrosis with an increase in the expression of cytochrome P450 (Cyp) suggests that the possible potentiation of zederone-induced hepatotoxicity implicated the induction of Cyps, which leads to the formation of biological reactive metabolites and that cause the oxidative stress and liver cell injuries.
Circuits of shock and bunk: The politics of the Dutch blogosphere
Authors: Hoyng Rolien
Published: October 2013

Theorists of blog practices such as Jodi Dean argue that the enunciative regimes of the blogosphere work toward the decline of symbolic efficiency and they often do not, as (counter)public-sphere approaches have it, involve political will, identity and community. However, in order not to universalize the logics of networked communication and their effects, I argue that shock, slur and parody, however nonsensical and trite, should be understood in terms of complex and contradictory relations to institutions, antagonisms and distributions of power extending beyond the blogosphere. By comparing and contrasting three Dutch-speaking blogs each of which mobilizes enunciative regimes to different effects, this article explores the ways in which the blogosphere’s enunciative regimes alternate between ‘making sense’ and generating symbolic inefficiency; between performances of coherent will/identity and subversions of social stratifications and recognized positions of authority. It further maps the political possibilities within this contextually articulated ‘network culture’ in relation to struggles over representativeness, citizenship and belonging.
Head-mounted displays for civil helicopter navigation and obstacle avoidance
Authors: Beringer Dennis B. , Drechsler Gena
Published: October 2013

Civilian helicopter pilots flew simulated Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) scenarios using a head-mounted display (HMD) with guidance and/or obstruction imagery. Obstructions were detected and avoided earlier when shown in the HMD than those shown only out the window, and highway-in-the-sky (HITS) guidance reduced subsequent maneuvering in the terminal phase of arrival. The HMD depictions of power lines (passive representation) reduced wire strikes but did not eliminate them. An active warning presentation (red warning fence) overlaid on the power-line graphic at the point it transected the flight path completely eliminated flights in-to that obstruction. Pilots preferred the active warning representation, indicating that the passive one was ambiguous. Pilots’ preference tended towards the simplified representations of power lines but towards the complex “realistic” representations of broadcast towers. A strong preference was also expressed for integrated cockpit systems (HMD, MFD, PFD) that depicted the same obstruction information and warnings on each display.
Controller Use of a Block Occupancy-Based Surface Surveillance Display for Surface Management
Authors: Stelzer Emily K. M. , Chong Ronald S. , Stevens Ronald K. , Nene Vilas D.
Published: October 2013

Advanced surface surveillance capabilities cannot be economically justified at small and medium airports, though these airports continue to suffer from runway incursions. A block occupancy-based surface surveillance approach, in which runways and taxiways are divided into blocks and the occupancy of a block is displayed to the controller, may provide a low cost solution to these airports. A medium fidelity simulation was conducted to examine controller situation awareness, workload, and aircraft identification performance with the use of the block occupancy display. Results indicate that the presence of the display improves controller detection of safety critical runway events. However, controllers indicate that associating occupied blocks with aircraft identification is burdensome.
Air and Ground-Based Methods for Absorbing Delay in Four-Dimensional Trajectory-Based Operations
Authors: Alexander Amy L. , Teller Thomas L.
Published: October 2013

This paper focuses on pilot and controller issues linked to alternatives for absorbing delay in metering conditions under four-dimensional trajectory-based operations (4D TBO). We specifically explored combining two robust and complex tools, Required Time of Arrival (RTA) and three-dimensional Path Arrival Management (3D PAM) Efficient Descent Advisor (EDA) to yield more accurate and reliable delivery to the meter fix while maintaining operational efficiency. This represents the first time that these two robust and complex tools, one airborne (RTA) and one ground-based (EDA) have been used together. The data demonstrated that the combination of RTA (for speed) and EDA (for path) offered significant capacity for absorbing delay, and these two tools seemed to work well together. Specifically, the speed management of RTA was sufficiently stable and accurate to preserve 3D PAM conflict detection and avoidance and active conflict probe functionality. Potential safety and operational impacts/mitigations and human factors issues requiring further exploration are presented.
Aging effect on risk of slipping after walkway perturbation training
Authors: Liu Jian
Published: October 2013

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the interaction effect between aging and a new walkway perturbation training on risk of slip initiation. A new walkway perturbation training program was developed using an instrumented, split-belt treadmill. Five healthy older adults and five younger adults were involved in a laboratory study. An inertial measurement unit was attached to the subject’s low back region to record 3D acceleration. Transitional acceleration of whole body center of mass (TACOM) was computed to quantify the risk of slip initiation. The results indicated a significant interaction effect between aging and training on TACOM. In conclusion, the walkway perturbation training program successfully reduced the risk of slip initiation for the older adults. Furthermore, the implementation of a fall prevention program should consider the possible interaction effect between aging and training.
Fall Risks Assessment and Fall Prediction among Community Dwelling Elderly Using Wearable Wireless Sensors
Authors: Wu Xuefang , Yeoh Han Teik , Lockhart Thurmon
Published: October 2013

This study examines the predictive ability of fall risks among community dwelling elderly using wearable wireless sensors. Forty-eight community-dwelling elderly (17 non-fallers and 31 fallers) participated in the study. Timed up and go test, sit-to-stand test and ten-meter walking test were carried out. Activitiesspecific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale was also obtained. The results showed fairly good predictive ability of fall risks among older adults, with stance time, walking velocity and timed up and go time being promising of indicating fall risks. Further investigation is warranted to better understand the signals from the wearable sensors and justify the model. Larger sample size is also warranted to validate the model.
Younger and Older Adults’ Attitudes Toward Robot Faces
Authors: Prakash Akanksha , Rogers Wendy A.
Published: October 2013

Although humanoid robots are being designed to assist people in various tasks, there remain gaps in our understanding of the perceptions that humanoid faces evoke in the user. Understanding user perceptions will enable design of robots suited for the target user group. We assessed younger and older adults’ preferences for robot appearance out of three levels of human-likeness. Preferences for robot appearance differed between younger and older age groups. A majority of older adults preferred a human appearance for their robot whereas the intermediate level of appearance (mixed human-robot) was least popular among them. Younger adults’ preferences were more distributed across the three levels of human-like appearances. Moreover, preferences for appearance depended on the robot task. The underlying reasons for task-specific preferences toward highly human-looking versus less human-looking robots are also discussed.
Responses to Alerts and Subjective Reports
Authors: Kedar Gil , Meyer Joachim , Bereby-Meyer Yoella
Published: October 2013

We conducted an experiment to obtain objective measures of responses to binary alerts and subjective reports of the effects of alerts. We focused on the effects of the diagnostic value of the alert. Alerts helped improve performance, and participants responded more strongly and faster to alerts with higher diagnostic value. However, they did not report a greater reduction in workload with these alerts. Results show partial dissociation between objective and subjective measures of responses to alerts; while compliance and reliance measures were consistent with reports of system reliance and rating, effects of mean screen time were inconsistent with reports of temporal demand, effort invested and task difficulty, and participants’ performance using the alert systems did not correspond with their satisfaction with their own performance. This dissociation should be considered when evaluating the effects of automation.
Trends in Decision Making Research
Authors: Gonzalez Cleotilde , Meyer Joachim , Klein Gary , Yates J. Frank , Roth Alvin E.
Published: October 2013

Cognitive engineering and decision making has become central to current human factors and ergonomics research and practice. This trend parallels exciting developments in decision making research in general. Experimental economics and judgment and decision making research boom academically and gain much public attention, while theories and economic models of individual choice are expanding and gaining recognition in applications and practical solutions to real-world problems. This symposium brings together three leading figures in different traditions of research in decision making: Gary Klein represents the naturalistic decision making approach. Frank Yates represents research on behavioral decision making and heuristics and biases. Alvin E. Roth, the 2012 Noble laureate for economics, represents game theory and market design applications in economics. The invited speakers will present their views of the different research traditions in decision making and they will provide some thoughts on the trends and possible future developments of research, which we hope will provoke new ideas and discussions in Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making in HFES.
The System Usability Scale
Authors: Grier Rebecca A. , Bangor Aaron , Kortum Philip , Peres S. Camille
Published: October 2013

The system usability scale (SUS; Brooke, 1996) is an instrument commonly utilized in usability testing of commercial products. The goal of this symposium is to discuss the validity of the SUS in usability tests and beyond. This article serves as an introduction to the symposium. Specifically, it provides an overview of the SUS and discusses research questions currently being pursued by the panelists. This current research includes: defining usability norms, assessing usability without performing tasks, and the use of SUS for ergonomics. In addition to this paper, there are four other papers in the symposium, which discuss the impact of experience on SUS data, the relationship between SUS and performance scores, the linkage between SUS and business metrics, as well as the potential for using SUS in test and evaluation for military systems.
The Potential Utility of the System Usability Scale in U.S. Military Acquisition
Authors: Grier Rebecca A.
Published: October 2013

There are statutory requirements for human systems integration (HSI) in military acquisition. Despite these requirements, usability is often neglected in the test and evaluation of military systems. The System Usability Scale (SUS) has been proven to be a reliable and valid, yet pragmatic measure of usability for commercial systems. However, there are certain differences between military systems and commercial systems. These differences include users, system complexity, and testing environments. This paper describes the impact of these differences on the use of the SUS in military test and evaluation. Research suggestions and guidance for integrating the SUS into the military acquisition process are also discussed.
A Cognitive Task Analysis to Elicit Preliminary Requirements for an Automated UAV Verification & Planning System
Authors: Stanard Terry , Bearden George , Rothwell Clayton
Published: October 2013

A future vision for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) includes single operators managing multiple UAVs. Enabling operator management of multiple UAVs may be aided by automated planning systems that incorporate the strategies and constraints preferred by operators. To derive an understanding of these constraints, a table-top exercise was developed and a cognitive task analysis (CTA) was conducted with subject matter experts (SMEs) operating four UAVs in a dynamic mission scenario. Results indicated general consensus among SMEs on high level goals, prioritization of tasks, allocation of UAVs to tasks, and UAV flight paths and sensor parameters for fulfilling each task. These results will be directly incorporated into an automated verification and planning system. Participants also indicated preferred ways the automation would be most helpful, such as tracking and displaying mission details, and generating multiple, feasible plans that can be reviewed and modified before executing, echoing previous studies.
Trialling the SMART Approach
Authors: Wong B. L. William , Kodagoda Neesha , Rooney Chris , Attfield Simon , Choudhury Tinni
Published: October 2013

It is important to develop tools that support sense-making by providing representations that help to capture the externalisation of the thinking process. The paper proposes SMART, a new method for identifying the sense-making processes of experts by combing probes with cognitive task analysis methods. The Data-Frame sense-making model is used as a theoretical frame, and the probes have been developed around the model to elicit experts’ sense-making strategies. However, we found that the SMART probes presently lacked the resolution to capture the experts sense-making and a stronger emphasis of cognitive task analysis methods and observations were required to interpret the findings.
An Investigation of the Relation between the Complexity of Problem Structure and Mental Effort
Authors: Sun Ganyun , Yao Shengji , Carretero Juan A.
Published: October 2013

The structure of problem space determines possible strategies that can be used for problem solving and determines the effort of solving a problem. How problem solvers generate problem space when solving illstructured design problems has not been well studied. This paper proposes a method to measure the complexity of problem structuring based on the concept of function decomposition. Data collected from 22 participants, including sketches and verbal protocol reports, were analyzed to investigate the relation between the complexity of problem structuring and mental effort experienced in solving an open-ended design task. The results show that mental effort increases with the complexity of problem structuring.
Meta-analysis of the Effect of Imperfect Alert Automation on System Performance
Authors: Rein Jonathan R. , Masalonis Anthony J. , Messina Jay , Willems Ben
Published: October 2013

What performance level must automation reach to be a net benefit to the user? This paper presents a meta-analysis of 34 data points taken from 12 studies in the human factors literature, each representing the effect of an imperfect automation aid on system performance, relative to baseline. Bayesian regression analysis indicated a consistent relationship between automation reliability (i.e., overall percent correct) and performance, with values greater than 67% associated with performance gains. The credible interval for this crossover point ranged from 55 to 75%. There was also a consistent effect of d’, with a crossover point of 1.47 and a credible interval from -0.04 to 2.22. However, we urge caution in using these values as a benchmark criterion, due to the sizeable uncertainty in the crossover estimates and the variability in how researchers compute false alarm and reliability rates. The question “How good is good enough?” likely does not have a single domain-general answer, with the automation performance threshold varying across task domains and other variables.
Examining the effect of level of stress on firefighters’ time-to-decision in virtual reality
Authors: Keren Nir , Bayouth Shawn T. , Franke Warren D. , Godby Kevin M.
Published: October 2013

Highly immersive virtual reality environments were used to examine firefighters’ decision making process and choice. We report here the effects of acute occupationally-relevant stress level on time-to-decision. When comparing low to high-stress situations, time spent on enhancing situational awareness and overall time-to-decision were significantly longer in the low stress setting. However, time spent on reviewing information that was not embedded in the environment was not statically different. Analysis indicated that stress level did not significantly affect the distribution of final choice.

We propose that when stress increases, firefighters sacrifice time available to them to enhance their situational awareness rather than sacrifice information review time; however, stress per se, did not affect their decision choice.
Collaboration in Forecasting
Authors: Miller Sarah M. , Forlines Clifton , Irvine John
Published: October 2013

Collaboration and information sharing is becoming an increasingly important tool in improving forecasting socio-political events. How can we harness the power of crowds for forecasting without its associated limitations? In this paper, we explore how different types and amounts of information sharing affect forecast quality. The results of the experiment show that, overall, different types of information sharing improve performance over no sharing. In addition, information sharing does not appear to harm aggregation weighting methods that depend on meta-predictions about group performance .We discuss implications for these results for use in improving forecasting.
Resilience in the Face of a Superstorm
Authors: Deary David S. , Walker Katherine E. , Woods David D.
Published: October 2013

A resilient system is able to adjust its functioning prior to, during, or following changes and disturbances, so that it can continue to perform as required after a disruption or a major mishap, and in the presence of continuous stresses. This paper examines decision making in a large transportation firm as it anticipated and dealt with major disruptions resulting from hurricane Sandy in the fall of 2012. Results offer lessons of interest to researchers as well as organizations seeking to bolster their own resilience.
Group Polarization of Trust in Technology
Authors: Xu Jie , Montague Enid
Published: October 2013

The aim of the current study was to investigate if the phenomenon of group polarization could be observed in trust in technology. In this study, 24 participants worked as two-person teams and multi-tasked in a computerized environment under varied difficulty and technology reliability levels. The participants provided trust in technology ratings individually before discussion and ratings on the team level after discussion. The results indicated that group discussion made team trust in technology more extreme than the average individual trust in technology before the discussion. Teams working with reliable technology showed a higher trust in technology rating after discussion, indicating a “risk shift” effect of group polarization. These results show that group polarization should be considered in trust calibration.
Reducing False Alarms in Automated Target Recognition by Lowering the Level of Automation
Authors: Ho Geoffrey , Pavlovic Nada , Myers Vincent , Arrabito Robert
Published: October 2013

Automated target recognition (ATR) technologies are designed to help operators detect and identify potential threats. However, ATRs can generate a high number of false alarms (FA), resulting in low operator trust and potential automation disuse. In this study, we examined whether lowering the level of automation (LOA) of ATR could reduce FAs and support automation compliance and reliance. Participants performed a visual search for a target with or without the help of ATR. The ATR operated at three LOAs and two levels of reliability. The results suggested that the lowest LOA resulted in greater automation compliance and reliance. Operators also performed better in one measure of diagnostic accuracy under the low automation condition. The findings suggest that operating ATR at lower LOAs provide an effective method for improving ATR use and for detecting potential threats.
Human Factors in Cyber Warfare
Authors: Knott Benjamin A , Mancuso Vincent F , Bennett Kevin , Finomore Victor , McNeese Michael , McKneely Jennifer A. , Beecher Maria
Published: October 2013

There has been a dramatic increase in the total number of reported cyber security breaches and attacks in recent years. In response, government, and corporate entities have invested billions of dollars in funding research and development efforts for cyber operations, including computer network defense (CND) and computer network attack (CNA). While cyber operations have become an important national priority over the last decade, the Human Factors community has yet to approach it with critical mass. In its purest form, cyber operations are a complex sociotechnical system that can have effects across all levels of an organization. Due to a consistent interplay between human cognition, technology, and organizational constraints within the environment, the Human Factors community is particularly well-suited to address the problem space. We have assembled a panel of six scientists, technologists, and subject matter experts across multiple specializations in the Human Factors community to help begin this increasingly important discussion. The goal of this panel is to have an open discussion on how we can leverage our specializations and expertise to address the cyber operations landscape as a community.
Applying a Macroergonomic Approach to The Design and Analysis of Business Software
Authors: Hoeft Raegan M. , Fitzhugh Shannon L.
Published: October 2013

Business software is often seen as more of a nuisance to employees than an aid to more efficient work practices. Many companies are working toward improving this unfortunate phenomenon by attempting to improve the user experience (UX) of business software. This paper proposes that expanding beyond the UX perspective with a macroergonomic approach can improve both the research and design phases of business software development, ultimately providing a more complete picture of the UX by placing more emphasis on the context of use. Toward that end, we present here a preliminary application of macroergonomics to one business software project. First, we present an overview of business software. Then, a macroergonomics approach is defined and the potential value for business software is discussed. Next, we present an example of using macroergonomic principles on a project and the lessons learned during this exercise. Finally, we discuss what we’re doing to further expand upon this concept of applying macroergonomic principles to the design and analysis of business software.
Practicing Relevant Skills in the Classroom
Authors: Rantanen Esa M. , Colombo Daniel J. , Miller Sarah M. , Alexander Amy L. , Lacson Frank C. , Andre Anthony D.
Published: October 2013

A particular challenge to professors of human factors/ergonomics courses in academia is to make their syllabi and course contents relevant to the demands placed on graduates from human factors programs as they enter the labor market. Recent surveys suggest that academic curricula indeed fall short of expectations in several critical areas. To respond to these challenges and the demonstrated deficiencies, a panel of human factors professionals from various areas in the industry suggested ways to incorporate relevant skills exercises in academic curricula. This panel is part of an ongoing dialog between employers of human factors/ergonomics professionals in the industry and the professors of human factors students in academia.
Engaging Engineering Students With Transportation Safety
Authors: Strawderman Lesley , Lewie Catherine , King Katherine , Huang Yunchen
Published: October 2013

In this paper, we will introduce a newly created education module in transportation safety. The module is aimed at undergraduate engineering students, whose exposure to this topic is extremely limited, if they are exposed at all. Topics in the module include driver speed compliance, distracted driving, pedestrian safety, and vulnerable road users (VRUs) with an emphasis on young drivers. The module incorporates a number of items, including lecture material (both instructor and student versions), in-class activity, and laboratory exercises. The learning module is intended to supplement existing courses in engineering curricula. The goal of this learning module is to provide industrial engineering students with current research and knowledge in transportation safety. The module was recently piloted in an undergraduate Industrial Ergonomics courses. Results regarding the effectiveness of the module, as well as results on the student attainment of educational objectives, will be discussed.
Teaching Undergraduates about Human Factors through Research in Usability
Authors: Elliott Lisa Jo
Published: October 2013

Educators in Human Factors face an important question: how to attract, educate and prepare undergraduate students for a future in Human Factors. Previous work in Experimental Psychology suggests that students learn more from participating in laboratory studies than they do from lectures in a classroom setting (Elliott, Rice, Trafimow, Madson, and Hipshur, 2010). Information exists on how to configure a usability lab for a commercial practice, but little information exists on how to organize an academic usability lab for undergraduates. This study describes the organization of one such academic lab which focuses on in vivo development projects. The report describes the configuration, practical advice, and lessons learned to date.
Using On-line Learning Tools to Support Increased Engagement in Human Factors Courses
Authors: Histon Jonathan
Published: October 2013

The breadth of potential topics in a Human Factors course can make it difficult to tailor course material to student interests, a key factor in engaging students in the class. The wide-spread adoption of on-line learning tools is creating new opportunities for instructors to develop assignments that use collaboration and peer review to engage students in human factors classes. This paper describes the Human Factors Researcher Profile assignment, an online, collaborative assignment for a senior undergraduate human factors class. Initial experience with the profile assignment has been promising; brief results of a survey probing students’ experience with the assignment are presented, and lessons learned and opportunities for improvement are described.
Design Competition as a Pedagogical Tool to Teach Concepts of Universal Design in India
Authors: Khare Rachna , Khare Ajay
Published: October 2013

Universal Design Education has become a worldwide movement but demonstrated limited acceptance amongst architecture, planning and design schools in India. There are no specialized courses on universal design in the country, this is perhaps because the benefits of designing in a more inclusive way are not immediately apparent and also because there are many other pressing issues that require attention. Center for Human Centric Research in School of Planning and Architecture Bhopal organizes an annual National Student Design Competition on Universal Design (NSDC-UD) together with a Hands-on Workshop and Exhibition, to explore creative ways to offer universal design to the students of diverse design disciplines in the country. The center has organized three such events since 2010, which provided an intense and experiential universal design understanding to the students. The events also provided an opportunity to explore Student Design Competition as a pedagogical tool to meet educational objectives that the school is striving to include in Academic Curricula. The paper presents this annual academic event in brief and summarizes the lessons learnt for the contextual aptness of Universal Design and Universal Design Education.
A Pilot Study Investigating the Impact of Indoor Wall Construction on Performance during Long Monotonous Work
Authors: Takai Yuka , Goto Akihiko , Takao Ken-ichi , Kuwahara Noriaki , Hamada Hiroyuki
Published: October 2013

Generating of a mistake and the decline in working efficiency in monotonous work are what is depended on the fall of the concentration, corporal or mental fatigue. Importance is attached to the indoor environment in monotonous work. There is history which has used the natural material (for example clay, grass, bamboo charcoal) for interior materials in Japan. Moisture conditioning properties and absorption properties of an indoor pollutant substance of natural material for interior materials may have a certain influence on monotonous work. Therefore, purpose of in this study is to clarify the influence which an interior material has on working efficiency and fatigue under the long monotonous work with different interior material as wallpaper, clay wall, bamboo charcoal. Long monotonous work was segregation of the examination literature. The motion of segregation work was recorded by video camera. The brain waves under work were measured. The fatigue survey questionnaires before and after work were performed.
Ship Engine Control Room Design
Authors: Mallam Steven C. , Lundh Monica
Published: October 2013

A ships’ engine control room (ECR) is of central importance to the engine department and overall vessel operation. Modern day ships are becoming increasingly technologically sophisticated and computerization has a growing presence in the engine department. A large portion of marine engineering duties are now dedicated to remotely managing equipment from the ECR. In order to optimize control room design and layout from a user-centered perspective numerous safety-critical industries have implemented mandatory regulations which utilize human factors and ergonomics (HF&E) knowledge. However, shipping’s highest governing body, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) currently lacks regulatory support in this area. This paper examines international mandatory regulations and non-mandatory guidelines regarding the human element which influence ECR design. Analysis reveals that a disconnect exists between the regulations which specify ship design criteria and those which specify seafarer training competencies and safe operational procedures. From a regulatory perspective ECR design does not support ECR operation. Assessment of current regulatory gaps establishes a base for developing engine department-specific HF&E applications. Safer shipping practices can be fostered by facilitating operational demands through work environment design. However, due to the complexity of international shipping laws mandatory regulations are the only way to ensure effective implementation.
An Observational Study on Usability Issues in Mumbai Local Trains
Authors: Agarwal Shikha , Mullick Abir , Ray G.G.
Published: October 2013

Observational studies are common in the field of environment-behavior and they investigate the causal effects of environmental design on people through action-reaction behavior. The quality and strength of evidence provided by an observational study is determined largely by its design and how it is conducted. This paper employed observational study to learn about the usability and challenges encountered in the use of a commuting system in Mumbai, India. The study determined the influence of the physical environment on diverse users to outline environment-behavior issues and the level of environmental misfit that exists between users and the railway stations and local trains. The study concludes with design questions for further investigation through experimental research and interviews. Why do people avoid using stairs and instead choose to cross railway tracks? How does the two way traffic flow impact navigation on the station while commuters board or alight trains? What factors contribute to people collision on stations?
Practical Method for Forensic Testing of Fall Impact Effects on the Human Spine
Authors: Albert-Green Steven , Young Jason , Potma Erin
Published: October 2013

The purpose of this study was to develop a safe, inexpensive, and practical method for estimating the force on the human spine during simulated fall landings for forensic investigations. Although the injury tolerances for the spine are known, the mechanics of spinal loading during fall landing are not well-established and thus limit the use of injury tolerances in establishing risk in landing injury cases. Measuring these spinal forces directly using live subjects would be invasive and unsafe; cadaver and animal models are expensive and do not capture the true mechanics of human spinal loading. As an alternative, this study proposed the use of a heavy duty punching bag to simulate the semi-rigid properties of the human body during a fall landing. The heavy bag was instrumented with accelerometers and dropped from various heights to measure impact acceleration. A live test subject instrumented with accelerometers on the foot and low back performed feet-first fall landings at relatively low heights to establish data for comparison. The impact acceleration for the heavy bag and back acceleration of the live subject matched well at corresponding heights. The measured foot accelerations did not correlate directly with those of the bag, possibly due to additional limb acceleration during landing. These preliminary results suggest that a heavy bag could be used to estimate the acceleration experienced by the back during simulated fall landings in forensic investigations.
The Pathology of Everyday Things – Stairways - Revisted
Authors: Pauls Jake
Published: October 2013

The Pathology of Everyday Things was the title of the Arnold M. Small Lecture in Safety at the 1996 HFES meeting. It focused on epidemiology and etiology in stair-related injuries. Balancing these micro-ergonomics issues were macro-ergonomics issues focused on the role of standards and codes for design. Now, nearly two decades later, there have been major developments in both micro and macro factors. Both need to be understood if we are to appreciate the very large growth in the rate of such injuries in the USA since 1996.
Visual Aids for Merging Mixed Arrival Traffic
Authors: Weber Bernhard , Oberheid Hendrik , Papenfuss Anne
Published: October 2013

Innovative concepts for fuel-efficient and noise-reduced air traffic suggest a better utilization of modern aircraft capabilities, like time-based planning of continuous descent approaches (CDA). One challenge of such concepts is the integration of aircraft flying CDA approaches and conventional air traffic. In this study, we examined the effects of different levels of automation provided by four different variants of visual aids on performance, information acquisition, resultant situation awareness, and workload with N = 78 students in a complex and dynamic microworld setting. While visual assistance had a positive effect on performance, attention was deviated from real aircraft. Nevertheless, attention deviation did not negatively affect conflict detection when assistance was activated manually. Moreover, anticipation of future losses of separation was improved by visual aids.
Laparoscopic Surgical Team Stress Measures During Randomized Controlled Trials of 4-port vs. Single Incision Cholecystecomies
Authors: Hallbeck Susan , Lowndes Bethany , Bingener Juliane
Published: October 2013

The Institute of Medicine lists investigations of the comparative effectiveness for minimally invasive surgical procedures as a research priority. As new minimally invasive procedures are developed, comparisons of the resulting workload contribute valuable information about the impact of the new procedures. Recent reports suggest that surgeon workload can influence patient outcomes. Measurements of stress and fatigue for the surgical team participating in a randomized NIH supported trial of single incision versus traditional laparoscopic cholecystectomy were obtained. These stress measures showed that the SURG-TLX was sensitive to the difficulty of the surgery. The SURG-TLX and a surgical difficulty score was obtained from the surgical team for 16 laparoscopic surgeries by surgical approach (8 SILC and 8 4-port) showed that for this small sample size, there were no statistically significant differences in length of surgery, degree of difficulty, nor patient considerations such as post-operative pain scores. In addition, no statistically significant differences in the individual Surg-TLX subscale scores or Surg-TLX total for the surgical team overall or for the surgeon alone by surgical platform. This is likely due to the small sample size reducing the power of the tests.
Healthcare Systems Design At a Crossroads
Authors: Perry Shawna J. , Mosher Hilary J. , Persoon Thomas J. , Bass Ellen J. , Fairbanks Rollin (Terry) J. , Pennathur Priyadarshini R.
Published: October 2013

The healthcare work system contains many constraints resulting from changes in workflow and system structure. The panel reflects on challenges in the healthcare work system human factors researchers can address to improve patient safety. The panelists address: (1) the growing complexities in healthcare and patient safety from the provider and patient perspectives; (2) successful applications of human factors approaches to healthcare systems design; (3) and barriers in following a systems approach and strategies to overcome the challenges that remain for enhancing patient safety.
Observer’s Performance and Perceptual Sensitivity for Detecting Critical Patterns in Static Maternal-Fetal Heart Rate Images
Authors: Anderson-Montoya Brittany L. , Scerbo Mark W. , Kennedy Rebecca A. , Belfore Lee A. , Abuhamad Alfred Z. , Davis Stephen S. , Chauhan Suneet P.
Published: October 2013

The present study examined detection performance and perceptual sensitivity for critical patterns in maternal-fetal heart rate (MFHR) signals in single and combined formats. Forty-one undergraduate students viewed simulated images of MFHR signals under four different signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios. The images contained an acceleration, early deceleration, late deceleration, or no deviation. Further, the deviations varied in amplitude. The results showed that as variability increased and amplitude decreased perceptual sensitivity also decreased and participants experienced reduced ability to detect signals and committed more false alarms. These effects were more pronounced when performing the combined condition compared to the single condition. These findings highlight that interpretation of MFHR signals is subject to misinterpretation and underscores the need for countermeasures.
Performance barriers among elderly chronic heart failure patients
Authors: Holden Richard J. , Mickelson Robin S.
Published: October 2013

Applications of the human factors and ergonomics (HFE) approach in the healthcare domain have largely targeted the work of healthcare professionals. Here, we argue for the importance of targeting the work of patients and their lay caregivers, a relatively underdeveloped approach we call patient-engaged HFE. A multi-method study of the barriers to the self-care work of elderly chronic heart failure patients (N=27) and caregivers (N=11) illustrates the approach. Analyses of interview data using a macroergonomic Work System framework revealed a large variety of barriers unique to patient work as well as to CHF self-care. The most common person-related barriers were physical limitations and knowledge gaps. Task-related barriers included medication complexity and side-effects. Tool and technology barriers included lack of or overdependence on aids. Context barriers were organizational (e.g., no indoor gyms), social (e.g., sodiumrich food culture), and physical-environmental (e.g., stairs). Findings motivate further applying HFE concepts and methods (e.g., workload, decision support, distributed cognition, resilience) to patient work.
A Computational Model of Task Overload Management and Task Switching
Authors: Wickens Christopher D. , Santamaria Amy , Sebok Angelia
Published: October 2013

We describe a computational model that predicts the decision aspect of sequential multitasking. We investigate how people choose to switch tasks or continue performing an ongoing task when they are in overload conditions where concurrent performance of tasks is impossible. The model is based on a metaanalytic integration of 46 experiments from two literatures: interruption management and applied task switching. Consistent trends from the meta-analysis are used to set parameters in the mathematical model, which is then implemented in a task network model.
Performance-Based Adaptability Profiles in Multitasking
Authors: Morgan Brent , D’Mello Sidney , Abbott Robert , Haass Michael , Tamplin Andrea , Radvansky Gabriel
Published: October 2013

Assessing a person’s ability to multitask is a topic that is gaining increased attention. However, task constraints and difficulty rarely remain constant in real-world environments; when task constraints change, people must adapt to avoid diminished task performance or failure. But can we identify and predict differences in multitasking adaptability? This question was assessed in an experiment wherein participants multitasked in a flight simulator. Task difficulty was incrementally increased across three experimental manipulations. We measured participants' performance on tasks with baseline versus increased difficulty. Cluster analyses on performance identified three distinct adaptability groups in each condition, irrespective of performance at baseline. Furthermore, individual membership in each cluster was quite consistent across different difficulty conditions. Cluster membership in this task was predicted by spatial ability, which is a cognitive ability not related to general multitasking ability.
Influence of Personality Factors and Time Pressure on Human Performance When Using Digital Interfaces
Authors: Dong Xiaolu , Yu Hang , Li Zhizhong
Published: October 2013

This study intended to explore the effects of personal characteristics (measured by Cattell's 16 Personality Factors), time pressure and interface design on task performance in an Emergency Operating Procedure (EOP) task that required judgment in a simulated Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) condition. The performance criteria included judgment time, error rate, situation awareness, and subjective workload, under different interfaces (ecological /traditional) and time pressure levels (high/low). The analysis of variance showed significant influence of time pressure. And by developing regression models for personality factors under each interface style, significant relationships between personality traits (privateness, openness to change, perfectionism, rule-consciousness, and social boldness) and human performance were found.
Changes of Lumbar Muscle Flexion Relaxation Phenomenon When Standing on Unilaterally Elevated Ground
Authors: Hu Boyi , Ning Xiaopeng , Nimbarte Ashish D.
Published: October 2013

Occupational tasks performed on uneven ground surfaces are common in agriculture and construction industries. The influence of unilaterally elevated ground surface on lumbar muscle flexion relaxation phenomenon (FRP) during trunk flexion and extension motion has been investigated in the current study. Ten subjects performed trunk flexion and extension motion on flat ground and two unilaterally elevated ground conditions while lumbar muscle EMG and trunk kinematics data were recorded. Results of this study demonstrated clear difference in bilateral lumbar muscle FRP under elevated ground conditions. The current finding can be used to better understand uneven ground surfaces as a risk factor for the development of low back pain.
Investigation of Relationships between Hand Surface Dimensions and Hand Bone Dimensions
Authors: Chang Joonho , Kong Yong-Ku , Freivalds Andris , Kang Hyun-Sung , Cho Jae Hyun
Published: October 2013

This study developed a method to predict finger/phalange bone lengths from a surface hand length. 41 Korean college students (25 males and 16 females) were recruited, and their surface hand lengths and finger/phalange bone lengths were measured using a vernier caliper and a X-ray generator, respectively. The conversion method developed equations to estimate finger/phalange bone lengths based on one surface hand length by relationships among the measured finger/phalange bone lengths. The average estimation error between the estimated bone lengths and measured bone lengths was 1.76 mm (2.3 %) with SD = 0.3 mm on finger bone lengths and 0.99 mm (3.2 %) with SD = 0.4 mm on phalange bone lengths. The estimated finger/phalange bone lengths had strong correlations, more than more than r = 0.8, with the measured finger/phalange bone lengths.