bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Applying human factor analysis tools to a railway brake and wheel maintenance facility
Authors: Singh Sarbjeet , Kumar Rupesh , Kumar Uday 
Published: February 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate three techniques to extract human factor information from specific railway maintenance tasks. It describes the techniques and shows how these tools can be applied to identify improvements in maintenance practices and workflow.

Design/methodology/approach
– Three case studies were conducted on single group of technicians (n=19) at a railway maintenance workshop in Luleå, Sweden. Case study I examined the posture of the technicians while they were changing the brake shoes of freight wagons; the study employed the Standard Nordic Questionnaire and a videotape using the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS). Case study II looked at maintenance repair times required to change the wheel axle on freight wagons at the workshop. A video filming method suggested by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work was used to measure actual maintenance time. Finally, case study III considered the technicians’ (n=19) perception of work demands, their control over the work and their social support while performing maintenance tasks (brake shoe and wheel axle maintenance); to this end, the case study used a demand control support questionnaire.

Findings
– In the first case study, the Standard Nordic Questionnaire confirmed that technicians at this particular railway vehicle maintenance workshop suffer from back and shoulder pain. The Ovako Working Posture Analysis showed that 21 percent of the working time required to fit the brake wedge and cotter pin fits into two OWAS categories: category 3, where “change is required as soon as possible,” and category 4, where “change is required immediately”. Problems stem from poor workplace layout, incorrect posture and inaccessibility of tools and components. In the second study, the video analysis indicated that the working time to change the wheel axle of a freight wagon is greatly affected by poor workplace layout. The third case study showed that the technicians have lower “psychological demands” (mean=13), “higher control over work” (mean=16) and “high social support” (mean=22).

Practical implications
– The objective of this study was to apply knowledge about human factors to the functional relationships between maintenance personnel, tasks and the working environment to improve safety. If the workplace layout, working posture, maintenance manuals and accessibility of tools are poorly planned, maintenance performance can be adversely affected. The results of this study should assist maintenance management to design new policies and guidelines for improving the work environment.

Originality/value
– Three case studies were conducted at a railway maintenance workshop in Luleå, Sweden, to collect data on how human factors affect various railway maintenance tasks.
Wave‐induced changes in seaweed toughness entail plastic modifications in snail traits maintaining consumption efficacy
Authors: Molis Markus , Scrosati Ricardo A. , El‐Belely Ehab F. , Lesniowski Thomas J. , Wahl Martin 
Published: February 2015

Summary

Environmental stress can influence species traits and performance considerably. Using a seaweed–snail system from NW (Nova Scotia) and NE (Helgoland) Atlantic rocky shores, we examined how physical stress (wave exposure) modulates traits in the seaweed Fucus vesiculosus and indirectly in its main consumer, the periwinkle Littorina obtusata.

In both regions, algal tissue toughness increased with wave exposure. Reciprocal‐transplant experiments showed that tissue toughness adjusted plastically to the prevailing level of wave exposure.

Choice experiments tested the feeding preference of snails from sheltered, exposed and very exposed habitats for algae from such wave exposures. Snails from exposed and very exposed habitats consumed algal tissues at similar rates irrespective of the exposure of origin of the algae. However, snails from sheltered habitats consumed less algal tissues from very exposed habitats than tissues from sheltered and exposed habitats. Choice assays using reconstituted algal food (triturated during preparation) identified high thallus toughness as the explanation for the low preference of snails from sheltered habitats for algae from very exposed habitats.

Ultrastructural analyses of radulae indicated that rachidian teeth were longest and the number of cusps in lateral teeth (grazing‐relevant traits) was highest in snails from very exposed habitats, suggesting that radulae are best suited to rupture tough algal tissues in such snails.

No‐choice feeding experiments revealed that these radular traits were also phenotypically plastic, as they adjusted to the toughness of the algal food.

Synthesis. This study indicates that the observed plasticity in the feeding ability of snails is mediated by wave exposure through phenotypic plasticity in the tissue toughness of algae. Thus, plasticity in consumers and their resource species may reduce the potential effects of physical stress on their interaction.
Lessons from 40 years of planning for cycle‐inclusion: Reflections from Santiago, Chile
Authors: Sagaris Lake 
Published: February 2015

AbstractTwenty years ago, a global trend toward “automobility”, in which the car is the main transport mode in cities, seemed virtually inevitable. In North America and many European countries, a generation of school children accustomed to walking or cycling to school gave way to new generations expecting to bus or travel by car. Developing countries too began to transition toward more extensive car use, as politicians, themselves drivers, began to push highways and flyways through cities, displacing whole communities and, in many cases, segregating the poor and the most vulnerable even further. Modest but significant social movements nonetheless began to push back: rickshaw drivers in India, for example, launched a major campaign to defend their way of sustenance, winning the hearts and minds of academics, key politicians, and ordinary citizens. Cycling advocacy groups have sprung up virtually everywhere. Indeed, cycling has moved to the fore as a transport mode of interest, particularly for short trips of 0‐10 km, and many cities are responding with significant measures. A substantial body of practitioner experience and academic literature has documented progress by transitioning cities, mainly in the developed countries. Based on doctoral research, extensive field observation, a literature review, and hands‐on experience with the application of Dutch knowledge in the author's home city of Santiago, Chile, this article reviews what we know about planning for cycling. It explores key dynamics that can be used to “harness complexity” in favour of more cycle‐inclusive strategies. It also reflects on some crucial lessons from the past 40 years from the field of cycle planning that could contribute significantly to defining and planning sustainable transport systems, underlining some problematic biases and some lessons to be learned from urban traditions in developing cities.
Genetic diversity of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. following population decline in response to drought and altered hydrological regime
Authors: Dillon Shannon , McEvoy Rachel , Baldwin Darren S. , Southerton Simon , Campbell Cherie , Parsons Yvonne , Rees Gavin N. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh.) inhabits riparian zones and associated floodplains throughout Australia. Following changes to hydrological regime due to river regulation and prolonged drought in south‐eastern Australia, river red gum populations within the Murray–Darling Basin have suffered substantial decline. To better understand the effect of drought on river red gum genetic diversity, we examined single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variation in 12 candidate genes among six red gum floodplain forest sites in Yanga National Park, which had experienced contrasting levels of drought and associated decline over an eight‐year period. We also examined genetic diversity using these markers in five additional river red gum populations from the Murray–Darling Basin to place genetic diversity results from Yanga in a regional context. Tree condition was significantly lower and mortality higher in the most drought affected sites; however, differences in overall genetic diversity and divergence were not detected among sites. No evidence of genetic adaptation in response to drought in this set of candidate genes was detected when differentiation at individual SNP loci was examined. While the overall condition of E. camaldulensis was strongly influenced by hydrological regime, our results suggest the evolutionary potential of floodplain forests in Yanga were not immediately impacted by population decline linked with drought and changes in hydrological regime. We propose that due to low genetic structure among populations in the region, genetic diversity of river red gums within the Murray–Darling Basin might be effectively conserved during periods of extended drought by protecting representative populations.
Extreme macrosomia – Obstetric outcomes and complications in birthweights >5000 g
Authors: Hehir Mark P. , Mchugh Ann F. , Maguire Patrick J. , Mahony Rhona 
Published: February 2015

ObjectiveManagement of extremely large birthweight infants presents challenges during the period of labour and delivery. We sought to examine outcomes in infants with extreme macrosomia (birthweight > 5000 g), at an institution where the management of labour is standardised.Materials and MethodsThis is a retrospective analysis of prospectively gathered data on all infants with a birthweight >5000 g delivered at a tertiary level institution from 2008 to 2012. Details of labour characteristics and outcomes were examined; these were compared according to parity.ResultsDuring the study period, there were 46 128 deliveries at the hospital and 182 infants with a birthweight >5000 g, giving an incidence of 0.4%. The majority of women (133/182) were multiparous. Among nulliparas, 47% (23/49) had a vaginal delivery, while 53% (26/49) had a caesarean delivery. 86% (97/113) of multiparas had a vaginal delivery, and 14% (16/113) had a caesarean delivery. 43% (69/162) required induction of labour. This was more common in nulliparous compared with multiparous women (58% [29/49] vs 30% [40/133], P = 0.005, OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.7–6.6). A total of 30% (49/162) of women had their labour accelerated with oxytocin. There were higher rates of oxytocin use in nulliparas than in multiparas (55% [27/49] vs 16.5% [22/133], P < 0.0001, OR = 6.2, 95% CI = 3–12.8). Seventeen of the 120 infants delivered vaginally had a shoulder dystocia (14.2%), with three suffering an Erbs palsy, all of which had resolved before 6 months of age. One baby had a clavicular fracture.ConclusionExtreme macrosomia affects 0.4% of pregnancies in contemporary practice. Multiparas have a low rate of caesarean section. Infants delivered vaginally are at increased risk of shoulder dystocia and associated complications.
Cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in rural and remote areas
Authors: Diaz Abbey , Whop Lisa J. , Valery Patricia C. , Moore Suzanne P. , Cunningham Joan , Garvey Gail , Condon John R. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the association between residential remoteness and stage of cancer at diagnosis, treatment uptake, and survival within the Australian Indigenous population.DesignSystematic review and matched retrospective cohort study.SettingAustralia.ParticipantsSystematic review: published papers that included a comparison of cancer stage at diagnosis, treatment uptake, mortality and/or survival for Indigenous people across remoteness categories were identified (n = 181). Fifteen papers (13 studies) were included in the review. Original analyses: new analyses were conducted using data from the Queensland Indigenous Cancer Study (QICS) comparing cancer stage at diagnosis, treatment uptake, and survival for Indigenous cancer patients living in rural/remote areas (n = 627, 66%) and urban areas (n = 329, 34%).Main Outcome MeasuresSystematic review: Papers were included if there were related to stage of disease at diagnosis, treatment, mortality and survival of cancer. Restrictions were not placed on the outcome measures reported (e.g. standardised mortality ratios versus crude mortality rates). Original analyses: Odds ratios (OR, 95%CI) were used to compare stage of disease and treatment uptake between the two remoteness groups. Treatment uptake (treated/not treated) was analysed using logistic regression analysis. Survival was analysed using Cox proportional hazards regression. The final multivariate models included stage of cancer at diagnosis and area‐level socioeconomic status (SEIFA).ResultsExisting evidence of variation in cancer outcomes for Indigenous people in remote compared with metropolitan areas is limited. While no previous studies have reported on differences in cancer stage and treatment uptake by remoteness within the Indigenous population, the available evidence suggests Indigenous cancer patients are less likely to survive their cancer the further they live from urban centres. New analysis of QICS data indicates that Indigenous cancer patients in rural/remote Queensland were less likely to be diagnosed with localised disease and less likely to receive treatment for their cancer compared to their urban counterparts.ConclusionMore research is needed to fully understand geographic differentials in cancer outcomes within the Indigenous population. Knowing how geographical location interacts with Indigenous status can help to identify ways of improving cancer outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
Oncology service initiatives and research in regional Australia
Authors: Murphy Caitlin , Sabesan Sabe , Steer Christopher , Yates Patsy , Booms Anne , Jones Victoria , Simpson Alison , Clarke Kerrie , Eek Richard , Ashley David , Goldstein David , Packer Chris , Tuthill Fiona , Boyce Adam , Underhill Craig 
Published: February 2015

AbstractObjectiveThis paper reflects on the recent growth of cancer research being conducted through some of Australia's rural centres. It encompasses work being done across the fields of clinical, translational and health services research.DesignThis is a collaborative piece with contributions from rural health researchers, clinical and cancer services staff from several different regions.ConclusionThe past decade has seen an expansion in cancer research in rural and regional Australia driven in part by the recognition that cancer patients in remote areas experience poorer outcomes than their metropolitan counterparts. This work has led to the development of more effective cancer networks and new models of care designed to meet the particular needs of the rural cancer patient. It is hoped that the growth of cancer research in regional centres will, in time, reduce the disparity between rural and urban communities and improve outcomes for cancer patients across both populations.
The circadian clock functions as a potent regulator of allergic reaction
Authors: Nakao A. , Nakamura Y. , Shibata S. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractSymptoms and laboratory parameters of allergic diseases exhibit prominent ~24‐h variations. For instance, in most allergic rhinitis patients, symptoms worsen overnight or early in the morning. Accordingly, there are benefits to nighttime dosing of anti‐allergy medications in such patients. Although the circadian pathophysiology of allergic diseases is well documented, the biological basis of this phenomenon remains poorly understood. Recent studies have begun to reveal that the internal timekeeping system termed the circadian clock plays a key role in temporal regulation of allergic reaction, and may therefore underlie the circadian pathophysiology of allergic diseases. Here, we review new knowledge that highlights the emerging role of the circadian clock as a potent regulator of allergic reactions. Given the strong influence of circadian rhythms on allergic diseases, we believe that research on how the time of day impacts allergic reaction which we may call ‘chronoallergology’ will provide new insight into previously unknown aspects of the biology of allergies. Such knowledge should facilitate novel strategies for prevention and treatment of these diseases.
Melatonin administration enhances the reproductive capacity of young rams under a southern Mediterranean environment
Authors: Rekik Mourad , Taboubi Rahma , Ben Salem Imene , Fehri Younes , Sakly Cyrine , Lassoued Narjess , Hilali Muhi Eddine 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThis study tested the effect of melatonin treatment, initiated in late February on reproductive traits of young rams. A total of 14 young Barbarine rams were used. Seven animals were treated with three melatonin subcutaneous implants (Melatonin) on 28 February while the remaining rams remained untreated (Control). After 60 days of melatonin administration, scrotal circumference reached average values of 32.1 ± 1.54 and 29.5 ± 1.0 cm for Melatonin and Control animals, respectively (P < 0.05). Semen characteristics did not differ between groups; melatonin treatment tended (P = 0.091) to increase sperm concentration 60 days after implantation when means reached 5.87 ± 0.703 and 4.61 ± 0.654 × 109 spermatozoa/mL for Melatonin and Control rams, respectively. Melatonin treatment significantly affected total activity time, number of lateral approaches and mount attempts in comparison to controls. During a 6‐h sampling period, mean plasma testosterone concentrations increased as a result of melatonin treatment (P < 0.001) and testosterone pulse frequency averaged 3.45 ± 2.24 and 1.25 ± 1.0 (P = 0.086) for Melatonin and Control rams. Data clearly suggest that abrupt treatment of young rams with melatonin implants in winter is sufficient to improve reproductive traits.
Failures of Imagination: Disability and the Ethics of Selective Reproduction
Authors: Soniewicka Marta 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe article addresses the problem of disability in the context of reproductive decisions based on genetic information. It poses the question of whether selective procreation should be considered as a moral obligation of prospective parents. To answer this question, a number of different ethical approaches to the problem are presented and critically analysed: the utilitarian; Julian Savulescu's principle of procreative beneficence; the rights‐based. The main thesis of the article is that these approaches fail to provide any appealing principles on which reproductive decisions should be based. They constitute failures of imagination which may result in counter‐intuitive moral judgments about both life with disability and genetic selection. A full appreciation of the ethical significance of recognition in procreative decisions leads to a more nuanced and morally satisfying view than other leading alternatives presented in the article.
Sediment storage and release from Himalayan piggyback basins and implications for downstream river morphology and evolution
Authors: Densmore Alexander L. , Sinha Rajiv , Sinha Swati , Tandon S. K. , Jain Vikrant 
Published: February 2015

AbstractPiggyback basins developed at the mountain fronts of collisional orogens can act as important, and transient, sediment stores along major river systems. It is not clear, however, how the storage and release of sediment in piggyback basins affects the sediment flux and evolution of downstream river reaches. Here, we investigate the timing and volumes of sediment storage and release in the Dehra Dun, a piggyback basin developed along the Himalayan mountain front in northwestern India. Based on OSL dating, we show evidence for three major phases of aggradation in the dun, bracketed at ca. 41–33 ka, 34–21 ka and 23–10 ka, each accompanied by progradation of sediment fans into the dun. Each of these phases was followed by backfilling and (apparently) rapid fan‐head incision, leading to abandonment of the depositional unit and a basinward shift of the active depocentre. Excavation of dun sediment after the second and third phases of aggradation produced time‐averaged sediment discharges that were ca. 1–2% of the modern suspended‐sediment discharges of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers that traverse the margins of the dun; this sediment was derived from catchment areas that together comprise 1.5% of the drainage area of these rivers. Comparison of the timing of dun storage and release with upstream and downstream records of incision and aggradation in the Ganga show that sediment storage in the dun generally coincides with periods of widespread hinterland aggradation but that late stages of dun aggradation, and especially times of dun sediment excavation, coincide with major periods of sediment export to the Ganga Basin. The dun thus acts to amplify temporal variations in hinterland sediment supply or transport capacity. This conceptual model appears to explain morphological features of other major river systems along the Himalayan front, including the Gandak and Kosi Rivers, and may be important for understanding sediment flux variations in other collisional mountain belts.
18F‐FDG uptake in focal organising pneumonia mimicking bronchial carcinoma
Authors: Baha Ayse , Yildirim Fatma , Kokturk Nurdan , Akdemir Umit Ozgur , Demircan Sedat , Turktas Haluk 
Published: February 2015

AbstractBackground and AimsOrganising pneumonia (OP) is not a well‐known cause of increased 18F‐FDG uptake, and the relationship of the increased 18F‐FDG uptake to clinical parameters has not been clearly identified. This study aims to assess the role of positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET‐CT) for the diagnosis of focal organised pneumonia that may mimic malignity because of mass‐like lesions on the radiological images it causes.MethodsAmong 40 patients of whom histopathological exams were consistent with OP, medical records of 14 focal OP patients diagnosed with surgical biopsy were evaluated retrospectively.ResultsThere were 10 male (71.4%) and 4 female (28.6%) patients. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 57.2 ± 11.7 years, ranging from 38 to 85 years. Nine subjects (64.3%) were smokers. Eleven patients (78.5%) had symptoms, the remaining 3 patients (21.5%) were asymptomatic. Three patients (21.3%) had a history of malignancy. Focal lung lesion was initially detected by chest radiography in 10 patients (71.4%) and by computed tomography (CT) scan in all patients. CT scan showed a single lesion in 12 (85.7%) patients. The lesions were located in the right lung of the half of patients (50%) and in the left lung of the other half. The median diameter of the lesions was 3.4 cm (range, 1.8–6.0 cm). PET with 18F‐FDG was performed in all patients, and hypermetabolic activity of the focal lung lesion was demonstrated in all cases. The median values of maximum standardized uptake value was 3.5 ± 2.7 (min 2.1–max 13.1).ConclusionFocal OP is a discrete form of OP that is associated with unifocal lesions on radiological images, and it can easily mimic lung cancer because of positivity on PET scans. There are no specific findings of PET scan for the diagnosis of OP.