Sample records for driver type cht-fbdr
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Patterson, Richard; Hammoud, Ahmad
2009-01-01
Electronic systems designed for use in deep space and planetary exploration missions are expected to encounter extreme temperatures and wide thermal swings. Silicon-based devices are limited in their wide-temperature capability and usually require extra measures, such as cooling or heating mechanisms, to provide adequate ambient temperature for proper operation. Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) technology, on the other hand, lately has been gaining wide spread use in applications where high temperatures are encountered. Due to their inherent design, SOI-based integrated circuit chips are able to operate at temperatures higher than those of the silicon devices by virtue of reducing leakage currents, eliminating parasitic junctions, and limiting internal heating. In addition, SOI devices provide faster switching, consume less power, and offer improved radiation-tolerance. Very little data, however, exist on the performance of such devices and circuits under cryogenic temperatures. In this work, the performance of an SOI bootstrapped, full-bridge driver integrated circuit was evaluated under extreme temperatures and thermal cycling. The investigations were carried out to establish a baseline on the functionality and to determine suitability of this device for use in space exploration missions under extreme temperature conditions.
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Koshy Cherian, Ajeesh; Parikh, Vinay; Wu, Qi; Mao-Draayer, Yang; Wang, Qin; Blakely, Randy D; Sarter, Martin
2017-09-01
The synaptic uptake of choline via the high-affinity, hemicholinium-3-dependent choline transporter (CHT) strongly influences the capacity of cholinergic neurons to sustain acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis and release. To advance research on the impact of CHT capacity in humans, we established the presence of the neuronal CHT protein in human T lymphocytes. Next, we demonstrated CHT-mediated choline transport in human T cells. To address the validity of T cell-based choline uptake as a proxy for brain CHT capacity, we isolated T cells from the spleen, and synaptosomes from cortex and striatum, of wild type and CHT-overexpressing mice (CHT-OXP). Choline uptake capacity in T cells from CHT-OXP mice was two-fold higher than in wild type mice, mirroring the impact of CHT over-expression on synaptosomal CHT-mediated choline uptake. Monitoring T lymphocyte CHT protein and activity may be useful for estimating human CNS cholinergic capacity and for testing hypotheses concerning the contribution of CHT and, more generally, ACh signaling in cognition, neuroinflammation and disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Holmstrand, Ericka C.; Lund, David; Cherian, Ajeesh Koshy; Wright, Jane; Martin, Rolicia F.; Ennis, Elizabeth A.; Stanwood, Gregg D.; Sarter, Martin; Blakely, Randy D.
2014-01-01
The hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) sensitive, high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) sustains cholinergic signaling via the presynaptic uptake of choline derived from dietary sources or from acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-mediated hydrolysis of acetylcholine (ACh). Loss of cholinergic signaling capacity is associated with cognitive and motor deficits in humans and in animal models. Whereas genetic elimination of CHT has revealed the critical nature of CHT in maintaining ACh stores and sustaining cholinergic signaling, the consequences of elevating CHT expression have yet to be studied. Using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-mediated transgenic methods, we generated mice with integrated additional copies of the mouse Slc5a7 gene. BAC–CHT mice are viable, appear to develop normally, and breed at wild-type (WT) rates. Biochemical studies revealed a 2 to 3-fold elevation in CHT protein levels in the CNS and periphery, paralleled by significant increases in [3H]HC-3 binding and synaptosomal choline transport activity. Elevations of ACh in the BAC–CHT mice occurred without compensatory changes in the activity of either choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) or AChE. Immunohistochemistry for CHT in BAC–CHT brain sections revealed markedly elevated CHT expression in the cell bodies of cholinergic neurons and in axons projecting to regions known to receive cholinergic innervation. Behaviorally, BAC–CHT mice exhibited diminished fatigue and increased speeds on the treadmill test without evidence of increased strength. Finally, BAC–CHT mice displayed elevated horizontal activity in the open field test, diminished spontaneous alteration in the Y-maze, and reduced time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze. Together, these studies provide biochemical, pharmacological and behavioral evidence that CHT protein expression and activity can be elevated beyond that seen in wild-type animals. BAC–CHT mice thus represent a novel tool to examine both the positive and negative impact of constitutively elevated cholinergic signaling capacity. PMID:24274995
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Kim, Holak; Lim, Youbong; Choe, Wonho, E-mail: wchoe@kaist.ac.kr
2014-10-06
Plasma plume and thruster performance characteristics associated with multiply charged ions in a cylindrical type Hall thruster (CHT) and an annular type Hall thruster are compared under identical conditions such as channel diameter, channel depth, propellant mass flow rate. A high propellant utilization in a CHT is caused by a high ionization rate, which brings about large multiply charged ions. Ion currents and utilizations are much different due to the presence of multiply charged ions. A high multiply charged ion fraction and a high ionization rate in the CHT result in a higher specific impulse, thrust, and discharge current.
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Dawson, April L; Cassell, Cynthia H; Oster, Matthew E; Olney, Richard S; Tanner, Jean Paul; Kirby, Russell S; Correia, Jane; Grosse, Scott D
2014-11-01
Our objective was to examine differences in hospital resource usage for children with Down syndrome by age and the presence of other birth defects, particularly severe and nonsevere congenital heart defects (CHDs). This was a retrospective, population-based, statewide study of children with Down syndrome born 1998 to 2007, identified by the Florida Birth Defects Registry (FBDR) and linked to hospital discharge records for 1 to 10 years after birth. To evaluate hospital resource usage, descriptive statistics on number of hospitalized days and hospital costs were calculated. Results were stratified by isolated Down syndrome (no other coded major birth defect); presence of severe and nonsevere CHDs; and presence of major FBDR-eligible birth defects without CHDs. For 2552 children with Down syndrome, there were 6856 inpatient admissions, of which 68.9% occurred during the first year of life (infancy). Of the 2552 children, 31.7% (n = 808) had isolated Down syndrome, 24.0% (n = 612) had severe CHDs, 36.3% (n = 927) had nonsevere CHDs, and 8.0% (n = 205) had a major FBDR-eligible birth defect in the absence of CHD. Infants in all three nonisolated DS groups had significantly higher hospital costs compared with those with isolated Down syndrome. From infancy through age 4, children with severe CHDs had the highest inpatient costs compared with children in the other sub-groups. Results support findings that for children with Down syndrome the presence of other anomalies influences hospital use and costs, and children with severe CHDs have greater hospital resource usage than children with other CHDs or major birth defects without CHDs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Expression of the high-affinity choline transporter CHT1 in rat and human arteries.
Lips, Katrin S; Pfeil, Uwe; Reiners, Katja; Rimasch, Christoph; Kuchelmeister, Klaus; Braun-Dullaeus, Ruediger C; Haberberger, Rainer V; Schmidt, Rupert; Kummer, Wolfgang
2003-12-01
The arterial vascular wall contains a non-neuronal intrinsic cholinergic system. The rate-limiting step in acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis is choline uptake. A high-affinity choline transporter, CHT1, has recently been cloned from neural tissue and has been identified in epithelial cholinergic cells. Here we investigated its presence in rat and human arteries and in primary cell cultures of rat vascular cells (endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts). CHT1-mRNA was detected in the arterial wall and in all isolated cell types by RT-PCR using five different CHT1-specific primer pairs. Antisera raised against amino acids 29-40 of the rat sequence labeled a single band (50 kD) in Western blots of rat aorta, and an additional higher molecular weight band appeared in the hippocampus. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated CHT1 immunoreactivity in endothelial and smooth muscle cells in situ and in all cultured cell types. A high-affinity [3H]-choline uptake mechanism sharing characteristics with neuronal high-affinity choline uptake, i.e., sensitivity to hemicholinium-3 and dependence on sodium, was demonstrated in rat thoracic aortic segments by microimager autoradiography. Expression of the high-affinity choline transporter CHT1 is a novel component of the intrinsic non-neuronal cholinergic system of the arterial vascular wall, predominantly in the intimal and medial layers.
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Terboven, Christiane; Ramm, Patrice; Herrmann, Christiane
2017-10-01
A newly developed fixed bed disc reactor (FBDR) which combines biofilm formation on biofilm carriers and reactor agitation in one single system was assessed for its applicability to demand-driven biogas production by variable feeding of sugar beet silage. Five different feeding patterns were studied at an organic loading of 4g VS L -1 d -1 under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. High methane yields of 449-462L N kg VS were reached. Feeding variable punctual loadings caused immediate response with 1.2- to 3.5-fold increase in biogas production rates within 15min. Although variable feeding did not induce process instability, a temporary decrease in pH-value and methane concentration below 40% occurred. Thermophilic temperature was advantageous as it resulted in a more rapid, higher methane production and less pronounced decrease in methane content after feeding. The FBDR was demonstrated to be well-suited for flexible biogas production, but further research and comparison with traditional reactor systems are required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Chen, Wei; Qu, Mingbo; Zhou, Yong; Yang, Qing
2018-02-23
Chitin is a linear homopolymer of N -acetyl-β-d-glucosamines and a major structural component of insect cuticles. Chitin hydrolysis involves glycoside hydrolase family 18 (GH18) chitinases. In insects, chitin hydrolysis is essential for periodic shedding of the old cuticle ecdysis and proceeds via a pathway different from that in the well studied bacterial chitinolytic system. Group II chitinase (ChtII) is a widespread chitinolytic enzyme in insects and contains the greatest number of catalytic domains and chitin-binding domains among chitinases. In Lepidopterans, ChtII and two other chitinases, ChtI and Chi-h, are essential for chitin hydrolysis. Although ChtI and Chi-h have been well studied, the role of ChtII remains elusive. Here, we investigated the structure and enzymology of Of ChtII, a ChtII derived from the insect pest Ostrinia furnacalis We present the crystal structures of two catalytically active domains of Of ChtII, Of ChtII-C1 and Of ChtII-C2, both in unliganded form and complexed with chitooligosaccharide substrates. We found that Of ChtII-C1 and Of ChtII-C2 both possess long, deep substrate-binding clefts with endochitinase activities. Of ChtII exhibited structural characteristics within the substrate-binding cleft similar to those in Of Chi-h and Of ChtI. However, Of ChtII lacked structural elements favoring substrate binding beyond the active sites, including an extra wall structure present in Of Chi-h. Nevertheless, the numerous domains in Of ChtII may compensate for this difference; a truncation containing one catalytic domain and three chitin-binding modules ( Of ChtII-B4C1) displayed activity toward insoluble polymeric substrates that was higher than those of Of Chi-h and Of ChtI. Our observations provide the last piece of the puzzle of chitin hydrolysis in insects. © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
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In silico Identification of Novel Chitinase-Like Proteins in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori, Genome
Pan, Ye; Lü, Peng; Wang, Yong; Yin, Lijing; Ma, Hexiang; Ma, Guohong; Chen, Keping; He, Yuanqing
2012-01-01
In insects, chitinases participate in the periodic shedding of old exoskeletons and the turnover of peritrophic membranes. Chitinase family members have been identified in dozens of species, including Tribolium castaneum, Drosophila melanogaster, and Anopheles gambiae. In this study, nine chitinases and three hypothetical chitinases have been identified in Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) through genome-wide searching. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that seven of them belong to the seven chitinase groups, respectively. BmCht25 and BmCht26 could not be grouped into the known chitinase groups, and might belong to two new groups of the chitinase family. BmCht10, BmCht25, and BmIDGF have glutamate amino acid substitutions in the active catalytic domain. Only BmCht5 and BmCht10 contain CBD domain and PEST sequences (rich in proline, glutamic acid, serine, and threonine). BmCht5 and BmCht26 are located on chromosome 7, and others (BmCht6, BmCht7, BmCht10, BmCht11, BmCht20, BmIDGF) are located on separate chromosomes of Bombyx mori, respectively. The present study provides important background information for future studies using Bombyx mori as a model organism for insect development and virus and host interaction. PMID:23461297
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Molecular cloning and characterization of chitinase genes from Candida albicans.
McCreath, K J; Specht, C A; Robbins, P W
1995-03-28
Chitinase (EC 3.2.1.14) is an important enzyme for the remodeling of chitin in the cell wall of fungi. We have cloned three chitinase genes (CHT1, CHT2, and CHT3) from the dimorphic human pathogen Candida albicans. CHT2 and CHT3 have been sequenced in full and their primary structures have been analyzed: CHT2 encodes a protein of 583 aa with a predicted size of 60.8 kDa; CHT3 encodes a protein of 567 aa with a predicted size of 60 kDa. All three genes show striking similarity to other chitinase genes in the literature, especially in the proposed catalytic domain. Transcription of CHT2 and CHT3 was greater when C. albicans was grown in a yeast phase as compared to a mycelial phase. A transcript of CHT1 could not be detected in either growth condition.
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Dünkler, Alexander; Walther, Andrea; Specht, Charles A; Wendland, Jürgen
2005-11-01
Chitin synthesis and chitin degradation play an important role in cellular morphogenesis and influence the cell shape of fungal organisms. The Candida albicans genome contains four chitinase genes, CHT1, CHT2, and CHT3, which are homologous to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CTS1 gene and C. albicans CHT4, which is homologous to S. cerevisiae CTS2. To determine which of the C. albicans CHT genes represents the functional homolog of the S. cerevisiae CTS1 gene we constructed mutants of these genes and characterized the resulting phenotypes using morphological assays such as in vivo time lapse microscopy and enzymatic assays to determine the chitinase activity. Deletion of CaCHT1 and CaCHT2 provided no phenotypic alterations in liquid culture but resulted in increased hyphal growth on solid media. Deletion of CaCHT3 generated chains of unseparated cells in the yeast growth phase strongly resembling the cts1 deletion phenotype of S. cerevisiae cells. Expression of CHT3 under control of the regulatable MAL2-promoter in C. albicans resulted in the reversion of the cell separation defect when cells were grown in maltose. Cht3, but not Cht2 when expressed in S. cerevisiae was also able to reverse the cell separation defect of the S. cerevisiae c ts1 deletion strain. Measurements of chitinase activity from yeast cells of C. albicans showed that Cht2 is bound to cells, consistent with it being GPI-anchored while Cht3 is secreted into growth medium; Cht3 is also the principal, observed activity.
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Evaluation of a High Temperature SOI Half-Bridge MOSFET Driver, Type CHT-HYPERION
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Patterson, Richard; Hammoud, Ahmad
2010-01-01
Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) technology utilizes the addition of an insulation layer in its structure to reduce leakage currents and to minimize parasitic junctions. As a result, SOIbased devices exhibit reduced internal heating as compared to the conventional silicon devices, consume less power, and can withstand higher operating temperatures. In addition, SOI electronic integrated circuits display good tolerance to radiation by virtue of introducing barriers or lengthening the path for penetrating particles and/or providing a region for trapping incident ionization. The benefits of these parts make them suitable for use in deep space and planetary exploration missions where extreme temperatures and radiation are encountered. Although designed for high temperatures, very little data exist on the operation of SOI devices and circuits at cryogenic temperatures. In this work, the performance of a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) SOI half-bridge driver integrated circuit was evaluated under extreme temperatures and thermal cycling. The investigations were carried out to establish a baseline on the functionality and to determine suitability of this device for use in space exploration missions under extreme temperature conditions.
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Vinetz, J M; Dave, S K; Specht, C A; Brameld, K A; Xu, B; Hayward, R; Fidock, D A
1999-11-23
Within hours after the ingestion of a blood meal, the mosquito midgut epithelium synthesizes a chitinous sac, the peritrophic matrix. Plasmodium ookinetes traverse the peritrophic matrix while escaping the mosquito midgut. Chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) are critical for parasite invasion of the midgut: the presence of the chitinase inhibitor, allosamidin, in an infectious blood meal prevents oocyst development. A chitinase gene, PgCHT1, recently has been identified in the avian malaria parasite P. gallinaceum. We used the sequence of PgCHT1 to identify a P. falciparum chitinase gene, PfCHT1, in the P. falciparum genome database. PfCHT1 differs from PgCHT1 in that the P. falciparum gene lacks proenzyme and chitin-binding domains. PfCHT1 was expressed as an active recombinant enzyme in Escherichia coli. PfCHT1 shares with PgCHT1 a substrate preference unique to Plasmodium chitinases: the enzymes cleave tri- and tetramers of GlcNAc from penta- and hexameric oligomers and are unable to cleave smaller native chitin oligosaccharides. The pH activity profile of PfCHT1 and its IC(50) (40 nM) to allosamidin are distinct from endochitinase activities secreted by P. gallinaceum ookinetes. Homology modeling predicts that PgCHT1 has a novel pocket in the catalytic active site that PfCHT1 lacks, which may explain the differential sensitivity of PfCHT1 and PgCHT1 to allosamidin. PfCHT1 may be the ortholog of a second, as yet unidentified, chitinase gene of P. gallinaceum. These results may allow us to develop novel strategies of blocking human malaria transmission based on interfering with P. falciparum chitinase.
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Vinetz, Joseph M.; Dave, Sanat K.; Specht, Charles A.; Brameld, Kenneth A.; Xu, Bo; Hayward, Rhian; Fidock, David A.
1999-01-01
Within hours after the ingestion of a blood meal, the mosquito midgut epithelium synthesizes a chitinous sac, the peritrophic matrix. Plasmodium ookinetes traverse the peritrophic matrix while escaping the mosquito midgut. Chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) are critical for parasite invasion of the midgut: the presence of the chitinase inhibitor, allosamidin, in an infectious blood meal prevents oocyst development. A chitinase gene, PgCHT1, recently has been identified in the avian malaria parasite P. gallinaceum. We used the sequence of PgCHT1 to identify a P. falciparum chitinase gene, PfCHT1, in the P. falciparum genome database. PfCHT1 differs from PgCHT1 in that the P. falciparum gene lacks proenzyme and chitin-binding domains. PfCHT1 was expressed as an active recombinant enzyme in Escherichia coli. PfCHT1 shares with PgCHT1 a substrate preference unique to Plasmodium chitinases: the enzymes cleave tri- and tetramers of GlcNAc from penta- and hexameric oligomers and are unable to cleave smaller native chitin oligosaccharides. The pH activity profile of PfCHT1 and its IC50 (40 nM) to allosamidin are distinct from endochitinase activities secreted by P. gallinaceum ookinetes. Homology modeling predicts that PgCHT1 has a novel pocket in the catalytic active site that PfCHT1 lacks, which may explain the differential sensitivity of PfCHT1 and PgCHT1 to allosamidin. PfCHT1 may be the ortholog of a second, as yet unidentified, chitinase gene of P. gallinaceum. These results may allow us to develop novel strategies of blocking human malaria transmission based on interfering with P. falciparum chitinase. PMID:10570198
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Gupta, Ravi; Deswal, Renu
2014-01-01
Class I chitinases hydrolyse the β-1,4-linkage of chitin and also acquire antifreeze activity in some of the overwintering plants during cold stress. Two chitinases, HrCHT1a of 31 kDa and HrCHT1b of 34 kDa, were purified from cold acclimated and non-acclimated seabuckthorn seedlings using chitin affinity chromatography. 2-D gels of HrCHT1a and HrCHT1b showed single spots with pIs 7.0 and 4.6 respectively. N-terminal sequence of HrCHT1b matched with the class I chitinase of rice and antifreeze proteins while HrCHT1a could not be sequenced as it was N-terminally blocked. Unlike previous reports, where antifreeze activity of chitinase was cold inducible, our results showed that antifreeze activity is constitutive property of class I chitinase as both HrCHT1a and HrCHT1b isolated even from non-acclimated seedlings, exhibited antifreeze activity. Interestingly, HrCHT1a and HrCHT1b purified from cold acclimated seedlings, exhibited 4 and 2 times higher antifreeze activities than those purified from non-acclimated seedlings, suggesting that antifreeze activity increased during cold acclimation. HrCHT1b exhibited 23–33% higher hydrolytic activity and 2–4 times lower antifreeze activity than HrCHT1a did. HrCHT1b was found to be a glycoprotein; however, its antifreeze activity was independent of glycosylation as even deglycosylated HrCHT1b exhibited antifreeze activity. Circular dichroism (CD) analysis showed that both these chitinases were rich in unusual β-stranded conformation (36–43%) and the content of β-strand increased (∼11%) during cold acclimation. Surprisingly, calcium decreased both the activities of HrCHT1b while in case of HrCHT1a, a decrease in the hydrolytic activity and enhancement in its antifreeze activity was observed. CD results showed that addition of calcium also increased the β-stranded conformation of HrCHT1a and HrCHT1b. This is the first report, which shows that antifreeze activity is constitutive property of class I chitinase and cold acclimation and calcium regulate these activities of chitinases by changing the secondary structure. PMID:24626216
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Gupta, Ravi; Deswal, Renu
2014-01-01
Class I chitinases hydrolyse the β-1,4-linkage of chitin and also acquire antifreeze activity in some of the overwintering plants during cold stress. Two chitinases, HrCHT1a of 31 kDa and HrCHT1b of 34 kDa, were purified from cold acclimated and non-acclimated seabuckthorn seedlings using chitin affinity chromatography. 2-D gels of HrCHT1a and HrCHT1b showed single spots with pIs 7.0 and 4.6 respectively. N-terminal sequence of HrCHT1b matched with the class I chitinase of rice and antifreeze proteins while HrCHT1a could not be sequenced as it was N-terminally blocked. Unlike previous reports, where antifreeze activity of chitinase was cold inducible, our results showed that antifreeze activity is constitutive property of class I chitinase as both HrCHT1a and HrCHT1b isolated even from non-acclimated seedlings, exhibited antifreeze activity. Interestingly, HrCHT1a and HrCHT1b purified from cold acclimated seedlings, exhibited 4 and 2 times higher antifreeze activities than those purified from non-acclimated seedlings, suggesting that antifreeze activity increased during cold acclimation. HrCHT1b exhibited 23-33% higher hydrolytic activity and 2-4 times lower antifreeze activity than HrCHT1a did. HrCHT1b was found to be a glycoprotein; however, its antifreeze activity was independent of glycosylation as even deglycosylated HrCHT1b exhibited antifreeze activity. Circular dichroism (CD) analysis showed that both these chitinases were rich in unusual β-stranded conformation (36-43%) and the content of β-strand increased (∼11%) during cold acclimation. Surprisingly, calcium decreased both the activities of HrCHT1b while in case of HrCHT1a, a decrease in the hydrolytic activity and enhancement in its antifreeze activity was observed. CD results showed that addition of calcium also increased the β-stranded conformation of HrCHT1a and HrCHT1b. This is the first report, which shows that antifreeze activity is constitutive property of class I chitinase and cold acclimation and calcium regulate these activities of chitinases by changing the secondary structure.
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Li, Ying-Long; Song, Hui-Fang; Zhang, Xue-Yao; Li, Da-Qi; Zhang, Ting-Ting; Ma, En-Bo; Zhang, Jian-Zhen
2016-06-01
Insect chitinases are involved in degradation of chitin from the exoskeleton or peritrophic metrix of midgut. In Locusta migratoria, two duplicated Cht5s (LmCht5-1 and LmCht5-2) have been shown to have distinct molecular characteristics and biological roles. To explore the protein properties of the two LmCht5s, we heterologously expressed both enzymes using baculovirus expression system in SF9 cells, and characterized kinetic and carbohydrate-binding properties of purified enzymes. LmCht5-1 and LmCht5-2 exhibited similar pH and temperature optimums. LmCht5-1 has lower Km value for the oligomeric substrate (4MU-(GlcNAc)3 ), and higher Km value for the longer substrate (CM-Chitin-RBV) compared with LmCht5-2. A comparison of amino acids and homology modeling of catalytic domain presented similar TIM barrel structures and differentiated amino acids between two proteins. LmCht5-1 has a chitin-binding domain (CBD) tightly bound to colloidal chitin, but LmCht5-2 does not have a CBD for binding to colloidal chitin. Our results suggested both LmCht5-1 and LmCht5-2, which have the critical glutamate residue in region II of catalytic domain, exhibited chitinolytic activity cleaving both polymeric and oligomeric substrates. LmCht5-1 had relatively higher activity against the oligomeric substrate, 4MU-(GlcNAc)3 , whereas LmCht5-2 exhibited higher activity toward the longer substrate, CM-Chitin-RBV. These findings are helpful for further research to clarify their different roles in insect growth and development. © 2016 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
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Chitosan Effects on Plant Systems
Malerba, Massimo; Cerana, Raffaella
2016-01-01
Chitosan (CHT) is a natural, safe, and cheap product of chitin deacetylation, widely used by several industries because of its interesting features. The availability of industrial quantities of CHT in the late 1980s enabled it to be tested in agriculture. CHT has been proven to stimulate plant growth, to protect the safety of edible products, and to induce abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in various horticultural commodities. The stimulating effect of different enzyme activities to detoxify reactive oxygen species suggests the involvement of hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide in CHT signaling. CHT could also interact with chromatin and directly affect gene expression. Recent innovative uses of CHT include synthesis of CHT nanoparticles as a valuable delivery system for fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and micronutrients for crop growth promotion by a balanced and sustained nutrition. In addition, CHT nanoparticles can safely deliver genetic material for plant transformation. This review presents an overview on the status of the use of CHT in plant systems. Attention was given to the research that suggested the use of CHT for sustainable crop productivity. PMID:27347928
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Ding, Xiao-Jie; Qin, Zhi-Yong; Hong, Christopher S.; Chen, Ling-Chao; Zhang, Xin; Zhao, Fang-Ping; Wang, Yin; Wang, Yang; Zhou, Liang-Fu; Zhuang, Zhengping; Ng, Ho-Keung; Yan, Hai; Yao, Yu; Mao, Ying
2015-01-01
IDH mutations frequently occur in WHO grade II and III diffuse gliomas and have favorable prognosis compared to wild-type tumors. However, whether IDH mutations in WHO grade II and II diffuse gliomas predict enhanced sensitivity to adjuvant radiation (RT) or chemotherapy (CHT) is still being debated. Recent studies have identified recurrent mutations in the promoter region of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) in gliomas. We previously demonstrated that TERT promoter mutations may be promising biomarkers in glioma survival prognostication when combined with IDH mutations. This study analyzed IDH and TERT promoter mutations in 295 WHO grade II and III diffuse gliomas treated with or without adjuvant therapies to explore their impact on the sensitivity of tumors to genotoxic therapies. IDH mutations were found in 216 (73.2%) patients and TERT promoter mutations were found in 112 (38%) patients. In multivariate analysis, IDH mutations (p < 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS in patients receiving genotoxic therapies while TERT promoter mutations were not. In univariate analysis, IDH and TERT promoter mutations were not significant prognostic factors in patients who did not receive genotoxic therapies. Adjuvant RT and CHT were factors independently impacting PFS (RT p = 0.001, CHT p = 0.026) in IDH mutated WHO grade II and III diffuse gliomas but not in IDH wild-type group. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated TERT promoter mutations further stratified IDH wild-type WHO grade II and III diffuse gliomas into two subgroups with different responses to genotoxic therapies. Adjuvant RT and CHT were significant parameters influencing PFS in the IDH wt/TERT mut subgroup (RT p = 0.015, CHT p = 0.015) but not in the IDH wt/TERT wt subgroup. Our data demonstrated that IDH mutated WHO grade II and III diffuse gliomas had better PFS and OS than their IDH wild-type counterparts when genotoxic therapies were administered after surgery. Importantly, we also found that TERT promoter mutations further stratify IDH wild-type WHO grade II and III diffuse gliomas into two subgroups with different responses to adjuvant therapies. Taken together, TERT promoter mutations may predict enhanced sensitivity to genotoxic therapies in IDH wild-type WHO grade II and III diffuse gliomas and may justify intensified treatment in this subgroup. PMID:26314843
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The Two-Component System ChtRS Contributes to Chlorhexidine Tolerance in Enterococcus faecium.
Guzmán Prieto, Ana M; Wijngaarden, Jessica; Braat, Johanna C; Rogers, Malbert R C; Majoor, Eline; Brouwer, Ellen C; Zhang, Xinglin; Bayjanov, Jumamurat R; Bonten, Marc J M; Willems, Rob J L; van Schaik, Willem
2017-05-01
Enterococcus faecium is one of the primary causes of nosocomial infections. Disinfectants are commonly used to prevent infections with multidrug-resistant E. faecium in hospitals. Worryingly, E. faecium strains that exhibit tolerance to disinfectants have already been described. We aimed to identify and characterize E. faecium genes that contribute to tolerance to the disinfectant chlorhexidine (CHX). We used a transposon mutant library, constructed in a multidrug-resistant E. faecium bloodstream isolate, to perform a genome-wide screen to identify genetic determinants involved in tolerance to CHX. We identified a putative two-component system (2CS), composed of a putative sensor histidine kinase (ChtS) and a cognate DNA-binding response regulator (ChtR), which contributed to CHX tolerance in E. faecium Targeted chtR and chtS deletion mutants exhibited compromised growth in the presence of CHX. Growth of the chtR and chtS mutants was also affected in the presence of the antibiotic bacitracin. The CHX- and bacitracin-tolerant phenotype of E. faecium E1162 was linked to a unique, nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism in chtR Transmission electron microscopy showed that upon challenge with CHX, the Δ chtR and Δ chtS mutants failed to divide properly and formed long chains. Normal growth and cell morphology were restored when the mutations were complemented in trans Morphological abnormalities were also observed upon exposure of the Δ chtR and Δ chtS mutants to bacitracin. The tolerance to both chlorhexidine and bacitracin provided by ChtRS in E. faecium highlights the overlap between responses to disinfectants and antibiotics and the potential for the development of cross-tolerance for these classes of antimicrobials. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.
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CHOROIDAL THICKNESS IN HEALTHY CHINESE CHILDREN AGED 6 to 12: The Shanghai Children Eye Study.
He, Xiangui; Jin, Peiyao; Zou, Haidong; Li, Qiangqiang; Jin, Jiali; Lu, Lina; Zhao, Huijuan; He, Jiangnan; Xu, Xun; Wang, Mingjin; Zhu, Jianfeng
2017-02-01
To explore the characteristics of choroidal thickness (ChT) in Chinese children. A total of 144 healthy children, aged 6 years to 12 years old, were enrolled in the study. The ChT of subfovea and peripheral locations 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 mm away from the fovea were evaluated by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography. The association between subfoveal ChT and systemic, as well as ocular factors, including age, sex, height, weight, body mass index, axial length, refractive error, intraocular pressure, preterm history, and the refractive status of parents were studied. The mean subfoveal ChT was 302 ± 63 μm. In the nasal, superior, and inferior areas, the ChT of locations closer to the fovea was thicker than those farther away from the fovea (all P < 0.05); however, ChT was not significantly different among different locations in the temporal area (P = 0.16). The ChT of the nasal quadrant was significantly thinner than that of other areas (P < 0.01). Subfoveal ChT decreased with age, axial length, preterm history, and increased with height. Sex was not statistically associated with subfoveal ChT. In Chinese children, the ChT is thinnest in the nasal quadrant and thicker in central regions than in peripheral areas. The subfoveal ChT independently decreases with age, axial length, preterm history, and increases with height.
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Matthies, Dawn Signor; Fleming, Paul A; Wilkes, Don M; Blakely, Randy D
2006-06-07
Cholinergic neurotransmission supports motor, autonomic, and cognitive function and is compromised in myasthenias, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. Presynaptic uptake of choline via the sodium-dependent, hemicholinium-3-sensitive choline transporter (CHT) is believed to sustain acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis and release. Analysis of this hypothesis in vivo is limited in mammals because of the toxicity of CHT antagonists and the early postnatal lethality of CHT-/- mice (Ferguson et al., 2004). In Caenorhabditis elegans, in which cholinergic signaling supports motor activity and mutant alleles impacting ACh secretion and response can be propagated, we investigated the contribution of CHT (CHO-1) to facets of cholinergic neurobiology. Using the cho-1 promoter to drive expression of a translational, green fluorescent protein-CHO-1 fusion (CHO-1:GFP) in wild-type and kinesin (unc-104) mutant backgrounds, we establish in the living nematode that the transporter localizes to cholinergic synapses, and likely traffics on synaptic vesicles. Using embryonic primary cultures, we demonstrate that CHO-1 mediates hemicholinium-3-sensitive, high-affinity choline uptake that can be enhanced with depolarization in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner supporting ACh synthesis. Although homozygous cho-1 null mutants are viable, they possess 40% less ACh than wild-type animals and display stress-dependent defects in motor activity. In a choline-free liquid environment, cho-1 mutants demonstrate premature paralysis relative to wild-type animals. Our findings establish a requirement for presynaptic choline transport activity in vivo in a model amenable to a genetic dissection of CHO-1 regulation.
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English, Brett A; Appalsamy, Martin; Diedrich, Andre; Ruggiero, Alicia M; Lund, David; Wright, Jane; Keller, Nancy R; Louderback, Katherine M; Robertson, David; Blakely, Randy D
2010-09-01
Healthy cardiovascular function relies on a balanced and responsive integration of noradrenergic and cholinergic innervation of the heart. High-affinity choline uptake by cholinergic terminals is pivotal for efficient ACh production and release. To date, the cardiovascular impact of diminished choline transporter (CHT) expression has not been directly examined, largely due to the transporter's inaccessibility in vivo. Here, we describe findings from cardiovascular experiments using transgenic mice that bear a CHT genetic deficiency. Whereas CHT knockout (CHT(-/-)) mice exhibit early postnatal lethality, CHT heterozygous (CHT(+/-)) mice survive, grow, and reproduce normally and exhibit normal spontaneous behaviors. However, the CHT(+/-) mouse heart displays significantly reduced levels of high-affinity choline uptake accompanied by significantly reduced levels of ACh. Telemeterized recordings of cardiovascular function in these mice revealed tachycardia and hypertension at rest. After treadmill exercise, CHT(+/-) mice exhibited slower heart rate recovery, consistent with a diminished cholinergic reserve, a contention validated through direct vagal nerve stimulation. Echocardiographic and histological experiments revealed an age-dependent decrease in fractional shortening, increased left ventricular dimensions, and increased ventricular fibrosis, consistent with ventricular dysfunction. These cardiovascular phenotypes of CHT(+/-) mice encourage an evaluation of humans bearing reduced CHT expression for their resiliency in maintaining proper heart function as well as risk for cardiovascular disease.
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Bazalakova, M H; Wright, J; Schneble, E J; McDonald, M P; Heilman, C J; Levey, A I; Blakely, R D
2007-07-01
Cholinergic neurons elaborate a hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) sensitive choline transporter (CHT) that mediates presynaptic, high-affinity choline uptake (HACU) in support of acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis and release. Homozygous deletion of CHT (-/-) is lethal shortly after birth (Ferguson et al. 2004), consistent with CHT as an essential component of cholinergic signaling, but precluding functional analyses of CHT contributions in adult animals. In contrast, CHT+/- mice are viable, fertile and display normal levels of synaptosomal HACU, yet demonstrate reduced CHT protein and increased sensitivity to HC-3, suggestive of underlying cholinergic hypofunction. We find that CHT+/- mice are equivalent to CHT+/+ siblings on measures of motor co-ordination (rotarod), general activity (open field), anxiety (elevated plus maze, light/dark paradigms) and spatial learning and memory (Morris water maze). However, CHT+/- mice display impaired performance as a result of physical challenge in the treadmill paradigm, as well as reduced sensitivity to challenge with the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine in the open field paradigm. These behavioral alterations are accompanied by significantly reduced brain ACh levels, elevated choline levels and brain region-specific decreased expression of M1 and M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Our studies suggest that CHT hemizygosity results in adequate baseline ACh stores, sufficient to sustain many phenotypes, but normal sensitivities to physical and/or pharmacological challenge require full cholinergic signaling capacity.
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Cuddy, Leah K; Seah, Claudia; Pasternak, Stephen H; Rylett, R Jane
2017-01-01
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common age-related neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by progressive cognitive decline. The deficits in cognition and attentional processing that are observed clinically in AD are linked to impaired function of cholinergic neurons that release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh). The high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) is present at the presynaptic cholinergic nerve terminal and is responsible for the reuptake of choline produced by hydrolysis of ACh following its release. Disruption of CHT function leads to decreased choline uptake and ACh synthesis, leading to impaired cholinergic neurotransmission. We report here that cell-derived β-amyloid peptides (Aβ) decrease choline uptake activity and cell surface CHT protein levels in SH-SY5Y neural cells. Moreover, we make the novel observation that the amount of CHT protein localizing to early endosomes and lysosomes is decreased significantly in cells that have been treated with cell culture medium that contains Aβ peptides released from neural cells. The Aβ-mediated loss of CHT proteins from lysosomes is prevented by blocking lysosomal degradation of CHT with the lysosome inhibitor bafilomycin A1 (BafA 1 ). BafA 1 also attenuated the Aβ-mediated decrease in CHT cell surface expression. Interestingly, however, lysosome inhibition did not block the effect of Aβ on CHT activity. Importantly, neutralizing Aβ using an anti-Aβ antibody directed at the N-terminal amino acids 1-16 of Aβ, but not by an antibody directed at the mid-region amino acids 22-35 of Aβ, attenuates the effect of Aβ on CHT activity and trafficking. This indicates that a specific N-terminal Aβ epitope, or specific conformation of soluble Aβ, may impair CHT activity. Therefore, Aβ immunotherapy may be a more effective therapeutic strategy for slowing the progression of cognitive decline in AD than therapies designed to promote CHT cell surface levels.
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Comment on "Effects of Magnetic Field Gradient on Ion Beam Current in Cylindrical Hall Ion Source
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Raitses, Y.; Smirnov A.; Fisch, N.J.
It is argued that the key difference of the cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) as compared to the end-Hall ion source cannot be exclusively attributed to the magnetic field topology [Tang et al. J. Appl. Phys., 102, 123305 (2007)]. With a similar mirror-type topology, the CHT configuration provides the electric field with nearly equipotential magnetic field surfaces and a better suppression of the electron cross-field transport, as compared to both the end-Hall ion source and the cylindrical Hall ion source of Tang et al.
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2018-01-01
Background Visceral hypersensitivity is a common feature of irritable bowel syndrome. Cholinergic system involves in the development of visceral hypersensitivity, and high-affinity choline transporter (CHT1) is of crucial importance in choline uptake system. However, involvement of CHT1 in visceral hypersensitivity remains unknown. The research aimed to study the CHT1 expression in dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) and the role of CHT1 in visceral hypersensitivity. Methods Repetitive water avoidance stress (WAS) was used to induce visceral hypersensitivity in rats. Colorectal distension (CRD) was determined, and the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) and threshold intensity data were recorded to measure the visceral sensitivity. After intraperitoneal injection of hemicholinium-3 (HC-3), the specific inhibitor of CHT1, CRD data were also recorded. The CHT1 expression of DRGs was investigated by Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative RT-PCR. Acetylcholine levels in the DRGs were detected by the assay kit. Results Repetitive WAS increased the AWR score of CRD at high distension pressure and decreased the mean threshold of rats. The CHT1 expression and acetylcholine concentration of DRG were significantly increased in WAS rats. After the administration of HC-3, the AWR score in WAS group was significantly increased at higher distension pressure while the threshold intensity was significantly reduced compared to the normal saline group. Acetylcholine concentration was significantly lower than the normal saline rats. Conclusion Our research firstly reports that CHT1 is overexpressed in noninflammatory visceral hypersensitivity, and blockage of CHT1 can enhance the visceral hypersensitivity. CHT1 may play an inhibitory role in visceral hypersensitivity. PMID:29849603
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Liu, Shi-Huo; Li, Hong-Fei; Yang, Yang; Yang, Rui-Lin; Yang, Wen-Jia; Jiang, Hong-Bo; Dou, Wei; Smagghe, Guy; Wang, Jin-Jun
2018-05-01
Chitinases (Chts) and chitin deacetylases (CDAs) are important enzymes required for chitin metabolism in insects. In this study, 12 Cht-related genes (including seven Cht genes and five imaginal disc growth factor genes) and 6 CDA genes (encoding seven proteins) were identified in Bactrocera dorsalis using genome-wide searching and transcript profiling. Based on the conserved sequences and phylogenetic relationships, 12 Cht-related proteins were clustered into eight groups (group I-V and VII-IX). Further domain architecture analysis showed that all contained at least one chitinase catalytic domain, however, only four (BdCht5, BdCht7, BdCht8 and BdCht10) possessed chitin-binding domains. The subsequent phylogenetic analysis revealed that seven CDAs were clustered into five groups (group I-V), and all had one chitin deacetylase catalytic domain. However, only six exhibited chitin-binding domains. Finally, the development- and tissue-specific expression profiling showed that transcript levels of the 12 Cht-related genes and 6 CDA genes varied considerably among eggs, larvae, pupae and adults, as well as among different tissues of larvae and adults. Our findings illustrate the structural differences and expression patterns of Cht and CDA genes in B. dorsalis, and provide important information for the development of new pest control strategies based on these vital enzymes. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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English, Brett A.; Appalsamy, Martin; Diedrich, Andre; Ruggiero, Alicia M.; Lund, David; Wright, Jane; Keller, Nancy R.; Louderback, Katherine M.; Robertson, David
2010-01-01
Healthy cardiovascular function relies on a balanced and responsive integration of noradrenergic and cholinergic innervation of the heart. High-affinity choline uptake by cholinergic terminals is pivotal for efficient ACh production and release. To date, the cardiovascular impact of diminished choline transporter (CHT) expression has not been directly examined, largely due to the transporter's inaccessibility in vivo. Here, we describe findings from cardiovascular experiments using transgenic mice that bear a CHT genetic deficiency. Whereas CHT knockout (CHT−/−) mice exhibit early postnatal lethality, CHT heterozygous (CHT+/−) mice survive, grow, and reproduce normally and exhibit normal spontaneous behaviors. However, the CHT+/− mouse heart displays significantly reduced levels of high-affinity choline uptake accompanied by significantly reduced levels of ACh. Telemeterized recordings of cardiovascular function in these mice revealed tachycardia and hypertension at rest. After treadmill exercise, CHT+/− mice exhibited slower heart rate recovery, consistent with a diminished cholinergic reserve, a contention validated through direct vagal nerve stimulation. Echocardiographic and histological experiments revealed an age-dependent decrease in fractional shortening, increased left ventricular dimensions, and increased ventricular fibrosis, consistent with ventricular dysfunction. These cardiovascular phenotypes of CHT+/− mice encourage an evaluation of humans bearing reduced CHT expression for their resiliency in maintaining proper heart function as well as risk for cardiovascular disease. PMID:20601463
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Esmaeelpour, Marieh; Brunner, Simon; Ansari-Shahrezaei, Siamak; Shahrezaei, Siamak Ansari; Nemetz, Susanne; Povazay, Boris; Kajic, Vedran; Drexler, Wolfgang; Binder, Susanne
2012-10-03
To map choroidal (ChT) and retinal thickness (RT) in patients with diabetes type 1 with and without maculopathy and retinopathy in order to compare them with healthy subjects using high speed 3-dimensional (3D) 1060 nm optical coherence tomography (OCT). Thirty-three eyes from 33 diabetes type 1 subjects (23-57 years, 15 male) divided into groups of without pathology (NDR) and with pathology (DR; including microaneurysms, exudates, clinically significant macular-oedema and proliferative retinopathy) were compared with 20 healthy axial eye length and age-matched subjects (24-57 years, 9 male), imaged by high speed (60.000 A-scans/s) 3D 1060 nm OCT performed over 36° × 36° field of view. Ocular health status, disease duration, body mass index, haemoglobin-A1c, and blood pressure (bp) measurements were recorded. Subfoveal ChT, and 2D topographic maps between retinal pigment epithelium and the choroidal/scleral-interface, were automatically generated and statistically analyzed. Subfoveal ChT (mean ± SD, μm) for healthy eyes was 388 ± 109; significantly thicker than all diabetic groups, 291 ± 64 for NDR, and 303 ± 82 for DR (ANOVA P < 0.004, Tukey P = 0.01 for NDR and DR). Thinning did not relate to recorded factors (multi-regression analysis, P > 0.05). Compared with healthy eyes and the NDR, the averaged DR ChT-map demonstrated temporal thinning that extended superiorly and temporal-inferiorly (unpaired t-test, P < 0.05). Foveal RT and RT-maps showed no statistically significant difference between groups (mean SD, μm, healthy 212 ± 17, NDR 217 ± 15, DR 216 ± 27, ANOVA P > 0.05). ChT is decreased in diabetes type 1, independent of the absence of pathology and of diabetic disease duration. In eyes with pathology, 3D 1060 nm OCT averaged maps showed an extension of the thinning area matching retinal lesions and suggesting its involvement on onset or progression of disease.
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Cross-sex hormonal treatment and body uneasiness in individuals with gender dysphoria.
Fisher, Alessandra D; Castellini, Giovanni; Bandini, Elisa; Casale, Helen; Fanni, Egidia; Benni, Laura; Ferruccio, Naika; Meriggiola, Maria Cristina; Manieri, Chiara; Gualerzi, Anna; Jannini, Emmanuele; Oppo, Alessandro; Ricca, Valdo; Maggi, Mario; Rellini, Alessandra H
2014-03-01
Cross-sex hormonal treatment (CHT) used for gender dysphoria (GD) could by itself affect well-being without the use of genital surgery; however, to date, there is a paucity of studies investigating the effects of CHT alone. This study aimed to assess differences in body uneasiness and psychiatric symptoms between GD clients taking CHT and those not taking hormones (no CHT). A second aim was to assess whether length of CHT treatment and daily dose provided an explanation for levels of body uneasiness and psychiatric symptoms. A consecutive series of 125 subjects meeting the criteria for GD who not had genital reassignment surgery were considered. Subjects were asked to complete the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT) to explore different areas of body-related psychopathology and the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R) to measure psychological state. In addition, data on daily hormone dose and length of hormonal treatment (androgens, estrogens, and/or antiandrogens) were collected through an analysis of medical records. Among the male-to-female (MtF) individuals, those using CHT reported less body uneasiness compared with individuals in the no-CHT group. No significant differences were observed between CHT and no-CHT groups in the female-to-male (FtM) sample. Also, no significant differences in SCL score were observed with regard to gender (MtF vs. FtM), hormone treatment (CHT vs. no-CHT), or the interaction of these two variables. Moreover, a two-step hierarchical regression showed that cumulative dose of estradiol (daily dose of estradiol times days of treatment) and cumulative dose of androgen blockers (daily dose of androgen blockers times days of treatment) predicted BUT score even after controlling for age, gender role, cosmetic surgery, and BMI. The differences observed between MtF and FtM individuals suggest that body-related uneasiness associated with GD may be effectively diminished with the administration of CHT even without the use of genital surgery for MtF clients. A discussion is provided on the importance of controlling both length and daily dose of treatment for the most effective impact on body uneasiness. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.
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Mohler, Kathrin J.; Draxinger, Wolfgang; Klein, Thomas; Kolb, Jan Philip; Wieser, Wolfgang; Haritoglou, Christos; Kampik, Anselm; Fujimoto, James G.; Neubauer, Aljoscha S.; Huber, Robert; Wolf, Armin
2015-01-01
Purpose To demonstrate ultrahigh-speed swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) at 1.68 million A-scans/s for choroidal imaging in normal and diseased eyes over a ∼60° field of view. To investigate and correlate wide-field three-dimensional (3D) choroidal thickness (ChT) and vascular patterns using ChT maps and coregistered high-definition en face images extracted from a single densely sampled Megahertz-OCT (MHz-OCT) dataset. Methods High-definition, ∼60° wide-field 3D datasets consisting of 2088 × 1024 A-scans were acquired using a 1.68 MHz prototype SS-OCT system at 1050 nm based on a Fourier-domain mode-locked laser. Nine subjects (nine eyes) with various chorioretinal diseases or without ocular pathology are presented. Coregistered ChT maps, choroidal summation maps, and depth-resolved en face images referenced to either the retinal pigment epithelium or the choroidal–scleral interface were generated using manual segmentation. Results Wide-field ChT maps showed a large inter- and intraindividual variance in peripheral and central ChT. In only four of the nine eyes, the location with the largest ChT was coincident with the fovea. The anatomy of the large lumen vessels of the outer choroid seems to play a major role in determining the global ChT pattern. Focal ChT changes with large thickness gradients were observed in some eyes. Conclusions Different ChT and vascular patterns could be visualized over ∼60° in patients for the first time using OCT. Due to focal ChT changes, a high density of thickness measurements may be favorable. High-definition depth-resolved en face images are complementary to cross sections and thickness maps and enhance the interpretation of different ChT patterns. PMID:26431482
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Mohler, Kathrin J; Draxinger, Wolfgang; Klein, Thomas; Kolb, Jan Philip; Wieser, Wolfgang; Haritoglou, Christos; Kampik, Anselm; Fujimoto, James G; Neubauer, Aljoscha S; Huber, Robert; Wolf, Armin
2015-10-01
To demonstrate ultrahigh-speed swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) at 1.68 million A-scans/s for choroidal imaging in normal and diseased eyes over a ∼60° field of view. To investigate and correlate wide-field three-dimensional (3D) choroidal thickness (ChT) and vascular patterns using ChT maps and coregistered high-definition en face images extracted from a single densely sampled Megahertz-OCT (MHz-OCT) dataset. High-definition, ∼60° wide-field 3D datasets consisting of 2088 × 1024 A-scans were acquired using a 1.68 MHz prototype SS-OCT system at 1050 nm based on a Fourier-domain mode-locked laser. Nine subjects (nine eyes) with various chorioretinal diseases or without ocular pathology are presented. Coregistered ChT maps, choroidal summation maps, and depth-resolved en face images referenced to either the retinal pigment epithelium or the choroidal-scleral interface were generated using manual segmentation. Wide-field ChT maps showed a large inter- and intraindividual variance in peripheral and central ChT. In only four of the nine eyes, the location with the largest ChT was coincident with the fovea. The anatomy of the large lumen vessels of the outer choroid seems to play a major role in determining the global ChT pattern. Focal ChT changes with large thickness gradients were observed in some eyes. Different ChT and vascular patterns could be visualized over ∼60° in patients for the first time using OCT. Due to focal ChT changes, a high density of thickness measurements may be favorable. High-definition depth-resolved en face images are complementary to cross sections and thickness maps and enhance the interpretation of different ChT patterns.
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Altorjay, Ábel T; Surányi, Andrea; Nyári, Tibor; Németh, Gábor
2017-04-14
We aimed to investigate correlations between uterine artery peak systolic velocity (AUtPSV), and placental vascularization in groups of normal blood pressure (NBP) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (chronic hypertension (CHT), gestational hypertension (GHT) and preeclampsia (PE)) alone or in combination with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and hypothesized that AUtPSV rises when GDM complicates pregnancy hypertension. Placental 3-dimensional power Doppler indices, such as vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularization-flow index (VFI), and uterine artery peak systolic velocity (AUtPSV) were measured in CHT (N=43), CHT+GDM (N=15), GHT (N=57), GHT+GDM (N=23) and PE (N=17) pregnancies, and compared to NBP (N=109). Correlations were analyzed between vascularization indices, AUtPSV, pregestational BMI and adverse pregnancy outcome rates. In our results VI was higher in CHT (P=0.010), while FI was lower in CHT (P=0.009), GHT and PE (P=0.001) compared to NBP. In case of VFI, significant difference was found between CHT and GHT (P=0.002), and NBP and PE (P=0.001). FI was found prognostic for umbilical pH and neonatal birth weight. Pre-gestational BMI was significantly higher in GHT+GDM compared to GHT, and in CHT+GDM compared to the CHT group. As for AUtPSV, significant difference was found between NBP and CHT (P=0.012), NBP and CHT+GDM (P=0.045), NBP and GHT+GDM (P=0.007), NBP and PE (P=0.032), and GHT and GHT+GDM (P=0.048) groups. Our study revealed that vascularization indices and AUtPSV show significant differences due to gestational pathology, and can be useful in detection of pregnancies at risk.
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Bergeron, Adam L; Schrader, Angela; Yang, Dan; Osman, Abdullah A; Simmons, Dwayne D
2005-12-01
To gain further insights into the cholinergic differentiation of presynaptic efferent terminals in the inner ear, we investigated the expression of the high-affinity choline transporter (ChT1) in comparison to other presynaptic and cholinergic markers. In the adult mammalian cochlea, cholinergic axons from medial olivocochlear (OC) neurons form axosomatic synapses with outer hair cells (OHCs), whereas axons from lateral OC neurons form axodendritic synapses on afferent fibers below inner hair cells (IHCs). Mouse brain and cochlea homogenates reveal at least two ChT1 isoforms: a nonglycosylated approximately 73 kDa protein and a glycosylated approximately 45 kDa protein. In mouse brain, ChT1 is preferentially expressed by neurons in periolivary regions of the superior olive consistent with the location of medial OC neurons. In the adult mouse cochlea, ChT1-positive terminals are located almost exclusively below OHCs consistent with a medial OC innervation. Between postnatal day 2 (P2) and P4, ChT1-positive terminals are below IHCs and occur after the expression of growth-associated protein 43, synapsin, and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter. By P15, ChT1-positive terminals are mostly on OHCs. Accounting for differences in gestational age, the developmental expression of ChT1 in the rat cochlea is similar to the mouse. However, in older rats ChT1-positive terminals are below IHCs and OHCs. In both rat and mouse, our observations indicate that the onset of ChT1 expression occurs after efferent terminals are below IHCs and express other presynaptic and cholinergic markers. In the mouse, but not in the rat, ChT1 may preferentially identify medial OC neurons.
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Elicitor-Induced Defense Responses in Solanum lycopersicum against Ralstonia solanacearum
Kar, Itishree; Mukherjee, Arup K.; Acharya, Priyambada
2013-01-01
We investigated on important parameters of induced resistance in hydroponic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) against Ralstonia solanacearum using the elicitors chitosan (CHT), salicylic acid (SA), and jasmonic acid (JA). The increase in total phenolic content of roots by the elicitors was significantly higher than control. Most pronounced increase in lignin synthesis was triggered by SA followed by CHT. At 24 h post-elicitation (hpe), the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase was 4.5 times higher than control elicited by CHT. The peroxidase activity was about 86 nkat/mg protein at 24 hpe in case of SA and 78 nkat/mg protein in case of CHT. The activity of polyphenol oxidase increased several folds by the elicitors. Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase activity increased to the maximum at 48 hpe under the influence of CHT. The results indicate that the elicitors SA and CHT induced effective defense responses in tomato plants against R. solanacearum. This was evident from reduced vascular browning and wilting symptoms of tomato plants treated with SA and CHT and challenged subsequently with R. solanacearum. This reduced disease incidence in tomato by SA and CHT may be a result of cell wall strengthening through deposition of lignin and the coincident induction of defense enzymes. PMID:24187521
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Chao, Mei-Chyn; Yang, Pinchen; Hsu, Hsiu-Yi; Jong, Yuh-Jyh
2009-11-01
Recent longitudinal experiences have emphasized that the follow-up of children with treated congenital hypothyroidism (CHT) should not be limited to the cognitive domain. This study attempted to evaluate the emotional-behavioral profiles in children with CHT together with maternal parenting stress profiles. Data for child and family characteristics were collected from 47 families with a 3-12-year-old CHT child diagnosed and treated since the newborn period. Cognitive assessments were performed. The main caregiver completed the following questionnaires: (1) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, which rated behavioral symptoms in children; (2) Parenting Stress Index, which determined the quality and magnitude of parenting stress experienced by the caregiver; and (3) Symptom Checklist-90-R, which evaluated the psychopathological symptoms of the caregiver. In addition, 31 unaffected siblings were recruited as a comparative control group. The results revealed that children with treated CHT had normal intelligence quotients (mean, 93.6 +/- 16.2) at the time of the study. However, CHT children had more problems in emotional-behavioral domains than sibling controls (p = 0.01). Overall, 29.8% (14/47) of the CHT children had emotional-behavioral problems above the clinical cutoff. In addition, 13% of the caregivers of CHT children had parenting stress above the clinical cutoff. Therefore, professional intervention is warranted in these subgroups of CHT children and parents.
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Mellott, Tiffany J; Kowall, Neil W; Lopez-Coviella, Ignacio; Blusztajn, Jan Krzysztof
2007-06-02
Supplementation of maternal diet with the essential nutrient, choline, during the second half of pregnancy in rats causes long-lasting improvements in spatial memory in the offspring and protects them from the memory decline characteristic of old age. In contrast, prenatal choline deficiency is associated with poor performance in certain cognitive tasks. The mechanism by which choline influences learning and memory remains unclear; however, it may involve changes to the hippocampal cholinergic system. Previously, we showed that the hippocampi of prenatally [embryonic days (E) 11-17] choline-deficient animals have increased synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh) from choline transported by the high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) and reduced ACh content relative to the control and to the E11-17 choline-supplemented rats. In the current study, we found that, during postnatal period [postnatal days (P) 18-480], prenatal choline deficiency increased the expression of CHT mRNA in the septum and CHT mRNA and protein levels in the hippocampus and altered the pattern of CHT immunoreactivity in the dentate gyrus. CHT immunoreactivity was more prominent in the inner molecular layer in prenatally choline-deficient rats compared to controls and prenatally choline-supplemented animals. In addition, in all groups, we observed a population of hilar interneurons that were CHT-immunoreactive. These neurons are the likely source of the hippocampal CHT mRNA as their number correlated with the levels of this mRNA. The abundance of hippocampal CHT mRNA rose between P1 and P24 and then declined reaching 60% of the P1 value by P90. These data show that prenatal availability of choline alters its own metabolism (i.e., CHT expression). While the upregulated CHT expression during the period of prenatal choline deficiency may be considered as a compensatory mechanism that could enhance ACh synthesis when choline supply is low, the persistent upregulation of CHT expression subsequent to the brief period of prenatal deprivation of choline in utero might be beneficial during choline deficiency in adulthood.
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Formánek, M; Jančatová, D; Komínek, P; Matoušek, P; Zeleník, K
2017-06-01
The human papillomavirus (HPV) causes recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). Although HPV prevalence is high, the incidence of papillomatosis is low. Thus, factors other than HPV infection probably contribute to RRP. This study investigated whether patients with papillomatosis are more often infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 and chlamydia trachomatis (ChT) and whether laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) occurs in this group of patients more often. Prospective case-control study. Department of Otorhinolaryngology of University Hospital. The study included 20 patients with adult-onset RRP and 20 adult patients with vocal cord cyst and no pathology of laryngeal mucosa (control group). Immunohistochemical analysis of pepsin, HPV, herpes simplex virus type 2 and ChT was performed in biopsy specimens of laryngeal papillomas and of healthy laryngeal mucosa (control group) obtained from medial part of removed vocal cord cyst during microlaryngoscopy procedures. Pathologic LPR (pepsin in tissue) was diagnosed in 8/20 (40.0%) patients with papillomatosis and in 0/20 control patients (P = .003). Herpes simplex virus type 2 was present in 9/20 (45.0%) patients with papillomatosis and in 0/20 control patients (P = .001). Five specimens were positive for both pepsin and herpes simplex virus type 2. No samples were positive for ChT. There were no significant differences between groups for age, body mass index, diabetes mellitus and gastrooesophageal reflux disease. Tobacco exposure was not more frequent in RRP group either (P = .01). Results show that LPR and herpes simplex virus type 2 are significantly more often present in patients with RRP. LPR and herpes simplex virus type 2 might activate latent HPV infection and thereby be possible risk factors for RRP. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Hayakawa, Satoshi; Matsumoto, Yuko; Uetsuki, Keita; Shirosaki, Yuki; Osaka, Akiyoshi
2015-06-01
Pure titanium substrates were chemically oxidized with H2O2 and subsequent thermally oxidized at 400 °C in air to form anatase-type titania layer on their surface. The chemically and thermally oxidized titanium substrate (CHT) was aligned parallel to the counter specimen such as commercially pure titanium (cpTi), titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) popularly used as implant materials or Al substrate with 0.3-mm gap. Then, they were soaked in Kokubo's simulated body fluid (SBF, pH 7.4, 36.5 °C) for 7 days. XRD and SEM analysis showed that the in vitro apatite-forming ability of the contact surface of the CHT specimen decreased in the order: cpTi > Ti6Al4V > Al. EDX and XPS surface analysis showed that aluminum species were present on the contact surface of the CHT specimen aligned parallel to the counter specimen such as Ti6Al4V and Al. This result indicated that Ti6Al4V or Al specimens released the aluminum species into the SBF under the spatial gap. The released aluminum species might be positively or negatively charged in the SBF and thus can interact with calcium or phosphate species as well as titania layer, causing the suppression of the primary heterogeneous nucleation and growth of apatite on the contact surface of the CHT specimen under the spatial gap. The diffusion and adsorption of aluminum species derived from the half-sized counter specimen under the spatial gap resulted in two dimensionally area-selective deposition of apatite particles on the contact surfaces of the CHT specimen.
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2012-01-01
Current therapies to enhance CNS cholinergic function rely primarily on extracellular acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, a pharmacotherapeutic strategy that produces dose-limiting side effects. The Na+-dependent, high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) is an unexplored target for cholinergic medication development. Although functional at the plasma membrane, CHT at steady-state is localized to synaptic vesicles such that vesicular fusion can support a biosynthetic response to neuronal excitation. To identify allosteric potentiators of CHT activity, we mapped endocytic sequences in the C-terminus of human CHT, identifying transporter mutants that exhibit significantly increased transport function. A stable HEK-293 cell line was generated from one of these mutants (CHT LV-AA) and used to establish a high-throughput screen (HTS) compatible assay based on the electrogenic nature of the transporter. We established that the addition of choline to these cells, at concentrations appropriate for high-affinity choline transport at presynaptic terminals, generates a hemicholinium-3 (HC-3)-sensitive, membrane depolarization that can be used for the screening of CHT inhibitors and activators. Using this assay, we discovered that staurosporine increased CHT LV-AA choline uptake activity, an effect mediated by a decrease in choline KM with no change in Vmax. As staurosporine did not change surface levels of CHT, nor inhibit HC-3 binding, we propose that its action is directly or indirectly allosteric in nature. Surprisingly, staurosporine reduced choline-induced membrane depolarization, suggesting that increased substrate coupling to ion gradients, arising at the expense of nonstoichiometric ion flow, accompanies a shift of CHT to a higher-affinity state. Our findings provide a new approach for the identification of CHT modulators that is compatible with high-throughput screening approaches and presents a novel model by which small molecules can enhance substrate flux through enhanced gradient coupling. PMID:23077721
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Joshi, Manju B.; Rogers, Matthew E.; Shakarian, Alison M.; Yamage, Mat; Al-Harthi, Saeed A.; Bates, Paul A.; Dwyer, Dennis M.
2010-01-01
SUMMARY Chitinases have been implicated to be of importance in the life cycle development and transmission of a variety of parasitic organisms. Using a molecular approach, we identified and characterized the structure of a single copy LmexCht1-chitinase gene from the primitive trypanosomatid pathogen of humans, Leishmania mexicana. The LmexCht1 encodes an ~50 kDa protein, with well-conserved substrate-binding and catalytic domains characteristic of members of the Chitinase-18 protein family. Further, we showed that LmexCht1 mRNA is constitutively expressed by both the insect vector (i.e. promastigote) and mammalian (i.e. amastigote) life cycle developmental forms of this protozoan parasite. Interestingly, however, amastigotes were found to secrete/release ~ >2-4 fold higher levels of chitinase activity during their growth in vitro than promastigotes. Moreover, a homologous episomal-expression system was devised and used to express an epitope–tagged LmexCht1 chimeric construct in these parasites. Expression of the LmexCht1 chimera was verified in these transfectants by RT-PCR, Western blots and indirect immunofluorescence analyses. Further, results of coupled-immunoprecipitation/ enzyme activity experiments demonstrated that the LmexCht1 chimeric protein was secreted/released by these transfected L. mexicana parasites and that it possessed functional chitinase enzyme activity. Such transfectants were also evaluated for their infectivity both in human macrophages in vitro and in two different strains of mice. Results of those experiments demonstrated that the LmexCht1 transfectants survived significantly better in human macrophages and also produced significantly larger lesions in mice than control parasites. Taken together, our results indicate that the LmexCht1-chimera afforded a definitive survival advantage to the parasite within these mammalian hosts. Thus, the LmexCht1 could potentially represent a new virulence determinant in the mammalian phase of this important human pathogen PMID:15561707
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Ruggiero, Alicia M; Wright, Jane; Ferguson, Shawn M; Lewis, Michelle; Emerson, Katie S; Iwamoto, Hideki; Ivy, Michael T; Holmstrand, Ericka C; Ennis, Elizabeth A; Weaver, C David; Blakely, Randy D
2012-10-17
Current therapies to enhance CNS cholinergic function rely primarily on extracellular acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, a pharmacotherapeutic strategy that produces dose-limiting side effects. The Na(+)-dependent, high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) is an unexplored target for cholinergic medication development. Although functional at the plasma membrane, CHT at steady-state is localized to synaptic vesicles such that vesicular fusion can support a biosynthetic response to neuronal excitation. To identify allosteric potentiators of CHT activity, we mapped endocytic sequences in the C-terminus of human CHT, identifying transporter mutants that exhibit significantly increased transport function. A stable HEK-293 cell line was generated from one of these mutants (CHT LV-AA) and used to establish a high-throughput screen (HTS) compatible assay based on the electrogenic nature of the transporter. We established that the addition of choline to these cells, at concentrations appropriate for high-affinity choline transport at presynaptic terminals, generates a hemicholinium-3 (HC-3)-sensitive, membrane depolarization that can be used for the screening of CHT inhibitors and activators. Using this assay, we discovered that staurosporine increased CHT LV-AA choline uptake activity, an effect mediated by a decrease in choline K(M) with no change in V(max). As staurosporine did not change surface levels of CHT, nor inhibit HC-3 binding, we propose that its action is directly or indirectly allosteric in nature. Surprisingly, staurosporine reduced choline-induced membrane depolarization, suggesting that increased substrate coupling to ion gradients, arising at the expense of nonstoichiometric ion flow, accompanies a shift of CHT to a higher-affinity state. Our findings provide a new approach for the identification of CHT modulators that is compatible with high-throughput screening approaches and presents a novel model by which small molecules can enhance substrate flux through enhanced gradient coupling.
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Li, Christopher I; Daling, Janet R; Haugen, Kara L; Tang, Mei Tzu Chen; Porter, Peggy L; Malone, Kathleen E
2014-06-01
The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) randomized trials found that use of combined estrogen and progestin menopausal hormone therapy (CHT) increases breast cancer risk, but use of unopposed estrogen hormone therapy (EHT) does not. However, several questions regarding the impact of hormone use on risk of different types of breast cancer and what thresholds of use confer elevations in risk remain. We conducted a population-based case-control study among women 55-74 years of age to assess the association between menopausal hormone use and risk of invasive ductal and invasive lobular breast carcinomas. Associations were evaluated using polytomous logistic regression and analyses included 880 ductal cases, 1,027 lobular cases, and 856 controls. Current EHT and CHT use were associated with 1.6-fold [95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.1-2.2] and 2.3-fold (95 % CI: 1.7-3.2) increased risks of lobular breast cancer, respectively, but neither was associated with risk of ductal cancer. Lobular cancer risk was increased after 9 years of EHT use, but after only 3 years of CHT use. Evidence across more than a dozen studies indicates that lobular carcinoma is the type of breast cancer most strongly influenced by menopausal hormones. Here, we characterize what thresholds of duration of use of both EHT and CHT that confer elevations in risk. Despite the rapid decline in hormone therapy use the WHI results were published, study of the hazards associated with these medications remains relevant given the estimated 38 million hormone therapy prescriptions that are still filled in the United States annually.
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Raitses, Y.; Smirnov, A.; Fisch, N. J.
It is argued that the key difference in the cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) as compared to the end-Hall ion source cannot be exclusively attributed to the magnetic field topology [Tang et al., J. Appl. Phys. 102, 123305 (2007)]. With a similar mirror-type topology, the CHT configuration provides the electric field with nearly equipotential magnetic field surfaces and a better suppression of the electron cross-field transport, as compared to both the end-Hall ion source and the cylindrical Hall ion source of [Tang et al., J. Appl. Phys. 102, 123305 (2007)].
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Chitosan/chondroitin sulfate hydrogels prepared in [Hmim][HSO4] ionic liquid.
Nunes, Cátia S; Rufato, Kessily B; Souza, Paulo R; de Almeida, Elizângela A M S; da Silva, Michael J V; Scariot, Débora B; Nakamura, Celso V; Rosa, Fernanda A; Martins, Alessandro F; Muniz, Edvani C
2017-08-15
[Hmim][HSO 4 ] ionic liquid (IL) and bio-renewable sources as chitosan (CHT) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) were used to yield hydrogel-based materials (CHT/CS). The use of IL to solubilize both polysaccharides was considered an innovative way based on "green chemistry" principle, aiming the production of CHT/CS blended systems. CHT/CS hydrogels were carried out in homogeneous medium from short dissolution times. The hydrogels were characterized and achieved with excellent stabilities (in the 1.2-10pH range), larger swelling capacities, as well as devoid of cytotoxicity towards the normal VERO and diseased HT29 cells. The CHT/CS hydrogels carried out in [Hmim][HSO 4 ] could be applied in many technological purposes, like medical, pharmaceutical, and environmental fields. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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2015-01-01
The high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) is the rate-limiting determinant of acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis, yet the transporter remains a largely undeveloped target for the detection and manipulation of synaptic cholinergic signaling. To expand CHT pharmacology, we pursued a high-throughput screen for novel CHT-targeted small molecules based on the electrogenic properties of transporter-mediated choline transport. In this effort, we identified five novel, structural classes of CHT-specific inhibitors. Chemical diversification and functional analysis of one of these classes identified ML352 as a high-affinity (Ki = 92 nM) and selective CHT inhibitor. At concentrations that fully antagonized CHT in transfected cells and nerve terminal preparations, ML352 exhibited no inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) or cholineacetyltransferase (ChAT) and also lacked activity at dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine transporters, as well as many receptors and ion channels. ML352 exhibited noncompetitive choline uptake inhibition in intact cells and synaptosomes and reduced the apparent density of hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) binding sites in membrane assays, suggesting allosteric transporter interactions. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed limited in vitro metabolism and significant CNS penetration, with features predicting rapid clearance. ML352 represents a novel, potent, and specific tool for the manipulation of CHT, providing a possible platform for the development of cholinergic imaging and therapeutic agents. PMID:25560927
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Skrha, Jan; Prázný, Martin; Hilgertová, Jirina; Weiserová, Hana
2003-03-01
Alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid form a part of scavenger system influencing the level of oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum concentrations of alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus and to compare them with the presence of vascular complications as well as with oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. A total of 38 Type 1 and 62 Type 2 diabetic patients were subdivided into those with and without angiopathy. Serum alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid concentrations were estimated in all patients and in 38 healthy persons. Their results were compared with diabetes control, with oxidative stress measured by plasma malondialdehyde and with endothelial dysfunction estimated by serum N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase activity. In addition, the differences in biochemical variables were compared between patients with and without angiopathy. Serum alpha-tocopherol related to the sum of cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations (AT/CHT ratio) was significantly lower in diabetic patients with macroangiopathy than in those without vascular changes (p<0.05). Serum ascorbic acid levels were significantly lower only in Type 2 diabetic patients with macroangiopathy as compared with healthy controls as well as with patients without vascular disease (p<0.01). Positive relationship was observed between serum alpha-tocopherol and cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients. The presence of oxidative stress together with endothelial dysfunction measured by N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase activity was accompanied by lower AT/CHT ratio (p<0.005) in Type 2 diabetic patients. Diabetic patients with proven angiopathy or with advanced oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction have significantly lower AT/CHT ratio and ascorbic acid concentration in serum. Their low concentrations may participate at the increased level of oxidative stress in these individuals.
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Knockout of the Rodent Malaria Parasite Chitinase PbCHT1 Reduces Infectivity to Mosquitoes
Dessens, Johannes T.; Mendoza, Jacqui; Claudianos, Charles; Vinetz, Joseph M.; Khater, Emad; Hassard, Stuart; Ranawaka, Gaya R.; Sinden, Robert E.
2001-01-01
During mosquito transmission, malaria ookinetes must cross a chitin-containing structure known as the peritrophic matrix (PM), which surrounds the infected blood meal in the mosquito midgut. In turn, ookinetes produce multiple chitinase activities presumably aimed at disrupting this physical barrier to allow ookinete invasion of the midgut epithelium. Plasmodium chitinase activities are demonstrated targets for human and avian malaria transmission blockade with the chitinase inhibitor allosamidin. Here, we identify and characterize the first chitinase gene of a rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei. We show that the gene, named PbCHT1, is a structural ortholog of PgCHT1 of the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium gallinaceum and a paralog of PfCHT1 of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Targeted disruption of PbCHT1 reduced parasite infectivity in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes by up to 90%. Reductions in infectivity were also observed in ookinete feeds—an artificial situation where midgut invasion occurs before PM formation—suggesting that PbCHT1 plays a role other than PM disruption. PbCHT1 null mutants had no residual ookinete-derived chitinase activity in vitro, suggesting that P. berghei ookinetes express only one chitinase gene. Moreover, PbCHT1 activity appeared insensitive to allosamidin inhibition, an observation that raises questions about the use of allosamidin and components like it as potential malaria transmission-blocking drugs. Taken together, these findings suggest a fundamental divergence among rodent, avian, and human malaria parasite chitinases, with implications for the evolution of Plasmodium-mosquito interactions. PMID:11349074
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McGrath, Niamh; Hawkes, Colin P; Mayne, Philip; Murphy, Nuala P
2018-01-01
Congenital hypothyroidism (CHT) has a reported incidence of approximately 1 in 2,000-4,000 births. There is no consensus on the optimal cut-off whole-blood thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration that should be used for newborn screening (NBS). The NBS programme in the Republic of Ireland has used a cut-off of 8 mU/L since 1979. The aim of this study was to determine if raising the cut-off to 10 mU/L would have resulted in undetected cases of permanent or decompensated CHT. All cases of CHT with a screening whole-blood TSH concentration between 8.0 and 9.9 mU/L were identified from the Republic of Ireland's NBS programme. Baseline demographics and imaging results were recorded. All cases over 3 years of age were evaluated to determine if CHT was permanent or transient. Of 2,361,174 infants screened in the Republic of Ireland between July 1979 and December 2016, a total of 1,063 babies were diagnosed with CHT and treated with levothyroxine. This included 33 (3.5%) infants with a whole-blood TSH concentration between 8 and 9.9 mU/L. Thirteen of these 33 infants had decompensated hypothyroidism with low plasma free thyroxine level at diagnosis and 9 (41%) of the 21 evaluable cases have confirmed permanent CHT. Although lowering screening TSH cut-offs can increase the cost of NBS, as well as anxiety for families, many infants with borderline increases in whole-blood TSH concentrations on NBS have persistent CHT and low thyroxine concentrations in infancy. We recommend that this is considered when developing and reviewing NBS protocols for identifying infants with CHT. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.
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Performance of a Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thruster with Magnetic Field Generated by Permanent Magnets
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Polzin, Kurt A.; Raitses, Yevgeny; Fisch, Nathaniel J.
2008-01-01
While Hall thrusters can operate at high efficiency at kW power levels, it is difficult to construct one that operates over a broad envelope down to 100W while maintaining an efficiency of 45- 55%. Scaling to low power while holding the main dimensionless parameters constant requires a decrease in the thruster channel size and an increase in the magnetic field strength. Increasing the magnetic field becomes technically challenging since the field can saturate the miniaturized inner components of the magnetic circuit and scaling down the magnetic circuit leaves very little room for magnetic pole pieces and heat shields. An alternative approach is to employ a cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) geometry. Laboratory model CHTs have operated at power levels ranging from the order of 50 Watts up to 1 kW. These thrusters exhibit performance characteristics which are comparable to conventional, annular Hall thrusters of similar size. Compared to the annular Hall thruster, the CHT has a lower insulator surface area to discharge chamber volume ratio. Consequently, there is the potential for reduced wall losses in the channel of a CHT, and any reduction in wall losses should translate into lower channel heating rates and reduced erosion. This makes the CHT geometry promising for low-power applications. Recently, a CHT that uses permanent magnets to produce the magnetic field topology was tested. This thruster has the promise of reduced power consumption over previous CHT iterations that employed electromagnets. Data are presented for two purposes: to expose the effect different controllable parameters have on the discharge and to summarize performance measurements (thrust, Isp, efficiency) obtained using a thrust stand. These data are used to gain insight into the thruster's operation and to allow for quantitative comparisons between the permanent magnet CHT and the electromagnet CHT.
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Truncating SLC5A7 mutations underlie a spectrum of dominant hereditary motor neuropathies.
Salter, Claire G; Beijer, Danique; Hardy, Holly; Barwick, Katy E S; Bower, Matthew; Mademan, Ines; De Jonghe, Peter; Deconinck, Tine; Russell, Mark A; McEntagart, Meriel M; Chioza, Barry A; Blakely, Randy D; Chilton, John K; De Bleecker, Jan; Baets, Jonathan; Baple, Emma L; Walk, David; Crosby, Andrew H
2018-04-01
To identify the genetic cause of disease in 2 previously unreported families with forms of distal hereditary motor neuropathies (dHMNs). The first family comprises individuals affected by dHMN type V, which lacks the cardinal clinical feature of vocal cord paralysis characteristic of dHMN-VII observed in the second family. Next-generation sequencing was performed on the proband of each family. Variants were annotated and filtered, initially focusing on genes associated with neuropathy. Candidate variants were further investigated and confirmed by dideoxy sequence analysis and cosegregation studies. Thorough patient phenotyping was completed, comprising clinical history, examination, and neurologic investigation. dHMNs are a heterogeneous group of peripheral motor neuron disorders characterized by length-dependent neuropathy and progressive distal limb muscle weakness and wasting. We previously reported a dominant-negative frameshift mutation located in the concluding exon of the SLC5A7 gene encoding the choline transporter (CHT), leading to protein truncation, as the likely cause of dominantly-inherited dHMN-VII in an extended UK family. In this study, our genetic studies identified distinct heterozygous frameshift mutations located in the last coding exon of SLC5A7 , predicted to result in the truncation of the CHT C-terminus, as the likely cause of the condition in each family. This study corroborates C-terminal CHT truncation as a cause of autosomal dominant dHMN, confirming upper limb predominating over lower limb involvement, and broadening the clinical spectrum arising from CHT malfunction.
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Combinatorial and high-throughput screening of materials libraries: review of state of the art.
Potyrailo, Radislav; Rajan, Krishna; Stoewe, Klaus; Takeuchi, Ichiro; Chisholm, Bret; Lam, Hubert
2011-11-14
Rational materials design based on prior knowledge is attractive because it promises to avoid time-consuming synthesis and testing of numerous materials candidates. However with the increase of complexity of materials, the scientific ability for the rational materials design becomes progressively limited. As a result of this complexity, combinatorial and high-throughput (CHT) experimentation in materials science has been recognized as a new scientific approach to generate new knowledge. This review demonstrates the broad applicability of CHT experimentation technologies in discovery and optimization of new materials. We discuss general principles of CHT materials screening, followed by the detailed discussion of high-throughput materials characterization approaches, advances in data analysis/mining, and new materials developments facilitated by CHT experimentation. We critically analyze results of materials development in the areas most impacted by the CHT approaches, such as catalysis, electronic and functional materials, polymer-based industrial coatings, sensing materials, and biomaterials.
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Time-dependent movement and distribution of chlorothalonil and chlorpyrifos in tomatoes.
Wang, Zhi-Wei; Huang, Jiexun; Chen, Jin-Yuan; Li, Fei-Li
2013-07-01
Determining the distribution of pesticides in fruits is essential to eliminate pesticide residues during food processing. In this study, the dynamic distribution of two pesticides, chlorothalonil (CHT) and chlorpyrifos (CHP), were determined in different tomato parts following immersion in pesticide solutions. The concentrations of CHT and CHP in tomato followed an order of cuticle>plasma>pulp. However, the plasma initially accumulated the highest pesticide concentration. And the ratio of CHT concentration to that of CHP in plasma was about 2.1:1, similar to the ratio in solution, which suggested carpopodium as the entry site for the pesticides tested. The ratio in the cuticle was 0.02:1-0.06:1. This was consistent with the ratio of Kow for the two pesticides, manifesting the direct pesticide transfer from solution to cuticle. Following pesticide injection into tomato, the degradation of CHT over 96h was described by a first-order decay equation, Ctomato(t)CHT=C0×e(-0.0239t). The CHP concentration in tomato remained nearly constant with little degradation detected. Deducting the amount of degradation and migration, volatilization appeared to contribute the most amount of migration of CHT and CHP in tomato. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Functional specialization among insect chitinase family genes revealed by RNA interference
Zhu, Qingsong; Arakane, Yasuyuki; Beeman, Richard W.; Kramer, Karl J.; Muthukrishnan, Subbaratnam
2008-01-01
The biological functions of individual members of the large family of chitinase-like proteins from the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Tc), were examined by using gene-specific RNAi. One chitinase, TcCHT5, was found to be required for pupal–adult molting only. A lethal phenotype was observed when the transcript level of TcCHT5 was down-regulated by injection of TcCHT5-specific dsRNA into larvae. The larvae had metamorphosed into pupae and then to pharate adults but did not complete adult eclosion. Specific knockdown of transcripts for another chitinase, TcCHT10, which has multiple catalytic domains, prevented embryo hatch, larval molting, pupation, and adult metamorphosis, indicating a vital role for TcCHT10 during each of these processes. A third chitinase-like protein, TcCHT7, was required for abdominal contraction and wing/elytra extension immediately after pupation but was dispensable for larval–larval molting, pupation, and adult eclosion. The wing/elytra abnormalities found in TcCHT7-silenced pupae were also manifest in the ensuing adults. A fourth chitinase-like protein, TcIDGF4, exhibited no chitinolytic activity but contributed to adult eclosion. No phenotypic effects were observed after knockdown of transcripts for several other chitinase-like proteins, including imaginal disk growth factor IDGF2. These data indicate functional specialization among insect chitinase family genes, primarily during the molting process, and provide a biological rationale for the presence of a large assortment of chitinase-like proteins. PMID:18436642
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Turan, Şenol; Aksoy Poyraz, Cana; Usta Sağlam, Nazife Gamze; Demirel, Ömer Faruk; Haliloğlu, Özlem; Kadıoğlu, Pınar; Duran, Alaattin
2018-03-28
Body dissatisfaction plays an important role in the development of psychiatric problems such as eating disorders as well as gender dysphoria (GD). Cross-sex hormonal treatment (CHT) alleviates the dissatisfaction by making various changes in the body. We examined the alteration of body uneasiness, eating attitudes and behaviors, and psychological symptoms longitudinally in Turkish participants with female-to-male gender dysphoria (FtM GD) after CHT. Thirty-seven participants with FtM GD and 40 female controls were asked to complete the Body Uneasiness Test to explore different areas of body-related psychopathology, the Eating Attitudes Test to assess eating disturbances, and the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised to measure psychological state, both before CHT and after 6 months of CHT administration. The baseline mean body weight, BMI scores, body uneasiness scores, and general psychopathological symptoms of participants with FtM GD were significantly higher than female controls, whereas baseline eating attitudes and behaviors were not significantly different. Over time, FtM GD participants' mean body weight and BMI scores increased, body uneasiness and general psychopathological symptoms decreased, and eating attitudes and behaviors had not changed at 24th weeks following CHT administration compared to baseline. CHT may have a positive impact on body uneasiness and general psychopathological symptoms in participants with FtM GD. However, CHT does not have an impact on eating attitudes and behaviors.
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Platzbecker, Uwe; Avvisati, Giuseppe; Cicconi, Laura; Thiede, Christian; Paoloni, Francesca; Vignetti, Marco; Ferrara, Felicetto; Divona, Mariadomenica; Albano, Francesco; Efficace, Fabio; Fazi, Paola; Sborgia, Marco; Di Bona, Eros; Breccia, Massimo; Borlenghi, Erika; Cairoli, Roberto; Rambaldi, Alessandro; Melillo, Lorella; La Nasa, Giorgio; Fiedler, Walter; Brossart, Peter; Hertenstein, Bernd; Salih, Helmut R; Wattad, Mohammed; Lübbert, Michael; Brandts, Christian H; Hänel, Mathias; Röllig, Christoph; Schmitz, Norbert; Link, Hartmut; Frairia, Chiara; Pogliani, Enrico Maria; Fozza, Claudio; D'Arco, Alfonso Maria; Di Renzo, Nicola; Cortelezzi, Agostino; Fabbiano, Francesco; Döhner, Konstanze; Ganser, Arnold; Döhner, Hartmut; Amadori, Sergio; Mandelli, Franco; Ehninger, Gerhard; Schlenk, Richard F; Lo-Coco, Francesco
2017-02-20
Purpose The initial results of the APL0406 trial showed that the combination of all- trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO) is at least not inferior to standard ATRA and chemotherapy (CHT) in first-line therapy of low- or intermediate-risk acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). We herein report the final analysis on the complete series of patients enrolled onto this trial. Patients and Methods The APL0406 study was a prospective, randomized, multicenter, open-label, phase III noninferiority trial. Eligible patients were adults between 18 and 71 years of age with newly diagnosed, low- or intermediate-risk APL (WBC at diagnosis ≤ 10 × 10 9 /L). Overall, 276 patients were randomly assigned to receive ATRA-ATO or ATRA-CHT between October 2007 and January 2013. Results Of 263 patients evaluable for response to induction, 127 (100%) of 127 patients and 132 (97%) of 136 patients achieved complete remission (CR) in the ATRA-ATO and ATRA-CHT arms, respectively ( P = .12). After a median follow-up of 40.6 months, the event-free survival, cumulative incidence of relapse, and overall survival at 50 months for patients in the ATRA-ATO versus ATRA-CHT arms were 97.3% v 80%, 1.9% v 13.9%, and 99.2% v 92.6%, respectively ( P < .001, P = .0013, and P = .0073, respectively). Postinduction events included two relapses and one death in CR in the ATRA-ATO arm and two instances of molecular resistance after third consolidation, 15 relapses, and five deaths in CR in the ATRA-CHT arm. Two patients in the ATRA-CHT arm developed a therapy-related myeloid neoplasm. Conclusion These results show that the advantages of ATRA-ATO over ATRA-CHT increase over time and that there is significantly greater and more sustained antileukemic efficacy of ATO-ATRA compared with ATRA-CHT in low- and intermediate-risk APL.
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Truncating SLC5A7 mutations underlie a spectrum of dominant hereditary motor neuropathies
Salter, Claire G.; Beijer, Danique; Hardy, Holly; Barwick, Katy E.S.; Bower, Matthew; Mademan, Ines; De Jonghe, Peter; Deconinck, Tine; Russell, Mark A.; McEntagart, Meriel M.; Chioza, Barry A.; Blakely, Randy D.; Chilton, John K.; De Bleecker, Jan; Baets, Jonathan; Baple, Emma L.
2018-01-01
Objective To identify the genetic cause of disease in 2 previously unreported families with forms of distal hereditary motor neuropathies (dHMNs). Methods The first family comprises individuals affected by dHMN type V, which lacks the cardinal clinical feature of vocal cord paralysis characteristic of dHMN-VII observed in the second family. Next-generation sequencing was performed on the proband of each family. Variants were annotated and filtered, initially focusing on genes associated with neuropathy. Candidate variants were further investigated and confirmed by dideoxy sequence analysis and cosegregation studies. Thorough patient phenotyping was completed, comprising clinical history, examination, and neurologic investigation. Results dHMNs are a heterogeneous group of peripheral motor neuron disorders characterized by length-dependent neuropathy and progressive distal limb muscle weakness and wasting. We previously reported a dominant-negative frameshift mutation located in the concluding exon of the SLC5A7 gene encoding the choline transporter (CHT), leading to protein truncation, as the likely cause of dominantly-inherited dHMN-VII in an extended UK family. In this study, our genetic studies identified distinct heterozygous frameshift mutations located in the last coding exon of SLC5A7, predicted to result in the truncation of the CHT C-terminus, as the likely cause of the condition in each family. Conclusions This study corroborates C-terminal CHT truncation as a cause of autosomal dominant dHMN, confirming upper limb predominating over lower limb involvement, and broadening the clinical spectrum arising from CHT malfunction. PMID:29582019
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Xie, Jimin; Wang, Pingli; Liu, Jun; Lv, Xiaomeng; Jiang, Deli; Sun, Cheng
2011-11-01
The influence of coexisting humic acids (HA) or Cu²⁺ on the photodegradation of pesticides lambda-cyhalothrin (λ-CHT) and cypermethrin (CPM) in aqueous solution was studied under xenon lamp irradiation. The removal efficiency of pesticides λ-CHT and CPM were enhanced in the presence of either Cu²⁺ or HA but restrained in the presence of both Cu²⁺ and HA. The photodegradation of λ-CHT and CPM followed first-order reaction kinetics. The photodegradation intermediates of λ-CHT and CPM were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Possible photodegradation pathways included decarboxylation, ester bond cleavage, dechlorination, and phenyl group removal. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.
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Pirouzmand, Haniyeh; Khameneh, Bahman; Tafaghodi, Mohsen
2017-12-01
Nasal mucosa is a desirable route for mucosal vaccine delivery. Mucosal co-administration of chitosan nanoparticles with absorption enhancers such as cross-linked dextran microspheres (CDM, Sephadex ® ) is a promising antigen delivery system. In the current study, the chitosan nanospheres loaded with tetanus toxoid (CHT:TT NPs) was prepared and characterized. The immune responses against tetanus toxoid after nasal administration of CHT:TT NPs alone or mixed with CDM were also determined. Chitosan nanospheres were prepared by ionic gelation method. Particle size, releasing profile and antigen stability were evaluated by dynamic light scattering, diffusion chamber and SDS-PAGE methods, respectively. Rabbits were nasally immunized with different formulations loaded with 40 Lf TT. After three times immunizations with 2 weeks intervals, sera IgG titres and nasal lavage sIgA titres were determined. Mean size of CHT NPs and CHT:TT NPs were 205 ± 42 nm and 432 ± 85 nm, respectively. The release profile showed that 42.4 ± 10.5% of TT was released after 30 min and reached to a steady state after 1.5 h. Stability of encapsulated TT in nanospheres was confirmed by SDS-PAGE. The antibody titres showed that CHT:TT NPs-induced antibody titres were higher than TT solution. CHT NPs mixed with CDM induced the systemic IgG and nasal lavage sIgA titres higher than intranasal administration of TT solution (p < 0.001). As the results indicated, these CHT:TT NPs when co-administered with CDM were able to induce more immune responses and have the potential to be used in mucosal immunization.
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Zhu, Hui; Zhou, Zongmei; Wang, Yan; Bi, Nan; Feng, Qinfu; Li, Junling; Lv, Jima; Chen, Dongfu; Shi, Yuankai; Wang, Luhua
2011-12-01
The authors conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the effects of thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC). Between January 2003 and December 2006, the records of 119 patients who were diagnosed with ED-SCLC (all with distant metastasis [M1]) were included in the study. Sixty patients received chemotherapy (ChT) and TRT (ChT/TRT), and 59 patients received ChT alone. The ChT regimens consisted of either carboplatin and etoposide (CE) or cisplatin and etoposide (PE). The total dose of TRT ranged from 40 to 60 grays (Gy) at 1.8 to 2.0 Gy per fraction. For the entire group, the median survival was 13 months, and the 2-year and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 26.1% and 6.5%, respectively. The median survival and the 2-year and 5-year OS rates were 17 months, 35%, and 7.1%, respectively, in the ChT/TRT group and 9.3 months, 17%, and 5.1%, respectively, in the ChT group (P = .014). However, this improvement was achieved at the expense of low toxicity. Multivariate analysis revealed that receiving ≥4 cycles of ChT (P = .032) and TRT (P = .005) were favorable prognostic factors for OS. Of all toxicities, only high-grade leucopenia (grade >3) was more frequent in the ChT/TRT group. The addition of TRT to ChT improved the OS of patients with ED-SCLC. Furthermore, receiving ≥4 cycles of ChT and TRT were independent, favorable prognostic factors for OS. Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.
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Drosophila Chitinase 2 is expressed in chitin producing organs for cuticle formation.
Pesch, Yanina-Yasmin; Riedel, Dietmar; Behr, Matthias
2017-01-01
The architecture of the outer body wall cuticle is fundamental to protect arthropods against invading pathogens and numerous other harmful stresses. Such robust cuticles are formed by parallel running chitin microfibrils. Molting and also local wounding leads to dynamic assembly and disassembly of the chitin-matrix throughout development. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms that organize proper chitin-matrix formation are poorly known. Recently we identified a key region for cuticle thickening at the apical cell surface, the cuticle assembly zone, where Obstructor-A (Obst-A) coordinates the formation of the chitin-matrix. Obst-A binds chitin and the deacetylase Serpentine (Serp) in a core complex, which is required for chitin-matrix maturation and preservation. Here we present evidence that Chitinase 2 (Cht2) could be essential for this molecular machinery. We show that Cht2 is expressed in the chitin-matrix of epidermis, trachea, and the digestive system. There, Cht2 is enriched at the apical cell surface and the dense chitin-matrix. We further show that in Cht2 knockdown larvae the assembly zone is rudimentary, preventing normal cuticle formation and pore canal organization. As sequence similarities of Cht2 and the core complex proteins indicate evolutionarily conserved molecular mechanisms, our findings suggest that Cht2 is involved in chitin formation also in other insects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Conjugate Heat Transfer Study in Hypersonic Flows
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sahoo, Niranjan; Kulkarni, Vinayak; Peetala, Ravi Kumar
2018-04-01
Coupled and decoupled conjugate heat transfer (CHT) studies are carried out to imitate experimental studies for heat transfer measurement in hypersonic flow regime. The finite volume based solvers are used for analyzing the heat interaction between fluid and solid domains. Temperature and surface heat flux signals are predicted by both coupled and decoupled CHT analysis techniques for hypersonic Mach numbers. These two methodologies are also used to study the effect of different wall materials on surface parameters. Effectiveness of these CHT solvers has been verified for the inverse problem of wall heat flux recovery using various techniques reported in the literature. Both coupled and decoupled CHT techniques are seen to be equally useful for prediction of local temperature and heat flux signals prior to the experiments in hypersonic flows.
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De Castro-Orós, Isabel; Irún, Pilar; Cebolla, Jorge Javier; Rodriguez-Sureda, Victor; Mallén, Miguel; Pueyo, María Jesús; Mozas, Pilar; Dominguez, Carmen; Pocoví, Miguel
2017-02-21
Niemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is a rare, autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in either the NPC1 or NPC2 genes. The diagnosis of NP-C remains challenging due to the non-specific, heterogeneous nature of signs/symptoms. This study assessed the utility of plasma chitotriosidase (ChT) and Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 18 (CCL18)/pulmonary and activation-regulated chemokine (PARC) in conjunction with the NP-C suspicion index (NP-C SI) for guiding confirmatory laboratory testing in patients with suspected NP-C. In a prospective observational cohort study, incorporating a retrospective determination of NP-C SI scores, two different diagnostic approaches were applied in two separate groups of unrelated patients from 51 Spanish medical centers (n = 118 in both groups). From Jan 2010 to Apr 2012 (Period 1), patients with ≥2 clinical signs/symptoms of NP-C were considered 'suspected NP-C' cases, and NPC1/NPC2 sequencing, plasma chitotriosidase (ChT), CCL18/PARC and sphingomyelinase levels were assessed. Based on findings in Period 1, plasma ChT and CCL18/PARC, and NP-C SI prediction scores were determined in a second group of patients between May 2012 and Apr 2014 (Period 2), and NPC1 and NPC2 were sequenced only in those with elevated ChT and/or elevated CCL18/PARC and/or NP-C SI ≥70. Filipin staining and 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) measurements were performed in all patients with NP-C gene mutations, where possible. In total across Periods 1 and 2, 10/236 (4%) patients had a confirmed diagnosis o NP-C based on gene sequencing (5/118 [4.2%] in each Period): all of these patients had two causal NPC1 mutations. Single mutant NPC1 alleles were detected in 8/236 (3%) patients, overall. Positive filipin staining results comprised three classical and five variant biochemical phenotypes. No NPC2 mutations were detected. All patients with NPC1 mutations had high ChT activity, high CCL18/PARC concentrations and/or NP-C SI scores ≥70. Plasma 7-KC was higher than control cut-off values in all patients with two NPC1 mutations, and in the majority of patients with single mutations. Family studies identified three further NP-C patients. This approach may be very useful for laboratories that do not have mass spectrometry facilities and therefore, they cannot use other NP-C biomarkers for diagnosis.
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Buccioni, A; Pauselli, M; Viti, C; Minieri, S; Pallara, G; Roscini, V; Rapaccini, S; Marinucci, M Trabalza; Lupi, P; Conte, G; Mele, M
2015-02-01
The aim of the study was to evaluate milk fatty acid (FA) profile, animal performance, and rumen microbial population in response to diets containing soybean oil supplemented or not with chestnut and quebracho tannins in dairy ewes. Eighteen Comisana ewes at 122±6 d in milking were allotted into 3 experimental groups. Diets were characterized by chopped grass hay administered ad libitum and by 800 g/head and day of 3 experimental concentrates containing 84.5 g of soybean oil/kg of dry matter (DM) and 52.8 g/kg of DM of bentonite (control diet), chestnut tannin extract (CHT diet), or quebracho tannin extract (QUE diet). The trial lasted 4 wk. Milk yield was recorded daily, and milk composition and blood parameters were analyzed weekly. At the end of the experiment, samples of rumen fluid were collected to analyze pH, volatile fatty acid profile, and the relative proportions of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus in the rumen microbial population. Hepatic functionality, milk yield, and gross composition were not affected by tannin extracts, whereas milk FA composition was characterized by significant changes in the concentration of linoleic acid (CHT +2.77% and QUE +9.23%), vaccenic acid (CHT +7.07% and QUE +13.88%), rumenic acid (CHT -1.88% and QUE +24.24%), stearic acid (CHT + 8.71% and QUE -11.45%), and saturated fatty acids (CHT -0.47% and QUE -3.38%). These differences were probably due to the ability of condensed versus hydrolyzable tannins to interfere with rumen microbial metabolism, as indirectly confirmed by changes in the relative proportions of B. fibrisolvens and B. proteoclasticus populations and by changes in the molar proportions of volatile fatty acids. The effect of the CHT diet on the milk FA profile and microbial species considered in this trial was intermediate between that of QUE and the control diet, suggesting a differential effect of condensed and hydrolyzable tannins on rumen microbes. Compared with control animals, the presence of B. fibrisolvens increased about 3 times in ewes fed CHT and about 5 times in animals fed QUE. In contrast, the abundance of B. proteoclasticus decreased about 5- and 15-fold in rumen liquor of ewes fed CHT and QUE diets, respectively. The use of soybean oil and a practical dose of QUE or CHT extract in the diet of dairy ewes can be an efficient strategy to improve the nutritional quality of milk. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Computational Modeling and Simulation of Film-Condensation
2013-01-18
different cases considered in the present work. Table 2: Four different cases corresponding to various thermal boundary conditions ( CWT : constant wall...temperature; UHF: uniform heat flux; and CHT: convection heat transfer) on the channel walls. Cases (a) (b) (c) (d) Top wall BC CWT : Tw2>Tsat UHF: qw...CHT: h & T∞ >Tsat CHT Bottom Wall BC CWT : Tw1<Tsat CWT : Tw1<Tsat CWT : Tw1<Tsat UHF: qw Page 12 of 18 In the above table, T y
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Circle Hough transform implementation for dots recognition in braille cells
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jacinto Gómez, Edwar; Montiel Ariza, Holman; Martínez Sarmiento, Fredy Hernán.
2017-02-01
This paper shows a technique based on CHT (Circle Hough Transform) to achieve the optical Braille recognition (OBR). Unlike other papers developed around the same topic, this one is made by using Hough Transform to process the recognition and transcription of Braille cells, proving CHT to be an appropriate technique to go over different non-systematics factors who can affect the process, as the paper type where the text to traduce is placed, some lightning factors, input image resolution and some flaws derived from the capture process, which is realized using a scanner. Tests are performed with a local database using text generated by visual nondisabled people and some transcripts by sightless people; all of this with the support of National Institute for Blind People (INCI for their Spanish acronym) placed in Colombia.
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Santarelli, Lindsey Ciali; Wassef, Ramez; Heinemann, Stefan H; Hoshi, Toshinori
2006-03-01
Methionine-directed oxidation of the human Slo1 potassium channel (hSlo1) shifts the half-activation voltage by -30 mV and markedly slows channel deactivation at low concentrations of intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i). We demonstrate here that the contemporaneous mutation of M536, M712 and M739 to leucine renders the channel functionally insensitive to methionine oxidation caused by the oxidant chloramine-T (Ch-T) without altering other functional characteristics. Coexpression with the auxiliary beta1 subunit fails to restore the full oxidative sensitivity to this triple mutant channel. The Ch-T effect is mediated specifically by M536, M712 and M739 because even small changes in this residue combination interfere with the ability to remove the oxidant sensitivity following mutation. Replacement of M712 or M739, but not M536, with the hydrophilic residue glutamate largely mimics oxidation of the channel and essentially removes the Ch-T sensitivity, suggesting that M712 and M739 may be part of a hydrophobic pocket disrupted by oxidation of non-polar methionine to the more hydrophilic methionine sulfoxide. The increase in wild-type hSlo1 open probability caused by methionine oxidation disappears at high [Ca2+]i and biophysical modelling of the Ch-T effect on steady-state activation implicates a decrease in the allosteric coupling between Ca2+ binding and the pore. The dramatic increase in open probability at low [Ca2+]i especially within the physiological voltage range suggests that oxidation of M536, M712 or M739 may enhance the Slo1 BK activity during conditions of oxidative stress, such as those associated with ischaemia-reperfusion and neurodegenerative disease, or in response to metabolic cues.
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Topchieva, I N; Sorokina, E M; Kurganov, B I; Zhulin, V M; Makarova, Z G
1996-06-01
A new method of formation of non-covalent adducts based on an amphiphilic diblock copolymer of ethylene and propylene oxides with molecular mass of 2 kDa and alpha-chymotrypsin (ChT) under high pressure, has been developed. The composition of the complexes corresponds to seven polymer molecules per one ChT molecule in the pressure range of 1.1 to 400 MPa. The complexes fully retain the catalytic activity. Kinetic constants (Km and kcat) for enzymatic hydrolysis of N-benzoyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester catalyzed by the complexes are identical with the corresponding values for native ChT. Analysis of kinetics of thermal inactivation of the complexes revealed that the constant of the rate of the slow inactivation step is markedly lower than for ChT.
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Gass, Margery L S; Stuenkel, Cynthia A; Utian, Wulf H; LaCroix, Andrea; Liu, James H; Shifren, Jan L
2015-12-01
A national survey was conducted to determine the extent of use of compounded hormone therapy (C-HT) and to characterize the differences between C-HT users and users of hormone therapy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA-HT users). This Internet survey enrolled 3,725 women aged 40 to 84 years who were postmenopausal or experiencing the menopause transition. The sample was weighted slightly by age, region, education, and race to reflect population attributes based on US Census data. Overall, 9% of women were current users of HT, and 28% of all respondents were ever-users of HT. C-HT users represented 31% of ever-users of HT, 35% of current users of HT, and 41% of ever-users aged 40 to 49 years. Approximately 13% of ever-users indicated current or past use of testosterone. The most cited reason for using HT was vasomotor symptoms (∼70%). Nonapproved indications for using HT were selected more often by C-HT users. There were four reports of endometrial cancer among the 326 C-HT users compared with none reported among the 738 FDA-HT users. Significance was not determined because of small numbers. This survey indicates substantial use of C-HT across the country and the possibility of higher rates of endometrial side effects with such products. There is a need for standardized data collection on the extent of use of compounded hormones and their potential risks.
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Pervez, Md Nahid; Stylios, George K
2018-06-01
The present work highlights the formation of a novel green nanofiber based on H₂O₂-assisted water-soluble chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (W S CHT/PVA) by using water as an ecofriendly solvent and genipin used as a nontoxic cross-linker. The 20/80 blend ratio was found to have the most optimum uniform fiber morphology. W S CHT retained the same structure as W IS CHT. The prepared nanofibers were characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Water Contact Angle (WCA) and Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis). During electrospinning, the crystalline microstructure of the W S CHT/PVA underwent better solidification and after cross-linking there was an increase in the melting temperature of the fiber. Swelling ratio studies revealed noticeable increase in hydrophilicity with increase of W S CHT, which was further demonstrated by the decrease of contact angle from 64.74° to 14.68°. W S CHT/PVA nanofiber mats exhibit excellent UV blocking protection with less than 5% transmittance value and also showed improved in vitro drug release properties with stable release for longer duration (cross-linked fibers) and burst release for shorter duration (uncross linked) fibers. Finally our experimental data demonstrates excellent adsorption ability of Colour Index (C.I.) reactive black 5 (RB5) due to protonated amino groups.
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Palazzi, Mauro; Tomatis, Stefano; Orlandi, Ester
2008-02-01
Purpose: To quantify the incidence and severity of acute local toxicity in head and neck cancer patients treated with radiotherapy (RT), with or without chemotherapy (CHT), using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0 (CTCAE v3.0), scoring system. Methods and Materials: Between 2004 and 2006, 149 patients with head and neck cancer treated with RT at our center were prospectively evaluated for local toxicity during treatment. On a weekly basis, patients were monitored and eight toxicity items were recorded according to the CTCAE v3.0 scoring system. Of the 149 patients, 48 (32%) were treated with RT alone (conventionalmore » fractionation), 82 (55%) with concomitant CHT and conventional fractionation RT, and 20 (13%) with accelerated-fractionation RT and CHT. Results: Severe (Grade 3-4) adverse events were recorded in 28% (mucositis), 33% (dysphagia), 40% (pain), and 12% (skin) of patients. Multivariate analysis showed CHT to be the most relevant factor independently predicting for worse toxicity (mucositis, dysphagia, weight loss, salivary changes). In contrast, previous surgery, RT acceleration and older age, female gender, and younger age, respectively, predicted for a worse outcome of mucositis, weight loss, pain, and dermatitis. The T-score method confirmed that conventional RT alone is in the 'low-burden' class (T-score = 0.6) and suggests that concurrent CHT and conventional fractionation RT is in the 'high-burden' class (T-score = 1.15). Combined CHT and accelerated-fractionation RT had the highest T-score at 1.9. Conclusions: The CTCAE v3.0 proved to be a reliable tool to quantify acute toxicity in head and neck cancer patients treated with various treatment intensities. The effect of CHT and RT acceleration on the acute toxicity burden was clinically relevant.« less
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Liu, Jun; Lü, Xiaomeng; Xie, Jimin; Chu, Yafei; Sun, Cheng; Wang, Qian
2009-06-01
Pesticides and heavy metals pollution in soil environment has become a serious problem in many countries including China. Repeated applications of bordeaux mixture (a blend of copper sulfate and calcium hydroxide) and pyrethroid (Pys) insecticides have led to elevated copper (Cu) and Pys concentrations in vineyard surface soils. However, few studies focused on the interaction of Pys and heavy metals in the soil environment. Our previous studies had indicated the combined effect of cypermethrin (CPM) and Cu on soil catalase activity. Also, we had suggested that the addition of Cu could catalyze photo-degradation of CPM and lambda-cyhalothrin (lambda-CHT) in aqueous solution and restrain their degradation in soil. To better understand the potential influence of Cu on the fate of Pys in the soil environment, the aim of the present work was to examine the effect of Cu on the adsorption of lambda-CHT and CPM on two typical Chinese soils with different soil characteristics, which was one of the key processes controlling the fate of Pys, and to provide more information about the potential ecological risk of chemicals on the soil ecosystem. Fourier transform infrared and point charges analysis using the MOPAC program of the Gaussian system were also used to reveal the probable adsorption mechanism of lambda-CHT and CPM on soils. Two vineyard soils with different properties were chosen as experimental samples. They were sampled from 0 to 10 cm, dried, and sieved to 2 mm. Each soil was spiked with copper sulfate solution to obtain the following total soil Cu concentrations: 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1,600 mg.kg(-1). The treated soils were incubated for 2 weeks and then dried at 20 degrees C. For each soil sample and at each soil Cu concentration, the adsorption of lambda-CHT and CPM was measured using a batch equilibrium method. The concentration of lambda-CHT was determined by HPLC, and the amount of lambda-CHT and CPM adsorbed by the soil sample at equilibrium was determined by the difference between the initial and equilibrium concentrations in solution corrected by the blank adsorption measurement. Without the addition of Cu, the adsorption of lambda-CHT and CPM on Black soil is greater than that on Red soil, while the adsorption of lambda-CHT on both soils is significantly stronger than that of CPM. As the soil Cu concentration increased from 19 (or 18; background) to 1,600 mg.kg(-1), the adsorption coefficient (K (d)) of lambda-CHT decreased from 12.2 to 5.9 L.kg(-1) for Red soil, and from 26.1 to 16.8 L.kg(-1) for Black soil, whereas the CPM adsorption coefficient in both soils decreased nearly by 100% (K (d) decreased from 9.4 to 0.2 L.kg(-1) for Red soil and from 16.2 to 0.5 L.kg(-1) for Black soil). Pys adsorption is a surface phenomenon which depends on the surface area and the organic matter content. Thus, the Black soil, having higher organic matter and greater surface area than that of the Red soil, show greater adsorption affinity to lambda-CHT and CPM. In our study, the different adsorption affinity of the two Pys was obtained, which was probably attributed to differences with respect to their physical-chemical properties. Further comparison upon the two Pys was conducted. The point charges of halogen atoms in the lambda-CHT and CPM were calculated, the differences of which probably lead to the fact that lambda-CHT has a stronger binding capacity to soils than CPM. Also, FTIR spectra show that competitive adsorption occurs between CPM and Cu for the same adsorption sites, which is responsible for the obtained suppression of CPM adsorption affected by Cu. Lambda-cyhalothrin shows a significantly stronger adsorption than cypermethrin on both soils. This phenomenon may be due to several reasons: (1) lambda-CHT has lower solubility and a higher octanol-water partition coefficient value than CPM; (2) lambda-CHT consists of specific isomers, whereas CPM is mixtures of eight different isomers; (3) the chlorine and fluorine atoms in the lambda-CHT have a negative point charge, whereas the chlorine atoms in the CPM have a positive point charge. As the soil Cu concentrations increased from 19 (or 18) mg.kg(-1) to 1,600 mg.kg(-1), the adsorption coefficient of lambda-CHT and CPM decreased on both soils. This is mainly due to a competition between Cu and Pys for occupying the adsorption sites on soils. The information from this study have important implications for vineyard and orchard soils, which often contain elevated levels of Cu and Pys. These results are also useful in assessing the environmental fate and health effect of lambda-CHT and CPM. It is important for environmental scientists and engineers to get a better understanding of soil-metal-organic contaminant interactions. However, pesticide adsorption involves complex processes, and shortcomings in understanding them still restrict the ability to predict the fate and behavior of pesticide. Therefore, considerable research should be carried out to understand the mechanism of interaction between Pys and heavy metal on soils clearly.
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Hermenean, Anca; Codreanu, Ada; Herman, Hildegard; Balta, Cornel; Rosu, Marcel; Mihali, Ciprian Valentin; Ivan, Alexandra; Dinescu, Sorina; Ionita, Mariana; Costache, Marieta
2017-11-30
Limited self-regenerating capacity of human skeleton makes the reconstruction of critical size bone defect a significant challenge for clinical practice. Aimed for regenerating bone tissues, this study was designed to investigate osteogenic differentiation, along with bone repair capacity of 3D chitosan (CHT) scaffolds enriched with graphene oxide (GO) in critical-sized mouse calvarial defect. Histopathological/histomorphometry and scanning electron microscopy(SEM) analysis of the implants revealed larger amount of new bone in the CHT/GO-filled defects compared with CHT alone (p < 0.001). When combined with GO, CHT scaffolds synergistically promoted the increase of alkaline phosphatase activity both in vitro and in vivo experiments. This enhanced osteogenesis was corroborated with increased expression of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and Runx-2 up to week 4 post-implantation, which showed that GO facilitates the differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells. Meanwhile, osteogenesis was promoted by GO at the late stage as well, as indicated by the up-regulation of osteopontin and osteocalcin at week 8 and overexpressed at week 18, for both markers. Our data suggest that CHT/GO biomaterial could represent a promising tool for the reconstruction of large bone defects, without using exogenous living cells or growth factors.
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Kristofikova, Zdenka; Ricny, Jan; Soukup, Ondrej; Korabecny, Jan; Nepovimova, Eugenie; Kuca, Kamil; Ripova, Daniela
2017-01-01
Reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are used in Alzheimer disease therapy. However, tacrine and its derivatives have severe side effects. Derivatives of the tacrine analogue 7-methoxytacrine (MEOTA) are less toxic. We evaluated new derivatives of 7-MEOTA (2 homodimers linked by 2 C4-C5 chains and 5 N-alkylated C4-C8 side chain derivatives) in vitro, using the rat hippocampal choline transporter CHT1. Some derivatives were effective inhibitors of rat acetylcholinesterase and comparable with 7-MEOTA. All derivatives were able to inhibit CHT1, probably via quaternary ammonium, and this interaction could be involved in the enhancement of their detrimental side effects and/or in the attenuation of their promising effects. Under conditions of disrupted lipid rafts, the unfavorable effects of some derivatives were weakened. Only tacrine was probably able to stereospecifically interact with the naturally occurring amyloid-β isoform and to simultaneously stimulate CHT1. Some derivatives, when coincubated with amyloid β, did not influence CHT1. All derivatives also increased the fluidity of the cortical membranes. The N-alkylated derivative of 7-MEOTA bearing from C4 side chains appears to be the most promising compound and should be evaluated in future in vivo research. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.
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Zhang, X; Zheng, S
2017-04-01
Insect chitinases are hydrolytic enzymes required for the degradation of chitin. They are essential for insect moulting and metamorphosis. In this study, the regulation mechanism of a chitinase gene, Bombyx mori chitinase 5 (BmCHT5), was studied. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that BmCHT5 was up-regulated during the larval-larval and larval-pupa transitions and notably induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). Analysis of the BmCHT5 promoter revealed the presence of one Bombyx mori Broad-Complex Zinc-Finger Isoform 4 (BR-C Z4), two BR-C Z2 and two ecdysone-induced protein 74A (E74A) cis-regulatory elements (CREs) that are related to 20E. qRT-PCR showed that the expression of both BmBR-C Z4 and BmBR-C Z2 during metamorphosis, and when induced by 20E, was anastomotic with the variations in BmCHT5 mRNA level. In contrast, BmE74A did not follow this trend. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay did not retrieve a binding partner for the two BR-C Z2 CREs in the BmN cell line nuclear extract, whereas BR-C Z4 CRE specifically bound to BmBR-C Z4. Besides, luciferase activity analysis confirmed that BmBR-C Z4 could enhance the activity of the BmCHT5 promoter with BR-C Z4 CRE and could not enhance the promoter activity by mutating BR-C Z4 CRE. Taken together, these data suggest that the transcription factor BmBR-C Z4 enhances the expression of BmCHT5 during metamorphosis. © 2016 The Royal Entomological Society.
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Tang, Bin; Yang, Mengmeng; Shen, Qida; Xu, Yanxia; Wang, Huijuan; Wang, Shigui
2017-04-01
Trehalase (TRE) is a key enzyme in trehalose degradation and has important functions in insect growth and chitin synthesis. Though validamycin has the potential for pest control by suppressing TRE activities, it is not known whether validamycin acts on both trehalose and chitin metabolism. TRE1 and TRE2 activities and glucose and glycogen contents decreased significantly after the injection of different doses of validamycin solution compared with the control group, while the trehalose content increased significantly. Overall, it showed that about 13 to 38% insects was appeared abnormal phenotypes, and 10 to 57% of insects died 48h after injection of solutions with different concentrations of validamycin; the chitin content also decreased significantly. Validamycin altered the relative expression levels of trehalose, glycogen and chitin metabolism-related genes by suppressing the activities of two TREs. We showed that the expression levels of three TRE and two trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) genes increased, while the expression levels of GP; CHS1 and its two transcripts, CHS1a, CHS1b; six chitinases, including Cht3, Cht4, Cht5, Cht6, Cht7, Cht9; and the HK, G6PI2, GFAT, GNPNA, PAGM1, UAP, VVL, CI and AP genes decreased significantly 48h after the injection of any validamycin concentration compared with the control group. These results demonstrate that by inhibiting the activities of two TREs, validamycin alters N. lugens chitin synthesis and degradation and affects trehalose and chitin metabolism-related gene expression. The development of TRE inhibitors may provide effective pest control in the future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Chen, Richer; Okamoto, Hirokazu; Danjo, Kazumi
2006-07-01
We prepared matrix particles of acetaminophen (Act) with chitosan (Cht) as a carrier using a newly developed 4-fluid-nozzle spray dryer. Cht dissolves in acid solutions and forms a gel, but it does not dissolve in alkaline solutions. Therefore, we tested the preparation of controlled release matrix particles using the characteristics of this carrier. Act and Cht mixtures in prescribed ratios were dissolved in an acid solution. We evaluated the matrix particles by preparing a solid dispersion using a 4-fluid-nozzle spray dryer. Observation of the particle morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the particles from the spray drying process had atomized to several microns, and that they had become spherical. We investigated the physicochemical properties of the matrix particles by powder X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and dissolution rate analyses with a view to clarifying the effects of crystallinity on the dissolution rate. The powder X-ray diffraction peaks and the heat of the Act fusion in the spray-dried samples decreased with the increase of the carrier content, indicating that the drug was amorphous. These results indicate that the system formed a solid dispersion. Furthermore, we investigated the interaction between the drug and carrier using FT-IR analysis. The FT-IR spectroscopy for the Act solid dispersions suggested that the Act carboxyl group and the Cht amino group formed a hydrogen bond. In addition, the measurement results of the 13C CP/MAS solid-state NMR, indicated that a hydrogen bond had been formed between the Act carbonyl group and the Cht amino group. In the Act-Cht system, the 4-fluid-nozzle spray-dried preparation with a mixing ratio of 1 : 5 obtained a sustained release preparation in all pH test solutions.
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Palazzi, Mauro; Orlandi, Ester; Bossi, Paolo
2009-07-01
Purpose: To report the outcome of a consecutive series of patients with nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), focusing on the impact of treatment-related factors. Methods and Materials: Between 2000 and 2006, 87 patients with NPC were treated with either conventional (two- or three-dimensional) radiotherapy (RT) or with intensity-modulated RT (IMRT). Of these patients, 81 (93%) received either concomitant CHT (24%) or both induction and concomitant chemotherapy (CHT) (69%). Stage was III in 36% and IV in 39% of patients. Outcomes in this study population were compared with those in the previous series of 171 patients treated during 1990 to 1999. Results:more » With a median follow-up of 46 months, actuarial rates at 3 years were the following: local control, 96%; local-regional control, 93%; distant control (DC), 90%; disease-free survival (DFS), 82%; overall survival, 90%. In Stage III to IV patients, distant control at 3 years was 56% in patients treated with concomitant CHT only and 92% in patients treated with both induction and concomitant CHT (p = 0.014). At multivariate analysis, histology, N-stage, RT technique, and total RT dose had the strongest independent impact on DFS (p < 0.05). Induction CHT had a borderline effect on DC (p = 0.07). Most dosimetric statistics were improved in the group of patients treated with IMRT compared with conventional 3D technique. All outcome endpoints were substantially better in the study population compared with those in the previous series. Conclusions: Outcome of NPC has further improved in the study period compared with the previous decade, with a significant effect of RT technique optimization. The impact of induction CHT remains to be demonstrated in controlled trials.« less
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Cubero, África; Durántez, Carlos; Almaraz, Ana; Fernández-Lago, Luis; Gutiérrez, María P; Castro, María J; Bratos, Miguel A; Simarro, María; March, Gabriel A; Orduña, Antonio
2018-04-01
The aim of this work was to ascertain the usefulness of a new commercially-available single-assay chemiluminescence test (CHT) for the diagnosis of human tularemia (Tularaemia VIRCLIA IgG + IgM monotest, Vircell, Santa Fe, Granada, Spain). A total of 773 sera from 773 patients including 364 initial sera from patients with diagnosed tularemia, patients with suspected tularemia not confirmed (100), healthy people (152), patients with serology positive to Brucella (97), patients diagnosed with other infectious diseases (30), and patients diagnosed with autoimmune diseases (30) were included. All sera were tested by CHT, "in-house" microagglutination test (MAT), immunochromatographic test (ICT) (Virapid Tularaemia, Vircell, Santa Fe Granada, Spain), and "in-house" ELISA IgG, and ELISA IgM. Of the total initial sera, 334 (sensitivity 91.8%) were positive in the CHT, 332 (sensitivity 91.2%) in the MAT, 330 (sensitivity 90.7%) in the ICT, and 328 (sensitivity 90.1%) in the ELISA IgG and ELISA IgM tests. The specificity of the CHT was 96.7%; of the MAT, 100%; of the ICT, 98.7%; and of the ELISA IgG and ELISA IgM, 97.4%. In the group of patients with serology positive to Brucella, at least 12.4% of sera were positive in tularemia tests (12.4% in ELISA IgM, 13.4% in MAT, 14.4% in ICT, and 15.5% in CHT and ELISA IgG). In conclusion, CHT presents a sensitivity and specificity in early diagnosis of human tularemia, similar to MAT, ICT, and ELISA IgG and ELISA IgM. Its single assay design allows lower costs, especially in areas of low endemicity or inter-epidemic periods.
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Albert, Benjamin B; Heather, Natasha; Derraik, José G B; Cutfield, Wayne S; Wouldes, Trecia; Tregurtha, Sheryl; Mathai, Sarah; Webster, Dianne; Jefferies, Craig; Gunn, Alistair J; Hofman, Paul L
2013-09-01
Despite newborn screening and early levothyroxine replacement, there are continued reports of mild neurocognitive impairment in children with congenital hypothyroidism (CHT). In Auckland, New Zealand, cases are identified by a neonatal screening program with rapid institution of high-dose levothyroxine replacement (10-15 μg/kg·d), producing prompt normalization of thyroid function. Subsequently, frequent monitoring and dose alterations are performed for 2 years. We aimed to assess whether the Auckland treatment strategy prevents impairment of intellectual and motor development. This study encompassed all children with CHT born in 1993-2006 in Auckland and their siblings. Neurocognitive assessments included the following: 1) intelligence quotient via Weschler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence III or Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children IV; 2) Movement Assessment Battery for Children; and 3) Beery Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Forty-four CHT cases and 53 sibling controls aged 9.6 ± 3.9 years were studied. Overall intelligence quotient was similar among CHT cases and controls (95.2 vs 98.6; P = .20), and there were also no differences in motor function. Severity of CHT did not influence outcome, but greater time to normalize free T4 was associated with worse motor balance. There were no differences in anthropometry or body composition between groups. These findings suggest that a strategy of rapidly identifying and treating infants with CHT using high-dose levothyroxine replacement is associated with normal intellectual and motor development. The subtle negative impact on motor function associated with time to normalize free T4 levels is consistent with benefit from rapid initial correction.
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Retina nerve fiber layer and choroidal thickness changes in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
Ozge, Gokhan; Dogan, Deniz; Koylu, Mehmet Talay; Ayyildiz, Onder; Akincioglu, Dorukcan; Mumcuoglu, Tarkan; Mutlu, Fatih Mehmet
2016-01-01
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) on the submacular and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and choroidal thickness (ChT). Eighty-four eyes of 42 male patients with OSAS and 112 eyes of 56 aged-matched and body mass index-matched healthy male subjects were enrolled in this case-control study. The ChT and peripapillary RNFL thickness was measured using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography. The ChT and RNFL thickness measurements of the groups were compared, and correlations among the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) values and these measurements were calculated. Right and left eyes were separately evaluated. There were no significant differences in the subfoveal and temporal ChT between the groups (p > 0.05). The OSAS group had significantly thicker ChT at 0.5 and 1.5 mm nasal to the fovea in both eyes than the control group (p < 0.05). The peripapillary ChT were significantly thicker in the OSAS group at all segments except for the temporal and superotemporal segments when compared with the control group (p < 0.05 for all quadrants except temporal and superotemporal). When compared with controls, the OSAS group had significantly thinner nasal RNFL thickness in the right eye (p = 0.01) and thinner mean RNFL thickness in both eyes (p < 0.001). Other RNFL thickness measurements were similar between groups (p > 0.05). Between AHI and mean RNFL thickness showed a median negative correlation (r = - 0.411, p = 0.001). The choroidal thickening in patients with OSAS may be associated with the pathophysiology of the neurodegeneration process of the disease.
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Ozge, Gokhan; Koylu, Mehmet Talay; Mumcuoglu, Tarkan; Gundogan, Fatih Cakir; Ozgonul, Cem; Ayyildiz, Onder; Kucukevcilioglu, Murat
2016-05-01
To compare retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) and choroidal thickness (ChT) measurements in eyes with pseudoexfoliative (PEX) glaucoma, PEX syndrome and healthy control eyes. Eighteen patients with PEX glaucoma in one eye and PEX syndrome in the fellow eye were included. The right eyes of thirty-nine age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were included as control group. All participants underwent a detailed biomicroscopic and funduscopic examination. RNFLT and ChT measurements were performed with a commercially available spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). ChT measurements were performed by using enhanced depth imaging (EDI) mode. Patients with PEX underwent diurnal IOP measurements with 4-hour intervals before inclusion in the study. RNFLT results included the average measurement and 6 quadrants (temporal, inferotemporal, inferonasal, nasal, superonasal and supero-temporal). ChT measurements were performed in the subfoveal region and around the fovea (500µm and 1500 µm nasal and temporal to the fovea), as well as around the optic disc (average peripapillary and eight quadrants in the peripapillary region (temporal, inferotemporal, inferior, inferonasal, nasal, superonasal, superior, supero-temporal)). RNFLT in all quadrants and average thickness were significantly lower in PEX glaucoma eyes compared to PEX syndrome eyes and healthy control eyes (p<0.001 for both). RNFLT comparisons between PEX syndrome and healthy control eyes did not show a significant difference (p>0.05) except the inferotemporal quadrant. ChT measurements were similar between groups (p>0.05). Thinning of the RNFL in association with unchanged ChT may mean that the presence of PEX material is a much more significant risk factor than choroidal changes in the progression of PEX syndrome to PEX glaucoma.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Athanassas, C. D.; Vaiopoulos, A.; Kolokoussis, P.; Argialas, D.
2018-03-01
This study integrates two different computer vision approaches, namely the circular Hough transform (CHT) and the determinant of Hessian (DoH), to detect automatically the largest number possible of craters of any size on the digital terrain model (DTM) generated by the Mars Global Surveyor mission. Specifically, application of the standard version of CHT to the DTM captured a great number of craters with diameter smaller than 50 km only, failing to capture larger craters. On the other hand, DoH was successful in detecting craters that were undetected by CHT, but its performance was deterred by the irregularity of the topographic surface encompassed: strongly undulated and inclined (trended) topographies hindered crater detection. When run on a de-trended DTM (and keeping the topology unaltered) DoH scored higher. Current results, although not optimal, encourage combined use of CHT and DoH for routine crater detection undertakings.
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ChtVis-Tomato, a genetic reporter for in vivo visualization of chitin deposition in Drosophila
Sobala, Lukasz F.; Wang, Ying; Adler, Paul N.
2015-01-01
Chitin is a polymer of N-acetylglucosamine that is abundant and widely found in the biological world. It is an important constituent of the cuticular exoskeleton that plays a key role in the insect life cycle. To date, the study of chitin deposition during cuticle formation has been limited by the lack of a method to detect it in living organisms. To overcome this limitation, we have developed ChtVis-Tomato, an in vivo reporter for chitin in Drosophila. ChtVis-Tomato encodes a fusion protein that contains an apical secretion signal, a chitin-binding domain (CBD), a fluorescent protein and a cleavage site to release it from the plasma membrane. The chitin reporter allowed us to study chitin deposition in time lapse experiments and by using it we have identified unexpected deposits of chitin fibers in Drosophila pupae. ChtVis-Tomato should facilitate future studies on chitin in Drosophila and other insects. PMID:26395478
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Localisation of the high-affinity choline transporter-1 in the rat skeletal motor unit.
Lips, Katrin S; Pfeil, Uwe; Haberberger, Rainer V; Kummer, Wolfgang
2002-03-01
The rate-limiting step in neuronal acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis is the uptake of choline via a high-affinity transporter. We have generated antisera against the recently identified transporter CHT1 to investigate its distribution in rat motor neurons and skeletal muscle and have used these antisera in combination with (1) antisera against the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) to identify cholinergic synapses and (2) Alexa-488-labelled alpha-bungarotoxin to identify motor endplates. In the motor unit, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR have demonstrated that CHT1 is restricted to motoneurons and absent from the non-neuronal ACh-synthesizing elements, e.g. skeletal muscle fibres. In addition, CHT1 is also present in parasympathetic neurons of the tongue, as evidenced by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. CHT1 immunoreativity is principally found at all segments (perikaryon, dendrites, axon) of the motoneuron but is enriched at neuro-neuronal and neuro-muscular synapses. This preferential localisation matches well with its anticipated pivotal role in synaptic transmitter recycling and synthesis.
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Santarelli, Lindsey Ciali; Wassef, Ramez; Heinemann, Stefan H; Hoshi, Toshinori
2006-01-01
Methionine-directed oxidation of the human Slo1 potassium channel (hSlo1) shifts the half-activation voltage by −30 mV and markedly slows channel deactivation at low concentrations of intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i). We demonstrate here that the contemporaneous mutation of M536, M712 and M739 to leucine renders the channel functionally insensitive to methionine oxidation caused by the oxidant chloramine-T (Ch-T) without altering other functional characteristics. Coexpression with the auxiliary β1 subunit fails to restore the full oxidative sensitivity to this triple mutant channel. The Ch-T effect is mediated specifically by M536, M712 and M739 because even small changes in this residue combination interfere with the ability to remove the oxidant sensitivity following mutation. Replacement of M712 or M739, but not M536, with the hydrophilic residue glutamate largely mimics oxidation of the channel and essentially removes the Ch-T sensitivity, suggesting that M712 and M739 may be part of a hydrophobic pocket disrupted by oxidation of non-polar methionine to the more hydrophilic methionine sulfoxide. The increase in wild-type hSlo1 open probability caused by methionine oxidation disappears at high [Ca2+]i and biophysical modelling of the Ch-T effect on steady-state activation implicates a decrease in the allosteric coupling between Ca2+ binding and the pore. The dramatic increase in open probability at low [Ca2+]i especially within the physiological voltage range suggests that oxidation of M536, M712 or M739 may enhance the Slo1 BK activity during conditions of oxidative stress, such as those associated with ischaemia-reperfusion and neurodegenerative disease, or in response to metabolic cues. PMID:16396928
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Wang, San-Lang; Chen, Shin-Jen; Wang, Chuan-Lu
2008-05-19
A chitinase (CHT1) and a chitosanase (CHS1) were purified from the culture supernatant of Pseudomonas sp. TKU015 with shrimp shell wastes as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. The optimized conditions of this new species strain (Gen Bank Accession Number EU103629) for the production of chitinases were found to be when the culture was shaken at 30 degrees C for 3 days in 100 mL of medium (pH 8) containing 0.5% shrimp shell powder (SSP) (w/v), 0.1% K2HPO4, and 0.05% MgSO(4).7H2O. The molecular weights of CHT1 and CHS1 determined by SDS-PAGE were approximately 68 kDa and 30 kDa, respectively. The optimum pH, optimum temperature, pH stability, and the thermal stability of CHT1 and CHS1 were pH 6, 50 degrees C, pH 5-7, <50 degrees C and pH 4, 50 degrees C, pH 3-9, <50 degrees C, respectively. CHT1 was inhibited completely by Mn2+ and Fe2+, and CHS1 was inhibited by Mn2+, Cu2+, and PMSF. CHT1 was only specific to chitin substrates, whereas the relative activity of CHS1 increased when the degree of deacetylation of soluble chitosan increased.
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Effect of anode position on the performance characteristics of a low-power cylindrical Hall thruster
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gao, Yuanyuan; Liu, Hui; Hu, Peng; Huang, Hongyan; Yu, Daren
2017-06-01
In this paper, the design of a new cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) is presented. Its anode is separated from the gas distributor, which is made of ceramic. The effect of the anode position on the performance characteristics of the CHT was investigated by mounting a series of anodes with different radii inside the CHT. It is found that progressively positioning the anode away from the axis along the radial direction increases the ion current and reduces the electron current. Meanwhile, the peak energy in the ion energy distribution function increases, and the shape of the ion energy distribution function noticeably narrows; the ion beam in the plume converges. It is suggested that moving the anode away from the axis may strengthen the electron confinement, thus optimizing the ionization efficiency. Additionally, the electric field near the anode appears to deflect toward the axis, which may promote the collimation of the ion beam in the plume. As a result, the overall performance of the CHT is significantly enhanced in our proposed design.
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Razek-Desouky, A; Specht, C A; Soong, L; Vinetz, J M
2001-12-01
Leishmania parasites produce chitinase activity (EC. 3.2.1.14) thought to be important in parasite-sandfly interactions and transmission of the parasite to the vertebrate host. Previous observations have suggested that parasite chitinases are involved in degradation of the sandfly peritrophic matrix and the chitinous layer of the cardiac valve cuticle. This chitinase activity is thought to produce an incompetent pharyngeal valve sphincter and a route of egress that allow Leishmania promastigotes to be regurgitated into the site of blood feeding. In the studies reported here, enzymatically active L. donovani chitinase LdCHT1 was expressed as a thioredoxin fusion protein in Escherichia coli strain AD494 (DE3). Recombinant LdCHT1 had a predominantly endochitinase activity, in contrast to previous reports of both exo- and endochitinase activities in axenic culture supernatants of diverse Leishmania spp. promastigotes. The predominant endochitinase activity of recombinant LdCHT1 is consistent with the presumed function of the enzyme in disrupting chitinous structures in the sandfly digestive system to allow transmission. Copyright 2001 Elsevier Science (USA).
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Salerno, Simona; Messina, Antonietta; Giordano, Francesca; Bader, Augustinus; Drioli, Enrico; De Bartolo, Loredana
2017-02-01
Dermal-epidermal membrane systems were developed by co-culturing human keratinocytes with Skin derived Stem Cells (SSCs), which are Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) isolated from dermis, on biodegradable membranes of chitosan (CHT), polycaprolactone (PCL) and a polymeric blend of CHT and PCL. The membranes display physico-chemical, morphological, mechanical and biodegradation properties that could satisfy and fulfil specific requirements in skin tissue engineering. CHT membrane exhibits an optimal biodegradation rate for acute wounds; CHT-PCL for the chronic ones. On the other hand, PCL membrane in spite of its very slow biodegradation rate exhibits mechanical properties similar to in vivo dermis, a lower hydrophilic character, and a surface roughness, all properties that make it able to sustain cell adhesion and proliferation for in vitro skin models. Both CHT-PCL and PCL membranes guided epidermal and dermal differentiation of SSCs as pointed out by the expression of cytokeratins and the deposition of the ECM protein fibronectin, respectively. In the dermal-epidermal membrane systems, a more suitable microenvironment for the SSCs differentiation was promoted by the interactions and the mutual interplay with keratinocytes. Being skin tissue-biased stem cells committed to their specific final dermal and/or epidermal cell differentiation, SSCs are more suitable for skin tissue engineering than other adult MSCs with different origin. For this reason, they represent a useful autologous cell source for engineering skin substitutes for both in vivo and in vitro applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Nota, N M; Dekker, M J H J; Klaver, M; Wiepjes, C M; van Trotsenburg, M A; Heijboer, A C; den Heijer, M
2017-08-01
The cause of prolactin alterations in transgender persons is often assigned to oestrogens, but the precise cause and time course during different phases of cross-sex hormone treatment (CHT) remain unclear. In this study, we prospectively examined prolactin levels in 55 female-to-males (FtMs) and 61 male-to-females (MtFs) during the first year of CHT. Because long-term prolactin data were not available in this population, we studied these levels in a retrospective population of 25 FtMs and 38 MtFs who underwent gonadectomy. FtMs were treated with testosterone and MtFs with estradiol, with or without the anti-androgen cyproterone acetate (CPA) (after gonadectomy CPA is cessated). During the first year of CHT, prolactin decreased with 25% (95CI: -33%, -12%) in FtMs and increased with 193% (95CI: 156%, 219%) in MtFs. Eighteen MtFs developed hyperprolactinemia (≥0.6 IU L -1 ). In the retrospective population, post-gonadectomy levels in FtMs were lower than baseline levels (-39%; 95CI: -51%, -20%) while in MtFs post-gonadectomy levels and baseline levels were comparable (-6%; 95CI: -24%, 15%). No hyperprolactinemia was found after gonadectomy. In conclusion, in FtMs, prolactin decreased consistently during CHT and in MtFs, prolactin increased during pre-surgical CHT but normalised after gonadectomy. It is likely that CPA induces increasing prolactin levels in MtFs. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
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Wang, Zhiwei; Huang, Jiexun; Chen, Jinyuan; Li, Feili
2013-08-01
Washing is the most practical way to remove pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. Two commonly used kitchen dishwashing liquids (detergents) in Chinese market were tested for enhanced removal of chlorpyrifos (CHP) and chlorothalonil (CHT) in cherry tomatoes by soaking the cherry tomatoes in the detergent solutions. The critical micelle concentrations of detergent A and detergent B were about 250 mg L(-1) and 444 mg L(-1), respectively. Detergent A had a higher solubilizing ability for pesticides and hence washing effectiveness than detergent B. The apparent solubility of CHP increased with increasing detergent concentration, while that of CHT remained comparatively invariant independent of detergent concentration within the tested range. The apparent solubility of CHP was also consistently higher in solutions of both detergents as compared to CHT. Due probably to its lower logKow value, CHT was more readily washed off cherry tomatoes than CHP. In terms of washing, a duration of 10-20 min was sufficient for removal of pesticides on cherry tomatoes in distilled water and detergent solutions. The effectiveness of removing pesticides increased with increasing detergent concentration from 50 mg L(-1) to 5 g L(-1), with up to 80% CHT and 42% CHP removed. Multiple washing further increased pesticide removal. Adding 10% acetic acid to lower pH or increasing washing temperature favored pesticide removal, but 10% NaCl produced the shielding effect and substantially reduced the effectiveness of detergent A for pesticide removal. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
This study is focused on the characterization and expression of genes in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, encoding proteins that possess six-cysteine-containing chitin-binding domains (CBDs) related to the peritrophin A domain (ChtBD2). An exhaustive bioinformatics search of the genome of...
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Cicconi, L; Divona, M; Ciardi, C; Ottone, T; Ferrantini, A; Lavorgna, S; Alfonso, V; Paoloni, F; Piciocchi, A; Avvisati, G; Ferrara, F; Di Bona, E; Albano, F; Breccia, M; Cerqui, E; Sborgia, M; Kropp, M G; Santoro, A; Levis, A; Sica, S; Amadori, S; Voso, M T; Mandelli, F; Lo-Coco, F
2016-10-01
The APL0406 study showed that arsenic trioxide (ATO) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) are not inferior to standard ATRA and chemotherapy (CHT) in newly diagnosed, low-intermediaterisk acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL). We analysed the kinetics of promyelocytic leukaemia-retinoic acid receptor-α (PML-RARα) transcripts by real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) in bone marrow samples from 184 patients and assessed the prognostic impact of fms-related tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) in 159 patients enrolled in this trial in Italy. After induction therapy, the reduction of PML-RARα transcripts was significantly greater in patients receiving ATRA-CHT as compared with those treated with ATRA-ATO (3.4 vs 2.9 logs; P=0.0182). Conversely, at the end of consolidation, a greater log reduction of PML-RARα transcripts was detected in the ATRA-ATO as compared with the ATRA-CHT group (6.3 vs 5.3 logs; P=0.0024). FLT3-ITD mutations had no significant impact on either event-free survival (EFS) or cumulative incidence of relapse in patients receiving ATRA-ATO, whereas a trend for inferior EFS was observed in FLT3-ITD-positive patients receiving ATRA-CHT. Our study shows at the molecular level that ATRA-ATO exerts at least equal and probably superior antileukaemic efficacy compared with ATRA-CHT in low-intermediaterisk APL. The data also suggest that ATRA-ATO may abrogate the negative prognostic impact of FLT3-ITD.
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The CHT2 Project: Diachronic 3d Reconstruction of Historic Sites
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Guidi, G.; Micoli, L.; Gonizzi Barsanti, S.; Malik, U.
2017-08-01
Digital modelling archaeological and architectural monuments in their current state and in their presumed past aspect has been recognized not only as a way for explaining to the public the genesis of a historical site, but also as an effective tool for research. The search for historical sources, their proper analysis and interdisciplinary relationship between technological disciplines and the humanities are fundamental for obtaining reliable hypothetical reconstructions. This paper presents an experimental activity defined by the project Cultural Heritage Through Time - CHT2 (http://cht2-project.eu), funded in the framework of the Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage (JPI-CH) of the European Commission. Its goal is to develop time-varying 3D products, from landscape to architectural scale, deals with the implementation of the methodology on one of the case studies: the late Roman circus of Milan, built in the era when the city was the capital of the Western Roman Empire (286-402 A.D). The work presented here covers one of the cases in which the physical evidences have now been almost entirely disappeared. The diachronic reconstruction is based on a proper mix of quantitative data originated by 3D surveys at present time, and historical sources like ancient maps, drawings, archaeological reports, archaeological restrictions decrees and old photographs. Such heterogeneous sources have been first georeferenced and then properly integrated according to the methodology defined in the framework of the CHT2 project, to hypothesize a reliable reconstruction of the area in different historical periods.
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Ghosh, Catherine; Mondal, Tridib; Bhattacharyya, Kankan
2017-05-15
Effect of gold nanoclusters (Au-NCs) on the circular dichroism (CD) spectra and enzymatic activity of α-chymotrypsin (ChT) (towards hydrolysis of a substrate, N-succinyl-l-phenylalanine p-nitroanilide) are studied. The CD spectra indicate that on binding to Au-NC, ChT is completely unfolded, resulting in nearly zero ellipticity. α-chymotrypsin (ChT) coated gold nano-clusters exhibit almost no enzymatic activity. Addition of glutathione (GSH) or oxidized glutathione (GSSG) restore the enzyme activity of α-chymotrypsin by 30-45%. ChT coated Au-NC exhibits two emission maxima-one at 480nm (corresponding to Au 10 ) and one at 640nm (Au 25 ). On addition of glutathione (GSH) or oxidized glutathione (GSSG) the emission peak at 640nm vanishes and only one peak at 480nm (Au 10 ) remains. MALDI mass spectrometry studies suggest addition of glutathione (GSH) to α-chymotrypsin capped Au-NCs results in the formation of glutathione-capped Au-NCs and α-chymotrypsin is released from Au-NCs. CD spectroscopy indicates that the conformation of the released α-chymotrypsin is different from that of the native α-chymotrypsin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Effects on grape amino acid concentration through foliar application of three different elicitors.
Gutiérrez-Gamboa, G; Portu, J; Santamaría, P; López, R; Garde-Cerdán, T
2017-09-01
Elicitors play an important role in the defense against pathogens as an alternative to chemical pesticides by increasing secondary metabolites. Their effect on grape amino acid has been little investigated. Thus, the aim of this research was to study the influence of methyl jasmonate (MeJ), chitosan (CHT), and a yeast extract (YE) on grape amino acid composition, through foliar applications to grapevines. The must amino acid concentration was analyzed by HPLC. The results showed that CHT and YE treatments decreased the must concentration of several amino acids, affecting total amino acid content (from 2364 to 1961, and 1818mg/L, respectively). However, MeJ treatment had a slight effect on grape amino acid content, increasing the concentration of Met (from 8.95 to 12.13mg/L) and Phe (from 7.96 to 9.29mg/L). It seems to be that, the resistance induction through CHT and YE treatments results in physiological costs to grapevines associated with a decrease on grape amino acid concentration. Consequently, MeJ applications, as a viticultural practice, could be a better tool than CHT and YE treatments, because did not affect grape amino acid concentration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Cross-sex hormone therapy for gender dysphoria.
Fabris, B; Bernardi, S; Trombetta, C
2015-03-01
Gender identity is the sense one has of being male or female. Gender dysphoria (GD) refers to the distress caused by the incongruence between gender identity and biological sex in gender-nonconforming individuals. Cross-sex hormone therapy (CHT) aims at easing GD, improving well-being, and quality of life of gender-nonconforming individuals. This can be achieved by inducing and maintaining the desired-sex characteristics in accordance with the specific aspirations and expectations of each individual. Nevertheless, CHT can be associated with potentially serious long-term complications. Here, we review when, how, and how long to prescribe CHT to adult transsexuals as well as what to expect and monitor once it has been initiated. In recent years, transsexualism has become more and more recognized and depathologized. To manage GD, National and International Standards of Care have been established. Nevertheless, the needs of transgender patients can still be ignored or dismissed. Moreover, some questions remain unanswered because of the lack of specific retrospective or prospective studies on CHT. Education and culturally sensitive training must be supplied to healthcare professionals to overcome the existing issues on GD management and change the perspectives of transsexual people.
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Borsa, J; Sargent, M D; Long, D G; Chapman, J D
1973-02-01
Activation of reovirus transcriptase activity, latent in intact virions, by digestion of purified virions with chymotrypsin (CHT) in vitro shows a stringent requirement for specific monovalent cations. Cs(+), Rb(+), or K(+) ions are capable of facilitating activation by chymotryptic digestion. Na(+), Li(+), or NH(4) (+) ions are not capable of facilitating the CHT activation of polymerase activity and are antagonistic towards the effects of the facilitating ions. The data indicate that the effect of the cations is exerted on activation of the polymerase activity by CHT as opposed to an effect on polymerization per se. This effect may be important biologically in that it provides a mechanism whereby the virion can sense whether it is in an intracellular or an extracellular environment and thereby can avoid premature uncoating.
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Hepp, Philip; Andergassen, Ulrich; Jäger, Bernadette; Trapp, Elisabeth; Alunni-Fabbroni, Marianna; Friedl, Thomas W P; Hecker, Nadeschda; Lorenz, Ralf; Fasching, Peter; Schneeweiss, Andreas; Fehm, Tanja; Janni, Wolfgang; Rack, Brigitte
2016-09-01
Evidence for the prognostic value of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in early-stage breast cancer is swiftly increasing. An alternative approach for identifying patients at risk for recurrence is based on the detection of the mucin-1 (MUC1)-based tumor marker CA27.29. Here we report the association of these two prognostic markers before and immediately after chemotherapy (CHT), as well as after 2 and 5 years of follow-up. The SUCCESS trial compared fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel vs. FEC followed by docetaxel plus gemcitabine, and 2 vs. 5 years of treatment with zoledronic acid in 3,754 patients with node-positive or high-risk node-negative early-stage breast cancer. CA27.29 was measured with the ST AIA-PACK CA27.29 reagent (Tosoh Bioscience, Belgium). The cutoff for CA27.29 positivity was >31 U/ml. CTCs were assessed with the CellSearch System (Veridex, USA). The cutoff for CTC positivity was ≥1 CTC/15 ml whole blood. The relationship between CTC positivity and CA27.29 positivity was assessed based on Chi-square statistics and Cramer's V, which varies from 0 (no association between the variables) to 1 (complete association). Samples for CA27.29 and CTC determinations during follow-up were only drawn from patients that had no relapse. Both CA27.29 and CTC data were available for 1,981, 1,602, 1,159 and 707 patients before, immediately after and at 2 and 5 years after CHT, respectively. Positivity rates for CTC were 21.3%, 22.8%, 18.6% and 8.5%, respectively. CA27.29 was positive in 7.9%, 21.0%, 2.8%and 7.5%, respectively. Positivity for both CA27.29 and CTC was found in 2.4%, 4.2%, 0.7% and 1.8% of patients, respectively. The association between CA27.29 and CTC was significant but weak before CHT (p=0.0015; Cramer's V=0.063) and 5 years after CHT (p<0.001; Cramer's V=0.164), and not significant immediately after CHT (p=0.162; Cramer's V=0.035) and 2 years after (p=0.349; Cramer's V=0.028). We showed that CTC and CA27.29 positivity were significantly, but only weakly associated before CHT and 5 years after CHT, while no significant association was found immediately or 2 years after CHT during the course of early-stage breast cancer. It, therefore, seems reasonable to further evaluate the prognostic value of CTCs and CA27.29 as a combined prognostic test of two potentially independent markers that might provide complementary prognostic information. Copyright© 2016 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.
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Implications of changing national policies on land use in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.
Thapa, Gopal B; Rasul, Golam
2006-12-01
Land use in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh had undergone changes over the past several centuries. The landscape, which was mostly covered with forest with interspersed shifting cultivation plots until the beginning of the colonial period, has gradually changed into a landscape with a blend of land uses. Overall, the forest area has gradually declined, while the area under shifting cultivation and sedentary agriculture has expanded. The process of the change was multi-directional. National forestry, land use, land taxation, population migration policies, and development activities, such as construction of a hydroelectric dam and roads, played an important role in this process. Shifting cultivation had inflicted little damage on the forest until the beginning of the colonial period. The pace of deforestation accelerated with the nationalization of forests which abolished tribal people's customary use and management rights to the forest, and allowed large-scale commercial logging both legally and illegally. The pace was further intensified by the policy encouraging population migration to CHT and construction of a reservoir on the Karnafuli River. Efforts were made to replace shifting cultivation with more productive types of sedentary agriculture. However, much change could not take place in the absence of secure land rights, supportive trade policies, and the required support services and facilities, including infrastructure. Locationally suitable land use evolved in areas where transportation facilities were available and farmers were granted land title with the necessary extension services and credit facilities. These findings have important policy implications for the promotion of environmentally and economically sound land use in CHT.
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Emilse, Ledesma Achem Miryam; Cecilia, Haro; María, Terán Magdalena; Eugenia, Mónaco María; Alicia, Issé Blanca; Lazarte, Sandra Stella
2018-03-01
Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is a chronic hemolytic anemia characterized by microspherocytes in the peripheral blood and increased erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF). This study evaluated the cryohemolysis test (CHT); initial hemolysis (IH); immediate and incubated hemolysis percentage in 5.5 g/L NaCl (H5.5); mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC); red blood cell distribution width (RDW); and Hb/MCHC, Hb/RDW, and MCHC/RDW ratios for the diagnosis of HS. Data from 13 patients with HS were evaluated at the Instituto de Bioquímica Aplicada and compared with data from 14 unaffected individuals and 11 patients with anemia due to another etiology. Total blood and reticulocyte counts, CHT, and immediate and incubated EOF were performed in all subjects; sensitivity, specificity, efficiency, and Youden index (YI) were calculated. Eight patients with HS had MCHC ≥345 g/L, 10 had RDW ≥14.5%, 12 had IH >5.0 g/L, 11 had immediate H5.5 ≥5%, and 13 had incubated H5.5 ≥50% (the cut-off value to consider HS). The efficiency and YI were: immediate H5.5 (0.94-0.85), incubated H5.5 (0.89-0.82), IH (0.89-0.78), MCHC (0.87-0.62), CHT (0.84-0.54), and Hb/MCHC (0.71-0.56), respectively. The calculated ratios could distinguish subjects with HS from unaffected individuals ( P <0.05), but not those with anemia of another etiology ( P >0.05). Although the CHT and supplementary hematimetric indexes were useful to differentiate individuals with SH from healthy controls, they cannot distinguish from anemias of other etiology. CHT and MCHC, in addition to EOF, are recommended for diagnosing HS patients because of their low cost and efficiency.
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Witcomb, Gemma L; Bouman, Walter Pierre; Claes, Laurence; Brewin, Nicola; Crawford, John R; Arcelus, Jon
2018-08-01
Depression is a serious disorder which significantly impacts wellbeing and quality of life. Studies exploring mental wellbeing in the transgender population are mostly limited by small, non-homogenous samples and lack of matched controls. This study aimed to address these limitations and explore depression rates in a large sample of transgender people, compared with matched controls from the general population, as well as factors predicting depression in those taking cross-sex hormone treatment (CHT) compared to those not. Transgender individuals (n = 913) completed a measure of depression, measures which predict psychopathology (self-esteem, victimization, social support, interpersonal problems), and information regarding CHT use. Participants were matched by age and experienced gender with adults from the general population who had completed the measure of depression. Individuals were categorized as having no, possible or probable depressive disorder. Transgender individuals not on CHT had a nearly four-fold increased risk of probable depressive disorder, compared to controls. Older age, lower self-esteem, poorer interpersonal function and less social support predicted depressive disorder. Use of CHT was associated with less depression. Participants were attending a national gender identity service and therefore represent only a sub-group of transgender people. Due to the cross-sectional design, longitudinal research is required to fully confirm the finding that CHT use reduces depression. This study confirms that non-treated transgender individuals have an increased risk of a depressive disorder. Interventions offered alongside gender affirming treatment to develop interpersonal skills, increase self-esteem and improve social support may reduce depression and prepare individuals for a more successful transition. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Allen, Jeffrey; Donahue, Bernadine; Mehta, Minesh
2009-07-15
Purpose: To verify feasibility and monitor progression-free survival and overall survival in children with high-risk medulloblastoma and noncerebellar primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) treated in a Phase II study with preradiotherapy chemotherapy (CHT) followed by high-dose, hyperfractionated craniospinal radiotherapy (CSRT). Methods and Materials: Eligibility criteria included age >3 years at diagnosis, medulloblastoma with either high M stage and/or >1.5 cm{sup 2} postoperative residual disease, and all patients with noncerebellar PNET. Treatment was initiated with five alternating monthly cycles of CHT (A [cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and vincristine], B [carboplatin and etoposide], A, B, and A) followed by hyperfractionated CSRT (40 Gy) withmore » a boost to the primary tumor (72 Gy) given in twice-daily 1-Gy fractions. Results: The valid study group consisted of 124 patients whose median age at diagnosis was 7.8 years. Eighty-four patients (68%) completed the entire protocol according to study guidelines (within 9 months), and the median time to complete CSRT was 1.6 months. Major reasons for failure to complete CHT included progressive disease (17%) and toxic death (2.4%). The 5-year progression-free survival and overall survival rates were 43% {+-} 5% and 52% {+-} 5%, respectively. No significant differences were detected in subset analysis related to response to CHT, site of primary tumor, postoperative residual disease, or M stage. Conclusions: The feasibility of this intensive multimodality protocol was confirmed, and response to pre-RT CHT did not impact on survival. Survival data from this protocol can not be compared with data from other studies, given the protocol design.« less
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Borsa, J.; Sargent, M. D.; Long, D. G.; Chapman, J. D.
1973-01-01
Activation of reovirus transcriptase activity, latent in intact virions, by digestion of purified virions with chymotrypsin (CHT) in vitro shows a stringent requirement for specific monovalent cations. Cs+, Rb+, or K+ ions are capable of facilitating activation by chymotryptic digestion. Na+, Li+, or NH4+ ions are not capable of facilitating the CHT activation of polymerase activity and are antagonistic towards the effects of the facilitating ions. The data indicate that the effect of the cations is exerted on activation of the polymerase activity by CHT as opposed to an effect on polymerization per se. This effect may be important biologically in that it provides a mechanism whereby the virion can sense whether it is in an intracellular or an extracellular environment and thereby can avoid premature uncoating. PMID:4347424
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Vinetz, J M; Valenzuela, J G; Specht, C A; Aravind, L; Langer, R C; Ribeiro, J M; Kaslow, D C
2000-04-07
The Plasmodium ookinete produces chitinolytic activity that allows the parasite to penetrate the chitin-containing peritrophic matrix surrounding the blood meal in the mosquito midgut. Since the peritrophic matrix is a physical barrier that the parasite must cross to invade the mosquito, and the presence of allosamidin, a chitinase inhibitor, in a blood meal prevents the parasite from invading the midgut epithelium, chitinases (3.2.1.14) are potential targets of malaria parasite transmission-blocking interventions. We have purified a chitinase of the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium gallinaceum and cloned the gene, PgCHT1, encoding it. PgCHT1 encodes catalytic and substrate-binding sites characteristic of family 18 glycohydrolases. Expressed in Escherichia coli strain AD494 (DE3), recombinant PgCHT1 was found to hydrolyze polymeric chitin, native chitin oligosaccharides, and 4-methylumbelliferone derivatives of chitin oligosaccharides. Allosamidin inhibited recombinant PgCHT1 with an IC(50) of 7 microM and differentially inhibited two chromatographically separable P. gallinaceum ookinete-produced chitinase activities with IC(50) values of 7 and 12 microM, respectively. These two chitinase activities also had different pH activity profiles. These data suggest that the P. gallinaceum ookinete uses products of more than one chitinase gene to initiate mosquito midgut invasion.
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Polymeric membranes modulate human keratinocyte differentiation in specific epidermal layers.
Salerno, Simona; Morelli, Sabrina; Giordano, Francesca; Gordano, Amalia; Bartolo, Loredana De
2016-10-01
In vitro models of human bioengineered skin substitutes are an alternative to animal experimentation for testing the effects and toxicity of drugs, cosmetics and pollutants. For the first time specific and distinct human epidermal strata were engineered by using membranes and keratinocytes. To this purpose, biodegradable membranes of chitosan (CHT), polycaprolactone (PCL) and a polymeric blend of CHT-PCL were prepared by phase-inversion technique and characterized in order to evaluate their morphological, physico-chemical and mechanical properties. The capability of membranes to modulate keratinocyte differentiation inducing specific interactions in epidermal membrane systems was investigated. The overall results demonstrated that the membrane properties strongly influence the cell morpho-functional behaviour of human keratinocytes, modulating their terminal differentiation, with the creation of specific epidermal strata or a fully proliferative epidermal multilayer system. In particular, human keratinocytes adhered on CHT and CHT-PCL membranes, forming the structure of the epidermal top layers, such as the corneum and granulosum strata, characterized by withdrawal or reduction from the cell cycle and cell proliferation. On the PCL membrane, keratinocytes developed an epidermal basal lamina, with high proliferating cells that stratified and migrated over time to form a complete differentiating epidermal multilayer system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Fencl, Pavel; Belohlavek, Otakar; Harustiak, Tomas; Zemanova, Milada
2012-11-01
When applying the PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors protocol, a threshold value based on standardized uptake value corrected to lean body mass (SUL) in liver parenchyma, or in the blood pool, is used: to metabolically specify a measurable lesion; to calculate metabolic tumor volume (mTV) and its product total lesion glycolysis (TLG); and as a limit for response measurement. The problem with using changes in glucose metabolism as a marker for response to therapy is its reproducibility on test-retest examinations. Therefore, before the evaluation of tumor treatment response, we verified our diagnostic protocol for homogeneity using the PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors quality parameters. In addition, we analyzed the effect of the time span between examinations on the average value of SUL (SUL MEAN) in liver parenchyma at three different points: first at baseline (BL), after the first course of chemotherapy (ChT1), and finally after finishing therapy (ChT3). We also analyzed the influence of SUL MEAN variation on mTV and TLG. Eighty-four patients with esophageal cancer were prospectively examined at BL using 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG)-PET/CT; 53 of 84 patients were examined after ChT1, 47 of 84 after ChT3, and 41 of 84 underwent all three examinations. Coefficient of variance (CV) and relative differences (RDw) were assessed for test-retest liver SUL values. The influence of liver SUL MEAN to mTV and TLG was modeled on BL examinations by artificial changes in liver SUL MEAN by ± 20%. No significant differences were found in test-retest liver SUL MEAN values. Comparing BL with ChT1, BL with ChT3, and ChT1 with ChT3, the CV of the liver SUL MEAN was 10.4, 10.7, and 10.3%; nevertheless, in 34.0, 38.3, and 36.6% of these examinations, respectively, the liver average SUL MEAN values exceeded the limit for inclusion in the study; that is, the difference was less than ± 0.3 U and ± 20%. The corresponding CV of blood background was 14.9, 16.5, and 17.2%. The artificial decrease of -20% in the liver SUL MEAN resulted in an increase of +43.6% in mTV and of +20.4% in TLG, whereas an increase of +20% in the liver SUL MEAN resulted in a decrease of -20.6% in mTV and -11.9% in TLG. SUL MEAN values in reference tissues (liver parenchyma or descending aorta) measured before chemotherapy did not differ significantly from those measured during chemotherapy. The CV of liver SUL MEAN was comparable to that seen in published data, but some patients had to be excluded from the study because of the individual variability of their mean liver SUL MEAN, which consequently hinders the clinical usage of mTV and TLG. Even in the standardized protocol, all potential sources of variability should be minimized.
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Ion Velocity Distribution in a Low-Power Cylindrical Hall Thruster
2010-07-01
profile inside a CHT – the magnetic field lines are believed to form equipotential surfaces , creating an electric field that has a significant axial...centerline of the channel. The resulting equipotential surfaces provide an electric field profile with a significant outward pointing radial component...pole and creating a region of the channel with a low surface -to-volume area (a cylindrical region), the CHT as developed by Princeton University reduces
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Taghian, Alphonse G; Assaad, Sherif I; Niemierko, Andrzej; Floyd, Scott R; Powell, Simon N
2005-06-01
To evaluate and quantify the effect of irradiated lung volume, radiation dose, and paclitaxel chemotherapy on the development of radiation pneumonitis (RP) in breast cancer patients with positive lymph nodes. We previously reported the incidence of RP among 41 patients with breast cancer treated with radiotherapy (RT) and adjuvant paclitaxel-containing chemotherapy. We recorded the central lung distance, a measure of the extent of lung included in the RT volume, in these patients. We used this measure and the historical and observed rates of RP in our series to model the lung tolerance to RT in patients receiving chemotherapy (CHT) both with and without paclitaxel. To evaluate the risk factors for the development of RP, we performed a case-control study comparing paclitaxel-treated patients who developed RP with those who did not, and a second case-control study comparing patients receiving paclitaxel in addition to standard CHT/RT (n = 41) and controls receiving standard CHT/RT alone (n = 192). The actuarial rate of RP in the paclitaxel-treated group was 15.4% compared with 0.9% among breast cancer patients treated with RT and non-paclitaxel-containing CHT. Our mathematical model found that the effective lung tolerance for patients treated with paclitaxel was reduced by approximately 24%. No statistically significant difference was found with regard to the dose delivered to specific radiation fields, dose per fraction, central lung distance, or percentage of lung irradiated in the case-control study of paclitaxel-treated patients who developed RP compared with those who did not. In the comparison of 41 patients receiving RT and CHT with paclitaxel and 192 matched controls receiving RT and CHT without paclitaxel, the only significant differences identified were the more frequent use of a supraclavicular radiation field and a decrease in the RT lung dose among the paclitaxel-treated patients. This finding indicates that the major factor associated with development of RP was paclitaxel treatment. The use of paclitaxel chemotherapy and RT in the primary treatment of node-positive breast cancer is likely to increase the incidence of RP. In patients treated with paclitaxel, reducing the percentage of lung irradiated by 24% should reduce the risk of RP to 1%, according to our calculations of lung tolerance. Future clinical trials using combination CHT that includes paclitaxel and RT should carefully evaluate the incidence and severity of RP and should also accurately monitor the extent of lung included within the RT volume to develop safe guidelines for the delivery of what is becoming standard therapy for node-positive breast cancer.
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Singh, P; Medronho, B; Alves, L; da Silva, G J; Miguel, M G; Lindman, B
2017-11-01
Novel carboxymethyl cellulose-chitosan (CMC-Cht) hybrid micro- and macroparticles were successfully prepared in aqueous media either by drop-wise addition or via nozzle-spray methods. The systems were either physically or chemically crosslinked using genipin as the reticulation agent. The macroparticles (ca. 2mm) formed are found to be essentially of the core-shell type, while the microparticles (ca. 5μm) are apparently homogeneous. The crosslinked particles are robust, thermally resistant and less sensitive to pH changes. On the other hand, the physical systems are pH sensitive presenting a remarkable swelling at pH 7.4, while little swelling is observed at pH 2.4. Furthermore, model probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG) was for the first time successfully encapsulated in the CMC-Cht based particles with acceptable viability count. Overall, the systems developed are highly promising for probiotic encapsulation and potential delivery in the intestinal tract with the purpose of modulating gut microbiota and improving human health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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User profiles and personas in the design and development of consumer health technologies.
LeRouge, Cynthia; Ma, Jiao; Sneha, Sweta; Tolle, Kristin
2013-11-01
"The graying of the globe" has resulted in exponential rise in health care expenses, over-worked health care professionals and a growing patient base suffering from multiple chronic diseases, one of which is diabetes. Consumer health technologies (CHT) are considered important catalysts for empowering health care consumers to take a proactive role in managing their health and related costs. Adoption rate and usability of such devices among the aging is far from being satisfactory. Past studies noted the motivation for adoption by the aging is dependent on the suitability/relevance, perceived usability and anticipated benefits associated with usage of technological innovation. Traditional information technology (IT) development adopts a systematic approach without necessarily using a specific user model that personalizes the system to the aging user groups. The aging patient population has unique needs arising from progressive deterioration in both physiological and psychological abilities. These needs are often ignored in the design, development, trial and adoption of consumer health products resulting in low adoption and usage. The main objective of this research is to investigate the user-centered design (UCD), specifically user profiles and personas, as methodological tools to inform the design and development of CHT devices for an aging population. The adoption of user profile and persona has not received much attention in health care informatics research and, in particular, research involving CHT. Our work begins to fill this void in three ways. We (1) illuminate the process of developing CHT user profiles and personas for a Chinese elder population with a demanding health care needs, i.e., self-management of chronic diabetes, with the hope that the resulting profiles and personas may be used as foundational material for informing the design, development and evaluation of CHT in other similar contexts; (2) call attention to how to further enhance and complement traditional user profile and persona techniques for CHT design by integrating cognitive structures and present behavior that drive health care thinking, future behavior and demand; (3) show how the profiles and personas can be used to inform requirements, design and implementation decisions for a technology aimed at facilitating CHT adoption and diffusion for the elderly. To exemplify process and application, we use an action-research methodology, where user profiles and personas of an aging patient population were developed. The resultant profiles and personas were leveraged to improve the design, development and implementation plans of a smart phone application to assist chronically ill aging Chinese diabetic population capable of disease self-management. The results from the study show that user profile and persona can be a valuable methodological approach in capturing the conceptual model of the aging and informing the design and development decisions of CHT. The demonstration of techniques used in this study can serve as a guideline to CHT developers in bringing conceptual user modeling into the design of software interfaces targeted for users with specific health care needs. Specifically, the study provides guidance on the creation and use of profiles and personas to tap into the conceptual models of the targeted elderly population reflecting their preferences, capabilities and attitudes towards using technology in self-management care in general and the smart phone diabetes management application in particular. Insight into the mental model of the aging group has been shown to inform later stages of UCD development (e.g., the creation of prototypes and usability testing) as well as implementation and adoption strategies. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2025, 80% of all new cases of diabetes are expected to appear in the developing countries. In fact, the number of diabetic patients in China is estimated to rise to 42.3 million in 2030 from 20.8 million in 2000. Thus, we investigate the Chinese aging population in order to demonstrate the process of developing and using user profile and persona. We hope that the resultant conceptual model of the Chinese aging diabetic population can be used in future research to guide CHT designers interested in designing health care devices for this vulnerable user group. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Patterson, Richard; Hammoud, Ahmad; Elbuluk, Malik
2008-01-01
A new operational amplifier chip based on silicon-on-insulator technology was evaluated for potential use in extreme temperature environments. The CHT-OPA device is a low power, precision operational amplifier with rail-to-rail output swing capability, and it is rated for operation between -55 C and +225 C. A unity gain inverting circuit was constructed utilizing the CHT-OPA chip and a few passive components. The circuit was evaluated in the temperature range from -190 C to +200 C in terms of signal gain and phase shift, and supply current. The investigations were carried out to determine suitability of this device for use in space exploration missions and aeronautic applications under wide temperature incursion. Re-restart capability at extreme temperatures, i.e. power switched on while the device was soaked at extreme temperatures, was also investigated. In addition, the effects of thermal cycling under a wide temperature range on the operation of this high performance amplifier were determined. The results from this work indicate that this silicon-on-insulator amplifier chip maintained very good operation between +200 C and -190 C. The limited thermal cycling had no effect on the performance of the amplifier, and it was able to re-start at both -190 C and +200 C. In addition, no physical degradation or packaging damage was introduced due to either extreme temperature exposure or thermal cycling. The good performance demonstrated by this silicon-on-insulator operational amplifier renders it a potential candidate for use in space exploration missions or other environments under extreme temperatures. Additional and more comprehensive characterization is, however, required to establish the reliability and suitability of such devices for long term use in extreme temperature applications.
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Performance of a Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thruster Using Permanent Magnets
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Polzin, Kurt A.; Raitses, Y.; Merino, E.; Fisch, N. J.
2009-01-01
While annular Hall thrusters can operate at high efficiency at kW power levels, it is difficult to construct one that operates over a broad envelope from 1 kW down to 100 W while maintaining an efficiency of 45-55%. Scaling to low power while holding the main dimensionless parameters constant requires a decrease in the thruster channel size and an increase in the magnetic field strength. Increasing the magnetic field becomes technically challenging since the field can saturate the miniaturized inner components of the magnetic circuit and scaling down the magnetic circuit leaves very little room for magnetic pole pieces and heat shields. In addition, the central magnetic pole piece defining the interior wall of the annular channel can experience excessive heat loads in a miniaturized Hall thruster, with the temperature eventually exceeding the Curie temperature of the material and in extreme circumstances leading to accelerated erosion of the channel wall. An alternative approach is to employ a cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) geometry. Laboratory model CHTs have operated at power levels ranging from 50 W up to 1 kW. These thrusters exhibit performance characteristics that are comparable to conventional, annular Hall thrusters of similar size. Compared to the annular Hall thruster, the CHTs insulator surface area to discharge chamber volume ratio is lower. Consequently, there is the potential for reduced wall losses in the channel of a CHT, and any reduction in wall losses should translate into lower channel heating rates and reduced erosion, making the CHT geometry promising for low-power applications. This potential for high performance in the low-power regime has served as the impetus for research and development efforts aimed at understanding and improving CHT performance. Recently, a 2.6 cm channel diameter permanent magnet CHT (shown in Fig. 1) was tested. This thruster has the promise of reduced power consumption over previous CHT iterations that employed electromagnets. Data are presented to expose the effect different controllable parameters have on the discharge and to summarize performance measurements (thrust, Isp, efficiency) obtained using a thrust stand. In addition, beam current data are presented to show the effect of the magnetic field topology on the plume profile and current utilization and to gain insight into the thruster s operation. These data extend and improve upon the results previously presented by the authors in Ref. [1].
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Examination of Rotating Spoke Instability in a Cross-Field Discharge
2013-07-08
leader), L. Balika, J. Vaudolon EMAU R. Schneider, K. Matyash PPPL Y. Raitses, A. Diallo, Y. Shi Distribution A: Approved for public...the spoke. The project was originally divided into three successive phases, namely: Phase 1: Time-averaged LIF study on the CHT at PPPL Phase 2...Time-resolved LIF study on the CHT at ICARE Phase 3: Time-resolved LIF study on a 2 kW HT at PPPL (Optional) Distribution A: Approved for public
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bagchi, Damayanti; Ghosh, Abhijit; Singh, Priya; Dutta, Shreyasi; Polley, Nabarun; Althagafi, Ismail. I.; Jassas, Rabab S.; Ahmed, Saleh A.; Pal, Samir Kumar
2016-09-01
The structural-functional regulation of enzymes by the administration of an external stimulus such as light could create photo-switches that exhibit unique biotechnological applications. However, molecular recognition of small ligands is a central phenomenon involved in all biological processes. We demonstrate herein that the molecular recognition of a photochromic ligand, dihydroindolizine (DHI), by serine protease α-chymotrypsin (CHT) leads to the photo-control of enzymatic activity. We synthesized and optically characterized the photochromic DHI. Light-induced reversible pyrroline ring opening and a consequent thermal back reaction via 1,5-electrocyclization are responsible for the photochromic behavior. Furthermore, DHI inhibits the enzymatic activity of CHT in a photo-controlled manner. Simultaneous binding of the well-known inhibitors 4-nitrophenyl anthranilate (NPA) or proflavin (PF) in the presence of DHI displays spectral overlap between the emission of CHT-NPA or CHT-PF with the respective absorption of cis or trans DHI. The results suggest an opportunity to explore the binding site of DHI using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Moreover, to more specifically evaluate the DHI binding interactions, we employed molecular docking calculations, which suggested binding near the hydrophobic site of Cys-1-Cys-122 residues. Variations in the electrostatic interactions of the two conformers of DHI adopt unfavorable conformations, leading to the allosteric inhibition of enzymatic activity.
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Patterns of Care for Lung Cancer in Radiation Oncology Departments of Turkey
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Demiral, Ayse Nur; Alicikus, Zuemre Arican; Isil Ugur, Vahide
2008-12-01
Purpose: To determine the patterns of care for lung cancer in Turkish radiation oncology centers. Methods and Materials: Questionnaire forms from 21 of 24 (87.5%) centers that responded were evaluated. Results: The most frequent histology was non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (81%). The most common postoperative radiotherapy (RT) indications were close/(+) surgical margins (95%) and presence of pN2 disease (91%). The most common indications for postoperative chemotherapy (CHT) were '{>=} IB' disease (19%) and the presence of pN2 disease (19%). In Stage IIIA potentially resectable NSCLC, the most frequent treatment approach was neoadjuvant concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CHRT) (57%). In Stage IIIAmore » unresectable and Stage IIIB disease, the most frequent approach was definitive concomitant CHRT (91%). In limited SCLC, the most common treatment approach was concomitant CHRT with cisplatin+etoposide for cycles 1-3, completion of CHT to cycles 4-6, and finally prophylactic cranial irradiation in patients with complete response (71%). Six cycles of cisplatin + etoposide CHT and palliative thoracic RT, when required, was the most commonly used treatment (81%) in extensive SCLC. Sixty-two percent of centers did not have endobronchial brachytherapy (EBB) facilities. Conclusion: There is great variation in diagnostic testing, treatment strategies, indications for postoperative RT and CHT, RT features, and EBB availability for LC cases. To establish standards, national guidelines should be prepared using a multidisciplinary approach.« less
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Hou, Jiayin; Zhang, Qihao; Zhou, Yue; Ahammed, Golam Jalal; Zhou, Yanhong; Yu, Jingquan; Fang, Hua; Xia, Xiaojian
2018-05-07
Brassinosteroids (BRs), a group of steroid phytohormones, are involved in multiple aspects of plant growth, development and stress responses. Despite recent studies on BRs-promoted pesticide metabolism in plants, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we showed that 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) significantly enhanced the expression of RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOG1 (RBOH1) and H 2 O 2 accumulation in the apoplast of chlorothalonil (CHT, a broad spectrum nonsystemic fungicide)-treated tomato plants. Silencing of RBOH1 significantly decreased the efficiency of EBR-induced CHT metabolism. Moreover, the EBR-induced upregulation in the transcripts of glutaredoxin gene GRXS16 was suppressed in RBOH1-silenced plants. Further studies indicated that silencing of GRXS16 compromised EBR-induced increases in glutathione content, activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and transcript of GST1, leading to an increase in CHT residue. By contrast, overexpression of tomato GRXS16 enhanced the basal levels of glutathione content and GST activity that eventually decreased CHT residues in transgenic plants. Our results reveal that BR-mediated induction of a modest oxidative burst is essential for the acceleration of glutathione-dependent pesticide metabolism via redox modulators, such as GRXS16. These findings shed new light on the mechanisms of BR-induced pesticide metabolism and thus have important implication in reducing pesticide residues in agricultural products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Ochiuz, Lacramioara; Peris, José-Esteban
2009-03-01
Microparticles of chitosan (CHT) containing alendronate sodium (AL) were prepared in four drug:polymer ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:6) using the spray drying technique. The efficiency of the method was evaluated by determining production yield (about 70 %) and microencapsulation efficiency, which was almost 100 % in the case of all four of the formulations studied. Particles had a mean size of between 3.6 and 4.6 microm, and a near-spherical shape. The formulations with the highest content of AL (drug:polymer ratio 1:1 and 1:2) showed an asymmetrical distribution of particles, which were larger in size, and had a higher proportion of irregular particles than the other formulations. FT-IR analysis revealed an ionic interaction between AL and CHT. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the microencapsulation of AL and the increased thermal stability of encapsulated AL. The dissolution profiles of AL from CHT microspheres, at pH values of 1.2 and 6.8, showed a delayed release of AL from microspheres, and the dissolution rate was dependent on the pH and the drug:polymer ratio. It can be concluded that spray drying is a suitable technique for preparing AL-loaded CHT microspheres, and that the drug:polymer ratio can be used to control the rate of AL release from microspheres.
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Wang, San-Lang; Li, Jeng-Yu; Liang, Tzu-Wen; Hsieh, Jia-Lin; Tseng, Wan-Nine
2010-01-01
A chitinase (CHT), and a protease (PRO) were purified from the culture supernatant of Serratia sp. TKU017 with shrimp shell as the sole carbon/nitrogen source. The molecular masses of CHT and PRO determined by SDS-PAGE were approximately 65 kDa and 53 kDa, respectively. CHT was inhibited by Mn2+, Cu2+ and PRO was inhibited by most tested divalent metals, EDTA. The optimum pH, optimum temperature, pH stability, and thermal stability of CHT and PRO were (pH 5, 50 degrees , pH 5 degrees ) and (pH 9, 40 degrees , pH 5 degrees ), respectively. PRO retained 95% of its protease activity in the presence of 0.5 mM SDS. The result demonstrates that PRO is SDS-resistant protease and probably has a rigid structure. The 4th day supernatant showed the strongest antioxidant activity (70%, DPPH scavenging ability) and the highest total phenolic content (196+/-6.2 microng of gallic acid equival/mL). Significant associations between the antioxidant potency and the total phenolic content, as well as between the antioxidant potency and free amino groups, were found for the supernatant. With this method, we have shown that shrimp shell wastes can be utilized and it's effective in the production of enzymes and antioxidants, facilitating its potential use in industrial applications and functional foods.
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Jespersen, H M; Kjaersgård, I V; Ostergaard, L; Welinder, K G
1997-01-01
Ascorbate peroxidases are haem proteins that efficiently scavenge H2O2 in the cytosol and chloroplasts of plants. Database analyses retrieved 52 expressed sequence tags coding for Arabidopsis thaliana ascorbate peroxidases. Complete sequencing of non-redundant clones revealed three novel types in addition to the two cytosol types described previously in Arabidopsis. Analysis of sequence data available for all plant ascorbate peroxidases resulted in the following classification: two types of cytosol soluble ascorbate peroxidase designated cs1 and cs2; three types of cytosol membrane-bound ascorbate peroxidase, namely cm1, bound to microbodies via a C-terminal membrane-spanning segment, and cm2 and cm3, both of unknown location; two types of chloroplast ascorbate peroxidase with N-terminal transit sequences, the stromal ascorbate peroxidase (chs), and the thylakoid-bound ascorbate peroxidase showing a C-terminal transmembrane segment and designated cht. Further comparison of the patterns of conserved residues and the crystal structure of pea ascorbate peroxidase showed that active site residues are conserved, and three peptide segments implicated in interaction with reducing substrate are similar, excepting cm2 and cm3 types. A change of Phe-175 in cytosol types to Trp-175 in chloroplast types might explain the greater ascorbate specificity of chloroplast compared with cytosol ascorbate peroxidases. Residues involved in homodimeric subunit interaction are conserved only in cs1, cs2 and cm1 types. The proximal cation (K+)-binding site observed in pea ascorbate peroxidase seems to be conserved. In addition, cm1, cm2, cm3, chs and cht ascorbate peroxidases contain Asp-43, Asn-57 and Ser-59, indicative of a distal monovalent cation site. The data support the hypothesis that present-day peroxidases evolved by an early gene duplication event. PMID:9291097
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Treatment of multiple myeloma.
San Miguel, J F; Bladé Creixenti, J; García-Sanz, R
1999-01-01
Multiple myeloma (MM) accounts for about 10% of all hematologic malignancies. The standard treatment with intermittent courses of melphalan and prednisone (MP) was introduced more than 30 years ago and, since then there has been little improvement in event-free and overall survival (EFS & OS). The aim of this article is to review: 1) the role of initial chemotherapy (ChT), maintenance treatment with alpha-interferon and salvage ChT, 2) the results of high-dose therapy (HDT) followed by allogeneic or autologous stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT and auto-SCT), and 3) the most important supportive measures. The authors of this review have been actively working and contributing with original investigations on the treatment of MM during the last 15 years. In addition, the most relevant articles and recent abstracts published in journals covered by the Science Citation Index and Medline are also reviewed. The importance of avoiding ChT in asymptomatic patients (smoldering MM) is emphasized. The criteria and patterns of response are reviewed. MP is still the standard initial ChT with a response rate of 50-60% and an OS of 2-3 years. Combination ChT usually increases the response rate but does not significantly influence survival when compared with MP. Exposure to melphalan should be avoided in patients in whom HDT followed by auto-SCT is planned, in order to not preclude the stem cell collection. The median response duration to initial ChT is 18 months. Interferon maintenance usually prolongs response duration but in most studies does not significantly influence survival (a large meta-analysis by the Myeloma Trialists' Collaborative Group in Oxford is being finished). In alkylating-resistant patients, the best rescue regimens are VBAD or VAD. In patients already resistant to VBAD or VAD and in those in whom these treatments are not feasible we recommend a conservative approach with alternate day prednisone and pulse cyclophosphamide. While HDT followed by autotransplantation is not recommended for patients with resistant relapse, patients with primary refractory disease seem to benefit from early myeloablative therapy. Although results from large randomized trials are still pending in order to establish whether early HDT intensification followed by auto-SCT is superior to continuing standard ChT in responding patients, the favorable experience with autotransplantation of the French Myeloma Intergroup supports this approach. However, although the complete response rate is higher with intensive therapy, the median duration of response is relatively short (median, 16 to 36 months), with no survival plateau. There are several ongoing trials comparing conventional ChT with HDT/autoSCT in order to identify the patients who are likely to benefit from one or another approach. With allo-SCT there is a transplant-related mortality ranging from 30 to 50% and also a high relapse rate in patients achieving CR. However, 10 to 20% of patients undergoing allo-SCT are long-term survivors (> 5 years) with no evidence of disease and, consequently, probably cured. The use of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) in order to speed the engraftment and also the use of partially T-cell depleted PBSC which can decrease the incidence of graft-versus-host disease are promising approaches. In the setting of allo-SCT, donor lymphocyte infusion is an encouraging strategy in order to treat or prevent relapses. Finally, important supportive measures such as the treatment of anemia with erythropoietin, the management of renal failure and the use of bisphosphonates are reviewed.
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Emilse, Ledesma Achem Miryam; Cecilia, Haro; María, Terán Magdalena; Eugenia, Mónaco María; Alicia, Issé Blanca
2018-01-01
Background Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is a chronic hemolytic anemia characterized by microspherocytes in the peripheral blood and increased erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF). This study evaluated the cryohemolysis test (CHT); initial hemolysis (IH); immediate and incubated hemolysis percentage in 5.5 g/L NaCl (H5.5); mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC); red blood cell distribution width (RDW); and Hb/MCHC, Hb/RDW, and MCHC/RDW ratios for the diagnosis of HS. Methods Data from 13 patients with HS were evaluated at the Instituto de Bioquímica Aplicada and compared with data from 14 unaffected individuals and 11 patients with anemia due to another etiology. Total blood and reticulocyte counts, CHT, and immediate and incubated EOF were performed in all subjects; sensitivity, specificity, efficiency, and Youden index (YI) were calculated. Results Eight patients with HS had MCHC ≥345 g/L, 10 had RDW ≥14.5%, 12 had IH >5.0 g/L, 11 had immediate H5.5 ≥5%, and 13 had incubated H5.5 ≥50% (the cut-off value to consider HS). The efficiency and YI were: immediate H5.5 (0.94–0.85), incubated H5.5 (0.89–0.82), IH (0.89–0.78), MCHC (0.87–0.62), CHT (0.84–0.54), and Hb/MCHC (0.71–0.56), respectively. The calculated ratios could distinguish subjects with HS from unaffected individuals (P<0.05), but not those with anemia of another etiology (P>0.05). Conclusion Although the CHT and supplementary hematimetric indexes were useful to differentiate individuals with SH from healthy controls, they cannot distinguish from anemias of other etiology. CHT and MCHC, in addition to EOF, are recommended for diagnosing HS patients because of their low cost and efficiency. PMID:29662857
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Multi-Scale Modeling of Novel Hall Thrusters: Understanding Physics of CHT and DCF Thrusters
2011-12-30
thrusters having over 40 years of flight heritage (the first variant, SPT -50, was flown aboard the Soviet Meteor spacecraft in 1971), the community...symmetric sheath. This finding was touched upon in our previous work.14 The walls of this SPT -type thruster are made of a dielectric material. The...One theory of SPT operation suggests that electron impacts of the dielectric material result in emission of secondary electrons from the material
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Wireless cellular networks with Pareto-distributed call holding times
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rodriguez-Dagnino, Ramon M.; Takagi, Hideaki
2001-07-01
Nowadays, there is a growing interest in providing internet to mobile users. For instance, NTT DoCoMo in Japan deploys an important mobile phone network with that offers the Internet service, named 'i-mode', to more than 17 million subscribers. Internet traffic measurements show that the session duration of Call Holding Time (CHT) has probability distributions with heavy-tails, which tells us that they depart significantly from the traffic statistics of traditional voice services. In this environment, it is particularly important to know the number of handovers during a call for a network designer to make an appropriate dimensioning of virtual circuits for a wireless cell. The handover traffic has a direct impact on the Quality of Service (QoS); e.g. the service disruption due to the handover failure may significantly degrade the specified QoS of time-constrained services. In this paper, we first study the random behavior of the number of handovers during a call, where we assume that the CHT are Pareto distributed (heavy-tail distribution), and the Cell Residence Times (CRT) are exponentially distributed. Our approach is based on renewal theory arguments. We present closed-form formulae for the probability mass function (pmf) of the number of handovers during a Pareto distributed CHT, and obtain the probability of call completion as well as handover rates. Most of the formulae are expressed in terms of the Whittaker's function. We compare the Pareto case with cases of $k(subscript Erlang and hyperexponential distributions for the CHT.
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Neuronal Differentiation Modulated by Polymeric Membrane Properties.
Morelli, Sabrina; Piscioneri, Antonella; Drioli, Enrico; De Bartolo, Loredana
2017-01-01
In this study, different collagen-blend membranes were successfully constructed by blending collagen with chitosan (CHT) or poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) to enhance their properties and thus create new biofunctional materials with great potential use for neuronal tissue engineering and regeneration. Collagen blending strongly affected membrane properties in the following ways: (i) it improved the surface hydrophilicity of both pure CHT and PLGA membranes, (ii) it reduced the stiffness of CHT membranes, but (iii) it did not modify the good mechanical properties of PLGA membranes. Then, we investigated the effect of the different collagen concentrations on the neuronal behavior of the membranes developed. Morphological observations, immunocytochemistry, and morphometric measures demonstrated that the membranes developed, especially CHT/Col30, PLGA, and PLGA/Col1, provided suitable microenvironments for neuronal growth owing to their enhanced properties. The most consistent neuronal differentiation was obtained in neurons cultured on PLGA-based membranes, where a well-developed neuronal network was achieved due to their improved mechanical properties. Our findings suggest that tensile strength and elongation at break are key material parameters that have potential influence on both axonal elongation and neuronal structure and organization, which are of fundamental importance for the maintenance of efficient neuronal growth. Hence, our study has provided new insights regarding the effects of membrane mechanical properties on neuronal behavior, and thus it may help to design and improve novel instructive biomaterials for neuronal tissue engineering. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Segura-Cabrera, Aldo; Bocanegra-García, Virgilio; Lizarazo-Ortega, Cristian; Guo, Xianwu; Correa-Basurto, José; Rodríguez-Pérez, Mario A.
2011-12-01
Onchocerciasis is a leading cause of blindness with at least 37 million people infected and more than 120 million people at risk of contracting the disease; most (99%) of this population, threatened by infection, live in Africa. The drug of choice for mass treatment is the microfilaricidal Mectizan® (ivermectin); it does not kill the adult stages of the parasite at the standard dose which is a single annual dose aimed at disease control. However, multiple treatments a year with ivermectin have effects on adult worms. The discovery of new therapeutic targets and drugs directed towards the killing of the adult parasites are thus urgently needed. The chitinase of filarial nematodes is a new drug target due to its essential function in the metabolism and molting of the parasite. Closantel is a potent and specific inhibitor of chitinase of Onchocerca volvulus (OvCHT1) and other filarial chitinases. However, the binding mode and specificity of closantel towards OvCHT1 remain unknown. In the absence of a crystallographic structure of OvCHT1, we developed a homology model of OvCHT1 using the currently available X-ray structures of human chitinases as templates. Energy minimization and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the model led to a high quality of 3D structure of OvCHIT1. A flexible docking study using closantel as the ligand on the binding site of OvCHIT1 and human chitinases was performed and demonstrated the differences in the closantel binding mode between OvCHIT1 and human chitinase. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations and free-energy calculation were employed to determine and compare the detailed binding mode of closantel with OvCHT1 and the structure of human chitinase. This comparative study allowed identification of structural features and properties responsible for differences in the computationally predicted closantel binding modes. The homology model and the closantel binding mode reported herein might help guide the rational development of novel drugs against the adult parasite of O. volvulus and such findings could be extrapolated to other filarial neglected diseases.
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Ren, Yong; Yao, Yu; Li, Kay Ka-Wai; Ng, Ho-Keung; Mao, Ying; Zhou, Liang-Fu; Zhong, Ping
2014-01-01
Medulloblastoma (MB) is one of the most common primary central nervous system tumors in children. Data is lacking of a large cohort of medulloblastoma patients in China. Also, our knowledge on the sensitivity of different molecular subgroups of MB to adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) or chemotherapy (CHT) is still limited. The authors performed a retrospective study of 173 medulloblastoma patients treated at two institutions from 2002 to 2011. Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues were available in all the cases and sections were stained to classify histological and molecular subgroups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to investigate prognostic factors. Of 173 patients, there were 118 children and 55 adults, 112 males and 61 females. Estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) rates for all patients, children and adults were 52%, 48% and 63%, respectively. After multivariate analysis, postoperative primary radiation therapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CHT) were revealed as favorable prognostic factors influencing OS and EFS. Postoperative primary chemotherapy (CHT) was found significantly improving the survival of children (p<0.001) while it was not a significant prognostic factor for adult patients. Moreover, patients in WNT subtype had better OS (p = 0.028) than others (SHH and Non-SHH/WNT subtypes) given postoperative adjuvant therapies. Postoperative primary RT was found to be a strong prognostic factor influencing the survival in all histological and molecular subgroups (p<0.001). Postoperative primary CHT was found significantly to influence the survival of classic medulloblastoma (CMB) (OS p<0.001, EFS p<0.001), SHH subgroup (OS p = 0.020, EFS p = 0.049) and WNT subgroup (OS p = 0.003, EFS p = 0.016) but not in desmoplastic/nodular medulloblastoma (DMB) (OS p = 0.361, EFS p = 0.834) and Non-SHH/WNT subgroup (OS p = 0.127, EFS p = 0.055). Our study showed postoperative primary CHT significantly influence the survival of CMB, SHH subgroup and WNT subgroup but not in DMB and Non-SHH/WNT subgroup of MB. PMID:24932704
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Sanguineti, Giuseppe, E-mail: gsangui1@jhmi.edu; Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Sormani, Maria Pia
2012-05-01
Purpose: To define the roles of radiotherapy and chemotherapy on the risk of Grade 3+ mucositis during intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for oropharyngeal cancer. Methods and Materials: 164 consecutive patients treated with IMRT at two institutions in nonoverlapping treatment eras were selected. All patients were treated with a dose painting approach, three dose levels, and comprehensive bilateral neck treatment under the supervision of the same radiation oncologist. Ninety-three patients received concomitant chemotherapy (cCHT) and 14 received induction chemotherapy (iCHT). Individual information of the dose received by the oral mucosa (OM) was extracted as absolute cumulative dose-volume histogram (DVH), corrected formore » the elapsed treatment days and reported as weekly (w) DVH. Patients were seen weekly during treatment, and peak acute toxicity equal to or greater than confluent mucositis at any point during the course of IMRT was considered the endpoint. Results: Overall, 129 patients (78.7%) reached the endpoint. The regions that best discriminated between patients with/without Grade 3+ mucositis were found at 10.1 Gy/w (V10.1) and 21 cc (D21), along the x-axis and y-axis of the OM-wDVH, respectively. On multivariate analysis, D21 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.016, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.009-1.023, p < 0.001) and cCHT (OR = 4.118, 95% CI, 1.659-10.217, p = 0.002) were the only independent predictors. However, V10.1 and D21 were highly correlated (rho = 0.954, p < 0.001) and mutually interchangeable. cCHT would correspond to 88.4 cGy/w to at least 21 cc of OM. Conclusions: Radiotherapy and chemotherapy act independently in determining acute mucosal toxicity; cCHT increases the risk of mucosal Grade 3 toxicity Almost-Equal-To 4 times over radiation therapy alone, and it is equivalent to an extra Almost-Equal-To 6.2 Gy to 21 cc of OM over a 7-week course.« less
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CXCR1 remodels the vascular niche to promote hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell engraftment
Blaser, Bradley W.; Moore, Jessica L.; Hagedorn, Elliott J.; Li, Brian; Riquelme, Raquel; Yang, Song; Zhou, Yi; Tamplin, Owen J.; Binder, Vera
2017-01-01
The microenvironment is an important regulator of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) biology. Recent advances marking fluorescent HSPCs have allowed exquisite visualization of HSPCs in the caudal hematopoietic tissue (CHT) of the developing zebrafish. Here, we show that the chemokine cxcl8 and its receptor, cxcr1, are expressed by zebrafish endothelial cells, and we identify cxcl8/cxcr1 signaling as a positive regulator of HSPC colonization. Single-cell tracking experiments demonstrated that this is a result of increases in HSPC–endothelial cell “cuddling,” HSPC residency time within the CHT, and HSPC mitotic rate. Enhanced cxcl8/cxcr1 signaling was associated with an increase in the volume of the CHT and induction of cxcl12a expression. Finally, using parabiotic zebrafish, we show that cxcr1 acts HSPC nonautonomously to improve the efficiency of donor HSPC engraftment. This work identifies a mechanism by which the hematopoietic niche remodels to promote HSPC engraftment and suggests that cxcl8/cxcr1 signaling is a potential therapeutic target in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. PMID:28351983
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Ito, Eisuke; Kang, Hungu; Lee, Dongjin; Park, Joon B; Hara, Masahiko; Noh, Jaegeun
2013-03-15
Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to examine the surface structure and adsorption conditions of hexanethiol (HT) and cyclohexanethiol (CHT) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au(111) as a function of storage period in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions of 3×10(-7) Pa at room temperature (RT). STM imaging revealed that after storage for 7 days, HT SAMs underwent phase transitions from c(4×2) phase to low coverage 4×√3 phase. This transition is due to a structural rearrangement of hexanethiolates that results from the spontaneous desorption of chemisorbed HT molecules on Au(111) surface. XPS measurements showed approximately 28% reduction in sulfur coverage, which indicates desorption of hexanethiolates from the surfaces. Contrary to HT SAMs, the structural order of CHT SAMs with (5×2√3)R35° phase completely disappeared after storage for 3 or 7 days. XPS results show desorption of more than 80% of the cyclohexanethiolates, even after storage for 3 days. We found that spontaneous desorption of CHT molecules on Au(111) in UHV at RT occurred quickly, whereas spontaneous desorption of HT molecules was much slower. Thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) results suggest CHT SAMs in UHV at RT can desorb more efficiently than HT SAMs due to formation of thiol desorption fragments that result from chemical reactions between surface hydrogen atoms and thiolates on Au(111) surfaces. This study clearly demonstrated that organic thiols chemisorbed on gold surfaces are desorbed spontaneously in UHV at RT and van der Waals interactions play an important role in determining the structural stability of thiolate SAMs in UHV. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Roth, Joshua A; Etzioni, Ruth; Waters, Teresa M; Pettinger, Mary; Rossouw, Jacques E; Anderson, Garnet L; Chlebowski, Rowan T; Manson, Joann E; Hlatky, Mark; Johnson, Karen C; Ramsey, Scott D
2014-05-06
The findings of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) estrogen plus progestin (E+P) trial led to a substantial reduction in use of combined hormone therapy (cHT) among postmenopausal women in the United States. The economic effect of this shift has not been evaluated relative to the trial's $260 million cost (2012 U.S. dollars). To estimate the economic return from the WHI E+P trial. Decision model to simulate health outcomes for a "WHI scenario" with observed cHT use and a "no-WHI scenario" with cHT use extrapolated from the pretrial period. Primary analyses of WHI outcomes, peer-reviewed literature, and government sources. Postmenopausal women in the United States, aged 50 to 79 years, who did not have a hysterectomy. 2003 to 2012. Payer. Combined hormone therapy. Disease incidence, expenditure, quality-adjusted life-years, and net economic return. The WHI scenario resulted in 4.3 million fewer cHT users, 126,000 fewer breast cancer cases, 76,000 fewer cardiovascular disease cases, 263,000 more fractures, 145,000 more quality-adjusted life-years, and expenditure savings of $35.2 billion. The corresponding net economic return of the trial was $37.1 billion ($140 per dollar invested in the trial) at a willingness-to-pay level of $100,000 per quality-adjusted life-year. The 95% CI for the net economic return of the trial was $23.1 to $51.2 billion. No evaluation of indirect costs or outcomes beyond 2012. The WHI E+P trial made high-value use of public funds with a substantial return on investment. These results can contribute to discussions about the role of public funding for large, prospective trials with high potential for public health effects. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
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Neumaier, M; Gaida, F J; Lewis, M R; Hefta, L J; Shively, L E; Raubitschek, A; Shively, J E
1999-01-01
We have deleted the interchain disulfide bonds in a chimeric anti-CEA antibody (chT84.66) by mutating two cysteines in the heavy chain to glycine residues. The resulting antibody delta SSchT84.66 was expressed in high yield in a bioreactor and purified to homogeneity in a single step on an anti-idiotypic antibody affinity column. The molecular size of the antibody was 150 kDa as judged by gel filtration, SDS gel electrophoresis under non-reducing conditions, and MALDI-TOF/MS. The 150 kDa antibody had nearly identical kinetic (Kon = 1.53 x 10(6) M-1 s-1, .koff = 1.14 x 10(-5) s-1) and affinity constants (Kaff = 1.34 x 10(11) M-1) compared to the parent murine (Kaff = 1.25 x 10(11) M-1) and chimeric (Kaff = 1.16 x 10(11) M-1) antibodies when tested on biosensor chips. When delta SSchT84.66 was conjugated to the isothiocynato derivative of DTPA, radiolabeled with 111In, and injected into either normal or nude mice bearing tumor xenografts, it gave nearly identical biodistributions to chT84.66. delta SSchT84.66 and chT84.66 antibodies gave a maximum tumor uptake of 48 and 74% ID/g, and tumor to blood ratios of 5.3 and 6.2 at 48 h, respectively. We conclude that delta SSchT84.66 irreversibly associates into H2L2 dimers after concentration, that the dimers are stable under both the in vitro and in vivo conditions used in this study, and the properties of the antibody are virtually indistinguishable from the parent chT84.66 antibody.
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The Genetic Basis of Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma: Implications for Management
Shuch, Brian; Ricketts, Christopher J.; Pacak, Karol; Linehan, W. Marston
2015-01-01
Chromaffin cells are catecholamine-producing cells derived from neural crest tissue. Chromaffin tumors (ChT) are rare tumors arising from these cells and are divided into pheochromocytoma (PCC) arising from adrenal tissue and paraganglioma (PGL) arising from extra-adrenal ganglia. Previously, ∼10% were believed to be hereditary, but advances in genome sequencing has shown roughly 35% of apparently sporadic tumors have a hereditary component. In this review we describe both classic and newly discovered hereditary ChT syndromes and provide recommendations for genetic testing. In many cases the genes associated with these conditions are linked to common kidney cancer pathways familiar to urologic oncologists. PMID:24642075
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Silva, Joana M; Georgi, Nicole; Costa, Rui; Sher, Praveen; Reis, Rui L; Van Blitterswijk, Clemens A; Karperien, Marcel; Mano, João F
2013-01-01
Nanostructured three-dimensional constructs combining layer-by-layer technology (LbL) and template leaching were processed and evaluated as possible support structures for cartilage tissue engineering. Multilayered constructs were formed by depositing the polyelectrolytes chitosan (CHT) and chondroitin sulphate (CS) on either bidimensional glass surfaces or 3D packet of paraffin spheres. 2D CHT/CS multi-layered constructs proved to support the attachment and proliferation of bovine chondrocytes (BCH). The technology was transposed to 3D level and CHT/CS multi-layered hierarchical scaffolds were retrieved after paraffin leaching. The obtained nanostructured 3D constructs had a high porosity and water uptake capacity of about 300%. Dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) showed the viscoelastic nature of the scaffolds. Cellular tests were performed with the culture of BCH and multipotent bone marrow derived stromal cells (hMSCs) up to 21 days in chondrogenic differentiation media. Together with scanning electronic microscopy analysis, viability tests and DNA quantification, our results clearly showed that cells attached, proliferated and were metabolically active over the entire scaffold. Cartilaginous extracellular matrix (ECM) formation was further assessed and results showed that GAG secretion occurred indicating the maintenance of the chondrogenic phenotype and the chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs.
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Regional changes in the cholinergic system in mice lacking monoamine oxidase A.
Grailhe, Régis; Cardona, Ana; Even, Naïla; Seif, Isabelle; Changeux, Jean-Pierre; Cloëz-Tayarani, Isabelle
2009-03-30
Elevated brain monoamine concentrations resulting from monoamine oxidase A genetic ablation (MAOA knock-out mice) lead to changes in other neurotransmitter systems. To investigate the consequences of MAOA deficiency on the cholinergic system, we measured ligand binding to the high-affinity choline transporter (CHT1) and to muscarinic and nicotinic receptors in brain sections of MAOA knock-out (KO) and wild-type mice. A twofold increase in [(3)H]-hemicholinium-3 ([(3)H]-HC-3) binding to CHT1 was observed in the caudate putamen, nucleus accumbens, and motor cortex in MAOA KO mice as compared with wild-type (WT) mice. There was no difference in [(3)H]-HC-3 labeling in the hippocampus (dentate gyrus) between the two genotypes. Binding of [(125)I]-epibatidine ([(125)I]-Epi), [(125)I]-alpha-bungarotoxin ([(125)I]-BGT), [(3)H]-pirenzepine ([(3)H]-PZR), and [(3)H]-AFDX-384 ([(3)H]-AFX), which respectively label high- and low-affinity nicotinic receptors, M1 and M2 muscarinic cholinergic receptors, was not modified in the caudate putamen, nucleus accumbens, and motor cortex. A small but significant decrease of 19% in M1 binding densities was observed in the hippocampus (CA1 field) of KO mice. Next, we tested acetylcholinesterase activity and found that it was decreased by 25% in the striatum of KO mice as compared with WT mice. Our data suggest that genetic deficiency in MAOA enzyme is associated with changes in cholinergic activity, which may account for some of the behavioral alterations observed in mice and humans lacking MAOA.
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Fleseriu, Maria; Biller, Beverly M K; Findling, James W; Molitch, Mark E; Schteingart, David E; Gross, Coleman
2012-06-01
Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a disorder associated with significant morbidity and mortality due to prolonged exposure to high cortisol concentrations. Our objective was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, in endogenous CS. We conducted a 24-wk multicenter, open-label trial after failed multimodality therapy at 14 U.S. academic medical centers and three private research centers. Participants included 50 adults with endogenous CS associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus/impaired glucose tolerance (C-DM) or a diagnosis of hypertension alone (C-HT). Mifepristone was administered at doses of 300-1200 mg daily. We evaluated change in area under the curve for glucose on 2-h oral glucose test for C-DM and change in diastolic blood pressure from baseline to wk 24 for C-HT. In the C-DM cohort, an area under the curve for glucose (AUC(glucose)) response was seen in 60% of patients (P < 0.0001). Mean ± sd glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) decreased from 7.43 ± 1.52% to 6.29 ± 0.99% (P < 0.001); fasting plasma glucose decreased from 149.0 ± 75.7 mg/dl (8.3 ± 4.1 mmol/liter) to 104.7 ± 37.5 mg/dl (5.8 ± 2.1 mmol/liter, P < 0.03). In C-HT cohort, a diastolic blood pressure response was seen in 38% of patients (P < 0.05). Mean weight change was -5.7 ± 7.4% (P < 0.001) with waist circumference decrease of -6.78 ± 5.8 cm (P < 0.001) in women and -8.44 ± 5.9 cm (P < 0.001) in men. Overall, 87% (P < 0.0001) had significant improvement in clinical status. Insulin resistance, depression, cognition, and quality of life also improved. Common adverse events were fatigue, nausea, headache, low potassium, arthralgia, vomiting, edema, and endometrial thickening in women. Mifepristone produced significant clinical and metabolic improvement in patients with CS with an acceptable risk-benefit profile during 6 months of treatment.
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The β1 Subunit Enhances Oxidative Regulation of Large-Conductance Calcium-activated K+ Channels
Santarelli, Lindsey Ciali; Chen, Jianguo; Heinemann, Stefan H.; Hoshi, Toshinori
2004-01-01
Oxidative stress may alter the functions of many proteins including the Slo1 large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel (BKCa). Previous results demonstrated that in the virtual absence of Ca2+, the oxidant chloramine-T (Ch-T), without the involvement of cysteine oxidation, increases the open probability and slows the deactivation of BKCa channels formed by human Slo1 (hSlo1) α subunits alone. Because native BKCa channel complexes may include the auxiliary subunit β1, we investigated whether β1 influences the oxidative regulation of hSlo1. Oxidation by Ch-T with β1 present shifted the half-activation voltage much further in the hyperpolarizing direction (−75 mV) as compared with that with α alone (−30 mV). This shift was eliminated in the presence of high [Ca2+]i, but the increase in open probability in the virtual absence of Ca2+ remained significant at physiologically relevant voltages. Furthermore, the slowing of channel deactivation after oxidation was even more dramatic in the presence of β1. Oxidation of cysteine and methionine residues within β1 was not involved in these potentiated effects because expression of mutant β1 subunits lacking cysteine or methionine residues produced results similar to those with wild-type β1. Unlike the results with α alone, oxidation by Ch-T caused a significant acceleration of channel activation only when β1 was present. The β1 M177 mutation disrupted normal channel activation and prevented the Ch-T–induced acceleration of activation. Overall, the functional effects of oxidation of the hSlo1 pore-forming α subunit are greatly amplified by the presence of β1, which leads to the additional increase in channel open probability and the slowing of deactivation. Furthermore, M177 within β1 is a critical structural determinant of channel activation and oxidative sensitivity. Together, the oxidized BKCa channel complex with β1 has a considerable chance of being open within the physiological voltage range even at low [Ca2+]i. PMID:15452197
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Oppelt, J.; Cincarova, L.
2017-01-01
ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is a common biofilm-forming pathogen. Low doses of disinfectants have previously been reported to promote biofilm formation and to increase virulence. The aim of this study was to use transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis to investigate global transcriptional changes in S. aureus in response to sublethal concentrations of the commonly used food industry disinfectants ethanol (EtOH) and chloramine T (ChT) and their combination (EtOH_ChT) in order to better understand the effects of these agents on biofilm formation. Treatment with EtOH and EtOH_ChT resulted in more significantly altered expression profiles than treatment with ChT. Our results revealed that EtOH and EtOH_ChT treatments enhanced the expression of genes responsible for regulation of gene expression (sigB), cell surface factors (clfAB), adhesins (sdrDE), and capsular polysaccharides (cap8EFGL), resulting in more intact biofilm. In addition, in this study we were able to identify the pathways involved in the adaptation of S. aureus to the stress of ChT treatment. Further, EtOH suppressed the effect of ChT on gene expression when these agents were used together at sublethal concentrations. These data show that in the presence of sublethal concentrations of tested disinfectants, S. aureus cells trigger protective mechanisms and try to cope with them. IMPORTANCE So far, the effect of disinfectants is not satisfactorily explained. The presented data will allow a better understanding of the mode of disinfectant action with regard to biofilm formation and the ability of bacteria to survive the treatment. Such an understanding could contribute to the effort to eliminate possible sources of bacteria, making disinfectant application as efficient as possible. Biofilm formation plays significant role in the spread and pathogenesis of bacterial species. PMID:29030437
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Knoblock-Hahn, Amy L; Wray, Ricardo; LeRouge, Cynthia M
2016-06-01
The Chronic Care Model (CCM) is helpful to illustrate multiple levels of influence in the management of chronic disease, such as overweight and obesity in adolescents. Unfortunately, various constraints create gaps in the management process activities performed within the CCM. Consumer health technologies (CHT) may serve as a linkage between adolescents with overweight or obesity, their parents, and their pediatricians. To conduct formative research to qualitatively identify views of adolescents with overweight and obesity on use of consumer health technologies to manage weight loss across chronic care management settings. As part of a multi-perspective qualitative study, 10 focus groups were conducted with adolescents with overweight and obesity. Forty-eight adolescents (15 male, 33 female) aged 12 to 17 years who were current participants of an intensive lifestyle change camp in the summer of 2012 participated in focus groups. All adolescents were classified as overweight (21%) or obese (79%) according to body mass index (BMI) for age charts published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and checked for accuracy. Predefined and open coding were used to analyze transcripts for emerging themes. Adolescents perceive CHT, with its functional requirements of assistance with restaurant food selection, teaching cooking skills, and providing encouragement and motivation, to be helpful with overweight and obesity self-management. Desired features to carry out these functional requirements included avatars, self-monitoring capabilities, social networking, and rewards. Our findings largely agree with previously reported parental perceptions of the benefit of CHT for adolescent overweight and obesity self-management and strengthen support for the design and implementation of CHT within the CCM. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Economic Return From the Women’s Health Initiative Estrogen Plus Progestin Clinical Trial
Roth, Joshua A.; Etzioni, Ruth; Waters, Teresa M.; Pettinger, Mary; Rossouw, Jacques E.; Anderson, Garnet L.; Chlebowski, Rowan T.; Manson, JoAnn E.; Hlatky, Mark; Johnson, Karen C.; Ramsey, Scott D.
2014-01-01
Background The findings of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) estrogen plus progestin (E+P) trial led to a substantial reduction in use of combined hormone therapy (cHT) among postmenopausal women in the United States. The economic effect of this shift has not been evaluated relative to the trial’s $260 million cost (2012 U.S. dollars). Objective To estimate the economic return from the WHI E+P trial. Design Decision model to simulate health outcomes for a “WHI scenario” with observed cHT use and a “no-WHI scenario” with cHT use extrapolated from the pretrial period. Data Sources Primary analyses of WHI outcomes, peer-reviewed literature, and government sources. Target Population Postmenopausal women in the United States, aged 50 to 79 years, who did not have a hysterectomy. Time Horizon 2003 to 2012. Perspective Payer. Intervention Combined hormone therapy. Outcome Measures Disease incidence, expenditure, quality-adjusted life-years, and net economic return. Results of Base-Case Analysis The WHI scenario resulted in 4.3 million fewer cHT users, 126 000 fewer breast cancer cases, 76 000 fewer cardiovascular disease cases, 263 000 more fractures, 145 000 more quality-adjusted life-years, and expenditure savings of $35.2 billion. The corresponding net economic return of the trial was $37.1 billion ($140 per dollar invested in the trial) at a willingness-to-pay level of $100 000 per quality-adjusted life-year. Results of Sensitivity Analysis The 95% CI for the net economic return of the trial was $23.1 to $51.2 billion. Limitation No evaluation of indirect costs or outcomes beyond 2012. Conclusion The WHI E+P trial made high-value use of public funds with a substantial return on investment. These results can contribute to discussions about the role of public funding for large, prospective trials with high potential for public health effects. Primary Funding Source National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. PMID:24798522
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Roach, Mack; De Silvio, Michelle; Valicenti, Richard
2006-11-01
Purpose: Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 9413 trial demonstrated a better progression-free survival (PFS) with whole-pelvis (WP) radiotherapy (RT) compared with prostate-only (PO) RT. This secondary analysis was undertaken to determine whether 'mini-pelvis' (MP; defined as {>=}10 x 11 cm but <11 x 11 cm) RT resulted in progression-free survival (PFS) comparable to that of WP RT. To avoid a timing bias, this analysis was limited to patients receiving neoadjuvant and concurrent hormonal therapy (N and CHT) in Arms 1 and 2 of the study. Methods and Materials: Eligible patients had a risk of lymph node (LN) involvement >15%. Neoadjuvantmore » and concurrent hormonal therapy (N and CHT) was administered 2 months before and during RT for 4 months. From April 1, 1995, to June 1, 1999, a group of 325 patients were randomized to WP RT + N and CHT and another group of 324 patients were randomized to receive PO RT + N and CHT. Patients randomized to PO RT were dichotomized by median field size (10 x 11 cm), with the larger field considered an 'MP' field and the smaller a PO field. Results: The median PFS was 5.2, 3.7, and 2.9 years for WP, MP, and PO fields, respectively (p = 0.02). The 7-year PFS was 40%, 35%, and 27% for patients treated to WP, MP, and PO fields, respectively. There was no association between field size and late Grade 3+ genitourinary toxicity but late Grade 3+ gastrointestinal RT complications correlated with increasing field size. Conclusions: This subset analysis demonstrates that RT field size has a major impact on PFS, and the findings support comprehensive nodal treatment in patients with a risk of LN involvement of >15%.« less
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Particle-in-cell numerical simulations of a cylindrical Hall thruster with permanent magnets
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Miranda, Rodrigo A.; Martins, Alexandre A.; Ferreira, José L.
2017-10-01
The cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) is a propulsion device that offers high propellant utilization and performance at smaller dimensions and lower power levels than traditional Hall thrusters. In this paper we present first results of a numerical model of a CHT. This model solves particle and field dynamics self-consistently using a particle-in-cell approach. We describe a number of techniques applied to reduce the execution time of the numerical simulations. The specific impulse and thrust computed from our simulations are in agreement with laboratory experiments. This simplified model will allow for a detailed analysis of different thruster operational parameters and obtain an optimal configuration to be implemented at the Plasma Physics Laboratory at the University of Brasília.
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Mao, Caiping; Yuan, Xin; Zhang, Hong; Lv, Juanxiu; Guan, Junchang; Miao, Liyan; Chen, Linqi; Zhang, Yuying; Zhang, Lubo; Xu, Zhice
2009-01-01
A number of studies have demonstrated the influence of nicotine on fetal development. This study determined the expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), and high-affinity choline transporter (CHT1) in the forebrain and hindbrain following chronic prenatal nicotine exposure in the rat fetus (maternal rats were subcutaneously injected with nicotine at different gestation periods). We also measured the effect of chronic nicotine exposure on fetal blood pO2, pCO2, pH, Na+ and K+ concentrations, as well as lactic acid levels. Maternal nicotine exposure during pregnancy was associated with a decrease in fetal pO2 coupled with a significant increase in pCO2 and lactic acid as well as restricted fetal growth. Additionally, maternal nicotine administration also reduced ChAT, VAChT, and CHT1 mRNA levels in the fetal brain. Nicotine-induced fetal hypoxic responses and reduced cholinergic marker expression in the brain were more severe when nicotine was started in early gestation. Our results provide new information about the effects of repeated exposure to nicotine in utero on the expression of central ChAT, VAChT, and CHT1 in the rat fetus. These results indicate that repeated hypoxic episodes or/and a direct effect of nicotine on the central cholinergic system during pregnancy may contribute to brain developmental problems in fetal origin. PMID:18407449
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Parikh, V; Sarter, M
2006-04-01
The capacity of the high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) to import choline into presynaptic terminals is essential for acetylcholine synthesis. Ceramic-based microelectrodes, coated at recording sites with choline oxidase to detect extracellular choline concentration changes, were attached to multibarrel glass micropipettes and implanted into the rat frontoparietal cortex. Pressure ejections of hemicholinium-3 (HC-3), a selective CHT blocker, dose-dependently reduced the uptake rate of exogenous choline as well as that of choline generated in response to terminal depolarization. Following the removal of CHTs, choline signal recordings confirmed that the demonstration of potassium-induced choline signals and HC-3-induced decreases in choline clearance require the presence of cholinergic terminals. The results obtained from lesioned animals also confirmed the selectivity of the effects of HC-3 on choline clearance in intact animals. Residual cortical choline clearance correlated significantly with CHT-immunoreactivity in lesioned and intact animals. Finally, synaptosomal choline uptake assays were conducted under conditions reflecting in vivo basal extracellular choline concentrations. Results from these assays confirmed the capacity of CHTs measured in vivo and indicated that diffusion of substrate away from the electrode did not confound the in vivo findings. Collectively, these results indicate that increases in extracellular choline concentrations, irrespective of source, are rapidly cleared by CHTs.
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Choline transporter-like protein 4 (CTL4) links to non-neuronal acetylcholine synthesis
Song, Pingfang; Rekow, Stephen S.; Singleton, Corey-Ayne; Sekhon, Harmanjatinder S.; Dissen, Gregory A.; Zhou, Minerva; Campling, Barbara; Lindstrom, Jon; Spindel, Eliot R.
2013-01-01
Synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh) by non-neuronal cells is now well established and plays diverse physiologic roles. In neurons, the Na+-dependent, high affinity choline transporter (CHT1) is absolutely required for ACh synthesis. By contrast, some non-neuronal cells synthesize ACh in the absence of CHT1 indicating a fundamental difference in ACh synthesis compared to neurons. The aim of this study was to identify choline transporters, other than CHT1, that play a role in non-neuronal ACh synthesis. ACh synthesis was studied in lung and colon cancer cell lines focusing on the choline transporter-like proteins, a five gene family (CTL1-5). Supporting a role for CTLs in choline transport in lung cancer cells, choline transport was Na+-independent and CTL1-5 were expressed in all cells examined. CTL1,2,&5 were expressed at highest levels and knockdown of CTL1,2&5 decreased choline transport in H82 lung cancer cells. Knockdowns of CTL1,2,3&5 had no effect on ACh synthesis in H82 cells. By contrast, knockdown of CTL4 significantly decreased ACh secretion by both lung and colon cancer cells. Conversely, increasing expression of CTL4 increased ACh secretion. These results indicate that CTL4 mediates ACh synthesis in non-neuronal cell lines and presents a mechanism to target non-neuronal ACh synthesis without affecting neuronal ACh synthesis. PMID:23651124
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kohlstädt, S.; Vynnycky, M.; Gebauer-Teichmann, A.
2018-05-01
This paper investigates the cooling performance of six different lost core designs for automotive cast houses with regard to their cooling efficiency. For this purpose, the conjugate heat transfer (CHT) solver, chtMultiregion, of the freely available CFD-toolbox OpenFOAM in its implementation of version 2.3.1 is used. The turbulence contribution to the Navier-Stokes equations is accounted for by using the RANS Menter SST k - ω model. The results are validated for one of the geometries by comparing with experimental data. Of the six investigated cooling structures, the one that forces the fluid flow to change its direction the most produces the lowest temperatures on the surface of the cast housing. This good cooling performance comes at the price of the highest pressure loss in the cooling fluid and hence increased pump power. It is also found that the relationship between performance and pressure drop is by no means generally linear. Slight changes in the design can lead to a structure which cools almost as well, but at much decreased pressure loss. Regarding the absolute values, the simulations showed that the designed cooling structures are suitable for handling the cooling requirements in the particular applications and that the maximum temperature stays below the critical limits of the electronic components.
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Costa, Priscila Ribas de Farias; Assis, Ana Marlúcia Oliveira; Cunha, Carla de Magalhães; Pereira, Emile Miranda; Jesus, Gabriela Dos Santos de; Silva, Lais Eloy Machado da; Alves, Wilanne Pinheiro de Oliveira
2017-07-01
The hypertriglyceridemic waist (HTW) phenotype is defined as the simultaneous presence of increased waist circumference (WC) and serum triglycerides (TG) levels and it has been associated with cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents. The objective was to evaluate the influence of HTW phenotype in the fasting glycemia and blood pressure in children and adolescents over one-year follow-up period. It is a cohort study involving 492 children and adolescents from 7 to 15 years old, both genders, who were submitted to anthropometric, biochemical and clinical evaluation at the baseline, and also after 6 and 12 months of follow-up. Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) models were calculated to evaluate the longitudinal influence of the HTW phenotype in the glycemia and blood pressure over one-year. It was observed a prevalence of 10.6% (n = 52) of HTW phenotype in the students. The GEE models identified that students with HTW phenotype had an increase of 3.87 mg/dl in the fasting glycemia mean (CI: 1.68-6.05) and of 3.67mmHg in the systolic blood pressure (SBP) mean (CI: 1.55-6.08) over one-year follow-up, after adjusting for confounding variables. The results of this study suggest that HTW phenotype is a risk factor for longitudinal changes in glycemia and SBP in children and adolescents over one-year follow-up period. O fenótipo de cintura hipertrigliceridêmica (CHT) é definido como a presença simultânea de circunferência de cintura (CC) e níveis séricos de triglicérides (TG) aumentados e tem sido associado com risco cardiometabólico em crianças e adolescentes. Avaliar a influência do fenótipo CHT na glicemia de jejum e na pressão arterial em crianças e adolescentes em um período de acompanhamento de um ano. Trata-se de um estudo de coorte envolvendo 492 crianças e adolescentes de 7 a 15 anos de ambos os sexos, que foram submetidos à avaliação antropométrica, bioquímica e clínica no início e também após 6 e 12 meses de seguimento. Os modelos de Equação de Estimulação Generalizada (GEE) foram calculados para avaliar a influência longitudinal do fenótipo CHT na glicemia e na pressão arterial ao longo de um ano. Foi observada uma prevalência de 10,6% (n = 52) do fenótipo CHT nos estudantes. Os modelos GEE identificaram que os estudantes com fenótipo CHT apresentaram aumento de 3,87 mg/dl na média de glicemia em jejum (IC: 1,68-6,05) e de 3,67 mmHg na pressão arterial sistólica media (PAS) (IC: 1,55-6,08) depois de um ano de acompanhamento, após ajuste para variáveis de confusão. Os resultados deste estudo sugerem que o fenótipo CHT é um fator de risco para alterações longitudinais da glicemia e da PAS em crianças e adolescentes em um período de um ano de seguimento.
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Enzyme actuated bioresponsive hydrogels
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wilson, Andrew Nolan
Bioresponsive hydrogels are emerging with technological significance in targeted drug delivery, biosensors and regenerative medicine. Conferred with the ability to respond to specific biologically derived stimuli, the design challenge is in effectively linking the conferred biospecificity with an engineered response tailored to the needs of a particular application. Moreover, the fundamental phenomena governing the response must support an appropriate dynamic range and limit of detection. The design of these systems is inherently complicated due to the high interdependency of the governing phenomena that guide the sensing, transduction, and the actuation response of hydrogels. To investigate the dynamics of these materials, model systems may be used which seek to interrogate the system dynamics by uni-variable experimentation and limit confounding phenomena such as: polymer-solute interactions, polymer swelling dynamics and biomolecular reaction-diffusion concerns. To this end, a model system, alpha-chymotrypsin (Cht) (a protease) and a cleavable peptide-chromogen (pro-drug) covalently incorporated into a hydrogel, was investigated to understand the mechanisms of covalent loading and release by enzymatic cleavage in bio-responsive delivery systems. Using EDC and Sulfo-NHS, terminal carboxyl groups of N-succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe p-nitroanilide, a cleavable chromogen, were conjugated to primary amines of a hydrated poly(HEMA)-based hydrogel. Hydrogel discs were incubated in buffered Cht causing enzyme-mediated cleavage of the peptide and concomitant release of the chromophore for monitoring. To investigate substrate loading and the effects of hydrogel morphology on the system, the concentration of the amino groups (5, 10, 20, and 30 mol%) and the cross-linked density (1, 5, 7, 9 and 12 mol%) were independently varied. Loading-Release Efficiency of the chromogen was shown to exhibit a positive relation to increasing amino groups (AEMA). The release rates demonstrated a negative relation to increasing cross-linked density attributed to decreasing void fractions and increasing tortuosities. The diffusion coefficient of Cht, D0, Cht, was determined to be 6.9 +/- 0.5 x 10-7 cm2 s -1, and the range of Deff of Cht for 1 to 12 mol% TEGDA was determined to 6.9 x10-8 to 0.1 x 10 -8cm2 s-1. We show how these parameters may be optimized and used to achieve programmed release rates in engineered bio-responsive systems. The field of bioresponsive hydrogels is continuing to expand as the need for such materials persists. Future work will enable more control over the loading and release of therapeutic and diagnostic moieties. Continued research regarding in enzymatically actuated hydrogels will involve pre-polymerization loading methodologies; in silico diffusion-reaction multiphysics modeling; enzyme actuated degradation of the polymer; and substation of various mediating enzyme, cleavable peptides, and release molecules.
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Capillary Pumped Heat Transfer (CHT) Experiment
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hallinan, Kevin P.; Allen, J. S.
1998-01-01
The operation of Capillary Pumped Loops (CPL's) in low gravity has generally been unable to match ground-based performance. The reason for this poorer performance has been elusive. In order to investigate the behavior of a CPL in low-gravity, an idealized, glass CPL experiment was constructed. This experiment, known as the Capillary-driven Heat Transfer (CHT) experiment, was flown on board the Space Shuttle Columbia in July 1997 during the Microgravity Science Laboratory mission. During the conduct of the CHT experiment an unexpected failure mode was observed. This failure mode was a result of liquid collecting and then eventually bridging the vapor return line. With the vapor return line blocked, the condensate was unable to return to the evaporator and dry-out subsequently followed. The mechanism for this collection and bridging has been associated with long wavelength instabilities of the liquid film forming in the vapor return line. Analysis has shown that vapor line blockage in present generation CPL devices is inevitable. Additionally, previous low-gravity CPL tests have reported the presence of relatively low frequency pressure oscillations during erratic system performance. Analysis reveals that these pressure oscillations are in part a result of long wavelength instabilities present in the evaporator pores, which likewise lead to liquid bridging and vapor entrapment in the porous media. Subsequent evaporation to the trapped vapor increases the vapor pressure. Eventually the vapor pressure causes ejection of the bridged liquid. Recoil stresses depress the meniscus, the vapor pressure rapidly increases, and the heated surface cools. The process then repeats with regularity.
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Romeo, Valeria; Iorio, Brigida; Mesolella, Massimo; Ugga, Lorenzo; Verde, Francesco; Nicolai, Emanuele; Covello, Mario
2018-06-19
The purpose of the study was to assess by simultaneous positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) the response to chemotherapy (CHT) and/or radiotherapy (RT) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Five patients with HNSCC underwent simultaneous PET/MRI examination before and after CHT and/or RT. Standard uptake volume (SUV), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), Ktrans, Kep, Ve, and iAUC pre- and post-treatment values were extracted and compared. The response to treatment was assessed according to RECIST criteria and classified as complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), and progression disease (PD). In patient 1, PR was observed with increased ADC, Ktrans, and Ve values and reduction of SUV, iAUC, and Kep values; during clinical and instrumental follow-up, the patient experienced disease progression. Patient 2, classified as PR, showed increased ADC values and reduction of SUV and all perfusion parameters; follow-up demonstrated disease stability. Patient 3, considered as SD, showed increase of ADC and all perfusion values with a mild decrease of SUV; PD was observed during clinical and instrumental follow-up. Patients 4 and 5 showed a CR with no detectable tumor lesions at post-treatment PET/MRI examination, confirmed by 1-year follow-up. Multiparametric evaluation with simultaneous PET/MRI could be a useful tool to assess and predict the response to CHT and/or RT in patients with HNSCC.
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Type A behavior and occupational stress: a cross-cultural study of blue-collar workers.
Evans, G W; Palsane, M N; Carrere, S
1987-05-01
Psychophysiological, archival, unobtrusive observation, and self-report data were compared for Type A and Type B male bus drivers in the United States and India. Type A bus drivers in comparison with their Type B counterparts have more accidents, absenteeism, official reprimands, and self-reports of occupational stress. In India, but not in the United States, Type A drivers brake, pass, and blow their horns more often than Type B drivers. Although drivers exhibited expected elevations in blood pressure and catecholamines on the job, the magnitude of these increases did not differ as a function of the Type A/B classification.
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Antibacterial chitosan/silk sericin 3D porous scaffolds as a wound dressing material.
Karahaliloglu, Zeynep; Kilicay, Ebru; Denkbas, Emir Baki
2017-09-01
Antimicrobial mixed dressings have traditionally been used to minimize bacterial infection of burns and other wounds. This study presents the advancement of biocompatible chitosan/silk sericin (CHT/SS) scaffolds combined with lauric acid (LA) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) for the successful wound dressing applications. Antibacterial assay results showed that the diameters of the inhibition zone increased from 2 ± 0.4 to 7 ± 0.1 mm for Escherichia coli, as well as from 2.5 ± 0.2 to 6 ± 0.4 mm for Staphylococcus aureus while CHTS/SS/100nZnO compared to CHT/SS/0.01LA. The results not only showed excellent inhibition against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial growth but also revealed improved proliferation and extended viability for HaCaT cells.
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Semi-automated identification of cones in the human retina using circle Hough transform
Bukowska, Danuta M.; Chew, Avenell L.; Huynh, Emily; Kashani, Irwin; Wan, Sue Ling; Wan, Pak Ming; Chen, Fred K
2015-01-01
A large number of human retinal diseases are characterized by a progressive loss of cones, the photoreceptors critical for visual acuity and color perception. Adaptive Optics (AO) imaging presents a potential method to study these cells in vivo. However, AO imaging in ophthalmology is a relatively new phenomenon and quantitative analysis of these images remains difficult and tedious using manual methods. This paper illustrates a novel semi-automated quantitative technique enabling registration of AO images to macular landmarks, cone counting and its radius quantification at specified distances from the foveal center. The new cone counting approach employs the circle Hough transform (cHT) and is compared to automated counting methods, as well as arbitrated manual cone identification. We explore the impact of varying the circle detection parameter on the validity of cHT cone counting and discuss the potential role of using this algorithm in detecting both cones and rods separately. PMID:26713186
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Sustainability appraisal of shifting cultivation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.
Borggaard, Ole K; Gafur, Abdul; Petersen, Leif
2003-03-01
An integrated socioeconomic and erosion study on the sustainability of traditional shifting cultivation (Jhum) carried out in 1998 and 1999 in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh showed the system to be nonsustainable under the current conditions with fallow periods of only 3-5 years and lack of land rights. An estimated input (mainly labor) of USD 380 ha(-1) yr(-1) results in only a total output of USD 360 ha(-1) yr(-1) and Jhum cultivated areas suffer severe loss of soil and valuable plant nutrients along with runoff during the rainy season. To compensate these losses by commercial fertilizers will cost nearly USD 2 million yr(-1) for CHT. To ensure long-term productivity of the soils, Jhum should therefore be adjusted to a tolerable level and farmers should be given rights and title to the land to motivate them to switch to improved, settled farming systems.
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The characteristics on spatiotemporal variations of summer heatwaves in China
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Qixiang, C.; Wang, L.; Wu, S., II; Li, Y.
2016-12-01
Summer heatwaves in China have impacts on forestry, agriculture resource, infrastructure, and heat -related illness and mortality. Based on daily air temperature and relative humidity from the Chinese Meteorological Data Sharing Service System, the spatial distribution and trends of the intensity, duration, and frequency of heatwaves in China during 1960-2015 were analyzed. Considering climatic variability, we defined a heatwave as a spell of consecutive days with maximum temperatures exceeding the relative threshold (temperature percentile) .We also consider a indices combined hot days and tropical nights (CHT), and the humidity-corrected apparent temperature (AT) to analyze the health impacts of hot days in summer. This study shows that while the average frequency and duration of heatwaves has an increasing trend since 1990s, the North China Plain has a decreasing trend. This study also shows that the largest CHT values occur in southeast China, and the largest AT values occur in South China.
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Identifying driver characteristics influencing overtaking crashes.
Mohaymany, Afshin Shariat; Kashani, Ali Tavakoli; Ranjbari, Andishe
2010-08-01
To identify the most important driver characteristics influencing crash-causing overtaking maneuvers on 2-lane, 2-way rural roads of Iran. Based on the crash data for rural roads of Iran over 3 years from 2006 to 2008, the classification and regression tree (CART) method combined with the quasi-induced exposure concept was applied for 4 independent variables and one target variable of "driver status" with 2 classes of at fault and not at fault. The independent variables were vehicle type, driver's age, driving license, and driving experience of the driver-the latter 2 driver characteristics are relatively new in traffic safety studies. According to the data set, 16,809 drivers were involved in 2-lane, 2-way rural roads overtaking crashes. The analysis revealed that drivers who are younger than 28 years old, whose driving license is type 2--a common driving license that is for driving with passenger car and light vehicles--and whose driving experience is less than 2 years are most probably responsible for overtaking crashes. It was indicated that vehicle type is the most important factor associated with drivers being responsible for the crashes. The results also revealed that younger drivers (18-28 years) are most likely to be at fault in overtaking crashes. Therefore, enforcement and education should be more concentrated on this age group. Due to the incompliant nature of this group, changing the type and amount of traffic fines is essential for more preventing objectives. The research also found 2 relatively new factors of driving license and driving experience to have considerable effects on drivers being at fault, such that type 2 licensed drivers are more responsible compared to type 1 (a driving license for driving with all motor vehicles, which has some age and experience requirements) licensed drivers or drivers with a special license (a driving license with special vehicle types). Moreover, drivers with less than 2 years' driving experience are more responsible for these kind of crashes; thus prohibiting new drivers from driving on rural roads for new drivers seems substantial.
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Adjuvant radiotherapy with brachytherapy boost in soft tissue sarcomas
Cortesi, Annalisa; Galuppi, Andrea; Arcelli, Alessandra; Romani, Fabrizio; Mattiucci, Gian Carlo; Bianchi, Giuseppe; Ferrari, Stefano; Ferraro, Andrea; Farioli, Andrea; Gambarotti, Marco; Righi, Alberto; Macchia, Gabriella; Deodato, Francesco; Cilla, Savino; Buwenge, Milly; Valentini, Vincenzo; Morganti, Alessio Giuseppe; Donati, Davide; Cammelli, Silvia
2017-01-01
Purpose The standard primary treatment for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a wide surgical resection, preceded or followed by radiotherapy. Purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the efficacy of perioperative brachytherapy (BRT) plus postoperative external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in patients with intermediate-high risk STS. Material and methods BRT delivered dose was 20 Gy. External beam radiation therapy was delivered with 3D-technique using multiple beams. The prescribed dose was 46 Gy to the PTV. Neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy (CHT) was used in patients with potentially chemosensitive histological subtypes. The primary aim of the study was to analyze overall survival (OS) and local control (LC) in a large patient population treated with surgery, perioperative BRT, and adjuvant EBRT ± CHT. Secondary objective was to identify prognostic factors for patients outcome in terms of LC, disease-free survival (DFS), and OS. Results From 2000 to 2011, 107 patients presenting 2-3 grade (FNLCC) primary or recurrent STS were treated with surgery, perioperative BRT, and adjuvant EBRT ± CHT. Five-year LC and OS were 80.9% and 87.4%, respectively. At univariate analysis, a higher LC was recorded in primary vs. recurrent tumors (p = 0.015), and in lower limb tumors vs. other sites (p = 0.027). An improved DFS was recorded in patients with lower limb tumors vs. other sites (p = 0.034). Conclusions The combination of BRT and EBRT was able to achieve satisfactory results even in a patients population with intermediate-high risk STS. Patients with recurrent or other than lower limb sited tumors show a worse LC. PMID:28725250
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Nota, Nienke M; Burke, Sarah M; den Heijer, Martin; Soleman, Remi S; Lambalk, Cornelis B; Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T; Veltman, Dick J; Kreukels, Baudewijntje P
2017-12-01
It is hypothesized that transpeople show sex-atypical differentiation of the brain. Various structural neuroimaging studies provide support for this notion, but little is known about the sexual differentiation of functional resting-state networks in transpeople. In this study we therefore aimed to determine whether brain functional connectivity (FC) patterns in transpeople are sex-typical or sex-atypical, before and after the start of cross-sex hormone therapy (CHT). We acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance data in 36 transpeople (22 with female sex assigned at birth), first during gonadal suppression, and again four months after start of CHT, and in 37 cisgender people (20 females), both sessions without any hormonal intervention. We used independent component analysis to identify the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and left and right working memory network (WMN). These spatial maps were used for group comparisons. Within the DMN, SN, and left WMN similar FC patterns were found across groups. However, within the right WMN, cisgender males showed significantly greater FC in the right caudate nucleus than cisgender females. There was no such sex difference in FC among the transgender groups and they did not differ significantly from either of the cisgender groups. CHT (in transgender participants) and circulating sex steroids (in cisgender participants) did not affect FC. Our findings may suggest that cisgender males and females experience a dissimilar (early) differentiation of the right WMN and that such differentiation is less pronounced in transpeople. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
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Capillary-Driven Heat Transfer Experiment: Keeping It Cool in Space
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lekan, Jack F.; Allen, Jeffrey S.
1998-01-01
Capillary-pumped loops (CPL's) are devices that are used to transport heat from one location to another--specifically to transfer heat away from something. In low-gravity applications, such as satellites (and possibly the International Space Station), CPL's are used to transfer heat from electrical devices to space radiators. This is accomplished by evaporating one liquid surface on the hot side of the CPL and condensing the vapor produced onto another liquid surface on the cold side. Capillary action, the phenomenon that causes paper towels to absorb spilled liquids, is used to "pump" the liquid back to the evaporating liquid surface (hot side) to complete the "loop." CPL's require no power to operate and can transfer heat over distances as large as 30 ft or more. Their reliance upon evaporation and condensation to transfer heat makes them much more economical in terms of weight than conventional heat transfer systems. Unfortunately, they have proven to be unreliable in space operations, and the explanation for this unreliability has been elusive. The Capillary-Driven Heat Transfer (CHT) experiment is investigating the fundamental fluid physics phenomena thought to be responsible for the failure of CPL's in low-gravity operations. If the failure mechanism can be identified, then appropriate design modifications can be developed to make capillary phase-change heat-transport devices a more viable option in space applications. CHT was conducted onboard the Space Shuttle Columbia during the first Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL-1) mission, STS-94, which flew from July 1 to 17, 1997. The CHT glovebox investigation, which was conceived by Dr. Kevin Hallinan and Jeffrey Allen of the University of Dayton, focused on studying the dynamics associated with the heating and cooling at the evaporating meniscus within a capillary phase-change device in a low-gravity environment. The CHT experimental hardware was designed by a small team of engineers from Aerospace Design & Fabrication (ADF), the NASA Lewis Research Center, and the University of Dayton. The hardware consisted of two experiment modules that each contained an instrumented test loop (idealized capillary-pumped loop), a base unit for power conversion and backlighting, a display unit with 15 LED's (light-emitting diodes) to display temperatures, pressure, heater power, and time, a control unit to select heaters and heater settings, a cooling fan, and associated cables.
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Discovery of cancer common and specific driver gene sets
2017-01-01
Abstract Cancer is known as a disease mainly caused by gene alterations. Discovery of mutated driver pathways or gene sets is becoming an important step to understand molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis. However, systematically investigating commonalities and specificities of driver gene sets among multiple cancer types is still a great challenge, but this investigation will undoubtedly benefit deciphering cancers and will be helpful for personalized therapy and precision medicine in cancer treatment. In this study, we propose two optimization models to de novo discover common driver gene sets among multiple cancer types (ComMDP) and specific driver gene sets of one certain or multiple cancer types to other cancers (SpeMDP), respectively. We first apply ComMDP and SpeMDP to simulated data to validate their efficiency. Then, we further apply these methods to 12 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and obtain several biologically meaningful driver pathways. As examples, we construct a common cancer pathway model for BRCA and OV, infer a complex driver pathway model for BRCA carcinogenesis based on common driver gene sets of BRCA with eight cancer types, and investigate specific driver pathways of the liquid cancer lymphoblastic acute myeloid leukemia (LAML) versus other solid cancer types. In these processes more candidate cancer genes are also found. PMID:28168295
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Gonzalez-Perez, Abel
2016-01-20
Large tumor genome sequencing projects have now uncovered a few hundred genes involved in the onset of tumorigenesis, or drivers, in some two dozen malignancies. One of the main challenges emerging from this catalog of drivers is how to make sense of their heterogeneity in most cancer types. This is key not only to understand how carcinogenesis appears and develops in these malignancies to be able to early diagnose them, but also to open up the possibility to employ therapeutic strategies targeting a driver protein to counteract the alteration of another connected driver. Here, I focus on driver transcription factors and their connection to tumorigensis in several tumor types through the alteration of the expression of their targets. First, I explore their involvement in tumorigenesis as mutational drivers in 28 different tumor types. Then, I collect a list of downstream targets of the all driver transcription factors (TFs), and identify which of them exhibit a differential expression upon alterations of driver transcription factors. I identify the subset of targets of each TF most likely mediating the tumorigenic effect of their driver alterations in each tumor type, and explore their overlap. Furthermore, I am able to identify other driver genes that cause tumorigenesis through the alteration of very similar sets of targets. I thus uncover these circuits of connected drivers which cause tumorigenesis through the perturbation of overlapping cellular pathways in a pan-cancer manner across 15 malignancies. The systematic detection of these circuits may be key to propose novel therapeutic strategies indirectly targeting driver alterations in tumors.
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Bailly, Clement; Leforestier, Rodolphe; Campion, Loic; Thebaud, Estelle; Moreau, Anne; Kraeber-Bodere, Francoise
2017-01-01
Purpose The objective of this retrospective work was to evaluate the prognostic value on histological response and survival of quantitative indices derived from FDG-PET performed before and after chemotherapy (CHT), in a homogeneous pediatric Ewing sarcoma (EWS) and Osteosarcoma (OST) population. Methods Thirty-one patients with EWS and 31 with OST were included. All patients were treated with neoadjuvant CHT, and underwent surgery for local control. All patients had FDG-PET at diagnosis and after CHT, prior to surgery. Several parameters were evaluated: SUVmax, SUVpeak, SUVmean, metabolic tumor volume, total lesion glycolysis, 7 textural features and 3 shape features (SF). The segmentation was performed using an adaptive approach. Results were compared to histopathological regression of the resected tumor and to clinical follow-up for survival evaluation. Results For EWS, univariate analysis did not highlight any prognostic value on histological response, or survival regardless of all the considered metrics. For OST, only one of the SF, namely elongation, was significantly associated with PFS and OS on both univariate and multivariate analysis (PFS: p = 0.019, HR = 5.583; OS: p = 0.0062, HR = 7.113). Conclusion Only elongation determined on initial FDG-PET has a potential interest as a prognostic factor of PFS and OS in pediatric OST patients. Unlike recent studies of the literature realized in adult population, all the metrics reveal limited additional prognostic value in pediatric EWS patients. This seems to reinforce the question of whether children experience different subtypes of the same pathologies than older patients, with different outcomes. PMID:28841702
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Risk factors affecting fatal bus accident severity: Their impact on different types of bus drivers.
Feng, Shumin; Li, Zhenning; Ci, Yusheng; Zhang, Guohui
2016-01-01
While the bus is generally considered to be a relatively safe means of transportation, the property losses and casualties caused by bus accidents, especially fatal ones, are far from negligible. The reasons for a driver to incur fatalities are different in each case, and it is essential to discover the underlying risk factors of bus fatality severity for different types of drivers in order to improve bus safety. The current study investigates the underlying risk factors of fatal bus accident severity to different types of drivers in the U.S. by estimating an ordered logistic model. Data for the analysis are retrieved from the Buses Involved in Fatal Accidents (BIFA) database from the USA for the years 2006-2010. Accidents are divided into three levels by counting their equivalent fatalities, and the drivers are classified into three clusters by the K-means cluster analysis. The analysis shows that some risk factors have the same impact on different types of drivers, they are: (a) season; (b) day of week; (c) time period; (d) number of vehicles involved; (e) land use; (f) manner of collision; (g) speed limit; (h) snow or ice surface condition; (i) school bus; (j) bus type and seating capacity; (k) driver's age; (l) driver's gender; (m) risky behaviors; and (n) restraint system. Results also show that some risk factors only have impact on the "young and elder drivers with history of traffic violations", they are: (a) section type; (b) number of lanes per direction; (c) roadway profile; (d) wet road surface; and (e) cyclist-bus accident. Notably, history of traffic violations has different impact on different types of bus drivers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Pohar-Marinsek, Ziva; Anzic, Jozica; Jereb, Berta
2002-06-01
Chemotherapy (Cht) for rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) given before local treatment can prevent mutilating surgery and high-dose irradiation (RT). Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) can confirm the diagnosis and neoadjuvant treatment can start without delay. The purpose of our study was to assess the role of FNAB in the management of childhood RMS in Slovenia. A total of 78 children and young adults were included. FNAB provided the pre-treatment diagnosis in 37 and surgical biopsy in 41 patients. In 61 cases recurrent/metastatic disease was aspirated. Cytological diagnoses were compared to the original histological diagnoses. All case histories, cytological and histological material were reviewed and immunocytochemical staining performed when necessary. FNAB provided a correct diagnosis of malignancy in all 37 primary tumours, a specific diagnosis of RMS was given in 29 (78%). With the use of immunocytochemistry during the last 15 years, the accuracy has risen to 87%. FNAB provided the diagnosis of recurrence/metastasis in 57/61 cases. No complications of FNAB were noted. Review of histology reclassified five original diagnoses of RMS into one malignant rhabdoid tumour and four sarcomas NOS. In review of cytology we were able to sub classify 80% of RMS. FNAB is a safe method, which enables us to establish the pre-treatment diagnosis of RMS, and to some extent even its type, without delay. In our study, FNAB successfully replaced surgical biopsy in 87% of RMS patients during the last 15 years. Neoadjuvant Cht was started immediately, surgery was delayed and more conservative. Consequently, the risk for treatment sequelae was considerably reduced. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sun, Huafei; Darmofal, David L.
2014-12-01
In this paper we propose a new high-order solution framework for interface problems on non-interface-conforming meshes. The framework consists of a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) discretization, a simplex cut-cell technique, and an output-based adaptive scheme. We first present a DG discretization with a dual-consistent output evaluation for elliptic interface problems on interface-conforming meshes, and then extend the method to handle multi-physics interface problems, in particular conjugate heat transfer (CHT) problems. The method is then applied to non-interface-conforming meshes using a cut-cell technique, where the interface definition is completely separate from the mesh generation process. No assumption is made on the interface shape (other than Lipschitz continuity). We then equip our strategy with an output-based adaptive scheme for an accurate output prediction. Through numerical examples, we demonstrate high-order convergence for elliptic interface problems and CHT problems with both smooth and non-smooth interface shapes.
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Driver Support Functions under Resource-Limited Situations
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Inagaki, Toshiyuki; Itoh, Makoto; Nagai, Yoshitomo
This paper reports results of an experiment with a driving simulator in order to answer the following question: What type of support should be given to an automobile driver when it is determined, via some monitoring method, that the driver's situation awareness may not be appropriate to a given traffic condition? This paper compares (a) warning type support in which an auditory warning is given to the driver to enhance situation awareness and (b) action type support in which an autonomous safety control is executed as a soft protection for avoiding an accident. Although the both types of driver support are effective, the former sometimes fail to assure safety, which suggests a limitation of the human locus of control assumption, while efficacy of the latter may be degraded by an incorrect human reasoning that can happen under uncertainty. This paper discusses viewpoints needed in the design of systems for supporting drivers in resource-limited situations in which information or time available for a driver is limited in a given traffic condition.
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Feng, Zhongxiang; Yang, Miaomiao; Ma, Changxi; Jiang, Kang; Lei, Yewei; Huang, Wenjuan; Huang, Zhipeng; Zhan, Jingjing; Zhou, Muxiong
2017-01-01
The present study examined the types of situations that caused Chinese professional and non-professional drivers to become angry and investigated the differences in driving-elicited anger, considering the influences of type A behavior pattern and trait anger between the two groups. The 20-item revised Driving Anger Scale (DAS) was used to assess a sample of 232 drivers (57% professional, 43% non-professional). The non-professional drivers reported significantly higher levels of anger than the professional drivers on the overall Driving Anger Scale (DAS) and the traffic obstructions and discourtesy subscales. In both groups, the preferred driving speeds were positively related to driving anger. Furthermore, drivers with a type A personality exhibited higher overall driving anger scores and higher anger scores in response to traffic obstructions and slow driving than drivers with a type B personality. Trait anger was significantly related to driving anger in both groups. In the non-professional group, type A behavior patterns (TABPs) and time hurry (TH) were positively correlated with anger evoked by slow driving. In the professional group, TABPs, TH and competitive hostility (CH) were positively related to driving anger, and the TABPs exerted an indirect effect on driving anger by mediating the influence of trait anger. Overall, these findings provide a theoretical basis for implementing targeted interventions for driving anger in both professional and non-professional drivers. PMID:29253004
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Responses of soybean genotypes to pathogen infection after the application of elicitors
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Soybean diseases and pests can affect soybean production. One emerging pest management method is to treat plants with chemical elicitors at nontoxic levels to induce host resistance. The objective of this research was to determine if elicitors, benzothiadiazole (BTH), chitosan (CHT), phenylalanine (...
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González, Iria; Del Castillo, Silvia; Muñiz, Javier; Morales, Luis J.; Moreno, Fernando; Jiménez, Rosa; Cristóbal, Carmen; Graupner, Catherine; Talavera, Pedro; Curcio, Alejandro; Martínez, Paula; Guerra, Juan A.; Alonso, Joaquín J.
2015-01-01
Introduction. Cardiotoxicity represents a major limitation for the use of anthracyclines or trastuzumab in breast cancer patients. Data from longitudinal studies of diastolic dysfunction (DD) in this group of patients are scarce. The objective of the present study was to assess the incidence, evolution, and predictors of DD in patients with breast cancer treated with anthracyclines. Methods. This analytical, observational cohort study comprised 100 consecutive patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy (CHT) for breast cancer. All patients underwent clinical evaluation, echocardiogram, and measurement of cardiac biomarkers at baseline, end of anthracycline-based CHT, and at 3 months and 9 months after anthracycline-based CHT was completed. Fifteen patients receiving trastuzumab were followed with two additional visits at 6 and 12 months after the last dose of anthracycline-based CHT. A multivariate analysis was performed to find variables related to the development of DD. Fifteen of the 100 patients had baseline DD and were excluded from this analysis. Results. At the end of follow-up (median: 12 months, interquartile range: 11.1–12.8), 49 patients (57.6%) developed DD. DD was persistent in 36 (73%) but reversible in the remaining 13 patients (27%). Four patients developed cardiotoxicity (three patients had left ventricular systolic dysfunction and one suffered a sudden cardiac death). None of the patients with normal diastolic function developed systolic dysfunction during follow-up. In the logistic regression model, body mass index (BMI) and age were independently related to the development of DD, with the following odds ratio values: BMI: 1.19 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–1.36), and age: 1.12 (95% CI: 1.03–1.19). Neither cardiac biomarkers nor remaining clinical variables were predictors of DD. Conclusion. Development of diastolic dysfunction after treatment with anthracycline or anthracycline- plus trastuzumab chemotherapy is common. BMI and age were independently associated with DD following anthracycline chemotherapy. Implications for Practice: This study characterizes the incidence of diastolic dysfunction in a cohort of patients undergoing anthracycline treatment. The incidence of diastolic dysfunction during follow-up was 57% and persisted at the last follow-up visit in 73% of patients. Age and body mass index were found to be independent predictors of anthracycline-related diastolic dysfunction. These findings may help identify patients at higher risk for developing a clinically relevant anthracycline cardiotoxicity from those at lower risk and to differentiate monitoring programs for breast cancer patients according to their risk. PMID:26185196
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Itoh, Makoto; Fujiwara, Yusuke; Inagaki, Toshiyuki
This paper discusses driver's behavioral changes as a result of driver's use of an automatic brake system for preventing a rear-end collision from occurring. Three types of automatic brake systems are investigated in this study. Type 1 brake system applies a strong automatic brake when a collision is very imminent. Type 2 brake system initiates brake operation softly when a rear-end crash may be anticipated. Types 1 and 2 are for avoidance of a collision. Type 3 brake system, on the other hand, applies a strong automatic brake to reduce the damage when a collision can not be avoided. An experiment was conducted with a driving simulator in order to analyze the driver's possible behavioral changes. The results showed that the time headway (THW) during car following phase was reduced by use of an automatic brake system of any type. The inverse of time to collision (TTC), which is an index of the driver's brake timing, increased by use of Type 1 brake system when the deceleration rate of the lead vehicle was relatively low. However, the brake timing did not change when the drivers used Type 2 or 3 brake system. As a whole, dangerous behavioral changes, such as overreliance on a brake system, were not observed for either type of brake system.
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The effects of mutational processes and selection on driver mutations across cancer types.
Temko, Daniel; Tomlinson, Ian P M; Severini, Simone; Schuster-Böckler, Benjamin; Graham, Trevor A
2018-05-10
Epidemiological evidence has long associated environmental mutagens with increased cancer risk. However, links between specific mutation-causing processes and the acquisition of individual driver mutations have remained obscure. Here we have used public cancer sequencing data from 11,336 cancers of various types to infer the independent effects of mutation and selection on the set of driver mutations in a cancer type. First, we detect associations between a range of mutational processes, including those linked to smoking, ageing, APOBEC and DNA mismatch repair (MMR) and the presence of key driver mutations across cancer types. Second, we quantify differential selection between well-known alternative driver mutations, including differences in selection between distinct mutant residues in the same gene. These results show that while mutational processes have a large role in determining which driver mutations are present in a cancer, the role of selection frequently dominates.
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Differences in state drug testing and reporting by driver type in U.S. fatal traffic crashes.
Slater, Megan E; Castle, I-Jen P; Logan, Barry K; Hingson, Ralph W
2016-07-01
Driving under the influence of drugs, including marijuana, has become more prevalent in recent years despite local, state, and federal efforts to prevent such increases. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) is the primary source of drugged driving data for fatal crashes in the United States but lacks the completeness required to calculate unbiased estimates of drug use among drivers involved in fatal crashes. This article uses the 2013 FARS dataset to present differences in state drug testing rates by driver type, driver fault type, and state-level factors; discusses limitations related to analysis and interpretation of drugged driving data; and offers suggestions for improvements that may enable appropriate use of FARS drug testing data in the future. Results showed that state drug testing rates were highest among drivers who died at the scene of the crash (median=70.8%) and drivers who died and were at fault in the crash (median=64.4%). The lowest testing rates were seen among surviving drivers who were not transported to a hospital (median=14.0%) and surviving drivers who were not at fault in the crash (median=10.0%). Drug testing rates differed by state blood alcohol content (BAC) testing rate across all driver types and driver fault types, and in general, states that tested a higher percentage of drivers for BAC had higher drug testing rates. Testing rates might be increased through standardization and mandatory testing policies. FARS data users should continue to be cautious about the limitations of using currently available data to quantify drugged driving. More efforts are needed to improve drug testing and reporting practices, and more research is warranted to establish drug concentration levels at which driving skills become impaired. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Comparison of teen driver fatality rates by vehicle type in the United States.
Trowbridge, Matthew J; McKay, Mary Pat; Maio, Ronald F
2007-10-01
To compare national fatality rates for teen drivers by vehicle type. Fatality rates were calculated for 16- to 19-year-old drivers by vehicle type using data from the Fatal Analysis Reporting System (1999-2003) and estimates of miles driven from the National Household Transportation Survey (2001). Relative fatality risks for teen drivers of sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickups were calculated using passenger cars as a reference. Per vehicle mile driven, the fatality risk for both male and female teens driving SUVs was decreased relative to passenger car drivers (male teens: relative risk [RR], 0.33 [95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.29 to 0.37]; female teens: RR, 0.45 [95% CI = 0.34 to 0.59]). Fatality rates for male teens driving pickups were also lower per mile driven compared with male passenger car drivers (RR, 0.55 [95% CI = 0.51 to 0.60]). Fatality rates for female teens driving pickups and passenger cars were not statistically different but appear potentially higher for pickups (RR, 1.19 [95% CI = 0.98 to 1.44]). Both SUVs and pickups demonstrated significantly higher rates of fatal rollovers than passenger cars. Female adolescent drivers of SUVs and pickups were at particularly high risk for fatal rollovers per vehicle mile driven compared with passenger cars (SUV: RR, 1.88 [95% CI = 1.19 to 2.96]; pickup: RR, 3.42 [95% CI = 2.29 to 5.10]). Fatality rates for teen drivers vary significantly by vehicle type. From 1999 to 2003 in the United States, fatal rollovers were significantly more likely per mile driven for teen drivers of both SUVs and pickups compared with passenger cars. However, overall fatality rates (i.e., all crash types) for teen drivers of SUVs and male drivers of pickups were lower per mile driven than for teen drivers of passenger cars. The results of this ecological analysis cannot predict the individual-level fatality risk for teens driving different vehicle types. However, the significant variability in fatality rates among SUVs, pickups, and passenger cars seen at a population level suggests that vehicle choice should be further explored as a potentially modifiable risk factor in interventions to address teen driver safety.
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U.S. EPA, Pesticide Product Label, PROPOXUR HOUSEHOLD INSECT RESIDUAL SPRAY 0.5%, 03/04/1981
2011-04-14
... l~l)1'o(IR rst: Ant !i-, ('~Liro.lCht."s.. ... r 1.-: .. t". ~ ( 1 ". ... rf 1 sh. s-.r~d".!~" 2!.PJE.tl.~, -"I-:;;-t~~'.th~~
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Natural Inspired Intelligent Visual Computing and Its Application to Viticulture.
Ang, Li Minn; Seng, Kah Phooi; Ge, Feng Lu
2017-05-23
This paper presents an investigation of natural inspired intelligent computing and its corresponding application towards visual information processing systems for viticulture. The paper has three contributions: (1) a review of visual information processing applications for viticulture; (2) the development of natural inspired computing algorithms based on artificial immune system (AIS) techniques for grape berry detection; and (3) the application of the developed algorithms towards real-world grape berry images captured in natural conditions from vineyards in Australia. The AIS algorithms in (2) were developed based on a nature-inspired clonal selection algorithm (CSA) which is able to detect the arcs in the berry images with precision, based on a fitness model. The arcs detected are then extended to perform the multiple arcs and ring detectors information processing for the berry detection application. The performance of the developed algorithms were compared with traditional image processing algorithms like the circular Hough transform (CHT) and other well-known circle detection methods. The proposed AIS approach gave a Fscore of 0.71 compared with Fscores of 0.28 and 0.30 for the CHT and a parameter-free circle detection technique (RPCD) respectively.
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49 CFR 380.109 - Driver testing.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
....109 Driver testing. (a) Testing methods. The driver-student must pass knowledge and skills tests in... this part for the specific type of LCV training program being taught. (2) Instructors shall develop their own tests for the specific type of LCV-training program being taught, but those tests must be at...
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49 CFR 380.109 - Driver testing.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
....109 Driver testing. (a) Testing methods. The driver-student must pass knowledge and skills tests in... this part for the specific type of LCV training program being taught. (2) Instructors shall develop their own tests for the specific type of LCV-training program being taught, but those tests must be at...
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49 CFR 380.109 - Driver testing.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
....109 Driver testing. (a) Testing methods. The driver-student must pass knowledge and skills tests in... this part for the specific type of LCV training program being taught. (2) Instructors shall develop their own tests for the specific type of LCV-training program being taught, but those tests must be at...
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49 CFR 380.109 - Driver testing.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
....109 Driver testing. (a) Testing methods. The driver-student must pass knowledge and skills tests in... this part for the specific type of LCV training program being taught. (2) Instructors shall develop their own tests for the specific type of LCV-training program being taught, but those tests must be at...
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49 CFR 380.109 - Driver testing.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
....109 Driver testing. (a) Testing methods. The driver-student must pass knowledge and skills tests in... this part for the specific type of LCV training program being taught. (2) Instructors shall develop their own tests for the specific type of LCV-training program being taught, but those tests must be at...
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Menning, Sanne; de Ruiter, Michiel B; Veltman, Dick J; Koppelmans, V; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Boogerd, Willem; Reneman, Liesbeth; Schagen, Sanne B
2015-01-01
An increasing body of literature indicates that chemotherapy (ChT) for breast cancer (BC) is associated with adverse effects on the brain. Recent research suggests that cognitive and brain function in patients with BC may already be compromised before the start of chemotherapy. This is the first study combining neuropsychological testing, patient-reported outcomes, and multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine pretreatment cognition and various aspects of brain function and structure in a large sample. Thirty-two patients with BC scheduled to receive ChT (pre-ChT+), 33 patients with BC not indicated to undergo ChT (pre-ChT-), and 38 no-cancer controls (NCs) were included. The examination consisted of a neuropsychological test battery, self-reported aspects of psychosocial functioning, and multimodal MRI. Patients with BC reported worse scores on several aspects of quality of life, such as higher levels of fatigue and stress. However, cortisol levels were not elevated in the patient groups compared to the control group. Overall cognitive performance was lower in the pre-ChT+ and the pre-ChT- groups compared to NC. Further, patients demonstrated prefrontal hyperactivation with increasing task difficulty on a planning task compared to NC, but not during a memory task. White matter integrity was lower in both patient groups. No differences in regional brain volume and brain metabolites were found. The cognitive and imaging data converged to show that symptoms of fatigue were associated with the observed abnormalities; the observed differences were no longer significant when fatigue was accounted for. This study suggests that cancer-related psychological or biological processes may adversely impact cognitive functioning and associated aspects of brain structure and function before the start of adjuvant treatment. Our findings stress the importance to further explore the processes underlying the expression of fatigue and to study whether it has a contributory role in subsequent treatment-related cognitive decline.
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Buckis, Samantha; Lenné, Mike G; Fitzharris, Michael
2015-01-01
The elevated crash involvement rate of young drivers is well documented. Given the higher crash risk of young drivers and the need for innovative policy and programs, it remains important to fully understand the type of crashes young drivers are involved in, and knowledge of the lifetime care cost of crashes can support effective policy development. The aim of this article is to document the number and type of young driver crashes, as well as the associated lifetime care cost over a 9-year period (2005-2013) in Victoria, Australia. In Victoria, Australia, the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) has legislated responsibility for road safety and the care of persons injured in road crashes, irrespective of fault. TAC claims data for the period 2005-2013 were used to document the number and type of young driver crashes. Lifetime care costs (past and future payment liabilities) were calculated by Taylor Fry actuarial consultancy. License and population data were used to define the crash involvement rate of young drivers. Over the 9-year period, 16,817 claims were lodged to the TAC by drivers 18-25 years of age following a crash. There were 646 fewer drivers aged 18-25 killed and injured in 2013, compared to 2005, representing an unadjusted change of -28.7% (-29.8% males; -28.4% females). The total lifetime care cost of young drivers killed and injured in Victoria for the period 2005-2013 was estimated to be AU$634 million (US$493 million). Differences between males and females, single- and multivehicle crashes, and fatalities and injuries were found to be statistically significant. Run-off-road crashes and crashes from opposing direction were overrepresented in the lifetime care costs for young driver claimants. Twenty-eight injured drivers were classified as high-severity claims. These 28 claimants require additional long-term care, which was estimated to be AU$219 million; of these 28, 24 were male (85.7%). The long-term care costs for these 28 drivers (0.16%) accounts for 34.5% of the total lifetime care cost of all 18- to 25-year-old injured drivers. By using no-fault lifetime care costs that account for medical and like expenses, rehabilitation, and social reintegration costs, a more accurate understanding of the cost of young driver crashes can be determined. Application of these costs to specific crash types highlights new priorities and opportunities for developing programs to reduce young driver crashes.
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An epidemiologic survey of road traffic accidents in Iran: analysis of driver-related factors.
Moafian, Ghasem; Aghabeigi, Mohammad-Reza; Heydari, Seyed Taghi; Hoseinzadeh, Amin; Lankarani, Kamran Bagheri; Sarikhani, Yaser
2013-01-01
Road traffic accident (RTA) and its related injuries contribute to a significant portion of the burden of diseases in Iran. This paper explores the association between driver-related factors and RTA in the country. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Iran and all data regarding RTAs from March 20, 2010 to June 10, 2010 were obtained from the Traffic Police Department. We included 538 588 RTA records, which were classified to control for the main confounders: accident type, final cause of accident, time of accident and driver-related factors. Driver-related factors included sex, educational level, license type, type of injury, duration between accident and getting the driving license and driver's error type. A total of 538 588 drivers (91.83% male, sex ratio of almost 13:1) were involved in the RTAs. Among them 423 932 (78.71%) were uninjured; 224 818 (41.74%) had a diploma degree. Grade 2 driving license represented the highest proportion of all driving licenses (290 811, 54.00%). The greatest number of accidents took place at 12:00-13:59 (75 024, 13.93%). The proportion of drivers involved in RTAs decreased from 15.90% in the first year of getting a driving license to 3.13% after 10 years'of driving experience. Neglect of regulations was the commonest cause of traffic crashes (345 589, 64.17%). Non-observance of priority and inattention to the front were the most frequent final causes of death (138 175, 25.66% and 129 352, 24.02%, respectively). We found significant association between type of accident and sex, education, license type, time of accident, final cause of accident, driver's error as well as duration between accident and getting the driving license (all P less than 0.001). Our results will improve the traffic law enforcement measures, which will change inappropriate behavior of drivers and protect the least experienced road users.
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Taxonomy and Biology of Phlebotomine Vectors of Human Disease
1987-12-31
Sobre o encontro de Lutzomyiu longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) no Estado de Sao Paulo, Brasil, Rev. Saude Publ. Sac Paulo 4:99-100. 3 Forattini, 0. P...Almeida. /1964. Flebotomos do nordeste. I. Encontro de "Plboou cht, " "P. gmgxi e ’T. 1QnstispinJ. em Pernambuco (Diptera, Psychodidae). Rev. Brasil. Biol
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Multiple logistic regression model of signalling practices of drivers on urban highways
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Puan, Othman Che; Ibrahim, Muttaka Na'iya; Zakaria, Rozana
2015-05-01
Giving signal is a way of informing other road users, especially to the conflicting drivers, the intention of a driver to change his/her movement course. Other users are exposed to hazard situation and risks of accident if the driver who changes his/her course failed to give signal as required. This paper describes the application of logistic regression model for the analysis of driver's signalling practices on multilane highways based on possible factors affecting driver's decision such as driver's gender, vehicle's type, vehicle's speed and traffic flow intensity. Data pertaining to the analysis of such factors were collected manually. More than 2000 drivers who have performed a lane changing manoeuvre while driving on two sections of multilane highways were observed. Finding from the study shows that relatively a large proportion of drivers failed to give any signals when changing lane. The result of the analysis indicates that although the proportion of the drivers who failed to provide signal prior to lane changing manoeuvre is high, the degree of compliances of the female drivers is better than the male drivers. A binary logistic model was developed to represent the probability of a driver to provide signal indication prior to lane changing manoeuvre. The model indicates that driver's gender, type of vehicle's driven, speed of vehicle and traffic volume influence the driver's decision to provide a signal indication prior to a lane changing manoeuvre on a multilane urban highway. In terms of types of vehicles driven, about 97% of motorcyclists failed to comply with the signal indication requirement. The proportion of non-compliance drivers under stable traffic flow conditions is much higher than when the flow is relatively heavy. This is consistent with the data which indicates a high degree of non-compliances when the average speed of the traffic stream is relatively high.
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Older driver crash rates in relation to type and quantity of travel.
Keall, Michael D; Frith, William J
2004-03-01
It is a well-established phenomenon that, notwithstanding their overall good crash record, older drivers have a higher than average rate of involvement in injury crashes when the rate is calculated by dividing crash numbers by distance driven. It has been hypothesised that at least some of this higher crash rate is an artefact of the different nature of driving undertaken by many older drivers. For example, driving in congested urban environments provides more opportunities for collisions than driving the same distance on a motorway. However, there have been few opportunities to investigate this theory, as relevant data are difficult to acquire. High-quality data from the New Zealand Travel Survey (1997/1998) were combined with crash data to enable a statistical model to estimate the risk of driver groups under various driving conditions characterised by the type of road used, time of day, day of week, and season of year. Despite elevated crash risks per distance driven compared with middle-aged drivers for most road types, older drivers were as safe as any other age group when driving on motorways. Accounting for the fragility of older drivers and their passengers in the risk estimates for other road types, older drivers appeared to have daytime risks comparable to 25-year-olds and night-time risks as low as any other age group. The driving patterns of older drivers (in terms of when and where they drive) were estimated to minimize their risks in comparison with the driving patterns of other age groups. These results are of interest to both policy makers and transportation planners working against the background of inevitable increases in the number of older drivers as the population ages.
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49 CFR 391.23 - Investigation and inquiries.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... paragraph from all previous employers of the applicant that employed the driver to operate a CMV within the... CMV. (2) Exception. For drivers required to have a commercial driver's license under part 383 of this... information before allowing the driver to operate a CMV: (A) The type of operation the driver self-certified...
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49 CFR 391.23 - Investigation and inquiries.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... paragraph from all previous employers of the applicant that employed the driver to operate a CMV within the... CMV. (2) Exception. For drivers required to have a commercial driver's license under part 383 of this... information before allowing the driver to operate a CMV: (A) The type of operation the driver self-certified...
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49 CFR 391.23 - Investigation and inquiries.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... paragraph from all previous employers of the applicant that employed the driver to operate a CMV within the... CMV. (2) Exception. For drivers required to have a commercial driver's license under part 383 of this... information before allowing the driver to operate a CMV: (A) The type of operation the driver self-certified...
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Sack, Laura Magill; Davoli, Teresa; Li, Mamie Z; Li, Yuyang; Xu, Qikai; Naxerova, Kamila; Wooten, Eric C; Bernardi, Ronald J; Martin, Timothy D; Chen, Ting; Leng, Yumei; Liang, Anthony C; Scorsone, Kathleen A; Westbrook, Thomas F; Wong, Kwok-Kin; Elledge, Stephen J
2018-04-05
Genomics has provided a detailed structural description of the cancer genome. Identifying oncogenic drivers that work primarily through dosage changes is a current challenge. Unrestrained proliferation is a critical hallmark of cancer. We constructed modular, barcoded libraries of human open reading frames (ORFs) and performed screens for proliferation regulators in multiple cell types. Approximately 10% of genes regulate proliferation, with most performing in an unexpectedly highly tissue-specific manner. Proliferation drivers in a given cell type showed specific enrichment in somatic copy number changes (SCNAs) from cognate tumors and helped predict aneuploidy patterns in those tumors, implying that tissue-type-specific genetic network architectures underlie SCNA and driver selection in different cancers. In vivo screening confirmed these results. We report a substantial contribution to the catalog of SCNA-associated cancer drivers, identifying 147 amplified and 107 deleted genes as potential drivers, and derive insights about the genetic network architecture of aneuploidy in tumors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Superconducting Properties of CeIr3 Single Crystal
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sato, Yoshiki J.; Nakamura, Ai; Shimizu, Yusei; Maurya, Arvind; Homma, Yoshiya; Li, Dexin; Honda, Fuminori; Aoki, Dai
2018-05-01
Superconducting properties of CeIr3 single crystal with rhombohedral structure were examined for the first time using DC magnetization, specific heat, and electrical resistivity measurements. A bulk type-II superconductivity was clearly detected at Tc = 3.4 K, which is the second highest Tc among Ce-based intermetallic compounds. The thermodynamic properties as well as an upper critical field Hc2(0) ˜ 46.5 kOe for the H || c-axis are fully consistent with the weak-coupling BCS regime. The observed √{H} variation of C(H)/T becomes less pronounced upon cooling, possibly suggesting a suppression of low-energy quasiparticle excitations in an anisotropic s-wave gap in CeIr3, as observed in CeRu2. The origin of superconductivity is discussed from the viewpoints of the valence of Ce atom and Ir 5d-electron with a strong spin-orbit coupling.
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Committing driving violations: an observational study comparing city, town and village.
Rosenbloom, Tova; Ben-Eliyahu, Adar; Nemrodov, Dan; Biegel, Ariela; Perlman, Amotz
2009-01-01
This article compares observed driving behavior in a city, a town, and a village. Unobtrusive observations were made at intersections in each residential type. Five violation types were observed: (a) not wearing a seat belt (seat belt violation); (b) not using a safety seat for a child (safety seat violation for children); (c) not using a speaker while speaking on the phone (on-phone violation); (d) failing to comply with a 'give way' sign ('give way' sign violation); and (e) stopping in an undesignated area (undesignated stop violation). It was expected that in accordance with the anonymity hypothesis that the bigger residential areas' rate of traffic violations would be higher. The effects of the residential type, drivers' gender, and age were assessed using the multiple regression model. The stepwise method of evaluation was employed. The model converged on step 3 (Adjusted R square=0.039). Residential type and gender contributed significantly to the model. Consistent with prior research, male drivers committed more violations than female drivers. Chi-square analyses were used to test the distribution of violations by the settlement types. Overall, more drivers committed violations in the two small residential areas than in the city, with 30% of city drivers, 43% of town drivers, and 51% of village drivers committing at least one violation (chi2 (2)=37.65, p<0.001). Moreover, in the town and the village, a combination of one or more violations was committed more often than in the city(chi2 (1)=34.645, p<0.001). Accordingly, more drivers committed violations in the two small settlements (48.4%) than in the city (30.6%). Possible explanations for the observed results were provided in the Discussion section. The conclusions of this paper are that drivers in small villages tend to disobey traffic laws. Therefore, efforts have to be made in companies to take this issue in consideration while running fleets in companies located in small places far from the center.
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Chromosomal aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes of train engine drivers.
Nordenson, I; Mild, K H; Järventaus, H; Hirvonen, A; Sandström, M; Wilén, J; Blix, N; Norppa, H
2001-07-01
Studies of Swedish railway employees have indicated that railroad engine drivers have an increased cancer morbidity and incidence of chronic lymphatic leukemia. The drivers are exposed to relatively high magnetic fields (MF), ranging from a few to over a hundred microT. Although the possible genotoxic potential of MF is unclear, some earlier studies have indicated that occupational exposure to MF may increase chromosome aberrations in blood lymphocytes. Since an increased level of chromosomal aberrations has been suggested to predict elevated cancer risk, we performed a cytogenetic analysis on cultured (48 h) peripheral lymphocytes of Swedish train engine drivers. A pilot study of 18 engine drivers indicated a significant difference in the frequency of cells with chromosomal aberrations (gaps included or excluded) in comparison with seven concurrent referents (train dispatchers) and a control group of 16 office workers. The engine drivers had about four times higher frequency of cells with chromosome-type aberrations (excluding gaps) than the office workers (P < 0.01) and the dispatchers (P < 0.05). Seventy-eight percent of the engine drivers showed at least one cell per 100 with chromosome-type aberrations compared with 29% among the dispatchers and 31% among the office workers. In a follow-up study, another 30 engine drivers showed an increase (P < 0.05) in the frequency of cells with chromosome-type aberrations (gaps excluded) as compared with 30 referent policemen. Sixty percent of the engine drivers had one or more cells (per 100 cells) with chromosome-type aberrations compared with 30% among the policemen. In conclusion, the results of the two studies support the hypothesis that exposure to MF at mean intensities of 2-15 microT can induce chromosomal damage. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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2005-06-17
ciparum. Mol Biochem Parasitol 1992;56(2):239–50. [56] Vinetz JM, Dave SK, Specht CA, et al. The chitinase PfCHT1 from the human malaria parasite Plasmodium...falciparum lacks proenzyme and chitin -binding domains and displays unique substrate prefer- ences. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1999;96(24):14061–6. [57
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Itonaga, H; Sawayama, Y; Taguchi, J; Honda, S; Taniguchi, H; Makiyama, J; Matsuo, E; Sato, S; Ando, K; Imanishi, D; Imaizumi, Y; Yoshida, S; Hata, T; Moriuchi, Y; Fukushima, T; Miyazaki, Y
2015-04-01
Allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (allo-SCT) is a promising therapy that may provide long-term durable remission for adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATL) patients; however, the incidence of relapse associated with ATL remains high. To determine the clinical features of these patients at relapse, we retrospectively analyzed tumor lesions in 30 or 49 patients who relapsed following allo-SCT or chemotherapy (CHT), respectively, at three institutions in Nagasaki prefecture between 1997 and 2011. A multivariate analysis revealed that the development of abnormal lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of patients at relapse was less frequent after allo-SCT than after CHT (P<0.001). Furthermore, relapse with a new lesion only in the absence of the primary lesion was more frequent in allo-SCT (P=0.014). Lesions were more frequently observed in the central nervous systems of patients who relapsed with new lesions only (P=0.005). Thus, the clinical manifestation of relapsed ATL was slightly complex, especially in post-transplant patients. Our results emphasized the need to develop adoptive modalities for early and accurate diagnoses of relapsed ATL.
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Ravi, Ayswarya; Guo, Shengchun; Rasala, Beth; Tran, Miller; Mayfield, Stephen; Nikolov, Zivko L.
2018-01-01
Correct folding and post-translational modifications are vital for therapeutic proteins to elicit their biological functions. Osteopontin (OPN), a bone regenerative protein present in a range of mammalian cells, is an acidic phosphoprotein with multiple potential phosphorylation sites. In this study, the ability of unicellular microalgae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, to produce phosphorylated recombinant OPN in its chloroplast is investigated. This study further explores the impact of phosphorylation and expression from a “plant-like” algae on separation of OPN. Chromatography resins ceramic hydroxyapatite (CHT) and Gallium-immobilized metal affinity chromatography (Ga-IMAC) were assessed for their binding specificity to phosphoproteins. Non-phosphorylated recombinant OPN expressed in E. coli was used to compare the specificity of interaction of the resins to phosphorylated OPN. We observed that CHT binds OPN by multimodal interactions and was better able to distinguish phosphorylated proteins in the presence of 250 mM NaCl. Ga-IMAC interaction with OPN was not selective to phosphorylation, irrespective of salt, as the resin bound OPN from both algal and bacterial sources. Anion exchange chromatography proved an efficient capture method to partially separate major phosphorylated host cell protein impurities such as Rubisco from OPN. PMID:29462927
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
He, MengKe; Zhang, Yi; Xia, Lei; Yu, Peng
2017-07-01
We studied thermal stability and its relationship to the glass-forming ability (GFA) of the Ni62Nb38- x Ta x ( x=5, 10, 15, 20, 25) bulk metallic glasses (BMG) from a kinetic point of view. By fitting the heating-rate dependence of glass transition temperature ( T g onset) and crystallization temperatures ( T x onset and T x peak) of the Ni62Nb38- x Ta x BMG using the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann (VFT) equation, we obtained the ideal glass transition and crystallization temperatures ( T g 0 and T x 0) and the fragility parameter ( m), and also constructed continuous heating transition (CHT) diagrams for crystallization of the BMG. The CHT diagrams of the BMG indicate enhanced thermal stability by Ta addition; the T g 0 as well as the T x 0 also illustrates this improved stability limit. The compositional dependence of m, which agrees well with that of the reduced glass-transition temperature, indicates a strong correlation between liquid fragility and glass-forming ability in the present alloy system. These results provide new evidence for understanding thermal stability, liquid fragility, and GFA in BMG.
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Supporting care home staff to manage residents' care safely and avoid admissions.
Wills, Susan; Ross, Dena
2018-05-31
The community matron care homes team (CHT) was set up in Sandwell, West Midlands in 2011 to support care home staff to manage residents' care safely and reduce unplanned and/or avoidable use of acute health services. The service was reviewed in 2015 and attention focused on care homes with the highest levels of hospital use and emergency 999 services. Working with these care home staff and health professionals, a training and education opportunity to aid staff to manage residents in crisis was sourced, organised and implemented. The outcome of this training was positive: it demonstrated a reduction in hospital attendances and admissions and an increase in the confidence and morale of care home staff. The community matron CHT won the Nursing Older People category of the RCNi Nurse Awards in May 2017. This award has resulted in the team's profile being raised, and the team being asked to participate in further initiatives to provide enhanced support for care homes. ©2018 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.
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Theodore, Lindsay N; Hagedorn, Elliott J; Cortes, Mauricio; Natsuhara, Kelsey; Liu, Sarah Y; Perlin, Julie R; Yang, Song; Daily, Madeleine L; Zon, Leonard I; North, Trista E
2017-05-09
Hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) are formed during ontogeny from hemogenic endothelium in the ventral wall of the dorsal aorta (VDA). Critically, the cellular mechanism(s) allowing HSPC egress and migration to secondary niches are incompletely understood. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are inflammation-responsive proteins that regulate extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, cellular interactions, and signaling. Here, inhibition of vascular-associated Mmp2 function caused accumulation of fibronectin-rich ECM, retention of runx1/cmyb + HSPCs in the VDA, and delayed caudal hematopoietic tissue (CHT) colonization; these defects were absent in fibronectin mutants, indicating that Mmp2 facilitates endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition via ECM remodeling. In contrast, Mmp9 was dispensable for HSPC budding, being instead required for proper colonization of secondary niches. Significantly, these migration defects were mimicked by overexpression and blocked by knockdown of C-X-C motif chemokine-12 (cxcl12), suggesting that Mmp9 controls CHT homeostasis through chemokine regulation. Our findings indicate Mmp2 and Mmp9 play distinct but complementary roles in developmental HSPC production and migration. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Poirier, Brigitte; Blais, Etienne; Faubert, Camille
2018-01-01
In keeping with the differential deterrence theory, this article assesses the moderating effect of license type on the relationship between social control and intention to violate road rules. More precisely, the article has two objectives: (1) to assess the effect of license type on intentions to infringe road rules; and (2) to pinpoint mechanisms of social control affecting intentions to violate road rules based on one's type of driver license (a restricted license or a full license). This effect is examined among a sample of 392 young drivers in the province of Quebec, Canada. Drivers taking part in the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program have limited demerit points and there is zero tolerance for drinking-and-driving. Propensity score matching techniques were used to assess the effect of the license type on intentions to violate road rules and on various mechanisms of social control. Regression analyses were then conducted to estimate the moderating effect of license type. Average treatment effects from propensity score matching analyses indicate that respondents with a restricted license have lower levels of intention to infringe road rules. While moral commitment and, to a lesser extent, the perceived risk of arrest are both negatively associated with intentions to violate road rules, the license type moderates the relationship between delinquent peers and intentions to violate road rules. The effect of delinquent peers is reduced among respondents with a restricted driver license. Finally, a diminished capability to resist peer pressure could explain the increased crash risk in months following full licensing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-09-05
... (NHTSA) proposes to collect information from older adult licensed drivers about their driver license... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Control Number: 2127-New. Title: Older Driver Compliance with Licensing Restrictions. Form No.: NHTSA Form 1186. Type of Review: Regular. Respondents: Drivers age 70 and older who...
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Gao, Jingru; Davis, Gary A
2017-12-01
The rear-end crash is one of the most common freeway crash types, and driver distraction is often cited as a leading cause of rear-end crashes. Previous research indicates that driver distraction could have negative effects on driving performance, but the specific association between driver distraction and crash risk is still not fully revealed. This study sought to understand the mechanism by which driver distraction, defined as secondary task distraction, could influence crash risk, as indicated by a driver's reaction time, in freeway car-following situations. A statistical analysis, exploring the causal model structure regarding drivers' distraction impacts on reaction times, was conducted. Distraction duration, distraction scenario, and secondary task type were chosen as distraction-related factors. Besides, exogenous factors including weather, visual obstruction, lighting condition, traffic density, and intersection presence and endogenous factors including driver age and gender were considered. There was an association between driver distraction and reaction time in the sample freeway rear-end events from SHRP 2 NDS database. Distraction duration, the distracted status when a leader braked, and secondary task type were related to reaction time, while all other factors showed no significant effect on reaction time. The analysis showed that driver distraction duration is the primary direct cause of the increase in reaction time, with other factors having indirect effects mediated by distraction duration. Longer distraction duration, the distracted status when a leader braked, and engaging in auditory-visual-manual secondary task tended to result in longer reaction times. Given drivers will be distracted occasionally, countermeasures which shorten distraction duration or avoid distraction presence while a leader vehicle brakes are worth considering. This study helps better understand the mechanism of freeway rear-end events in car-following situations, and provides a methodology that can be adopted to study the association between driver behavior and driving features. Copyright © 2017 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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An observational study of driving distractions on urban roads in Spain.
Prat, F; Planes, M; Gras, M E; Sullman, M J M
2015-01-01
The present research investigated the prevalence of driver engagement in secondary tasks and whether there were any differences by age and gender, as well as day of the week and time of the day. Two independent researchers observed 6578 drivers at nine randomly selected urban locations in Girona, Spain. Nearly 20% of the drivers observed were engaged in some type of secondary task, with the most common being: conversing with a passenger (11.1%), smoking (3.7%) and talking on a handheld mobile phone (1.3%). Surprisingly there were no differences by gender, but there were age-related differences with younger drivers being more frequently observed engaged in a number of different types of secondary tasks while driving (i.e. drinking, talking on a handheld mobile phone, and texting or keying numbers). Logistic regression showed that younger drivers, and to a lesser extent middle-age drivers, were significantly more likely to be observed engaged in a technological distraction than older drivers. Conversely, non-technological distractions were significantly predicted by day of the week, time of the day and location. A substantial number of the drivers observed in this study were putting themselves at an increased risk of becoming involved in a crash by engaging in non-driving related tasks at the same time as driving. Furthermore, the higher crash rate among young drivers may be partially accounted for by their more frequent engagement in some types of secondary tasks while driving. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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[Occupational stress situation analysis of different types of train drivers].
Zhou, Wenhui; Gu, Guizhen; Wu, Hui; Yu, Shanfa
2014-11-01
To analyze the status of occupational stress in different types of train drivers. By using cluster sampling method, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 1 339 train drivers (including 289 passenger train drivers, 637 freight trains drivers, 339 passenger shunting train drivers, and 74 high speed rail drivers) from a Railway Bureau depot. The survey included individual factors, occupational stress factors, stress response factors and stress mitigating factors. The occupational stress factors, stress response factors and mitigating factors were measured by the revised effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model questionnaires and occupational stress measurement scale. By using the method of covariance analysized the difference of occupational stress factors of all types train drivers, the method of Stepwise regression was used to analyze the effection (R(2)) of occupational stress factors and stress mitigating factors on stress response factors. Covariance analysis as covariates in age, education level, length of service and marital status showed that the scores of ERI (1.58 ± 0.05), extrinsic effort (19.88 ± 0.44), rewards (23.43 ± 0.43), intrinsic effort (17.86 ± 0.36), physical environment (5.70 ± 0.22), social support (30.51 ± 0.88) and daily tension (10.27 ± 0.38 ) of high speed rail drivers were higher than other drivers (F values were 6.06, 11.32, 7.05, 13.25, 5.20, 9.48 and 6.14 respectively, P < 0.01), but the scores of emotional balance (4.15 ± 0.31) and positive emotion (2.06 ± 0.20) were lower than other drives (P < 0.01);the scores of psychological needs (10.48 ± 0.18), emotional balance (4.88 ± 0.16) and positive emotion (2.63 ± 0.10) of passenger train drivers were higher than other drivers (F values were 4.33 and 5.50 respectively, P < 0.01). The descending rank of the effect value on occupational stress factors and mitigating factors to depressive symptoms of train drivers was high speed rail drivers (R(2) = 0.64), passenger train drivers (R(2) = 0.44), passenger shunting train drivers (R(2) = 0.39), freight trains drivers (R(2) = 0.38); job satisfaction of train drivers was high speed rail drivers (R(2) = 0.68), passenger train drivers (R(2) = 0.62), freight trains drivers (R(2) = 0.43), passenger shunting train drivers(R(2) = 0.38); to daily tension of train drivers was high speed rail drivers (R(2) = 0.54), passenger train drivers (R(2) = 0.37), passenger shunting train drivers (R(2) = 0.33), freight trains drivers (R(2) = 0.30); emotional balance of train drivers was high speed rail drivers (R(2) = 0.47), passenger train drivers (R(2) = 0.43), passenger shunting train drivers (R(2) = 0.33), freight trains drivers(R(2) = 0.31). ERI, psychological needs, work responsibilities, job roles, work conflict, and physical environment were important occupational stress factors of train drivers; social support was pivotal mitigating factors; different train drivers had different occupational stress status, high speed rail drivers were the highest, and freight trains drivers passenger train drivers or passenger shunting train drivers were the lowest.
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Web-Based Naval Fleet Logistics Information System
2007-12-01
Ship AOR Area of Responsibility ATG Assistant Training Group B2B Business to business Beach DET Beach Detachment CHT Collection and Holding...operationalize supply domain. While the initiatives did not specify a Web-based information system concept, business to business ( B2B ) information...cost more per pound to deliver and frequently cause delays compared to the commercial freight companies . Military personnel traveling overseas are
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Ceriani, Luca, E-mail: luca.ceriani@eoc.ch; Martelli, Maurizio; Gospodarowicz, Maria K.
Purpose: To assess the predictive value of {sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for disease recurrence after immunochemotherapy (R-CHT) and mediastinal irradiation (RT), using the recently published criteria of the Lugano classification to predict outcomes for patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. Methods and Materials: Among 125 patients prospectively enrolled in the IELSG-26 study, 88 were eligible for central review of PET/CT scans after completion of RT. Responses were evaluated using the 5-point Deauville scale at the end of induction R-CHT and after consolidation RT. According to the Lugano classification, a complete metabolic response (CMR) was defined bymore » a Deauville score (DS) ≤3. Results: The CMR (DS1, -2, or -3) rate increased from 74% (65 patients) after R-CHT to 89% (78 patients) after consolidation RT. Among the 10 patients (11%) with persistently positive scans, the residual uptake after RT was slightly higher than the liver uptake in 6 patients (DS4; 7%) and markedly higher in 4 patients (DS5; 4%): these patients had a significantly poorer 5-year progression-free survival and overall survival. At a median follow-up of 60 months (range, 35-107 months), no patients with a CMR after RT have relapsed. Among the 10 patients who did not reach a CMR, 3 of the 4 patients (positive predictive value, 75%) with DS5 after RT had subsequent disease progression (within the RT volume in all cases) and died. All patients with DS4 had good outcomes without recurrence. Conclusions: All the patients obtaining a CMR defined as DS ≤3 remained progression-free at 5 years, confirming the excellent negative predictive value of the Lugano classification criteria in primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma patients. The few patients with DS4 also had an excellent outcome, suggesting that they do not necessarily require additional therapy, because the residual {sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake may not reflect persistent lymphoma.« less
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Quirós, Carmen; Patrascioiu, Ioana; Mora, Mireia; Aranda, Gloria Beatriz; Hanzu, Felicia Alexandra; Gómez-Gil, Esther; Godás, Teresa; Halperin, Irene
2015-05-01
Since the onset of cross hormone therapy (CHT) in transsexual individuals, there has been concern about possible chronic side effects. Our objective was to assess baseline differences in lipid profile in individuals with gender identity disorder in relation to prior CHT, and changes in the lipid profile and other cardiovascular (CV) risk factors after 24 months of treatment. Retrospective longitudinal study including all individuals assisted for the first time in the Gender Identity Unit of Catalonia from 2006 to 2010. Socio-demographical, anthropometric and laboratory data were collected. We evaluated 247 transsexuals, 150 male to female (MtF: 60.7%) and 97 female to male (FtM; 39.3%). At baseline, FtM transsexuals were younger and had started prior CHT less often than MtF (13.4% vs. 64.7%; p<0.001). During follow up, in MtF weight and BMI increased significantly, as well as systolic and diastolic blood pressure, though these latter remained within normal range. No significant differences in lipid profile were observed. FtM transsexuals also presented an increase in weight and BMI, without differences in blood pressure. A general worsening in lipid profile was observed in this group, with increased total cholesterol (166.0 ± 35.1 vs. 175.6 ± 38.2mg/dL; p=0.001), triglycerides (70.6 ± 30.7 vs. 102.3 ± 68.5 mg/dL; p<0.001) and LDL cholesterol (103.8 ± 28.7 vs. 112.8 ± 30.3 mg/dL; p=.013) and decreased HDL cholesterol (52.2 ± 12.2 vs. 45.4 ± 13.8 mg/dL; p=0.001), even though final levels were all within normal range. There is no detectable increase in CV risk factors in MtF transsexuals who were treated with currently prescribed estrogenic compounds, while a slight worsening in lipid profile takes place in the FtM group, though within normal limits. Copyright © 2014 SEEN. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.
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Reiman, Arto; Pekkala, Janne; Väyrynen, Seppo; Putkonen, Ari; Forsman, Mikael
2014-01-01
The aim of this study was to identify risks and ergonomics discomfort during work of local and short haul delivery truck drivers outside a cab. The study used a video- and computer-based method (VIDAR). VIDAR is a participatory method identifying demanding work situations and their potential risks. The drivers' work was videoed and analysed by subjects and ergonomists. Delivery truck drivers should not be perceived as one group with equal risks because there were significant differences between the 2 types of transportation and specific types of risks. VIDAR produces visual material for risk management processes. VIDAR as a participatory approach stimulates active discussion about work-related risks and discomfort, and about possibilities for improvement. VIDAR may be also applied to work which comprises different working environments.
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Associations of distraction involvement and age with driver injury severities.
Donmez, Birsen; Liu, Zishu
2015-02-01
This paper investigates the associations between the severity of injuries sustained by a driver who is involved in a two-vehicle crash, the existence and type of driver distraction as well as driver's age. Few studies investigated distraction as it relates to injury severity. Moreover, these studies did not consider driver age which is a significant factor related to driving behavior and the ability to respond in a crash situation. An ordered logit model was built to predict injury severity sustained by drivers using data from the U.S. National Automotive Sampling System's General Estimates System (2003 to 2008). Various factors (e.g., weather, gender, and speeding) were statistically controlled for, but the main focus was on the interaction of driver age and distraction type. The trends observed for young and mid-age drivers were similar. For these age groups, dialing or texting on the cell phone, passengers, and in-vehicle sources resulted in an increase in a likelihood of more severe injuries. Talking on the cell phone had a similar effect for younger drivers but was not significant for mid-age drivers. Inattention and distractions outside the vehicle decreased the odds of severe injuries. For older drivers, the highest odds of severe injuries were observed with dialing or texting on a cell phone, followed by in-vehicle sources and talking on the cell phone. All these sources were associated with an increased likelihood of injury severity. Similar to young and mid-age drivers, distractions outside the vehicle decreased the odds of severe injuries. Other distraction types did not have a significant effect for the older age group. The results support previous literature and extend our understanding of crash injury severity. The findings have implications for policy making and the design of distraction mitigation systems. Copyright © 2014 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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National evaluation of graduated driver licensing programs.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2006-06-01
Context. Implementation of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs is associated with lower fatal crash : rates of young drivers, but the contribution of specific components of GDL programs is not known. : Objective. To determine which types of GDL...
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Prevalence of refraction errors and color blindness in heavy vehicle drivers.
Erdoğan, Haydar; Ozdemir, Levent; Arslan, Seher; Cetin, Ilhan; Ozeç, Ayşe Vural; Cetinkaya, Selma; Sümer, Haldun
2011-01-01
To investigate the frequency of eye disorders in heavy vehicle drivers. A cross-sectional type study was conducted between November 2004 and September 2006 in 200 driver and 200 non-driver persons. A complete ophthalmologic examination was performed, including visual acuity, and dilated examination of the posterior segment. We used the auto refractometer for determining refractive errors. According to eye examination results, the prevalence of the refractive error was 21.5% and 31.3% in study and control groups respectively (P<0.05). The most common type of refraction error in the study group was myopic astigmatism (8.3%) while in the control group simple myopia (12.8%). Prevalence of dyschromatopsia in the rivers, control group and total group was 2.2%, 2.8% and 2.6% respectively. A considerably high number of drivers are in lack of optimal visual acuity. Refraction errors in drivers may impair the traffic security.
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Prevalence of refraction errors and color blindness in heavy vehicle drivers
Erdoğan, Haydar; Özdemir, Levent; Arslan, Seher; Çetin, Ilhan; Özeç, Ayşe Vural; Çetinkaya, Selma; Sümer, Haldun
2011-01-01
AIM To investigate the frequency of eye disorders in heavy vehicle drivers. METHODS A cross-sectional type study was conducted between November 2004 and September 2006 in 200 driver and 200 non-driver persons. A complete ophthalmologic examination was performed, including visual acuity, and dilated examination of the posterior segment. We used the auto refractometer for determining refractive errors. RESULTS According to eye examination results, the prevalence of the refractive error was 21.5% and 31.3% in study and control groups respectively (P<0.05). The most common type of refraction error in the study group was myopic astigmatism (8.3%) while in the control group simple myopia (12.8%). Prevalence of dyschromatopsia in the rivers, control group and total group was 2.2%, 2.8% and 2.6% respectively. CONCLUSION A considerably high number of drivers are in lack of optimal visual acuity. Refraction errors in drivers may impair the traffic security. PMID:22553671
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Bunn, T L; Slavova, S; Struttmann, T W; Browning, S R
2005-09-01
A retrospective population-based case-control study was conducted to determine whether driver sleepiness/fatigue and inattention/distraction increase the likelihood that a commercial motor vehicle collision (CVC) will be fatal. Cases were identified as CVC drivers who died (fatal) and controls were drivers who survived (nonfatal) an injury collision using the Kentucky Collision Report Analysis for Safer Highways (CRASH) electronic database from 1998-2002. Cases and controls were matched on unit type and roadway type. Conditional logistic regression was performed. Driver sleepiness/fatigue, distraction/inattention, age of 51 years of age and older, and nonuse of safety belts increase the odds that a CVC will be fatal. Primary safety belt law enactment and enforcement for all states, commercial vehicle driver education addressing fatigue and distraction and other approaches including decreased hours-of-service, rest breaks and policy changes, etc. may decrease the probability that a CVC will be fatal.
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Motor vehicle driver death and high state maximum speed limits: 1991-1993.
Yamane, Grover K; Bradshaw, Benjamin S
2008-09-01
To measure the association between motor vehicle crash (MVC) driver death and high state maximum speed limits. This study used a case-control design and assessed driver deaths from three major types of MVCs: non-collision; collision with motor vehicles in transit; and collision with stationary objects. The study period was 1991-1993. For each type of crash, case subject populations of fatally injured drivers were obtained from the U.S. Department of Transportation Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Four control subject populations, each associated with a different cause of death, were obtained from a U.S. national death certificate database (the causes of death were unintentional poisoning, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, drowning, and diabetes mellitus). Subjects were considered exposed if the state in which they crashed (for cases) or died (for controls) had a maximum speed limit greater than 55 mph. Each of the three case subject populations was compared against each of the four control subject populations. Odds ratios (ORs) were adjusted for age and gender. For non-collision driver death, ORs ranged from 3.06 to 6.56, depending on the year and control group; all the ORs were significant. For collision with motor vehicles in transit driver death, ORs ranged from 1.12 to 2.22; all the ORs were significant. For collision with stationary objects driver death, ORs ranged from 0.87 to 1.83. There was a moderately strong and significant association between non-collision driver death and high state maximum speed limits. For collision with motor vehicles in transit driver death, the association was somewhat milder but still consistent. For collision with stationary objects driver death, the presence of an association was unclear. During 1991-1993, the effects of high state maximum speed limits may have been different for different types of MVCs.
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Huang, Yizhe; Sun, Daniel Jian; Zhang, Li-Hui
2018-08-01
Inappropriate cruising speed, such as speeding, is one of the major contributors to the road safety, which increases both the quantitative number and severity of traffic accidents. Previous studies have indicated that traffic congestion is one of the primary causes of drivers' frustration and aggression, which may lead to inappropriate speed choice. In this study, the large taxi floating car data (FCD) was used to empirically evaluate how traffic congestion-related negative moods, defined as state aggressiveness, affected drivers' speed choice. The indirect effect of traffic delay on the cruising speed adjustment through the state aggressiveness was assessed through the mediation analysis. Furthermore, the moderated mediation analysis was performed to explore the effect of driver type, value of time, and working duration on the mediation role of state aggressiveness. The results proved that the state aggressiveness was the mediator of the relationship between travel delays and driving speed adjustment, and the mediation role was different across various driver types. As compared to the aggressive drivers, the normal drivers and the steady drivers tended to behave more aggressively after experiencing non-recurrent congestion during the early stage of the trips. When the value of time was high, steady drivers were more likely to adjust their speed choice although the effect was not statistically significant for other driver types. The validation results indicated that the speed model incorporating state aggressiveness could better predict the travel time than the traditional speed model that only considering the specific expected speed distribution. The prediction results for the manifest indicators of state aggressiveness, such as the maximum speed and the speed deviation, also demonstrated a reasonable reflection of the field data. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Munigety, Caleb Ronald
2018-04-01
The traditional traffic microscopic simulation models consider driver and vehicle as a single unit to represent the movements of drivers in a traffic stream. Due to this very fact, the traditional car-following models have the driver behavior related parameters, but ignore the vehicle related aspects. This approach is appropriate for homogeneous traffic conditions where car is the major vehicle type. However, in heterogeneous traffic conditions where multiple vehicle types are present, it becomes important to incorporate the vehicle related parameters exclusively to account for the varying dynamic and static characteristics. Thus, this paper presents a driver-vehicle integrated model hinged on the principles involved in physics-based spring-mass-damper mechanical system. While the spring constant represents the driver’s aggressiveness, the damping constant and the mass component take care of the stability and size/weight related aspects, respectively. The proposed model when tested, behaved pragmatically in representing the vehicle-type dependent longitudinal movements of vehicles.
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School Bus Accidents and Driver Age.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
McMichael, Judith
The study examines the rates and types of school bus accidents according to the age of the school bus driver. Accident rates in North Carolina for the school year 1971-72 were analyzed using three sources of data: accident reports, driver and mileage data, and questionnaires administered to a sample of school bus drivers. Data were obtained on…
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Predicting and Reducing Driving Mishaps Among Drivers With Type 1 Diabetes
Gonder-Frederick, Linda A.; Singh, Harsimran; Ingersoll, Karen S.; Banton, Tom; Grabman, Jesse H.; Schmidt, Karen; Clarke, William
2017-01-01
OBJECTIVE Two aims of this study were to develop and validate A) a metric to identify drivers with type 1 diabetes at high risk of future driving mishaps and B) an online intervention to reduce mishaps among high-risk drivers. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS To achieve aim A, in study 1, 371 drivers with type 1 diabetes from three U.S. regions completed a series of established questionnaires about diabetes and driving. They recorded their driving mishaps over the next 12 months. Questionnaire items that uniquely discriminated drivers who did and did not have subsequent driving mishaps were assembled into the Risk Assessment of Diabetic Drivers (RADD) scale. In study 2, 1,737 drivers with type 1 diabetes from all 50 states completed the RADD online. Among these, 118 low-risk (LR) and 372 high-risk (HR) drivers qualified for and consented to participate in a 2-month treatment period followed by 12 monthly recordings of driving mishaps. To address aim B, HR participants were randomized to receive either routine care (RC) or the online intervention “DiabetesDriving.com” (DD.com). Half of the DD.com participants received a motivational interview (MI) at the beginning and end of the treatment period to boost participation and efficacy. All of the LR participants were assigned to RC. In both studies, the primary outcome variable was driving mishaps. RESULTS Related to aim A, in study 1, the RADD demonstrated 61% sensitivity and 75% specificity. Participants in the upper third of the RADD distribution (HR), compared with those in the lower third (LR), reported 3.03 vs. 0.87 mishaps/driver/year, respectively (P < 0.001). In study 2, HR and LR participants receiving RC reported 4.3 and 1.6 mishaps/driver/year, respectively (P < 0.001). Related to aim B, in study 2, MIs did not enhance participation or efficacy, so the DD.com and DD.com + MI groups were combined. DD.com participants reported fewer hypoglycemia-related driving mishaps than HR participants receiving RC (P = 0.01), but more than LR participants receiving RC, reducing the difference between the HR and LR participants receiving RC by 63%. HR drivers differed from LR drivers at baseline across a variety of hypoglycemia and driving parameters. CONCLUSIONS The RADD identified higher-risk drivers, and identification seemed relatively stable across time, samples, and procedures. This 11-item questionnaire could inform patients at higher risk, and their clinicians, that they should take preventive steps to reduce driving mishaps, which was accomplished in aim B using DD.com. PMID:28404657
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Schwartz, Deborah A
2016-01-01
To allow safe early wrist motion after wrist injury, this author has modified an earlier version of a dart thrower's motion orthotic device using material that is currently available on the market and an inexpensive paper fastener as the rivet. - KristinValdes, OTD, OT, CHT, Practice Forum Editor. Copyright © 2016 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Proficiency Testing Activities of Frequency Calibration Laboratories in Taiwan, 2009
2009-11-01
cht.com.tw Abstract In order to meet the requirements of ISO 17025 and the demand of TAF (Taiwan Accreditation Foundation) for calibration inter... IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. The proficiency testing results are then important...on-site evaluation, an assessment team is organized to examine the technical competence of the labs and their compliance with the requirements of ISO
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Automated choroidal segmentation method in human eye with 1050nm optical coherence tomography
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liu, Cindy; Wang, Ruikang K.
2014-02-01
Choroidal thickness (ChT), defined as the distance between the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the choroid-sclera interface (CSI), is highly correlated with various ocular disorders like high myopia, diabetic retinopathy, and central serous chorioretinopathy. Long wavelength Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) has the ability to penetrate deep to the CSI, making the measurement of the ChT possible. The ability to accurately segment the CSI and RPE is important in extracting clinical information. However, automated CSI segmentation is challenging due to the weak boundary in the lower choroid and inconsistent texture with varied blood vessels. We propose a K-means clustering based automated algorithm, which is effective in segmenting the CSI and RPE. The performance of the method was evaluated using 531 frames from 4 normal subjects. The RPE and CSI segmentation time was about 0.3 seconds per frame, and the average time was around 0.5 seconds per frame with correction among frames, which is faster than reported algorithms. The results from the proposed method are consistent with the manual segmentation results. Further investigation includes the optimization of the algorithm to cover more OCT images captured from patients and the increase of the processing speed and robustness of the segmentation method.
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Lamichhane, Jay Ram; Devos, Yann; Beckie, Hugh J; Owen, Micheal D K; Tillie, Pascal; Messéan, Antoine; Kudsk, Per
2017-06-01
Conventionally bred (CHT) and genetically modified herbicide-tolerant (GMHT) crops have changed weed management practices and made an important contribution to the global production of some commodity crops. However, a concern is that farm management practices associated with the cultivation of herbicide-tolerant (HT) crops further deplete farmland biodiversity and accelerate the evolution of herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds. Diversification in crop systems and weed management practices can enhance farmland biodiversity, and reduce the risk of weeds evolving herbicide resistance. Therefore, HT crops are most effective and sustainable as a component of an integrated weed management (IWM) system. IWM advocates the use of multiple effective strategies or tactics to manage weed populations in a manner that is economically and environmentally sound. In practice, however, the potential benefits of IWM with HT crops are seldom realized because a wide range of technical and socio-economic factors hamper the transition to IWM. Here, we discuss the major factors that limit the integration of HT crops and their associated farm management practices in IWM systems. Based on the experience gained in countries where CHT or GMHT crops are widely grown and the increased familiarity with their management, we propose five actions to facilitate the integration of HT crops in IWM systems within the European Union.
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Young drivers' perception of adult and child pedestrians in potential street-crossing situations.
Ābele, Līva; Haustein, Sonja; Møller, Mette
2018-04-03
Despite overall improvements in road traffic safety, pedestrian accidents continue to be a serious public health problem. Due to lack of experience, limited cognitive and motoric skills, and smaller size, children have a higher injury risk as pedestrians than adults. To what extent drivers adjust their driving behaviour to children's higher vulnerability is largely unknown. To determine whether young male drivers' behaviour and scanning pattern differs when approaching a child and an adult pedestrian in a potential street-crossing situation, sixty-five young (18-24) male drivers' speed, lateral position and eye movements were recorded in a driving simulator. Results showed that fewer drivers responded by slowing down and that drivers had a higher driving speed when approaching a child pedestrian, although the time of the first fixation on both types of pedestrians was the same. However, drivers drove farther away from a child than an adult pedestrian. Additionally, fewer drivers who did not slow down fixated on the speedometer while approaching the child pedestrian. The results show that young drivers behave differently when approaching a child and an adult pedestrian, though not in a way that appropriately accounts for the limitations of a child pedestrian. A better understanding of how drivers respond to different types of pedestrians and why could contribute to the development of pedestrian detection and emergency braking systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Nearing saturation of cancer driver gene discovery.
Hsiehchen, David; Hsieh, Antony
2018-06-15
Extensive sequencing efforts of cancer genomes such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) have been undertaken to uncover bona fide cancer driver genes which has enhanced our understanding of cancer and revealed therapeutic targets. However, the number of driver gene mutations is bounded, indicating that there must be a point when further sequencing efforts will be excessive. We found that there was a significant positive correlation between sample size and identified driver gene mutations across 33 cancers sequenced by the TCGA, which is expected if additional sequencing is still leading to the identification of more driver genes. However, the rate of new cancer driver genes being discovered with larger samples is declining rapidly. Our analysis provides a general guide for determining which cancer types would likely benefit from additional sequencing efforts, particularly those with relatively high rates of cancer driver gene discovery. Our results argue that past strategies of indiscriminately sequencing as many specimens as possible for all cancer types is becoming inefficient. In addition, without significant investments into applying our knowledge of cancer genomes, we risk sequencing more cancer genomes for the sake of sequencing rather than meaningful patient benefit.
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Cell phone use and traffic crash risk: a culpability analysis.
Asbridge, Mark; Brubacher, Jeff R; Chan, Herbert
2013-02-01
The use of a cell phone or communication device while driving is illegal in many jurisdictions, yet evidence evaluating the crash risk associated with cell phone use in naturalistic settings is limited. This article aims to determine whether cell phone use while driving increases motor vehicle crash culpability. Method Drivers involved in crashes where police reported cell phone use (n = 312) and propensity matched drivers (age, sex, suspect alcohol/drug impairment, crash type, date, time of day, geographical location) without cell phone use (n = 936) were drawn from Insurance Corporation of British Columbia Traffic Accident System data. A standardized scoring tool, modified to account for Canadian driving conditions, was used to determine crash culpability from police reports on all drivers from the crashes. The association between crash culpability and cell phone use was determined, with additional subgroup analyses based on crash severity, driver characteristics and type of licence. A comparison of crashes with vs without cell phones revealed an odds ratio of 1.70 (95% confidence interval 1.22-2.36; P = 0.002). This association was consistent after adjustment for matching variables and other covariates. Subgroup analyses demonstrated an association for male drivers, unimpaired drivers, injured and non-injured drivers, and for drivers aged between 26 and 65 years. Crash culpability was found to be significantly associated with cell phone use by drivers, increasing the odds of a culpable crash by 70% compared with drivers who did not use a cell phone. This increased risk was particularly high for middle-aged drivers.
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The High-efficiency LED Driver for Visible Light Communication Applications.
Gong, Cihun-Siyong Alex; Lee, Yu-Chen; Lai, Jyun-Liang; Yu, Chueh-Hao; Huang, Li Ren; Yang, Chia-Yen
2016-08-08
This paper presents a LED driver for VLC. The main purpose is to solve the low data rate problem used to be in switching type LED driver. The GaN power device is proposed to replace the traditional silicon power device of switching LED driver for the purpose of increasing switching frequency of converter, thereby increasing the bandwidth of data transmission. To achieve high efficiency, the diode-connected GaN power transistor is utilized to replace the traditional ultrafast recovery diode used to be in switching type LED driver. This work has been experimentally evaluated on 350-mA output current. The results demonstrate that it supports the data of PWM dimming level encoded in the PPM scheme for VLC application. The experimental results also show that system's efficiency of 80.8% can be achieved at 1-Mb/s data rate.
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Best practices for maximizing driver attention to work zone warning signs.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2016-05-01
Studies have shown that rear-end crashes in the advance warning area for a work zone are the most common type of work zone crashes. Driver inattention (or distraction) is reported as the most common issue and a major contributing factor to those type...
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Matching Countermeasures to Driver Types and Speeding Behavior : Traffic Tech
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2017-06-01
Speeding is a common behavior; most drivers exceed the speed limit some of the time. It is also a complicated behavior that varies by driver and situation. Speeding-related crashes take a large annual toll in injuries, lost lives, and high economic c...
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A comparison of alcohol involvement in exposed and injured drivers, phases I and II
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
1976-02-01
Author's abstract: The primary objective of the study was to compare alcohol related data collected from drivers involved in injury producing automobile accidents with the same type of data collected from drivers who were similarly exposed to these m...
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Do Demographics and Functional Abilities Influence Vehicle Type Driven by Older Canadians?
Vrkljan, Brenda; Crizzle, Alexander; Villeneuve, Simon; Porter, Michelle; Koppel, Sjaan; Mazer, Barbara L; Naglie, Gary; Bédard, Michel; Tuokko, Holly A; Gélinas, Isabelle; Marshall, Shawn C; Rapoport, Mark J
2016-06-01
In this study, we examined the Candrive baseline data (n = 928; aged 70 to 94; 62% were men) to determine whether driver characteristics (i.e., age, gender, height, weight, BMI) and certain functional abilities (i.e., Rapid Paced Walk, Timed Up and Go) influenced the types of vehicles driven. There were significant differences with respect to type of vehicle and mean driver age (F = 3.58, p = 0.003), height, (F = 13.32, p < 0.001), weight (F = 14.31, p < 0.001), and BMI (F = 4.40, p = 0.001). A greater proportion of drivers with osteoporosis (χ2 = 21.23, p = 0.020) and osteo/rheumatoid arthritis (χ2 = 21.23, p = 0.020) drove small and medium-sized cars compared to larger ones. Further research is needed to examine older driver-vehicle interactions, and the relationship to demographics and functional abilities, given the vulnerability of this age group to automotive-related injuries.
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Use of booster seats by Michigan children 4-8 years of age.
Eby, David W; Bingham, C Raymond; Vivoda, Jonathon M; Ragunathan, Trivellore
2005-11-01
This study reports the results of a statewide survey of restraint use by 4-8-year-old children in Michigan conducted between July 13 and 29, 2004. In this study, 3420 4-8-year-old children were observed traveling in passenger cars, vans/minivans, sport-utility vehicles, and pickup trucks. Restraint use was estimated for children traveling in all vehicles combined, as well as for each vehicle type separately. Children's restraint use was also calculated by the sex, age, and belt use of the driver. Separate estimates were also made of the restraint use of 4-8-year-old children by the combination of sex and belt use of the driver. Overall, 8.6 +/- 5.9% of 4-8-year-old children were seated in a booster seat, 48.8 +/- 10.3% were wearing a safety belt, 5.1 +/- 3.4% were seated in a child safety seat, and the remaining 37.5 +/- 11.5% were traveling completely unrestrained. When examining the rates by vehicle type, booster seat use was highest among children riding in sport-utility vehicles and lowest for those in pickup trucks. Surprisingly, children riding in passenger cars were more likely to be completely unrestrained than those in any other type of vehicle. While the sex of the driver did not seem to influence the restraint use of target-aged children, the driver's age did seem to have an effect. Booster seat use was quite low (0.6%) for children traveling with a driver over the age of 60, compared to 7.0 and 9.1% for those riding with drivers 16-29 and 30-59 years of age, respectively. The safety belt use of the driver also had a substantial influence on children's restraint use. Irrespective of driver sex, children riding with belted drivers were traveling in booster seats about 10% of the time, while those riding with unbelted drivers were only in booster seats 1-2% of the time.
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The High-efficiency LED Driver for Visible Light Communication Applications
Gong, Cihun-Siyong Alex; Lee, Yu-Chen; Lai, Jyun-Liang; Yu, Chueh-Hao; Huang, Li Ren; Yang, Chia-Yen
2016-01-01
This paper presents a LED driver for VLC. The main purpose is to solve the low data rate problem used to be in switching type LED driver. The GaN power device is proposed to replace the traditional silicon power device of switching LED driver for the purpose of increasing switching frequency of converter, thereby increasing the bandwidth of data transmission. To achieve high efficiency, the diode-connected GaN power transistor is utilized to replace the traditional ultrafast recovery diode used to be in switching type LED driver. This work has been experimentally evaluated on 350-mA output current. The results demonstrate that it supports the data of PWM dimming level encoded in the PPM scheme for VLC application. The experimental results also show that system’s efficiency of 80.8% can be achieved at 1-Mb/s data rate. PMID:27498921
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Analyses of factors of crash avoidance maneuvers using the general estimates system.
Yan, Xuedong; Harb, Rami; Radwan, Essam
2008-06-01
Taking an effective corrective action to a critical traffic situation provides drivers an opportunity to avoid crash occurrence and minimize crash severity. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between the probability of taking corrective actions and the characteristics of drivers, vehicles, and driving environments. Using the 2004 GES crash database, this study classified drivers who encountered critical traffic events (identified as P_CRASH3 in the GES database) into two pre-crash groups: corrective avoidance actions group and no corrective avoidance actions group. Single and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify potential traffic factors associated with the probability of drivers taking corrective actions. The regression results showed that the driver/vehicle factors associated with the probability of taking corrective actions include: driver age, gender, alcohol use, drug use, physical impairments, distraction, sight obstruction, and vehicle type. In particular, older drivers, female drivers, drug/alcohol use, physical impairment, distraction, or poor visibility may increase the probability of failing to attempt to avoid crashes. Moreover, drivers of larger size vehicles are 42.5% more likely to take corrective avoidance actions than passenger car drivers. On the other hand, the significant environmental factors correlated with the drivers' crash avoidance maneuver include: highway type, number of lanes, divided/undivided highway, speed limit, highway alignment, highway profile, weather condition, and surface condition. Some adverse highway environmental factors, such as horizontal curves, vertical curves, worse weather conditions, and slippery road surface conditions are correlated with a higher probability of crash avoidance maneuvers. These results may seem counterintuitive but they can be explained by the fact that motorists may be more likely to drive cautiously in those adverse driving environments. The analyses revealed that drivers' distraction could be the highest risk factor leading to the failure of attempting to avoid crashes. Further analyses entailing distraction causes (e.g., cellular phone use) and their possible countermeasures need to be conducted. The age and gender factors are overrepresented in the "no avoidance maneuver." A possible solution could involve the integration of a new function in the current ITS technologies. A personalized system, which could be related to the expected type of maneuver for a driver with certain characteristics, would assist different drivers with different characteristics to avoid crashes. Further crash database studies are recommended to investigate the association of drivers' emergency maneuvers such as braking, steering, or their combination with crash severity.
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Smart Roadside System for Driver Assistance and Safety Warnings: Framework and Applications
Jang, Jeong Ah; Kim, Hyun Suk; Cho, Han Byeog
2011-01-01
The use of newly emerging sensor technologies in traditional roadway systems can provide real-time traffic services to drivers through Telematics and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITSs). This paper introduces a smart roadside system that utilizes various sensors for driver assistance and traffic safety warnings. This paper shows two road application models for a smart roadside system and sensors: a red-light violation warning system for signalized intersections, and a speed advisory system for highways. Evaluation results for the two services are then shown using a micro-simulation method. In the given real-time applications for drivers, the framework and certain algorithms produce a very efficient solution with respect to the roadway type features and sensor type use. PMID:22164025
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Identification of mutated driver pathways in cancer using a multi-objective optimization model.
Zheng, Chun-Hou; Yang, Wu; Chong, Yan-Wen; Xia, Jun-Feng
2016-05-01
New-generation high-throughput technologies, including next-generation sequencing technology, have been extensively applied to solve biological problems. As a result, large cancer genomics projects such as the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium are producing large amount of rich and diverse data in multiple cancer types. The identification of mutated driver genes and driver pathways from these data is a significant challenge. Genome aberrations in cancer cells can be divided into two types: random 'passenger mutation' and functional 'driver mutation'. In this paper, we introduced a Multi-objective Optimization model based on a Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) to solve the maximum weight submatrix problem, which can be employed to identify driver genes and driver pathways promoting cancer proliferation. The maximum weight submatrix problem defined to find mutated driver pathways is based on two specific properties, i.e., high coverage and high exclusivity. The multi-objective optimization model can adjust the trade-off between high coverage and high exclusivity. We proposed an integrative model by combining gene expression data and mutation data to improve the performance of the MOGA algorithm in a biological context. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Lee, Chris; Li, Xuancheng
2014-10-01
This study analyzes driver's injury severity in single- and two-vehicle crashes and compares the effects of explanatory variables among various types of crashes. The study identified factors affecting injury severity and their effects on severity levels using 5-year crash records for provincial highways in Ontario, Canada. Considering heteroscedasticity in the effects of explanatory variables on injury severity, the heteroscedastic ordered logit (HOL) models were developed for single- and two-vehicle crashes separately. The results of the models show that there exists heteroscedasticity for young drivers (≤30), safety equipment and ejection in the single-vehicle crash model, and female drivers, safety equipment and head-on collision in the two-vehicle crash models. The results also show that young car drivers have opposite effects between single-car and car-car crashes, and sideswipe crashes have opposite effects between car-car and truck-truck crashes. The study demonstrates that separate HOL models for single-vehicle and different types of two-vehicle crashes can identify differential effects of factors on driver's injury severity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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High-Accuracy, Compact Scanning Method and Circuit for Resistive Sensor Arrays.
Kim, Jong-Seok; Kwon, Dae-Yong; Choi, Byong-Deok
2016-01-26
The zero-potential scanning circuit is widely used as read-out circuit for resistive sensor arrays because it removes a well known problem: crosstalk current. The zero-potential scanning circuit can be divided into two groups based on type of row drivers. One type is a row driver using digital buffers. It can be easily implemented because of its simple structure, but we found that it can cause a large read-out error which originates from on-resistance of the digital buffers used in the row driver. The other type is a row driver composed of operational amplifiers. It, very accurately, reads the sensor resistance, but it uses a large number of operational amplifiers to drive rows of the sensor array; therefore, it severely increases the power consumption, cost, and system complexity. To resolve the inaccuracy or high complexity problems founded in those previous circuits, we propose a new row driver which uses only one operational amplifier to drive all rows of a sensor array with high accuracy. The measurement results with the proposed circuit to drive a 4 × 4 resistor array show that the maximum error is only 0.1% which is remarkably reduced from 30.7% of the previous counterpart.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lin, Ye-Chen; Li, Ming-Hsu; Yeh, Hund-Der
2017-09-01
A new mathematical model is developed to describe the flow in response to a constant-head pumping (or constant-head test, CHT) in a leaky unconfined aquifer system of infinite lateral extent with considering unsaturated flow. The model consists of an unsaturated zone on the top, an unconfined aquifer in the middle, and a second aquifer (aquitard) at the bottom. The unsaturated flow is described by Richard's equation, and the flows in unconfined aquifer and second layer are governed by the groundwater flow equation. The well partially penetrates the unconfined aquifer with a constant head in the well due to CHT. The governing equations of the model are linearized by the perturbation method and Gardner's exponential model is adopted to describe the soil retention curves. The solution of the model for drawdown distribution is obtained by applying the methods of Laplace transform and Weber transform. Then the solution for the wellbore flowrate is derived from the drawdown solution with Darcy's law. The issue of the equivalence of normalized drawdown predicted by the present solution for constant-head pumping and Tartakovsky and Neuman's (2007) solution for constant-rate pumping is discussed. On the basis of the wellbore flowrate solution, the results of the sensitivity analysis indicate that the wellbore flowrate is very sensitive to the changes in the radial hydraulic conductivity and the thickness of the saturated zone. Moreover, the results predicted from the present wellbore flowrate solution indicate that this new solution can reduce to Chang's et al. (2010a) solution for homogenous aquifers when the dimensionless unsaturated exponent approaches 100. The unsaturated zone can be considered as infinite extent in the vertical direction if the thickness ratio of the unsaturated zone to the unconfined aquifer is equal to or greater than one. As for the leakage effect, it can be ignored when the vertical hydraulic conductivity ratio (i.e., the vertical hydraulic conductivity of the lower layer over that of the unconfined aquifer) is smaller than 0.1. The present solution is compared with the numerical solution from FEMWATER for validation and the results indicate good match between these two solutions. Finally, the present solution is applied to a set of field drawdown data obtained from a CHT for the estimation of hydrogeologic parameters.
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Yegla, Brittney; Valuskova, Paulina; Gurnani, Sarika; Lindsley, Craig W.
2017-01-01
Some rats [sign-trackers (STs)] are prone to attribute incentive salience to reward cues, which can manifest as a propensity to approach and contact pavlovian cues, and for addiction-like behavior. STs also exhibit poor attentional performance, relative to goal-trackers (GTs), which is associated with attenuated acetylcholine (ACh) levels in prefrontal cortex (Paolone et al., 2013). Here, we demonstrate a cellular mechanism, linked to ACh synthesis, that accounts for attenuated cholinergic capacity in STs. First, we found that electrical stimulation of the basal forebrain increased cortical choline transporter (CHT)-mediated choline transport in GTs, paralleled by a redistribution of CHTs to the synaptic plasma membrane. Neither increases in choline uptake nor translocation of CHTs occurred in STs. Second, and consistent with uptake/translocation alterations, STs demonstrated a reduced ability to support cortical ACh release in vivo compared with GTs after reverse-dialysis to elevate extracellular potassium levels. Third, rats were significantly more likely to develop sign-tracking behavior if treated systemically before pavlovian conditioned approach training with the CHT inhibitor VU6001221. Consistent with its proposed mechanisms, administration of VU6001221 attenuated potassium-evoked ACh levels in prefrontal cortex measured with in vivo microdialysis. We propose that loss of CHT-dependent activation of cortical cholinergic activity in STs degrades top-down executive control over behavior, producing a bias for bottom-up or stimulus-driven attention. Such an attentional bias contributes to nonadaptive reward processing and thus identifies a novel mechanism that can support psychopathology, including addiction. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The vulnerability for addiction-like behavior has been associated with psychological traits, such as the propensity to attribute incentive salience to reward cues that is modeled in rats by sign-tracking behavior. Sign-trackers tend to approach and contact cues associated with reward, whereas their counterparts, the goal-trackers, have a preference for approaching the location of the reward. Here, we show that the capacity of presynaptic cholinergic synapses to respond to stimulation by elevating presynaptic choline uptake and releasing acetylcholine is attenuated in sign-trackers. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of choline transport induced sign-tracking behavior. Our findings suggest that reduced levels of cholinergic neuromodulation can mediate an attentional bias toward reward-related cues, thereby allowing such cues to exert relatively greater control over behavior. PMID:28193693
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Violet, John Albert
2007-12-01
Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is a targeted form of treatment for cancer which uses tumour-associated antibodies to selectively deliver a therapeutic radionuclide to sites of disease. In lymphoma, radioimmunotherapy has proved a remarkably effective agent due to the high radiosensitivity of the tumour and its propensity to undergo apoptosis following irradiation. However, success in the treatment of the more radioresistant common solid tumours has been less successful, and for these patients RIT remains investigative. The effectiveness of RIT is limited by non-specific irradiation of normal tissues whilst antibody remains in the circulation, in particular bone marrow, and also by immunogenicity of antibody which does not allow for repeated therapy. In the first chapter I have hypothesised that lymphomas expressing the interleukin-2 receptor might be effectively treated using a radiolabeled antibody to this receptor. In a phase I/II clinical study, 131I labelled CHT-25, a chimeric antibody against the IL-2Ra chain, has shown encouraging evidence of efficacy in the 9 patients with multiply- relapsed lymphomas treated so far. In addition, use of this antibody has been associated with low immunogenicity allowing for repeated therapies to be given. In the second chapter I have hypothesised that dosimetry led, individual patient therapy, might further optimise 1311 CHT-25 treatment. To investigate this I have used marrow toxicity as a biological assay of absorbed dose and shown that simple, but individual, patient biodistribution indices correlate better with observed toxicity than the population-based dose estimates currently employed. I have proposed that adoption of individual patient dosimetry using tracer studies is worthy of further investigation for the future development of 131I- CHT-25. In the third chapter I have hypothesised that dose fractionation might improve the therapeutic ratio of RIT. This has been investigated in a pre-clinical human colorectal xenograft model in nude mice using 131I-A5B7, a murine antibody against CEA. In this setting fractionation neither reduces normal tissue toxicity nor increases the effectiveness of therapy. This thesis demonstrates, using both pre-clinical and clinical data, how the therapeutic ratio of RIT might be improved through antibody design, leading to reduced immunogenicity, dose fractionation and radiation dosimetry, and proposes how these approaches might be used to optimise the effectiveness of RIT in the clinic.
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Chen, Huiqin; Chen, Qiang; Chen, Lei; Zhang, Guanjun
2016-11-16
The objective of this research was to study risk factors that significantly influence the severity of crashes for drivers both under and not under the influence of alcohol. Ordinal logistic regression was applied to analyze a crash data set involving drivers under and not under the influence of alcohol in China from January 2011 to December 2014. Four risk factors were found to be significantly associated with the severity of driver injury, including crash partner and intersection type. Age group was found to be significantly associated with the severity of crashes involving drivers under the influence of alcohol. Crash partner, intersection type, lighting conditions, gender, and time of day were found to be significantly associated with severe driver injuries, the last of which was also significantly associated with severe crashes involving drivers not under the influence of alcohol. This study found that pedestrian involvement decreases the odds of severe driver injury when a driver is under the influence of alcohol, with a relative risk of 0.05 compared to the vehicle-to-vehicle group. The odds of severe driver injury at T-intersections were higher than those for traveling along straight roads. Age was shown to be an important factor, with drivers 50-60 years of age having higher odds of being involved in severe crashes compared to 20- to 30-year-olds when the driver was under the influence of alcohol. When the driver was not under the influence of alcohol, drivers suffered more severe injuries between midnight and early morning compared to early nighttime. The vehicle-to-motorcycle and vehicle-to-pedestrian groups experienced less severe driver injuries, and vehicle collisions with fixed objects exhibited higher odds of severe driver injury than did vehicle-to-vehicle impacts. The odds of severe driver injury at cross intersections were 0.29 compared to travel along straight roads. The odds of severe driver injury when street lighting was not available at night were 3.20 compared to daylight. The study indicated that female drivers are more likely to experience severe injury than male drivers when not under the influence of alcohol. Crashes between midnight and early morning exhibited higher odds of severe injury compared to those occurring at other times of day. The identification of risk factors and a discussion on the odds ratio between levels of the impact of the driver injury and crash severity may benefit road safety stakeholders when developing initiatives to reduce the severity of crashes.
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Detection of protonated non-Watson-Crick base pairs using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.
Ishida, Riyoko; Iwahashi, Hideo
2018-03-01
Many studies have shown that protonated nucleic acid base pairs are involved in a wide variety of nucleic acid structures. However, little information is available on relative stability of hemiprotonated self- and non-self-dimers at monomer level. We used electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) to evaluate the relative stability under various concentrations of hydrogen ion. These enable conjecture of the formation of protonated non-Watson-Crick base pairs based on DNA and RNA base sequence. In the present study, we observed that ESI-MS peaks corresponded to respective self-dimers for all examined nucleosides except for adenosine. Peak heights depended on the concentration of hydrogen ion. The ESI-MS peak heights of the hemiprotonated cytidine dimers and the hemiprotonated thymidine dimer sharply increased with increased concentration of hydrogen ion, suggesting direct participation of hydrogen ion in dimer formations. In ESI-MS measurements of the solutions containing adenosine, cytidine, thymidine and guanosine, we observed protonated cytidine-guanosine dimer (CH+-G) and protonated cytidine-thymidine dimer (CH+-T) in addition to hemiprotonated cytidine-cytidine dimer (CH+-C) with following relative peak height, (CH+-C) > (CH+-G) ≈ (CH+-T) > (CH+-A). Additionally, in the ESI-MS measurements of solutions containing adenosine, thymidine and guanosine, we observed a considerable amount of protonated adenosine-guanosine (AH+-G) and protonated adenosine-thymidine (AH+-T).
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Metabolic Imaging of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Detects Altered Choline Metabolism
Penet, Marie-France; Shah, Tariq; Bharti, Santosh; Krishnamachary, Balaji; Artemov, Dmitri; Mironchik, Yelena; Wildes, Flonné; Maitra, Anirban; Bhujwalla, Zaver M.
2014-01-01
Purpose Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive and lethal disease that develops relatively symptom-free and is therefore advanced at the time of diagnosis. The absence of early symptoms and effective treatments has created a critical need for identifying and developing new noninvasive biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Experimental Design We investigated the metabolism of a panel of PDAC cell lines in culture and noninvasively in vivo with 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) to identify noninvasive biomarkers and uncover potential metabolic targets. Results We observed elevated choline-containing compounds in the PDAC cell lines and tumors. These elevated choline-containing compounds were easily detected by increased total choline (tCho) in vivo, in spectroscopic images obtained from tumors. Principal component analysis of the spectral data identified additional differences in metabolites between HPNE and neoplastic PDAC cells. Molecular characterization revealed overexpression of choline kinase (Chk)-α, choline transporter 1 (CHT1), and choline transporter-like protein 1 (CTL1) in the PDAC cell lines and tumors. Conclusions Collectively, these data identify new metabolic characteristics of PDAC and reveal potential metabolic targets. Total choline detected with 1H MRSI may provide an intrinsic, imaging-probe independent biomarker to complement existing techniques in detecting PDAC. The expression of Chk-α, CHT1, and CTL1 may provide additional molecular markers in aspirated cytological samples. PMID:25370468
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Domingues, Rui M A; Chiera, Silvia; Gershovich, Pavel; Motta, Antonella; Reis, Rui L; Gomes, Manuela E
2016-06-01
Anisotropically aligned electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds based on natural/synthetic polymer blends have been established as a reasonable compromise between biological and biomechanical performance for tendon tissue engineering (TE) strategies. However, the limited tensile properties of these biomaterials restrict their application in this field due to the load-bearing nature of tendon/ligament tissues. Herein, the use of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as reinforcing nanofillers in aligned electrospun scaffolds based on a natural/synthetic polymer blend matrix, poly-ε-caprolactone/chitosan (PCL/CHT) is reported. The incorporation of small amounts of CNCs (up to 3 wt%) into tendon mimetic nanofiber bundles has a remarkable biomaterial-toughing effect (85% ± 5%, p < 0.0002) and raises the scaffolds mechanical properties to tendon/ligament relevant range (σ = 39.3 ± 1.9 MPa and E = 540.5 ± 83.7 MPa, p < 0.0001). Aligned PCL/CHT/CNC nanocomposite fibrous scaffolds meet not only the mechanical requirements for tendon TE applications but also provide tendon mimetic extracellular matrix (ECM) topographic cues, a key feature for maintaining tendon cell's morphology and behavior. The strategy proposed here may be extended to other anisotropic aligned nanofibrous scaffolds based on natural/synthetic polymer blends and enable the full exploitation of the advantages provided by their tendon mimetic fibrous structures in tendon TE. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
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Weckbach, Sebastian; Perl, Mario; Heiland, Tim; Braumüller, Sonja; Stahel, Philip F.; Flierl, Michael A.; Ignatius, Anita; Gebhard, Florian; Huber-Lang, Markus
2012-01-01
Background. The molecular mechanisms of the immune response after polytrauma are highly complex and far from fully understood. In this paper, we characterize a new standardized polytrauma model in rats based on the early molecular inflammatory and apoptotic response. Methods. Male Wistar rats (250 g, 6–10/group) were anesthetized and exposed to chest trauma (ChT), closed head injury (CHI), or Tib/Fib fracture including a soft tissue trauma (Fx + STT) or to the following combination of injuries: (1) ChT; (2) ChT + Fx + STT; (3) ChT + CHI; (4) CHI; (5) polytrauma (PT = ChT + CHI + Fx + STT). Sham-operated rats served as negative controls. The inflammatory response was quantified at 2 hours and 4 hours after trauma by analysis of “key” inflammatory mediators, including selected cytokines and complement components, in serum and bronchoalveolar (BAL) fluid samples. Results. Polytraumatized (PT) rats showed a significant systemic and intrapulmonary release of cytokines, chemokines, and complement anaphylatoxins, compared to rats with isolated injuries or selected combinations of injuries. Conclusion. This new rat model appears to closely mimic the early immunological response of polytrauma observed in humans and may provide a valid basis for evaluation of the complex pathophysiology and future therapeutic immune modulatory approaches in experimental polytrauma. PMID:22481866
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[Implementation of a form for adverse effect notification: results for the 1st year].
Pérez Blanco, Verónica; Rubio Gómez, Isabel; Alarcón Gascueña, Piedad; Mateos Rubio, José; Herradón Cano, Matilde; Delgado García, Amadeo
2009-02-01
To describe the introduction of an incident monitoring system by electronic reporting in the Complejo Hospitalario de Toledo (CHT) and to analyse the initial results. CHT is a public hospital with 750 beds, 59 for critical patients, an ambulatory surgery unit and three outpatient clinics. Access to the electronic reporting system is on the main screen of the hospital intranet. The reporting system is voluntary and confidential. It was introduced at the same time as setting up website on clinical safety and the provision of specific training on the subject. A total of 62 reports were received on the electronic system over a period of 12 months (December 2006 to December 2007), of which 74.5% were reported by nursing staff. The service from where it was reported most often was Geriatrics (43.1%). Most of the incidents were classified by the notifiers themselves as "no injury" (64.7%) and as "avoidable" 92.2%. A total of 56.9% were related to care. Some reports led to the issuing of three documents of recommendations by the Quality Unit and the Pharmacy Department. Most of the notifications were incidents related to care and were reported by nurses. The reporting system can complement other tools in promoting a clinical safety culture and defining the risk profile of a health organisation.
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Technologies for Upgrading Light Water Reactor Outlet Temperature
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Daniel S. Wendt; Piyush Sabharwall; Vivek Utgikar
Nuclear energy could potentially be utilized in hybrid energy systems to produce synthetic fuels and feedstocks from indigenous carbon sources such as coal and biomass. First generation nuclear hybrid energy system (NHES) technology will most likely be based on conventional light water reactors (LWRs). However, these LWRs provide thermal energy at temperatures of approximately 300°C, while the desired temperatures for many chemical processes are much higher. In order to realize the benefits of nuclear hybrid energy systems with the current LWR reactor fleets, selection and development of a complimentary temperature upgrading technology is necessary. This paper provides an initial assessmentmore » of technologies that may be well suited toward LWR outlet temperature upgrading for powering elevated temperature industrial and chemical processes during periods of off-peak power demand. Chemical heat transformers (CHTs) are a technology with the potential to meet LWR temperature upgrading requirements for NHESs. CHTs utilize chemical heat of reaction to change the temperature at which selected heat sources supply or consume thermal energy. CHTs could directly utilize LWR heat output without intermediate mechanical or electrical power conversion operations and the associated thermodynamic losses. CHT thermal characteristics are determined by selection of the chemical working pair and operating conditions. This paper discusses the chemical working pairs applicable to LWR outlet temperature upgrading and the CHT operating conditions required for providing process heat in NHES applications.« less
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Tao, Hui; Li, Xue; Qiu, Jian-Feng; Liu, Heng-Jiang; Zhang, Da-Yan; Chu, Feng; Sima, Yanghu; Xu, Shi-Qing
2017-10-01
Hatching behavior is a key target in silkworm (Bombyx mori) rearing, especially for the control of Lepidoptera pests. According to previous research, hatching rhythms appear to be controlled by a clock mechanism that restricts or "gates" hatching to a particular time. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Under 12-h light:12-h dark photoperiod (LD) conditions, the transcriptional levels of the chitinase5 (Cht5) and hatching enzyme-like (Hel) genes, as well as the enzymatic activities of their gene products, oscillated in time with ambient light cycles, as did the transcriptional levels of the cryptochrome 1, cryptochrome 2, period (per), and timeless genes, which are key components of the negative feedback loop of the circadian rhythm. These changes were related to the expression profile of the ecdysteroid receptor gene and the hatching behavior of B. mori eggs. However, under continuous light or dark conditions, the hatching behavior, the expression levels of Cht5 and Hel, as well as the enzymatic activities of their gene products, were not synchronized unlike under LD conditions. In addition, immunohistochemistry experiments showed that light promoted the translocation of PER from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In conclusion, LD cycles regulate the hatching rhythm of B. mori via negative feedback loop of the circadian oscillator. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Glenn-ht/bem Conjugate Heat Transfer Solver for Large-scale Turbomachinery Models
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Divo, E.; Steinthorsson, E.; Rodriquez, F.; Kassab, A. J.; Kapat, J. S.; Heidmann, James D. (Technical Monitor)
2003-01-01
A coupled Boundary Element/Finite Volume Method temperature-forward/flux-hack algorithm is developed for conjugate heat transfer (CHT) applications. A loosely coupled strategy is adopted with each field solution providing boundary conditions for the other in an iteration seeking continuity of temperature and heat flux at the fluid-solid interface. The NASA Glenn Navier-Stokes code Glenn-HT is coupled to a 3-D BEM steady state heat conduction code developed at the University of Central Florida. Results from CHT simulation of a 3-D film-cooled blade section are presented and compared with those computed by a two-temperature approach. Also presented are current developments of an iterative domain decomposition strategy accommodating large numbers of unknowns in the BEM. The blade is artificially sub-sectioned in the span-wise direction, 3-D BEM solutions are obtained in the subdomains, and interface temperatures are averaged symmetrically when the flux is updated while the fluxes are averaged anti-symmetrically to maintain continuity of heat flux when the temperatures are updated. An initial guess for interface temperatures uses a physically-based 1-D conduction argument to provide an effective starting point and significantly reduce iteration. 2-D and 3-D results show the process converges efficiently and offers substantial computational and storage savings. Future developments include a parallel multi-grid implementation of the approach under MPI for computation on PC clusters.
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Lafont, Sylviane; Marin-Lamellet, Claude; Paire-Ficout, Laurence; Thomas-Anterion, Catherine; Laurent, Bernard; Fabrigoule, Colette
2010-01-01
Our purpose was to identify cognitive tools associated with unsafe driving among elderly drivers of varying cognitive levels. Twenty drivers with early-stage dementia of the Alzheimer type and 56 nondemented drivers aged 65-85 were recruited. Various cognitive processes were measured and unsafe driving was evaluated during an in-traffic road test with 3 different indicators and a composite indicator. The Wechsler Digit Symbol Substitution Test score was the best cognitive measure to detect unsafe drivers using the composite driving indicator. The Digit Symbol Substitution Test may be used by physicians for the evaluation and follow-up of older patients, with or without Alzheimer-type dementia, as a screening tool of unsafe driving.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Council, Forrest M.; And Others
The study compared the driving histories, for the first six months and first two years following licensing, of drivers who had received two types of driver training in high school in 197l. The subjects were 1644 drivers who had been trained on multi-vehicle ranges and 1759 who had received the traditional "30 and 6" training (30 hours of classroom…
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An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Televised Locally Oriented Driver Re-Education.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hutchinson, John W.; And Others
Television, with its ability to reach large audiences, has been used extensively in driver-education efforts but its effectiveness has never been measured. The purpose of this research was to measure the effectiveness of a televised, locally oriented, candid camera type of driver reeducation program. The measures of effectiveness included a study…
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Ahmed, Almoutaz A.
2010-01-01
The lack of awareness of the effects of hypoglycemia on safe driving is a real issue for diabetic patients and a challenge for health care providers. Taking the form of questions and answers, this review addresses the issue of road traffic accidents and drivers with type 1 diabetes mellitus. While there is little evidence showing higher accident rates among diabetic drivers, there is research indicating that hypoglycemia compromises driving performance, resulting in slower response times and reduced cognitive function. Unawareness of an early fall in plasma glucose is another important issue that affects some diabetic drivers. The driver with type 1 diabetes is obliged to check their blood glucose before driving. The physician’s duty is to familiarize the patient with the risk of hypoglycemia. If hypoglycemic unawareness is present, the physician should advise the patient to stop driving until the condition is reversed. The doctor should consider informing authorities if he concludes there is a risk and the driver cannot be persuaded to stop driving. PMID:21060159
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Hypoglycemia and safe driving.
Ahmed, Almoutaz A
2010-01-01
The lack of awareness of the effects of hypoglycemia on safe driving is a real issue for diabetic patients and a challenge for health care providers. Taking the form of questions and answers, this review addresses the issue of road traffic accidents and drivers with type 1 diabetes mellitus. While there is little evidence showing higher accident rates among diabetic drivers, there is research indicating that hypoglycemia compromises driving performance, resulting in slower response times and reduced cognitive function. Unawareness of an early fall in plasma glucose is another important issue that affects some diabetic drivers. The driver with type 1 diabetes is obliged to check their blood glucose before driving. The physician's duty is to familiarize the patient with the risk of hypoglycemia. If hypoglycemic unawareness is present, the physician should advise the patient to stop driving until the condition is reversed. The doctor should consider informing authorities if he concludes there is a risk and the driver cannot be persuaded to stop driving.
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Factors associated with hit-and-run pedestrian fatalities and driver identification.
MacLeod, Kara E; Griswold, Julia B; Arnold, Lindsay S; Ragland, David R
2012-03-01
As hit-and-run crashes account for a significant proportion of pedestrian fatalities, a better understanding of these crash types will assist efforts to reduce these fatalities. Of the more than 48,000 pedestrian deaths that were recorded in the United States between 1998 and 2007, 18.1% of them were caused by hit-and-run drivers. Using national data on single pedestrian-motor vehicle fatal crashes (1998-2007), logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors related to hit-and-run and to identify factors related to the identification of the hit-and-run driver. Results indicate an increased risk of hit-and-run in the early morning, poor light conditions, and on the weekend. There may also be an association between the type of victim and the likelihood of the driver leaving and being identified. Results also indicate that certain driver characteristics, behavior, and driving history are associated with hit-and-run. Alcohol use and invalid license were among the leading driver factor associated with an increased risk of hit-and-run. Prevention efforts that address such issues could substantially reduce pedestrian fatalities as a result of hit-and-run. However, more information about this driver population may be necessary. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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Acácio, Vanda; Dias, Filipe S; Catry, Filipe X; Rocha, Marta; Moreira, Francisco
2017-03-01
The Mediterranean region is projected to be extremely vulnerable to global change, which will affect the distribution of typical forest types such as native oak forests. However, our understanding of Mediterranean oak forest responses to future conditions is still very limited by the lack of knowledge on oak forest dynamics and species-specific responses to multiple drivers. We compared the long-term (1966-2006) forest persistence and land cover change among evergreen (cork oak and holm oak) and deciduous oak forests and evaluated the importance of anthropogenic and environmental drivers on observed changes for Portugal. We used National Forest Inventories to quantify the changes in oak forests and explored the drivers of change using multinomial logistic regression analysis and an information theoretical approach. We found distinct trends among oak forest types, reflecting the differences in oak economic value, protection status and management schemes: cork oak forests were the most persistent (62%), changing mostly to pines and eucalypt; holm oak forests were less persistent (53.2%), changing mostly to agriculture; and deciduous oak forests were the least persistent (45.7%), changing mostly to shrublands. Drivers of change had distinct importance across oak forest types, but drivers from anthropogenic origin (wildfires, population density, and land accessibility) were always among the most important. Climatic extremes were also important predictors of oak forest changes, namely extreme temperatures for evergreen oak forests and deficit of precipitation for deciduous oak forests. Our results indicate that under increasing human pressure and forecasted climate change, evergreen oak forests will continue declining and deciduous oak forests will be replaced by forests dominated by more xeric species. In the long run, multiple disturbances may change competitive dominance from oak forests to pyrophytic shrublands. A better understanding of forest dynamics and the inclusion of anthropogenic drivers on models of vegetation change will improve predicting the future of Mediterranean oak forests. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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IIHS side crash test ratings and occupant death risk in real-world crashes.
Teoh, Eric R; Lund, Adrian K
2011-10-01
To evaluate how well the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) side crash test ratings predict real-world occupant death risk in side-impact crashes. The IIHS has been evaluating passenger vehicle side crashworthiness since 2003. In the IIHS side crash test, a vehicle is impacted perpendicularly on the driver's side by a moving deformable barrier simulating a typical sport utility vehicle (SUV) or pickup. Injury ratings are computed for the head/neck, torso, and pelvis/leg, and vehicles are rated based on their ability to protect occupants' heads and resist occupant compartment intrusion. Component ratings are combined into an overall rating of good, acceptable, marginal, or poor. A driver-only rating was recalculated by omitting rear passenger dummy data. Data were extracted from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and National Automotive Sampling System/General Estimates System (NASS/GES) for the years 2000-2009. Analyses were restricted to vehicles with driver side air bags with head and torso protection as standard features. The risk of driver death was computed as the number of drivers killed (FARS) divided by the number involved (NASS/GES) in left-side impacts and was modeled using logistic regression to control for the effects of driver age and gender and vehicle type and curb weight. Death rates per million registered vehicle years were computed for all outboard occupants and compared by overall rating. Based on the driver-only rating, drivers of vehicles rated good were 70 percent less likely to die when involved in left-side crashes than drivers of vehicles rated poor, after controlling for driver and vehicle factors. Compared with vehicles rated poor, driver death risk was 64 percent lower for vehicles rated acceptable and 49 percent lower for vehicles rated marginal. All 3 results were statistically significant. Among components, vehicle structure rating exhibited the strongest relationship with driver death risk. The vehicle registration-based results for drivers were similar, suggesting that the benefit was not due to differences in crash risk. The same pattern of results held for outboard occupants in nearside crashes per million registered vehicle years and, with the exception of marginally rated vehicles, also held for other crash types. Results show that IIHS side crash test ratings encourage designs that improve crash protection in meaningful ways beyond encouraging head protection side air bags, particularly by promoting vehicle structures that limit occupant compartment intrusion. Results further highlight the need for a strong occupant compartment and its influence in all types of crashes.
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Cox, Daniel J; Brown, Timothy; Ross, Veerle; Moncrief, Matthew; Schmitt, Rose; Gaffney, Gary; Reeve, Ron
2017-08-01
Investigate how novice drivers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) differ from experienced drivers and whether virtual reality driving simulation training (VRDST) improves ASD driving performance. 51 novice ASD drivers (mean age 17.96 years, 78% male) were randomized to routine training (RT) or one of three types of VRDST (8-12 sessions). All participants followed DMV behind-the-wheel training guidelines for earning a driver's license. Participants were assessed pre- and post-training for driving-specific executive function (EF) abilities and tactical driving skills. ASD drivers showed worse baseline EF and driving skills than experienced drivers. At post-assessment, VRDST significantly improved driving and EF performance over RT. This study demonstrated feasibility and potential efficacy of VRDST for novice ASD drivers.
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Impacts of pavement types on in-vehicle noise and human health.
Li, Qing; Qiao, Fengxiang; Yu, Lei
2016-01-01
Noise is a major source of pollution that can affect the human physiology and living environment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an exposure for longer than 24 hours to noise levels above 70 dB(A) may damage human hearing sensitivity, induce adverse health effects, and cause anxiety to residents nearby roadways. Pavement type with different roughness is one of the associated sources that may contribute to in-vehicle noise. Most previous studies have focused on the impact of pavement type on the surrounding acoustic environment of roadways, and given little attention to in-vehicle noise levels. This paper explores the impacts of different pavement types on in-vehicle noise levels and the associated adverse health effects. An old concrete pavement and a pavement with a thin asphalt overlay were chosen as the test beds. The in-vehicle noise caused by the asphalt and concrete pavements were measured, as well as the drivers' corresponding heart rates and reported riding comfort. Results show that the overall in-vehicle sound levels are higher than 70 dB(A) even at midnight. The newly overlaid asphalt pavement reduced in-vehicle noise at a driving speed of 96.5 km/hr by approximately 6 dB(A). Further, on the concrete pavement with higher roughness, driver heart rates were significantly higher than on the asphalt pavement. Drivers reported feeling more comfortable when driving on asphalt than on concrete pavement. Further tests on more drivers with different demographic characteristics, along highways with complicated configurations, and an examination of more factors contributing to in-vehicle noise are recommended, in addition to measuring additional physical symptoms of both drivers and passengers. While there have been many previous noise-related studies, few have addressed in-vehicle noise. Most studies have focused on the noise that residents have complained about, such as neighborhood traffic noise. As yet, there have been no complaints by drivers that their own in-vehicle noise is too loud. Nevertheless, it is a fact that in-vehicle noise can also result in adverse health effects if it exceeds 85 dB(A). Results of this study show that in-vehicle noise was strongly associated with pavement type and roughness; also, driver heart rate patterns presented statistically significant differences on different types of pavement with different roughness.
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Wickens, Christine M; Wiesenthal, David L; Hall, Ashley; Roseborough, James E W
2013-03-01
In recent years, several websites have been developed allowing drivers to post their complaints about other motorists online. These websites allow drivers to describe the nature of the offensive behaviour and to identify the offending motorist by vehicle type, colour, and license plate number. Some websites also ask drivers to list the location where the event took place and the exact date and time of the offence. The current study was a content analysis of complaints posted to RoadRagers.com between 1999 and 2007 (N=5624). The purpose of the study was to: (1) assess the research value of this novel data source; (2) demonstrate the value of content analysis to the study of driver behaviour; (3) further validate an existing coding scheme; (4) determine whether this new data source would replicate previous research findings regarding the most frequent types of driver complaints and temporal distribution of these reports; (5) provide recommendations for improved driver training and public safety initiatives based on these data. A coding scheme that was originally developed for an assessment of complaints submitted to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) (Wickens et al., 2005) was revised to accommodate the new dataset. The inter-rater reliability of the revised coding scheme as applied to the website complaints was very good (kappa=.85). The most frequently reported improper driver behaviours were cutting/weaving, speeding, perceived displays of hostility, and tailgating. Reports were most frequent on weekdays and during the morning and afternoon rush hour. The current study replicated several findings from the analysis of reports to the OPP, but possible differences in the sample and data collection method also produced some differences in findings. The value of content analysis to driver behaviour research and of driver complaint websites as a data source was demonstrated. Implications for driver safety initiatives and future research will be discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Using shadow page cache to improve isolated drivers performance.
Zheng, Hao; Dong, Xiaoshe; Wang, Endong; Chen, Baoke; Zhu, Zhengdong; Liu, Chengzhe
2015-01-01
With the advantage of the reusability property of the virtualization technology, users can reuse various types and versions of existing operating systems and drivers in a virtual machine, so as to customize their application environment. In order to prevent users' virtualization environments being impacted by driver faults in virtual machine, Chariot examines the correctness of driver's write operations by the method of combining a driver's write operation capture and a driver's private access control table. However, this method needs to keep the write permission of shadow page table as read-only, so as to capture isolated driver's write operations through page faults, which adversely affect the performance of the driver. Based on delaying setting frequently used shadow pages' write permissions to read-only, this paper proposes an algorithm using shadow page cache to improve the performance of isolated drivers and carefully study the relationship between the performance of drivers and the size of shadow page cache. Experimental results show that, through the shadow page cache, the performance of isolated drivers can be greatly improved without impacting Chariot's reliability too much.
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Using Shadow Page Cache to Improve Isolated Drivers Performance
Dong, Xiaoshe; Wang, Endong; Chen, Baoke; Zhu, Zhengdong; Liu, Chengzhe
2015-01-01
With the advantage of the reusability property of the virtualization technology, users can reuse various types and versions of existing operating systems and drivers in a virtual machine, so as to customize their application environment. In order to prevent users' virtualization environments being impacted by driver faults in virtual machine, Chariot examines the correctness of driver's write operations by the method of combining a driver's write operation capture and a driver's private access control table. However, this method needs to keep the write permission of shadow page table as read-only, so as to capture isolated driver's write operations through page faults, which adversely affect the performance of the driver. Based on delaying setting frequently used shadow pages' write permissions to read-only, this paper proposes an algorithm using shadow page cache to improve the performance of isolated drivers and carefully study the relationship between the performance of drivers and the size of shadow page cache. Experimental results show that, through the shadow page cache, the performance of isolated drivers can be greatly improved without impacting Chariot's reliability too much. PMID:25815373
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Curtin, Eleanor; Langlois, Neil E I
2007-10-01
This study aimed to establish whether post-mortem injury patterns can assist in distinguishing drivers from front seat passengers among victims of motor vehicle collisions without regard to collision type, vehicle type or if safety equipment had been used. Injuries sustained by 206 drivers and 91 front seat passengers were catalogued from post-mortem reports. Injuries were coded for the body region, depth and location of the injury. Statistical analysis was used to detect injuries capable of discriminating between driver and passenger. Drivers were more likely to sustain the following injuries: brain injury; fractures to the right femur, right posterior ribs, base of skull, right humerus and right shoulder; and superficial wounds at the right lateral and posterior thigh, right face, right and left anterior knee, right anterior shoulder, lateral right arm and forearm and left anterior thigh. Front passengers were more vulnerable to splenic injury; fractures to the left posterior and anterior ribs, left shoulder and left femur; and superficial wounds at the left anterior shoulder region and left lateral neck. Linear discriminant analysis generated a model for predicting seating position based on the presence of injury to certain regions of the body; the overall predictive accuracy of the model was 69.3%. It was found that driver and front passenger fatalities receive different injury patterns from motor vehicle collisions, regardless of collision type. A larger study is required to improve the predictive accuracy of this model and to ascertain its value to forensic medicine.
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Mohammadi, Ghorbanali
2009-04-01
Traffic accidents are one of the main external causes of morbidity and mortality in various parts of the world, including Kerman, a city that has experienced rapid growth in the number of cars in the last 5 years. The objective of this article was to identify the influence of age, belt use, time of day, and type of vehicle road accidents of southeastern Iran. This study used data obtained from Kerman police force reports on incidents of road traffic accidents (RTAs). We analyzed the police reports of total road accidents that occurred from 2005 to 2007. The involvement in fatal and non-fatal accidents was determined for females than among males. The analysis of the data indicated that the female drivers have a much better road safety record than male drivers, especially with regards to their involvement in severe traffic accidents. Forty-nine percent of accidents involve passenger cars, which is higher than other type of vehicles. Female drivers were found to be generally safer drivers than their male counterparts; male drivers who did not use seat belts had a higher involvement rate in road traffic accidents. Time of day analyses suggested that the problems of accidents in darkness are not a matter of visibility but a consequence of the way drivers use the roads at night. A number of recommended measures for the improvement of road safety in southeastern Iran are suggested.
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Clonal status of actionable driver events and the timing of mutational processes in cancer evolution
McGranahan, Nicholas; Favero, Francesco; de Bruin, Elza C.; Birkbak, Nicolai Juul; Szallasi, Zoltan; Swanton, Charles
2015-01-01
Deciphering whether actionable driver mutations are found in all or a subset of tumor cells will likely be required to improve drug development and precision medicine strategies. We analyzed nine cancer types to determine the subclonal frequencies of driver events, to time mutational processes during cancer evolution, and to identify drivers of subclonal expansions. Although mutations in known driver genes typically occurred early in cancer evolution, we also identified later subclonal “actionable” mutations, including BRAF(V600E), IDH1(R132H), PIK3CA(E545K), EGFR(L858R), and KRAS(G12D), which may compromise the efficacy of targeted therapy approaches. More than 20% of IDH1 mutations in glioblastomas, and 15% of mutations in genes in the PI3K(phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase)–AKT–mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling axis across all tumor types were subclonal. Mutations in the RAS–MEK (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase) signaling axis were less likely to be subclonal than mutations in genes associated with PI3K-AKT-mTORsignaling. Analysis of late mutations revealed a link between APOBEC-mediated mutagenesis and the acquisition of subclonal driver mutations and uncovered putative cancer genes involved in subclonal expansions, including CTNNA2 and ATXN1. Our results provide a pan-cancer census of driver events within the context of intratumor heterogeneity and reveal patterns of tumor evolution across cancers. The frequent presence of subclonal driver mutations suggests the need to stratify targeted therapy response according to the proportion of tumor cells in which the driver is identified. PMID:25877892
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Reading text while driving: understanding drivers' strategic and tactical adaptation to distraction.
Liang, Yulan; Horrey, William J; Hoffman, Joshua D
2015-03-01
In this study, we investigated how drivers adapt secondary-task initiation and time-sharing behavior when faced with fluctuating driving demands. Reading text while driving is particularly detrimental; however, in real-world driving, drivers actively decide when to perform the task. In a test track experiment, participants were free to decide when to read messages while driving along a straight road consisting of an area with increased driving demands (demand zone) followed by an area with low demands. A message was made available shortly before the vehicle entered the demand zone. We manipulated the type of driving demands (baseline, narrow lane, pace clock, combined), message format (no message, paragraph, parsed), and the distance from the demand zone when the message was available (near, far). In all conditions, drivers started reading messages (drivers' first glance to the display) before entering or before leaving the demand zone but tended to wait longer when faced with increased driving demands. While reading messages, drivers looked more or less off road, depending on types of driving demands. For task initiation, drivers avoid transitions from low to high demands; however, they are not discouraged when driving demands are already elevated. Drivers adjust time-sharing behavior according to driving demands while performing secondary tasks. Nonetheless, such adjustment may be less effective when total demands are high. This study helps us to understand a driver's role as an active controller in the context of distracted driving and provides insights for developing distraction interventions. © 2014, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
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What technologies do people engage with while driving and why?
Parnell, Katie J; Stanton, Neville A; Plant, Katherine L
2018-02-01
This paper presents the findings of a semi-structured interview study that was conducted to identify drivers' self-reported likelihood of engaging with technologies that are now commonly found in modern automobiles. Previous research has focused on the effect these technological tasks have on driving performance, but there has been less focus on how, why and when drivers choose to engage with them. As distraction remains a significant contributor to road accidents, an understanding of why it occurs will give important insights into how it can be prevented. A semi-structured interview schedule was developed to allow drivers to discuss the factors that influence their decision to engage with a variety of different technologies. The methodology facilitated both quantitative ratings of the drivers' likelihood of engaging in a variety of tasks and qualitative insights into why. Age and gender had some influence on the propensity to engage, in line with other findings in the literature, as did road type and task type. The reasons drivers gave for why they engage with potentially distracting tasks inform recommendations for preventing distraction related accidents from the increasingly prevalent sources of technologies available to drivers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Chen, Yun-Ching; Margolin, Gennady
2017-01-01
Recent evidence shows that mutations in several driver genes can cause aberrant methylation patterns, a hallmark of cancer. In light of these findings, we hypothesized that the landscapes of tumor genomes and epigenomes are tightly interconnected. We measured this relationship using principal component analyses and methylation-mutation associations applied at the nucleotide level and with respect to genome-wide trends. We found that a few mutated driver genes were associated with genome-wide patterns of aberrant hypomethylation or CpG island hypermethylation in specific cancer types. In addition, we identified associations between 737 mutated driver genes and site-specific methylation changes. Moreover, using these mutation-methylation associations, we were able to distinguish between two uterine and two thyroid cancer subtypes. The driver gene mutation–associated methylation differences between the thyroid cancer subtypes were linked to differential gene expression in JAK-STAT signaling, NADPH oxidation, and other cancer-related pathways. These results establish that driver gene mutations are associated with methylation alterations capable of shaping regulatory network functions. In addition, the methodology presented here can be used to subdivide tumors into more homogeneous subsets corresponding to underlying molecular characteristics, which could improve treatment efficacy. PMID:29125844
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High-Accuracy, Compact Scanning Method and Circuit for Resistive Sensor Arrays
Kim, Jong-Seok; Kwon, Dae-Yong; Choi, Byong-Deok
2016-01-01
The zero-potential scanning circuit is widely used as read-out circuit for resistive sensor arrays because it removes a well known problem: crosstalk current. The zero-potential scanning circuit can be divided into two groups based on type of row drivers. One type is a row driver using digital buffers. It can be easily implemented because of its simple structure, but we found that it can cause a large read-out error which originates from on-resistance of the digital buffers used in the row driver. The other type is a row driver composed of operational amplifiers. It, very accurately, reads the sensor resistance, but it uses a large number of operational amplifiers to drive rows of the sensor array; therefore, it severely increases the power consumption, cost, and system complexity. To resolve the inaccuracy or high complexity problems founded in those previous circuits, we propose a new row driver which uses only one operational amplifier to drive all rows of a sensor array with high accuracy. The measurement results with the proposed circuit to drive a 4 × 4 resistor array show that the maximum error is only 0.1% which is remarkably reduced from 30.7% of the previous counterpart. PMID:26821029
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Martin, W P; Sharif, F; Flaherty, G
2016-05-01
Taxi drivers are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), something which persists after correcting for the overrepresentation of traditional risk factors for CVD in this cohort. The contribution of lifestyle risk factors to this residually elevated CVD risk remains under-evaluated. We aimed to determine the prevalence of lifestyle risk factors for CVD, self-reported medical risk factors for CVD, and future risk of type 2 diabetes amongst Irish taxi drivers. Male taxi drivers with no history of CVD and type 2 diabetes and working in Galway city in the west of Ireland were invited to participate. Physical activity levels, dietary patterns, anthropometry, smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, and Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) values were recorded in a cross-sectional manner. 41 taxi drivers (mean age 56.7 ± 9.8 years) participated. 37 % were insufficiently active based on self-report, although only 8 % objectively achieved 10, 000 steps per day. Mean modified Mediterranean diet score (mMDS) was 4.6 ± 2.2, and only 13 % of participants had a normal body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference (WC). Those who worked for taxi companies tended to have a higher BMI (p = .07) and WC (p = .04) by multivariable regression. 22 % were current smokers, although a quit rate of 72 % was observed amongst the 78 % of taxi drivers who had ever smoked. 25 % were at high or very high risk of future type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle risk factors for CVD and dysglycaemia are prevalent amongst Irish taxi drivers.
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Isolated extra-medullary relapse of acute leukemia following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
Firas, Al Sabty; Demeckova, E; Bojtarova, E; Czako, B; Hrubisko, M; Mistrik, M
2008-01-01
Isolated extramedullary relapse (IEMR) of acute leukemia (AL) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a rare occurrence. It is seen more commonly after BMT than after conventional chemotherapy (CHT) alone. We describe the natural history and response to treatment in four patients with IEMR following allogeneic BMT. The results indicate a stronger graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect in the marrow than in the peripheral tissues (Fig. 4, Ref. 13). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.
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Multifunctional Composites with Applications to Energy Performance and Efficiency
2011-08-01
surface for comparing the effects of processing. Parylene/ Teflon AF adhesion was measured using a modified tape test. Samples were razor cut (3-6...lines, 2 mm spacing ) at 0 and 90 degrees to the tape -pull direction. SEMicro CHT tape (synthetic rubber adhesive, 12 to 25 mm wide x 75 mm long) was...surface, a thin layer of Teflon AF (~200 nm) is spin- coated for hydrophobicity. Small drops of ionic liquids in contact with a conductive probe are
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2010-10-01
injury CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Mary Vining Radomski, PhD, OTR/L and Maggie Weightman, PT, PhD (Sister Kenny Research Center [SKRC]) CO...INVESTIGATORS: Leslie Davidson PhD (Cand), MS, OTR/L (Riverbend); MAJ Sarah Goldman PhD, OTR/L, CHT (United States Army Research Institute of Environmental...of Minnesota) ASSISTED BY: Dr. Kristin Heaton and Amanda Antczak (USARIEM) and Marsha Finkelstein (health services researcher ), Michelle Pose, and
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2009-11-01
Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer ( TWSTFT ). To meet future needs of precision, accuracy, and robustness for UTC (TL), TL rebuilt the air...TWO-WAY SATELLITE TIME TRANSFER TL maintains three earth stations for TWSTFT experiments, as listed on Table 1. The TL01 station is for the...Asia-Pacific TWSTFT links. All TWSTFT measurements in this area are performed simultaneously by using the eight-receive-channel NICT modems. Hourly
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Modeling Types of Pedal Applications Using a Driving Simulator.
Wu, Yuqing; Boyle, Linda Ng; McGehee, Daniel; Roe, Cheryl A; Ebe, Kazutoshi; Foley, James
2015-11-01
The aim of this study was to examine variations in drivers' foot behavior and identify factors associated with pedal misapplications. Few studies have focused on the foot behavior while in the vehicle and the mishaps that a driver can encounter during a potentially hazardous situation. A driving simulation study was used to understand how drivers move their right foot toward the pedals. The study included data from 43 drivers as they responded to a series of rapid traffic signal phase changes. Pedal application types were classified as (a) direct hit, (b) hesitated, (c) corrected trajectory, and (d) pedal errors (incorrect trajectories, misses, slips, or pressed both pedals). A mixed-effects multinomial logit model was used to predict the likelihood of one of these pedal applications, and linear mixed models with repeated measures were used to examine the response time and pedal duration given the various experimental conditions (stimuli color and location). Younger drivers had higher probabilities of direct hits when compared to other age groups. Participants tended to have more pedal errors when responding to a red signal or when the signal appeared to be closer. Traffic signal phases and locations were associated with pedal response time and duration. The response time and pedal duration affected the likelihood of being in one of the four pedal application types. Findings from this study suggest that age-related and situational factors may play a role in pedal errors, and the stimuli locations could affect the type of pedal application. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
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Segui-Gomez, Maria; Graham, John D.
2000-01-01
This study describes the injuries of drivers discharged from Level-I Trauma Centers between 1995–1997. Differences in the drivers’ injuries and outcomes by airbag deployment status and gender were evaluated using Chi2 and T-tests. Data on 1,065 drivers (66 with airbags, 423 females) were obtained from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicle and Trauma Registries. Once admitted to trauma centers, drivers with airbags did not differ from drivers without airbags regarding the number, type, clustering, severity or outcome of their injuries. The only exception was that female drivers sustained more fractures to the upper extremities and less injuries to blood vessels and certain traumatic complications (p<0.05). PMID:11558082
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Flywheel for an electro-mechanical fastener driving tool
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Crutcher, J. P.
1985-05-28
An improved flywheel for an electro-mechanical tool, such as a nailer or stapler. The tool is of the type provided with a driver which is frictionally moved through a working stroke by means of an electrically driven flywheel which presses the driver against a support element, such as a counterrotating flywheel, a low inertia roller, or the like. The flywheel is provided with circumferential grooves while maintaining the optimum contact area between the flywheel and the driver. The grooves provide voids along the travelling driver-flywheel contact line into which foreign material on the driver and flywheel flows to prevent build-upmore » of such foreign material at the driver-flywheel contact area sufficient to result in loss of friction therebetween.« less
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Identification of druggable cancer driver genes amplified across TCGA datasets.
Chen, Ying; McGee, Jeremy; Chen, Xianming; Doman, Thompson N; Gong, Xueqian; Zhang, Youyan; Hamm, Nicole; Ma, Xiwen; Higgs, Richard E; Bhagwat, Shripad V; Buchanan, Sean; Peng, Sheng-Bin; Staschke, Kirk A; Yadav, Vipin; Yue, Yong; Kouros-Mehr, Hosein
2014-01-01
The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) projects have advanced our understanding of the driver mutations, genetic backgrounds, and key pathways activated across cancer types. Analysis of TCGA datasets have mostly focused on somatic mutations and translocations, with less emphasis placed on gene amplifications. Here we describe a bioinformatics screening strategy to identify putative cancer driver genes amplified across TCGA datasets. We carried out GISTIC2 analysis of TCGA datasets spanning 16 cancer subtypes and identified 486 genes that were amplified in two or more datasets. The list was narrowed to 75 cancer-associated genes with potential "druggable" properties. The majority of the genes were localized to 14 amplicons spread across the genome. To identify potential cancer driver genes, we analyzed gene copy number and mRNA expression data from individual patient samples and identified 42 putative cancer driver genes linked to diverse oncogenic processes. Oncogenic activity was further validated by siRNA/shRNA knockdown and by referencing the Project Achilles datasets. The amplified genes represented a number of gene families, including epigenetic regulators, cell cycle-associated genes, DNA damage response/repair genes, metabolic regulators, and genes linked to the Wnt, Notch, Hedgehog, JAK/STAT, NF-KB and MAPK signaling pathways. Among the 42 putative driver genes were known driver genes, such as EGFR, ERBB2 and PIK3CA. Wild-type KRAS was amplified in several cancer types, and KRAS-amplified cancer cell lines were most sensitive to KRAS shRNA, suggesting that KRAS amplification was an independent oncogenic event. A number of MAP kinase adapters were co-amplified with their receptor tyrosine kinases, such as the FGFR adapter FRS2 and the EGFR family adapters GRB2 and GRB7. The ubiquitin-like ligase DCUN1D1 and the histone methyltransferase NSD3 were also identified as novel putative cancer driver genes. We discuss the patient tailoring implications for existing cancer drug targets and we further discuss potential novel opportunities for drug discovery efforts.
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Identification of Druggable Cancer Driver Genes Amplified across TCGA Datasets
Chen, Ying; McGee, Jeremy; Chen, Xianming; Doman, Thompson N.; Gong, Xueqian; Zhang, Youyan; Hamm, Nicole; Ma, Xiwen; Higgs, Richard E.; Bhagwat, Shripad V.; Buchanan, Sean; Peng, Sheng-Bin; Staschke, Kirk A.; Yadav, Vipin; Yue, Yong; Kouros-Mehr, Hosein
2014-01-01
The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) projects have advanced our understanding of the driver mutations, genetic backgrounds, and key pathways activated across cancer types. Analysis of TCGA datasets have mostly focused on somatic mutations and translocations, with less emphasis placed on gene amplifications. Here we describe a bioinformatics screening strategy to identify putative cancer driver genes amplified across TCGA datasets. We carried out GISTIC2 analysis of TCGA datasets spanning 14 cancer subtypes and identified 461 genes that were amplified in two or more datasets. The list was narrowed to 73 cancer-associated genes with potential “druggable” properties. The majority of the genes were localized to 14 amplicons spread across the genome. To identify potential cancer driver genes, we analyzed gene copy number and mRNA expression data from individual patient samples and identified 40 putative cancer driver genes linked to diverse oncogenic processes. Oncogenic activity was further validated by siRNA/shRNA knockdown and by referencing the Project Achilles datasets. The amplified genes represented a number of gene families, including epigenetic regulators, cell cycle-associated genes, DNA damage response/repair genes, metabolic regulators, and genes linked to the Wnt, Notch, Hedgehog, JAK/STAT, NF-KB and MAPK signaling pathways. Among the 40 putative driver genes were known driver genes, such as EGFR, ERBB2 and PIK3CA. Wild-type KRAS was amplified in several cancer types, and KRAS-amplified cancer cell lines were most sensitive to KRAS shRNA, suggesting that KRAS amplification was an independent oncogenic event. A number of MAP kinase adapters were co-amplified with their receptor tyrosine kinases, such as the FGFR adapter FRS2 and the EGFR family adapter GRB7. The ubiquitin-like ligase DCUN1D1 and the histone methyltransferase NSD3 were also identified as novel putative cancer driver genes. We discuss the patient tailoring implications for existing cancer drug targets and we further discuss potential novel opportunities for drug discovery efforts. PMID:24874471
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The Effects of Vehicle Redesign on the Risk of Driver Death.
Farmer, Charles M; Lund, Adrian K
2015-01-01
This study updates a 2006 report that estimated the historical effects of vehicle design changes on driver fatality rates in the United States, separate from the effects of environmental and driver behavior changes during the same period. In addition to extending the period covered by 8 years, this study estimated the effect of design changes by model year and vehicle type. Driver death rates for consecutive model years of vehicle models without design changes were used to estimate the vehicle aging effect and the death rates that would have been expected if the entire fleet had remained unchanged from the 1985 calendar year. These calendar year estimates are taken to be the combined effect of road environment and motorist behavioral changes, with the difference between them and the actual calendar year driver fatality rates reflecting the effect of changes in vehicle design and distribution of vehicle types. The effects of vehicle design changes by model year were estimated for cars, SUVs, and pickups by computing driver death rates for model years 1984-2009 during each of their first 3 full calendar years of exposure and comparing with the expected rates if there had been no design changes. As reported in the 2006 study, had there been no changes in the vehicle fleet, driver death risk would have declined during calendar years 1985-1993 and then slowly increased from 1993 to 2004. The updated results indicate that the gradual increase would have continued through 2006, after which driver fatality rates again would have declined through 2012. Overall, it is estimated that there were 7,700 fewer driver deaths in 2012 than there would have been had vehicle designs not changed. Cars were the first vehicle type whose design safety generally exceeded that of the 1984 model year (starting in model year 1996), followed by SUVs (1998 models) and pickups (2002 models). By the 2009 model year, car driver fatality risk had declined 51% from its high in 1994, pickup driver fatality risk had declined 61% from its high in 1988, and SUV risk had declined 79% from its high in 1988. The risk of driver death in 2009 model passenger vehicles was 8% lower than that in 2008 models and about half that in 1984 models. Changes in vehicles, whether from government regulations and consumer testing that led to advanced safety designs or from other factors such as consumer demand for different sizes and types of vehicles, have been key contributors to the decline in U.S. motor vehicle occupant crash death rates since the mid-1990s. Since the early 1990s, environmental and behavioral risk factors have not shown similar improvement, until the recession of 2007, even though there are many empirically proven countermeasures that have been inadequately applied.
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77 FR 45410 - Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation; Notice of Meeting
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-07-31
... as driver's license, passport, U.S. government or military ID) are required for entrance into the... government-issued photo identification number and type (such as driver's license number/ state, passport...
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Cox, Daniel J; Kovatchev, Boris P; Anderson, Stacey M; Clarke, William L; Gonder-Frederick, Linda A
2010-11-01
Collisions are more common among drivers with type 1 diabetes than among their nondiabetic spouses. This increased risk appears to be attributable to a subgroup of drivers with type 1 diabetes. The hypothesis tested is that this vulnerable subgroup is more at risk for hypoglycemia and its disruptive effects on driving. Thirty-eight drivers with type 1 diabetes, 16 with (+history) and 22 without (-history) a recent history of recurrent hypoglycemia-related driving mishaps, drove a virtual reality driving simulator and watched a videotape of someone driving a simulator for 30-min periods. Driving and video testing occurred in a double-blind, randomized, crossover manner during euglycemia (5.5 mmol/l) and progressive hypoglycemia (3.9-2.5 mmol/l). Examiners were blind to which subjects were +/-history, whereas subjects were blind to their blood glucose levels and targets. During euglycemia, +history participants reported more autonomic and neuroglycopenic symptoms (P≤0.01) and tended to require more dextrose infusion to maintain euglycemia with the same insulin infusion (P<0.09). During progressive hypoglycemia, these subjects demonstrated less epinephrine release (P=0.02) and greater driving impairments (P=0.03). Findings support the speculation that there is a subgroup of type 1 diabetic drivers more vulnerable to experiencing hypoglycemia-related driving mishaps. This increased vulnerability may be due to more symptom "noise" (more symptoms during euglycemia), making it harder to detect hypoglycemia while driving; possibly greater carbohydrate utilization, rendering them more vulnerable to experiencing hypoglycemia; less hormonal counterregulation, leading to more profound hypoglycemia; and more neuroglycopenia, rendering them more vulnerable to impaired driving.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cox, Daniel J.; Brown, Timothy; Ross, Veerle; Moncrief, Matthew; Schmitt, Rose; Gaffney, Gary; Reeve, Ron
2017-01-01
Investigate how novice drivers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) differ from experienced drivers and whether virtual reality driving simulation training (VRDST) improves ASD driving performance. 51 novice ASD drivers (mean age 17.96 years, 78% male) were randomized to routine training (RT) or one of three types of VRDST (8-12 sessions). All…
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Potter, Tom; Dubois, Sacha; Haras, Kathy; Bédard, Michel
2013-01-01
Fifteen-passenger vans (15-PVs) are a convenient and economical way to transport small groups of people and many educational, community, and health organizations utilize them. Given recent tragic crashes involving 15-PVs, many organizations are reconsidering their use. The goal of this study was to examine driver, vehicle, and crash characteristics of fatal 15-PV collisions over the past 2 decades in comparison to 3 other common vehicle classes. We used data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (years 1991-2008). Driver, vehicle, and crash characteristics were compared by vehicle classes (15-PV, cars, minivans, and intercity buses) using proportions along with odds ratios (using cars as the reference category) for dichotomous variables and means and mean differences for continuous variables. Logistic regression and analysis of variance were used to statistically compare odds and means, respectively. The odds and absolute risk of a first, subsequent, and either rollover by vehicle type and occupancy rate were also examined. Odds and absolute risk of a rollover event by occupancy rate were calculated. Compared to car drivers, van drivers typically had a better past 3-year driving record. Van drivers performed significantly fewer actions suggesting aggressive driving (e.g., speeding). However, the proportion of van drivers who were deemed to have followed improperly or to have overcorrected was greater. A vehicle rollover was cited almost twice as frequently in van crashes compared to other passenger vehicles. Of the 4 vehicle types studied, all were more likely to rollover as their occupancy rates increased. Fully loaded 15-PVs had almost 13 times the odds of rollover compared to fully loaded cars. Minivans when full (7 occupants), often seen as the replacement for 15-PVs, were found to have over 3.5 times the odds of rollover of fully loaded cars. Drivers need to be aware that as occupancy rates of the vehicles they drive rise so does the risk of rollover and fatalities, especially among minivans and 15-PVs. Organizations transporting groups need to balance cost and safety management by selecting vehicle types and drivers with acute awareness of the risks involved.
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Myocardial infarction among male bus, taxi, and lorry drivers in middle Sweden.
Gustavsson, P; Alfredsson, L; Brunnberg, H; Hammar, N; Jakobsson, R; Reuterwall, C; Ostlin, P
1996-01-01
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present case-referent study was to investigate the incidence of myocardial infarction among male professional drivers, taking the type of vehicles and area of residence into account. METHODS: The study base comprised all men aged 30-74 in five counties in middle Sweden during 1976-81 or 1976-84. Incident cases of the first episode of myocardial infarction were identified from registers of hospital admissions and causes of deaths. Referents were selected randomly from the study base. Information about occupation was obtained from the national censuses in 1970 and 1975. The possible impact from tobacco smoking and overweight were evaluated by simulations in combination with indirect data on these factors. RESULTS: The incidence of myocardial infarction was increased among bus drivers in Stockholm (relative risk (RR) = 1.53, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.15-2.05), and among taxi drivers both in Stockholm (RR 1.65, 95% CI 1.30-2.11) and in the surrounding rural counties (RR 1.82, 95% CI 1.17-2.82). A smaller increase was found among long distance lorry drivers, whereas the relative risk among short distance lorry drivers was close to unity. Indirect comparisons make it unlikely that the excess among bus drivers in Stockholm could be explained by uncontrolled confounding from tobacco smoking or overweight. A very high proportion (more than 80%) of urban bus drivers in Sweden report a combination of high psychological demands and low control at work. CONCLUSIONS: Different types of drivers are at different risk of myocardial infarction. Bus drivers in urban areas seem to be at an increased risk, which is unlikely to be explained by uncontrolled confounding from tobacco smoking or overweight. Psychosocial work conditions may play a part in the increased incidence of myocardial infarction among urban bus drivers and should be investigated further. PMID:8664960
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Deterrence of the drinking driver : an international survey
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
1981-03-01
The report surveys the international literature on drinking-and-driving laws to determine what is known concerning their impact on driver behavior. Its particular concern is with reported adoptions of Scandinavian-type laws, which define the drinking...
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Sign luminance requirements for various background complexities
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
1985-09-01
The Federal standards (FP-79) for luminance of retroreflective materials for traffic signs are acceptance standards; they provide no differentiation based on driver need. Driver needs for sign luminance are of 3 types -- luminance for sign comprehens...
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49 CFR 391.23 - Investigation and inquiries.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... and employment verification information. (2) The data elements as specified in § 390.15(b)(1) of this... before allowing the driver to operate a CMV: (A) The type of operation the driver self-certified that he...
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78 FR 9105 - Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation; Notice of Meeting
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-02-07
... a valid government-issued photo ID (such as driver's license, passport, U.S. government or military... identification number and type (such as driver's license number/ state, passport number/country, or U.S...
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Dawson, Jeffrey D.; Yu, Lixi; Sewell, Kelly; Skibbe, Adam; Aksan, Nazan S.; Tippin, Jon; Rizzo, Matthew
2015-01-01
Summary In naturalistic studies, it is vital to give appropriate context when analyzing driving behaviors. Such contextualization can help address the hypotheses that explore a) how drivers perform within specific types of environment (e.g., road types, speed limits, etc.), and b) how often drivers are exposed to such specific environments. In order to perform this contextualization in an automated fashion, we are using Global Positioning System (GPS) data obtained at 1 Hz and merging this with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases maintained by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). In this paper, we demonstrate our methods of doing this based on data from 43 drivers with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We also use maps from GIS software to illustrate how information can be displayed at the individual drive or day level, and we provide examples of some of the challenges that still need to be addressed. PMID:26665183
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The strength of graduated drivers license programs and fatalities among teen drivers and passengers.
Morrisey, Michael A; Grabowski, David C; Dee, Thomas S; Campbell, Christine
2006-01-01
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of differentially stringent graduated drivers license programs on teen driver fatalities, day-time and night-time teen driver fatalities, fatalities of teen drivers with passengers present, and fatalities among teen passengers. The study uses 1992-2002 data on motor vehicle fatalities among 15-17-year-old drivers from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System to identify the effects of "good", "fair", and "marginal" GDL programs based upon designations by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Analysis is conducted using conditional negative binomial regressions with fixed effects. "Good" programs reduce total fatalities among young drivers by 19.4% (c.i. -33.0%, -5.9%). "Fair" programs reduce night-time young driver fatalities by 12.6% (c.i. -23.9%, -1.2%), but have no effect on day-time fatalities. "Marginal" programs had no statistically meaningful effect on driver fatalities. All three types of programs reduced teen passenger fatalities, but the effects of limitations on the number of passengers appear to have had only minimal effects in reducing fatalities among young drivers themselves. Stronger GDL programs are more effective than weaker programs in reducing teenage motor vehicle fatalities.
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McGranahan, Nicholas; Favero, Francesco; de Bruin, Elza C; Birkbak, Nicolai Juul; Szallasi, Zoltan; Swanton, Charles
2015-04-15
Deciphering whether actionable driver mutations are found in all or a subset of tumor cells will likely be required to improve drug development and precision medicine strategies. We analyzed nine cancer types to determine the subclonal frequencies of driver events, to time mutational processes during cancer evolution, and to identify drivers of subclonal expansions. Although mutations in known driver genes typically occurred early in cancer evolution, we also identified later subclonal "actionable" mutations, including BRAF (V600E), IDH1 (R132H), PIK3CA (E545K), EGFR (L858R), and KRAS (G12D), which may compromise the efficacy of targeted therapy approaches. More than 20% of IDH1 mutations in glioblastomas, and 15% of mutations in genes in the PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase)-AKT-mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling axis across all tumor types were subclonal. Mutations in the RAS-MEK (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase) signaling axis were less likely to be subclonal than mutations in genes associated with PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling. Analysis of late mutations revealed a link between APOBEC-mediated mutagenesis and the acquisition of subclonal driver mutations and uncovered putative cancer genes involved in subclonal expansions, including CTNNA2 and ATXN1. Our results provide a pan-cancer census of driver events within the context of intratumor heterogeneity and reveal patterns of tumor evolution across cancers. The frequent presence of subclonal driver mutations suggests the need to stratify targeted therapy response according to the proportion of tumor cells in which the driver is identified. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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Park, Solip; Lehner, Ben
2015-01-01
Cancers, like many diseases, are normally caused by combinations of genetic alterations rather than by changes affecting single genes. It is well established that the genetic alterations that drive cancer often interact epistatically, having greater or weaker consequences in combination than expected from their individual effects. In a stringent statistical analysis of data from > 3,000 tumors, we find that the co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity relationships between cancer driver alterations change quite extensively in different types of cancer. This cannot be accounted for by variation in tumor heterogeneity or unrecognized cancer subtypes. Rather, it suggests that how genomic alterations interact cooperatively or partially redundantly to driver cancer changes in different types of cancers. This re-wiring of epistasis across cell types is likely to be a basic feature of genetic architecture, with important implications for understanding the evolution of multicellularity and human genetic diseases. In addition, if this plasticity of epistasis across cell types is also true for synthetic lethal interactions, a synthetic lethal strategy to kill cancer cells may frequently work in one type of cancer but prove ineffective in another. PMID:26227665
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Redesign of Transjakarta Bus Driver's Cabin
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mardi Safitri, Dian; Azmi, Nora; Singh, Gurbinder; Astuti, Pudji
2016-02-01
Ergonomic risk at work stations with type Seated Work Control was one of the problems faced by Transjakarta bus driver. Currently “Trisakti” type bus, one type of bus that is used by Transjakarta in corridor 9, serving route Pinang Ranti - Pluit, gained many complaints from drivers. From the results of Nordic Body Map questionnaires given to 30 drivers, it was known that drivers feel pain in the neck, arms, hips, and buttocks. Allegedly this was due to the seat position and the button/panel bus has a considerable distance range (1 meter) to be achieved by drivers. In addition, preliminary results of the questionnaire using Workstation Checklist identified their complaints about uncomfortable cushion, driver's seat backrest, and the exact position of the AC is above the driver head. To reduce the risk level of ergonomics, then did research to design the cabin by using a generic approach to designing products. The risk analysis driver posture before the design was done by using Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), and Quick Exposure Checklist (QEC), while the calculation of the moment the body is done by using software Mannequin Pro V10.2. Furthermore, the design of generic products was done through the stages: need metric-matrix, house of quality, anthropometric data collection, classification tree concept, concept screening, scoring concept, design and manufacture of products in the form of two-dimensional. While the design after design risk analysis driver posture was done by using RULA, REBA, and calculation of moments body as well as the design visualized using software 3DMax. From the results of analysis before the draft design improvements cabin RULA obtained scores of 6, REBA 9, and the result amounted to 57.38% QEC and moment forces on the back is 247.3 LbF.inch and on the right hip is 72.9 LbF.in. While the results of the proposed improvements cabin design RULA obtained scores of 3, REBA 4, and the moment of force on the back is 90.3 LbF.in and on the right hip is 70.6 LbF.in. This indicated improvement cabin design can reduce ergonomic risk with lower scores on several parts of the body.
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[Automobile Traffic Accident Death Case Analysis of Characteristics of Driver Injury].
Du, Y L; Zhang, W L
2017-02-01
To distinguish the injury characteristic changes on the drivers between the injuries of drivers and passengers in traffic accidents, and to provide scientific evidence for confirming the identity of driver in traffic accidents. Data of 126 automobile traffic accident death cases in the reclamation areas of Heilongjiang province from 2006-2014 were retrospectively studied. The injury characteristics on the drivers of automobile traffic accident death cases were analyzed and the forensic identification problem in the injuries of drivers and passengers were discussed. Injuries were frequently observed on driver's neck, chest and abdomen. The characteristic injuries caused by auto parts were also found, which appeared at the places of passenger's head, face and limbs contacted with automobile. Such characteristic injuries were not found at other places. The location and type of injury are associated with the identity of the deceased. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine
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Characteristics of turn signal use at intersections in baseline naturalistic driving.
Sullivan, John M; Bao, Shan; Goudy, Roy; Konet, Heather
2015-01-01
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a driver's use of turn signals is sufficiently reliable to forecast a vehicle's future path around an intersection, when detailed information about the intersection is unavailable. Naturalistic observations of turn signal use among 108 drivers on surface streets were extracted from the baseline portion of a field operational test of a safety system. Left and right turns that resulted in heading changes of between 70 and 110° and turn radii between 18 and 90 m were selected from the dataset. The odds that a driver would signal a turn were modeled as a function of road type, turn direction, presence of a forward vehicle, whether the vehicle stopped before the turn, and driver age and gender. Overall, 25 percent of left turns and 29 percent of right turns were not signaled. Road type, turn direction, and presence of a forward vehicle were found to influence the odds that a turn is signaled, while gender and age of the driver did not. The results suggest that situational factors like road type and turn direction are more powerful predictors of whether a turn will be signaled than either age or gender. Signaling on major and minor surface roads was about 5 times more likely than on local roads and 1.5 times more likely when a forward vehicle was present, suggesting a possible effect of traffic volume. It was concluded that turn signal activation alone may be insufficiently reliable to forecast a driver's path. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Risk and type of crash among young drivers by rurality of residence: findings from the DRIVE Study.
Chen, H Y; Ivers, R Q; Martiniuk, A L C; Boufous, S; Senserrick, T; Woodward, M; Stevenson, M; Williamson, A; Norton, R
2009-07-01
Most previous literature on urban/rural differences in road crashes has a primary focus on severe injuries or deaths, which may be largely explained by variations of medical resources. Little has been reported on police-reported crashes by geographical location, or crash type and severity, especially among young drivers. DRIVE is a prospective cohort study of 20,822 drivers aged 17-24 in NSW, Australia. Information on risk factors was collected via online questionnaire and subsequently linked to police-reported crashes. Poisson regression was used to analyse risk of various crash types by three levels of rurality of residence: urban, regional (country towns and surrounds) and rural. Compared to urban drivers, risk of crash decreased with increasing rurality (regional adjusted RR: 0.7, 95% CI 0.6-0.9; rural adjusted RR: 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.7). Among those who crashed, risk of injurious crash did not differ by geographic location; however, regional and rural drivers had significantly higher risk of a single versus multiple vehicle crash (regional adjusted RR 1.8, 95% CI 1.3-2.5; rural adjusted RR: 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.6), which was explained by speeding involvement and road alignment at the time or site of crash. Although young urban drivers have a higher crash risk overall, rural and regional residents have increased risk of a single vehicle crash. Interventions to reduce single vehicle crashes should aim to address key issues affecting such crashes, including speeding and specific aspects of road geometry.
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Rehn, B; Nilsson, T; Lundström, R; Hagberg, M; Burström, L
2009-10-01
The purpose of this study was to investigate the existence of neck pain and arm pain among professional forest machine drivers and to find out if pain were related to their whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to 529 forest machine drivers in northern Sweden and the response was 63%. Two pain groups were formed; 1) neck pain; 2) neck pain combined with arm pain. From WBV exposure data (recent measurements made according to ISO 2631-1, available information from reports) and from the self-administered questionnaire, 14 various WBV exposure/dose measures were calculated for each driver. The prevalence of neck pain reported both for the previous 12 months and for the previous 7 d was 34% and more than half of them reported neck pain combined with pain in one or both arms. Analysis showed no significant association between neck pain and high WBV exposure; however, cases with neck pain more often experienced shocks and jolts in the vehicle as uncomfortable. There was no significant association between the 14 WBV measures and type of neck pain (neck pain vs. neck pain combined with arm pain). It seems as if characteristics of WBV exposure can explain neither existence nor the type of neck pain amongst professional drivers of forest machines. The logging industry is important for several industrialised countries. Drivers of forest machines frequently report neuromusculoskeletal pain from the neck. The type of neck pain is important for the decision of treatment modality and may be associated with exposure characteristics at work.
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Branco, Renato Chaves Souto; Camargo, Rafael Ludemann; Batista, Thiago Martins; Vettorazzi, Jean Franciesco; Borck, Patrícia Cristine; Dos Santos-Silva, Junia Carolina Rebelo; Boschero, Antonio Carlos; Zoppi, Cláudio Cesar; Carneiro, Everardo Magalhães
2017-09-01
Taurine (Tau) restores β-cell function in obesity; however, its action is lost in malnourished obese rodents. Here, we investigated the mechanisms involved in the lack of effects of Tau in this model. C57BL/6 mice were fed a control diet (CD) (14% protein) or a protein-restricted diet (RD) (6% protein) for 6 wk. Afterward, mice received a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 wk [CD + HFD (CH) and RD + HFD (RH)] with or without 5% Tau supplementation after weaning on their drinking water [CH + Tau (CHT) and RH + Tau (RHT)]. The HFD increased insulin secretion through mitochondrial metabolism in CH and RH. Tau prevented all those alterations in CHT only. The expression of the taurine transporter (Tau-T), as well as Tau content in pancreatic islets, was increased in CH but had no effect on RH. Protein malnutrition programs β cells and impairs Tau-induced restoration of mitochondrial metabolism and biogenesis. This may be associated with modulation of the expression of Tau-T in pancreatic islets, which may be responsible for the absence of effect of Tau in protein-malnourished obese mice.-Branco, R. C. S., Camargo, R. L., Batista, T. M., Vettorazzi, J. F., Borck, P. C., dos Santos-Silva, J. C. R., Boschero, A. C., Zoppi, C. C., Carneiro, E. M. Protein malnutrition blunts the increment of taurine transporter expression by a high-fat diet and impairs taurine reestablishment of insulin secretion. © FASEB.
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DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2010-01-01
Teen drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group. Per mile traveled, they have the highest involvement rates in all types of crashes, from those involving only property damage to those that are fatal. The problem is worst among 16 year-olds,...
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A gating grid driver for time projection chambers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tangwancharoen, S.; Lynch, W. G.; Barney, J.; Estee, J.; Shane, R.; Tsang, M. B.; Zhang, Y.; Isobe, T.; Kurata-Nishimura, M.; Murakami, T.; Xiao, Z. G.; Zhang, Y. F.; SπRIT Collaboration
2017-05-01
A simple but novel driver system has been developed to operate the wire gating grid of a Time Projection Chamber (TPC). This system connects the wires of the gating grid to its driver via low impedance transmission lines. When the gating grid is open, all wires have the same voltage allowing drift electrons, produced by the ionization of the detector gas molecules, to pass through to the anode wires. When the grid is closed, the wires have alternating higher and lower voltages causing the drift electrons to terminate at the more positive wires. Rapid opening of the gating grid with low pickup noise is achieved by quickly shorting the positive and negative wires to attain the average bias potential with N-type and P-type MOSFET switches. The circuit analysis and simulation software SPICE shows that the driver restores the gating grid voltage to 90% of the opening voltage in less than 0.20 μs, for small values of the termination resistors. When tested in the experimental environment of a time projection chamber larger termination resistors were chosen so that the driver opens the gating grid in 0.35 μs. In each case, opening time is basically characterized by the RC constant given by the resistance of the switches and terminating resistors and the capacitance of the gating grid and its transmission line. By adding a second pair of N-type and P-type MOSFET switches, the gating grid is closed by restoring 99% of the original charges to the wires within 3 μs.
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Redondo-Calderón, J L; de Luna-del-Castillo , J; Jiménez-Moleón, J J; García-Martín, M; Lardelli-Claret, P; Gálvez-Vargas, R
2001-05-01
The authors used the induced exposure method to compare risks of traffic crashes among different types of Spanish drivers under different environmental conditions. The authors analyzed traffic crashes recorded by the Spanish Dirección General de Tráfico for the years 1991 and 1992 to compare proportions of drivers in different age/sex categories who were involved in single-vehicle and multivehicle crashes under different psychological and physical conditions. Crash risk was 1.42- to 2.35-fold greater in men than in women, depending on driver category and environmental factors. Risk was also significantly higher in the 18- to 24-year-old age group (1.75- to 2.87-fold greater than in drivers aged 25-49 years) and under abnormal psychological-physical conditions (1.69- to 4.10-fold greater among drivers under the influence of alcohol). Twilight and night driving, driving in urban areas, and driving on weekends and legal holidays were also associated, though nonsignificantly, with a slightly higher traffic crash risk. These findings are consistent with earlier reports, and they support the usefulness of the induced exposure method as an easy and economical tool with which to analyze data contained in traffic crash records.
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Araya, Carlos L.; Cenik, Can; Reuter, Jason A.; Kiss, Gert; Pande, Vijay S.; Snyder, Michael P.; Greenleaf, William J.
2015-01-01
Cancer sequencing studies have primarily identified cancer-driver genes by the accumulation of protein-altering mutations. An improved method would be annotation-independent, sensitive to unknown distributions of functions within proteins, and inclusive of non-coding drivers. We employed density-based clustering methods in 21 tumor types to detect variably-sized significantly mutated regions (SMRs). SMRs reveal recurrent alterations across a spectrum of coding and non-coding elements, including transcription factor binding sites and untranslated regions mutated in up to ∼15% of specific tumor types. SMRs reveal spatial clustering of mutations at molecular domains and interfaces, often with associated changes in signaling. Mutation frequencies in SMRs demonstrate that distinct protein regions are differentially mutated among tumor types, as exemplified by a linker region of PIK3CA in which biophysical simulations suggest mutations affect regulatory interactions. The functional diversity of SMRs underscores both the varied mechanisms of oncogenic misregulation and the advantage of functionally-agnostic driver identification. PMID:26691984
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Haleem, Kirolos; Gan, Albert
2013-09-01
This study identifies geometric, traffic, environmental, vehicle-related, and driver-related predictors of crash injury severity on urban freeways. The study takes advantage of the mixed logit model's ability to account for unobserved effects that are difficult to quantify and may affect the model estimation, such as the driver's reaction at the time of crash. Crashes of 5 years occurring on 89 urban freeway segments throughout the state of Florida in the United States were used. Examples of severity predictors explored include traffic volume, distance of the crash to the nearest ramp, and detailed driver's age, vehicle types, and sides of impact. To show how the parameter estimates could vary, a binary logit model was compared with the mixed logit model. It was found that the at-fault driver's age, traffic volume, distance of the crash to the nearest ramp, vehicle type, side of impact, and percentage of trucks significantly influence severity on urban freeways. Additionally, young at-fault drivers were associated with a significant severity risk increase relative to other age groups. It was also observed that some variables in the binary logit model yielded illogic estimates due to ignoring the random variation of the estimation. Since the at-fault driver's age and side of impact were significant random parameters in the mixed logit model, an in-depth investigation was performed. It was noticed that back, left, and right impacts had the highest risk among middle-aged drivers, followed by young drivers, very young drivers, and finally, old and very old drivers. To reduce side impacts due to lane changing, two primary strategies can be recommended. The first strategy is to conduct campaigns to convey the hazardous effect of changing lanes at higher speeds. The second is to devise in-vehicle side crash avoidance systems to alert drivers of a potential crash risk. The study provided a promising approach to screening the predictors before fitting the mixed logit model using the random forest technique. Furthermore, potential countermeasures were proposed to reduce the severity of impacts. Copyright © 2013 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Operation of SOI P-Channel Field Effect Transistors, CHT-PMOS30, under Extreme Temperatures
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Patterson, Richard; Hammoud, Ahmad
2009-01-01
Electronic systems are required to operate under extreme temperatures in NASA planetary exploration and deep space missions. Electronics on-board spacecraft must also tolerate thermal cycling between extreme temperatures. Thermal management means are usually included in today s spacecraft systems to provide adequate temperature for proper operation of the electronics. These measures, which may include heating elements, heat pipes, radiators, etc., however add to the complexity in the design of the system, increases its cost and weight, and affects its performance and reliability. Electronic parts and circuits capable of withstanding and operating under extreme temperatures would reflect in improvement in system s efficiency, reducing cost, and improving overall reliability. Semiconductor chips based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology are designed mainly for high temperature applications and find extensive use in terrestrial well-logging fields. Their inherent design offers advantages over silicon devices in terms of reduced leakage currents, less power consumption, faster switching speeds, and good radiation tolerance. Little is known, however, about their performance at cryogenic temperatures and under wide thermal swings. Experimental investigation on the operation of SOI, N-channel field effect transistors under wide temperature range was reported earlier [1]. This work examines the performance of P-channel devices of these SOI transistors. The electronic part investigated in this work comprised of a Cissoid s CHT-PMOS30, high temperature P-channel MOSFET (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) device [2]. This high voltage, medium-power transistor is designed for geothermal well logging applications, aerospace and avionics, and automotive industry, and is specified for operation in the temperature range of -55 C to +225 C. Table I shows some specifications of this transistor [2]. The CHT-PMOS30 device was characterized at various temperatures over the range of -190 C to +225 C in terms of its voltage/current characteristic curves. The test temperatures included +22, -50, -100, -150, -175, -190, +50, +100, +150, +175, +200, and +225 C. Limited thermal cycling testing was also performed on the device. These tests consisted of subjecting the transistor to a total of twelve thermal cycles between -190 C and +225 C. A temperature rate of change of 10 C/min and a soak time at the test temperature of 10 minutes were used throughout this work. Post-cycling measurements were also performed at selected temperatures. In addition, re-start capability at extreme temperatures, i.e. power switched on while the device was soaking for a period of 20 minutes at the test temperatures of -190 C and +225 C, was investigated.
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Clear roads' safety effect on elderly drivers.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2011-10-01
Driving on roads that are covered with ice or snow is hazardous for all drivers, but there may be : disproportionally high risks for certain age groups on certain road types and different winter : maintenance practices may also have a greater influen...
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ekedebe, Nnanna; Yu, Wei; Lu, Chao
2015-06-01
Driver distraction could result in safety compromises attributable to distractions from in-vehicle equipment usage [1]. The effective design of driver-vehicle interfaces (DVIs) and other human-machine interfaces (HMIs) together with their usability, and accessibility while driving become important [2]. Driving distractions can be classified as: visual distractions (any activity that takes your eyes away from the road), cognitive distraction (any activity that takes your mind away from the course of driving), and manual distractions (any activity that takes your hands away from the steering wheel [2]). Besides, multitasking during driving is a distractive activity that can increase the risks of vehicular accidents. To study the driver's behaviors on the safety of transportation system, using an in-vehicle driver notification application, we examined the effects of increasing driver distraction levels on the evaluation metrics of traffic efficiency and safety by using two types of driver models: young drivers (ages 16-25 years) and middle-age drivers (ages 30-45 years). Our evaluation data demonstrates that as a drivers distraction level is increased, less heed is given to change route directives from the in-vehicle on-board unit (OBU) using textual, visual, audio, and haptic notifications. Interestingly, middle-age drivers proved more effective/resilient in mitigating the negative effects of driver distraction over young drivers [2].
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Supporting anticipation in driving through attentional and interpretational in-vehicle displays.
Stahl, Patrick; Donmez, Birsen; Jamieson, Greg A
2016-06-01
This paper evaluates two different types of in-vehicle interfaces to support anticipation in driving: one aids attention allocation and the other aids interpretation of traffic in addition to attention allocation. Anticipation is a competency that has been shown to facilitate safety and eco-driving through the efficient positioning of a vehicle for probable, upcoming changes in traffic. This competency has been shown to improve with driving experience. In an earlier simulator study, we showed that compared to novice drivers, experienced drivers exhibited a greater number of timely actions to avoid upcoming traffic conflicts. In this study, we seek to facilitate anticipation in general and for novice drivers in particular, who appear to lack the competency. We hypothesize that anticipation depends on two major steps and that it can be supported by aiding each: (1) conscious perception of relevant cues, and (2) effective processing of these cues to create a situational assessment as a basis for anticipation of future developments. We conducted a simulator experiment with 24 experienced and 24 novice drivers to evaluate two interfaces that were designed to aid the two hypothesized steps of anticipation. The attentional interface was designed to direct attention toward the most relevant cue. The interpretational interface represented several cues, and in addition to directing attention also aimed to aid sense-making of these cues. The results confirmed our hypothesis that novice drivers' anticipation performance, as measured through timely actions to avoid upcoming traffic conflicts, would be improved with either interface type. However, results contradicted our expectation that novice drivers would obtain larger improvements with the interpretational interface. Experienced drivers performed better than novice drivers to begin with and did not show any statistically significant improvements with either interface. Both interfaces improved anticipation performance for novice drivers. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of these interfaces in a wider variety of driving conditions, such as when the driver is multitasking. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Studying the response of drivers against different collision warning systems: a review
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Muzammel, M.; Yusoff, M. Zuki; Malik, A. Saeed; Mohamad Saad, M. Naufal; Meriaudeau, F.
2017-03-01
The number of vehicle accidents is rapidly increasing and causing significant economic losses in many countries. According to the World Health Organization, road accidents will become the fifth major cause of death by the year 2030. To minimize these accidents different types of collision warning systems have been proposed for motor vehicle drivers. These systems can early detect and warn the drivers about the potential danger, up to a certain accuracy. Many researchers study the effectiveness of these systems by using different methods, including Electroencephalography (EEG). From the literature review, it has been observed that, these systems increase the drivers' response and can help to minimize the accidents that may occur due to drivers unconsciousness. For these collision warning systems, tactile early warnings are found more effective as compared to the auditory and visual early warnings. This review also highlights the areas, where further research can be performed to fully analyze the collision warning system. For example, some contradictions are found among researchers, about these systems' performance for drivers within different age groups. Similarly, most of the EEG studies focus on the front collision warning systems and only give beep sound to alert the drivers. Therefore, EEG study can be performed for the rear end collision warning systems, against proper auditory warning messages which indicate the types of hazards. This EEG study will help to design more friendly collision warning system and may save many lives.
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Effects of planar and non-planar driver-side mirrors on age-related discomfort-glare responses
Lockhart, Thurmon E.; Atsumi, Bunji; Ghosh, Arka; Mekaroonreung, Haruetai; Spaulding, Jeremy
2010-01-01
In this study, we evaluated subjective nighttime discomfort-glare responses on three different types of planar and non-planar driver-side mirrors on two age groups. Fifty-six individuals (28 young [18–35 years] and 28 old [65 years and over]) participated in this experiment. Subjective discomfort-glare rating scores on three different types of driver-side mirrors were assessed utilizing De Boer's rating scale in a controlled nighttime driving environment (laboratory ambient illuminant level—l lux with headlight turned off). Three driver-side mirrors included planar “flat mirror”: radius of curvature 242650.92 mm, reflectivity 0.60114, and surface reflectance 0.60568; “curved mirror”: radius of curvature 1433.3 mm, reflectivity 0.21652, and surface reflectance 0.58092; “blue mirror”: radius of curvature 1957.1 mm, reflectivity 0.25356, and surface reflectance 0.54585. The results indicated that with the same glare level (as measured by angle of incidence and illuminance in front of the eyes), older adults reported worse feelings of glare than their younger counterparts. Furthermore, the results indicated that both young and older adults reported worse feelings of glare for planar driver-side mirror than non-planar driver-side mirrors. These results suggest that older adults' criterion of discomfort-glare is more sensitive than their younger counterparts, and importantly, the non-planar driver-side mirrors can be beneficial in terms of reducing nighttime discomfort-glare for both the young and the elderly. PMID:20582252
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Changing drivers' minds: the evaluation of an advanced driver coaching system.
Stanton, N A; Walker, G H; Young, M S; Kazi, T; Salmon, P M
2007-08-01
This paper reports on the study of an advanced driver coaching system. The study distinguishes between different types of post-licensure programmes in order to explore a system based on a model of identifying and responding to hazards, called 'information, position, speed, gear and acceleration' (IPSGA). Previous literature has been sceptical about the benefits of advanced driver education; thus, the current study was designed to control for the effects of coaching drivers in the 'IPSGA' system (the treatment group) against the effects of being accompanied (control group 1), as well as the mere effects of time (control group 2). Measures were taken before the driver coaching began (as a baseline measure) and again after 8 weeks (to see if any changes had occurred). These measures included driver knowledge via a post-drive interview, observations of driving skill and driver attitude using a locus of control scale. The results suggest that advanced driver coaching using the IPSGA system had a beneficial effect on all of these measures. Drivers in the coaching condition improved their situation awareness, driving skills and reduced attributions of external locus of control. The study lends support to the case for one-to-one individualized driver coaching using a systematic model of driving.
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Evaluation of driver fatigue on two channels of EEG data.
Li, Wei; He, Qi-chang; Fan, Xiu-min; Fei, Zhi-min
2012-01-11
Electroencephalogram (EEG) data is an effective indicator to evaluate driver fatigue. The 16 channels of EEG data are collected and transformed into three bands (θ, α, and β) in the current paper. First, 12 types of energy parameters are computed based on the EEG data. Then, Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) is introduced to identify the optimal indicator of driver fatigue, after which, the number of significant electrodes is reduced using Kernel Principle Component Analysis (KPCA). Finally, the evaluation model for driver fatigue is established with the regression equation based on the EEG data from two significant electrodes (Fp1 and O1). The experimental results verify that the model is effective in evaluating driver fatigue. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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1981-06-01
SIGMA Y- 2 .S tE D RTzSQRT(M*V/( PHIT *UTP*(..-VA**92))) C.2=-1*THETA*RHCM*IUT’**2/2. C3-2.*SIGMAY/(SF*ALPHA) H(VB-V) /20 SUMMO.0 X1=o.0 0010JUl,21 MNCl...Yl) /(l.+Yl) )CHT. 4*3*~)/P:*v7225!*.t2 *(3.*Yl)*( PHIT *,+.49*YlW*2)Wr( PHIT *n+7225*Yl*w2)*w (-2)) 0D0- -2. *C2*Y I IP(Xl .EQ. 0.0) GO TO 50 SUM
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1985-11-01
11.251 16 1 mAoop RESOLUT" TEST CHT t4A1109L 64JREAU OF STANDARS -163- 01FILE GOO! AD-AI181 235 AFVAL-TR-86-4006 Volume IV Par t 2 INTEGRATED...River Road Schenectady. New York 12345 Final Report for Period 22 September 1980 3 1 July 1985 November 1985 Approved for public release; distribution is... procurement operation, the United States Government thereby incurs no responsibility nor any obligation whatsoever, and the fact that the government may
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Sun, Yingying; Huang, Zhibin; Zhao, Ziqin; Jiang, Yan; Ye, Yonghong; Yu, Tianfang; Rao, Yulan
2014-01-01
The purpose of our study was to better characterize and evaluate drunk driving for governmental reference in order to further reduce alcohol-impaired driving. This article reports the characteristics of 1226 alcohol-positive drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or over the legal limit of 0.20 mg/mL involved in nonfatal traffic accidents in Shanghai, China, from 2008 to 2011. The mean BAC, age, and gender of these drivers are discussed as well as the vehicle types and times of day when the crashes occurred. The mean BAC was 1.41 mg/mL and the mean age was 38 years old, and the vast majority of drivers were male (96.9%). The mean BAC of male drivers (1.42 mg/mL) was higher than that of female drivers (1.20 mg/mL). The mean age of male drivers (38) was also higher than that of female drivers (33). Distributions of vehicle types involved were studied. Cars had the highest percentage of occurrences (56.4%), followed by motorcycles (32.8%), electric bicycles (6.8%), trucks (1.5%), and bicycles (0.8%). It was found that these alcohol-related traffic crashes most often occurred between 7:00 p.m. and 10:59 p.m., representing 48.1 percent (n = 590) of the 1226 cases. Single-vehicle crashes were overrepresented (70.3%) in all cases. The mean BAC in multivehicle crashes (1.69 mg/mL) was higher than that in single-vehicle crashes (1.30 mg/mL). The results indicated a notable need for more governmental attention that would prevent accidents caused by driving under the influence of alcohol.
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Spiess, Kerianne E; Sansosti, Laura E; Meyr, Andrew J
We have previously demonstrated an abnormally delayed mean brake response time and an increased frequency of abnormally delayed brake responses in a group of neuropathic drivers with diabetes compared with a control group of drivers with neither diabetes nor lower extremity neuropathy. The objective of the present case-control study was to compare the mean brake response time between 2 groups of drivers with diabetes with and without lower extremity sensorimotor neuropathy. The braking performances of the participants were evaluated using a computerized driving simulator with specific measurement of the mean brake response time and the frequency of the abnormally delayed brake responses. We compared a control group of 25 active drivers with type 2 diabetes without lower extremity neuropathy and an experimental group of 25 active drivers with type 2 diabetes and lower extremity neuropathy from an urban U.S. podiatric medical clinic. The experimental group demonstrated an 11.49% slower mean brake response time (0.757 ± 0.180 versus 0.679 ± 0.120 second; p < .001), with abnormally delayed reactions occurring at a greater frequency (57.5% versus 35.0%; p < .001). Independent of a comparative statistical analysis, diabetic drivers with neuropathy demonstrated a mean brake response time slower than a suggested safety threshold of 0.70 second, and diabetic drivers without neuropathy demonstrated a mean brake response time faster than this threshold. The results of the present investigation provide evidence that the specific onset of lower extremity sensorimotor neuropathy associated with diabetes appears to impart a negative effect on automobile brake responses. Copyright © 2017 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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National reported patterns of driver cell phone use in the United States.
Braitman, Keli A; McCartt, Anne T
2010-12-01
To obtain detailed information on patterns of driver cell phone use, including how often drivers talk and text, the extent to which they use hands-free devices, and knowledge of and reaction to state cell phone laws. Telephone surveys were conducted with 1219 drivers in the 48 contiguous U.S. states and the District of Columbia, using random samples of landline and cell phone numbers. Forty percent of drivers reported talking on phones at least a few times per week. The percentages were highest for males (49%) and drivers ages 25-29 (66%). The percentage of drivers who reported never talking on phones was higher in states with all-driver bans on handheld phone use (44%) than in states without a ban applying to all drivers (30%). The percentage of drivers who talk on phones and always talk hands-free was higher in states with all-driver handheld phone bans (22%) than where such bans are not in effect (13%). Thirteen percent of drivers reported some texting while driving, and this percentage was highest among drivers ages 18-24 (43%). Twelve percent of drivers in states with all-driver texting bans reported texting while driving, compared with 14 percent in states with no texting ban. Among drivers ages 18-24, the percentages were 45 and 48 percent, respectively. Most drivers reported talking on phones while driving, even though earlier surveys have found that most people think this behavior should be banned. Fewer drivers overall reported texting, but the frequency of texting was higher among young drivers. Laws banning handheld phone use seem to discourage some drivers from talking on any type of phone and motivate some drivers to talk hands-free. Laws banning texting while driving have little effect on the reported frequency of texting while driving in any age group.
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Reliability of drivers in urban intersections.
Gstalter, Herbert; Fastenmeier, Wolfgang
2010-01-01
The concept of human reliability has been widely used in industrial settings by human factors experts to optimise the person-task fit. Reliability is estimated by the probability that a task will successfully be completed by personnel in a given stage of system operation. Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) is a technique used to calculate human error probabilities as the ratio of errors committed to the number of opportunities for that error. To transfer this notion to the measurement of car driver reliability the following components are necessary: a taxonomy of driving tasks, a definition of correct behaviour in each of these tasks, a list of errors as deviations from the correct actions and an adequate observation method to register errors and opportunities for these errors. Use of the SAFE-task analysis procedure recently made it possible to derive driver errors directly from the normative analysis of behavioural requirements. Driver reliability estimates could be used to compare groups of tasks (e.g. different types of intersections with their respective regulations) as well as groups of drivers' or individual drivers' aptitudes. This approach was tested in a field study with 62 drivers of different age groups. The subjects drove an instrumented car and had to complete an urban test route, the main features of which were 18 intersections representing six different driving tasks. The subjects were accompanied by two trained observers who recorded driver errors using standardized observation sheets. Results indicate that error indices often vary between both the age group of drivers and the type of driving task. The highest error indices occurred in the non-signalised intersection tasks and the roundabout, which exactly equals the corresponding ratings of task complexity from the SAFE analysis. A comparison of age groups clearly shows the disadvantage of older drivers, whose error indices in nearly all tasks are significantly higher than those of the other groups. The vast majority of these errors could be explained by high task load in the intersections, as they represent difficult tasks. The discussion shows how reliability estimates can be used in a constructive way to propose changes in car design, intersection layout and regulation as well as driver training.
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Driver alcohol involvement in fatal crashes by age group and vehicle type
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2006-07-01
The data in this research note demonstrate that while the overall proportion of passenger vehicle drivers with alcohol in fatal crashes is lower in older age groups, the median blood : alcohol concentration (BAC) is generally higher for those age gro...
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Identifying types of drug intoxication : laboratory evaluation of a subject-examination procedure
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
1985-05-01
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has developed a rating procedures for use in detecting drug-impaired drivers. The purpose of the rating procedures is to determine whether the driver is impaired and to identify the responsible drug class (e.g...
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Comparisons of Traffic Collisions between Expressways and Rural Roads in Truck Drivers.
Lee, Sangbok; Jeong, Byung Yong
2016-03-01
Truck driving is known as one of the occupations with the highest accident rate. This study investigates the characteristics of traffic collisions according to road types (expressway and rural road). Classifying 267 accidents into expressway and rural road, we analyzed them based on driver characteristics (age, working experience, size of employment), time characteristics (day of accident, time, weather), and accident characteristics (accident causes, accident locations, accident types, driving conditions). When we compared the accidents by road conditions, no differences were found between the driver characteristics. However, from the accident characteristics, the injured person distributions were different by the road conditions. In particular, driving while drowsy is shown to be highly related with the accident characteristics. This study can be used as a guideline and a base line to develop a plan of action to prevent traffic accidents. It can also help to prepare formal regulations about a truck driver's vehicle maintenance and driving attitude for a precaution on road accidents.
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Comparisons of Traffic Collisions between Expressways and Rural Roads in Truck Drivers
Lee, Sangbok; Jeong, Byung Yong
2015-01-01
Background Truck driving is known as one of the occupations with the highest accident rate. This study investigates the characteristics of traffic collisions according to road types (expressway and rural road). Methods Classifying 267 accidents into expressway and rural road, we analyzed them based on driver characteristics (age, working experience, size of employment), time characteristics (day of accident, time, weather), and accident characteristics (accident causes, accident locations, accident types, driving conditions). Results When we compared the accidents by road conditions, no differences were found between the driver characteristics. However, from the accident characteristics, the injured person distributions were different by the road conditions. In particular, driving while drowsy is shown to be highly related with the accident characteristics. Conclusion This study can be used as a guideline and a base line to develop a plan of action to prevent traffic accidents. It can also help to prepare formal regulations about a truck driver's vehicle maintenance and driving attitude for a precaution on road accidents. PMID:27014489
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Waks, Zeev; Weissbrod, Omer; Carmeli, Boaz; Norel, Raquel; Utro, Filippo; Goldschmidt, Yaara
2016-12-23
Compiling a comprehensive list of cancer driver genes is imperative for oncology diagnostics and drug development. While driver genes are typically discovered by analysis of tumor genomes, infrequently mutated driver genes often evade detection due to limited sample sizes. Here, we address sample size limitations by integrating tumor genomics data with a wide spectrum of gene-specific properties to search for rare drivers, functionally classify them, and detect features characteristic of driver genes. We show that our approach, CAnceR geNe similarity-based Annotator and Finder (CARNAF), enables detection of potentially novel drivers that eluded over a dozen pan-cancer/multi-tumor type studies. In particular, feature analysis reveals a highly concentrated pool of known and putative tumor suppressors among the <1% of genes that encode very large, chromatin-regulating proteins. Thus, our study highlights the need for deeper characterization of very large, epigenetic regulators in the context of cancer causality.
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Comprehensive Characterization of Cancer Driver Genes and Mutations.
Bailey, Matthew H; Tokheim, Collin; Porta-Pardo, Eduard; Sengupta, Sohini; Bertrand, Denis; Weerasinghe, Amila; Colaprico, Antonio; Wendl, Michael C; Kim, Jaegil; Reardon, Brendan; Ng, Patrick Kwok-Shing; Jeong, Kang Jin; Cao, Song; Wang, Zixing; Gao, Jianjiong; Gao, Qingsong; Wang, Fang; Liu, Eric Minwei; Mularoni, Loris; Rubio-Perez, Carlota; Nagarajan, Niranjan; Cortés-Ciriano, Isidro; Zhou, Daniel Cui; Liang, Wen-Wei; Hess, Julian M; Yellapantula, Venkata D; Tamborero, David; Gonzalez-Perez, Abel; Suphavilai, Chayaporn; Ko, Jia Yu; Khurana, Ekta; Park, Peter J; Van Allen, Eliezer M; Liang, Han; Lawrence, Michael S; Godzik, Adam; Lopez-Bigas, Nuria; Stuart, Josh; Wheeler, David; Getz, Gad; Chen, Ken; Lazar, Alexander J; Mills, Gordon B; Karchin, Rachel; Ding, Li
2018-04-05
Identifying molecular cancer drivers is critical for precision oncology. Multiple advanced algorithms to identify drivers now exist, but systematic attempts to combine and optimize them on large datasets are few. We report a PanCancer and PanSoftware analysis spanning 9,423 tumor exomes (comprising all 33 of The Cancer Genome Atlas projects) and using 26 computational tools to catalog driver genes and mutations. We identify 299 driver genes with implications regarding their anatomical sites and cancer/cell types. Sequence- and structure-based analyses identified >3,400 putative missense driver mutations supported by multiple lines of evidence. Experimental validation confirmed 60%-85% of predicted mutations as likely drivers. We found that >300 MSI tumors are associated with high PD-1/PD-L1, and 57% of tumors analyzed harbor putative clinically actionable events. Our study represents the most comprehensive discovery of cancer genes and mutations to date and will serve as a blueprint for future biological and clinical endeavors. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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Network perturbation by recurrent regulatory variants in cancer
Cho, Ara; Lee, Insuk; Choi, Jung Kyoon
2017-01-01
Cancer driving genes have been identified as recurrently affected by variants that alter protein-coding sequences. However, a majority of cancer variants arise in noncoding regions, and some of them are thought to play a critical role through transcriptional perturbation. Here we identified putative transcriptional driver genes based on combinatorial variant recurrence in cis-regulatory regions. The identified genes showed high connectivity in the cancer type-specific transcription regulatory network, with high outdegree and many downstream genes, highlighting their causative role during tumorigenesis. In the protein interactome, the identified transcriptional drivers were not as highly connected as coding driver genes but appeared to form a network module centered on the coding drivers. The coding and regulatory variants associated via these interactions between the coding and transcriptional drivers showed exclusive and complementary occurrence patterns across tumor samples. Transcriptional cancer drivers may act through an extensive perturbation of the regulatory network and by altering protein network modules through interactions with coding driver genes. PMID:28333928
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Design and implementation of Ada programs to facilitate automated testing
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dean, Jack; Fox, Barry; Oropeza, Michael
1991-01-01
An automated method utilized to test the software components of COMPASS, an interactive computer aided scheduling system, is presented. Each package of this system introduces a private type, and works to construct instances of that type, along with read and write routines for that type. Generic procedures that can generate test drivers for these functions are given and show how the test drivers can read from a test data file the functions to call, the arguments for those functions, what the anticipated result should be, and whether an exception should be raised for the function given the arguments.
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Road characteristics and driver fatigue: a simulator study.
Oron-Gilad, Tal; Ronen, Adi
2007-09-01
Two experiments examined the influence of road characteristics on driver fatigue in a prolonged simulator drive. In experiment one, ten military truck drivers drove a mixed route, with straight, winding, and straight highway segments. In experiment two, 16 additional drivers drove either a straight, a winding, or a mixed route. Fatigue symptoms were assessed using performance, subjective, and psychophysiological measures (HRV). We hypothesized that drivers adopt different fatigue-coping strategies relative to the demands of the drive. Thus, on straight roads drivers are more likely to loosen their driving demands by either increasing their driving speed and/or not maintaining the lane position, as the road is tolerant to both strategies, whereas on winding roads, drivers are more likely to increase their speed but not their lane positioning. Our results confirm that decremental changes in driving performance varied among road types. In the straight road components, we found decrements in the quality of lane maintaining (experiment one) and steering quality (experiments one and two) and longitudinal speed (experiment two). In the winding road, we found that drivers increased their driving speed over time (experiments one and two).
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The impact of Michigan's text messaging restriction on motor vehicle crashes.
Ehsani, Johnathon P; Bingham, C Raymond; Ionides, Edward; Childers, David
2014-05-01
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Michigan's universal text messaging restriction (effective July 2010) across different age groups of drivers and crash severities. Changes in monthly crash rates and crash trends per 10,000 licensed drivers aged 16, 17, 18, 19, 20-24, and 25-50 years were estimated using time series analysis for three levels of crash severity: (1) fatal/disabling injury; (2) nondisabling injury; and (3) possible injury/property damage only (PDO) crashes for the period 2005-2012. Analyses were adjusted for crash rates of drivers' aged 65-99 years, Michigan's unemployment rate, and gasoline prices. After the introduction of the texting restriction, significant increases were observed in crash rates and monthly trends in fatal/disabling injury crashes and nondisabling injury crashes, and significant decreases in possible injury/PDO crashes. The magnitude of the effects where significant changes were observed was small. The introduction of the texting restriction was not associated with a reduction in crash rates or trends in severe crash types. On the contrary, small increases in the most severe crash types (fatal/disabling and nondisabling injury) and small decreases in the least severe crash types (possible injury/PDO) were observed. These findings extend the literature on the effects of cell phone restrictions by examining the effects of the restriction on newly licensed adolescent drivers and adult drivers separately by crash severity. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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Rage against the machine? Google's self-driving cars versus human drivers.
Teoh, Eric R; Kidd, David G
2017-12-01
Automated driving represents both challenges and opportunities in highway safety. Google has been developing self-driving cars and testing them under employee supervision on public roads since 2009. These vehicles have been involved in several crashes, and it is of interest how this testing program compares to human drivers in terms of safety. Google car crashes were coded by type and severity based on narratives released by Google. Crash rates per million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) were computed for crashes deemed severe enough to be reportable to police. These were compared with police-reported crash rates for human drivers. Crash types also were compared. Google cars had a much lower rate of police-reportable crashes per million VMT than human drivers in Mountain View, Calif., during 2009-2015 (2.19 vs 6.06), but the difference was not statistically significant. The most common type of collision involving Google cars was when they got rear-ended by another (human-driven) vehicle. Google cars shared responsibility for only one crash. These results suggest Google self-driving cars, while a test program, are safer than conventional human-driven passenger vehicles; however, currently there is insufficient information to fully examine the extent to which disengagements affected these results. Results suggest that highly-automated vehicles can perform more safely than human drivers in certain conditions, but will continue to be involved in crashes with conventionally-driven vehicles. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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The effect of performance feedback on drivers' hazard perception ability and self-ratings.
Horswill, Mark S; Garth, Megan; Hill, Andrew; Watson, Marcus O
2017-04-01
Drivers' hazard perception ability has been found to predict crash risk, and novice drivers appear to be particularly poor at this skill. This competency appears to develop only slowly with experience, and this could partially be a result of poor quality performance feedback. We report an experiment in which we provided high-quality artificial feedback on individual drivers' performance in a validated video-based hazard perception test via either: (1) a graph-based comparison of hazard perception response times between the test-taker, the average driver, and an expert driver; (2) a video-based comparison between the same groups; or (3) both. All three types of feedback resulted in both an improvement in hazard perception performance and a reduction in self-rated hazard perception skill, compared with a no-feedback control group. Video-based and graph-based feedback combined resulted in a greater improvement in hazard perception performance than either of the individual components, which did not differ from one another. All three types of feedback eliminated participants' self-enhancement bias for hazard perception skill. Participants judged both interventions involving video feedback to be significantly more likely to improve their real-world driving than the no feedback control group. While all three forms of feedback had some value, the combined video and graph feedback intervention appeared to be the most effective across all outcome measures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bao, Ji; Chen, Qun; Luo, Dandan; Wu, Yuli; Liang, Zuli
2018-06-01
Drivers' choices at signalized intersections may be made in great uncertainty after the onset of yellow, which creates potential hazards for road safety. These choices are analyzed and modeled based on field observations at three comparable signalized intersections in Changsha, China. The results show that intersections without monitoring devices widen the indecision zone, which can increase the risk of rear-end collisions and the uncertainty of drivers' decision-making. In addition, drivers are more likely to stop during the yellow interval at intersections equipped with a green signal countdown device (GSCD) than at those with a green signal flashing device (GSFD). Subsequently, according to the results of a binary logistic regression model (BLRM), drivers' decision making at the onset of the yellow indication is greatly influenced by the vehicle's spot speed, the distance to the stop line, and signal and monitoring devices. The presence of an adjacent vehicle with a short space headway can particularly motivate the following driver to make a go-decision after the first driver chooses to pass the intersection. However, a stop-decision by a driver in an adjacent lane can also prompt the following driver to stop.
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Chen, Cong; Zhang, Guohui; Liu, Xiaoyue Cathy; Ci, Yusheng; Huang, Helai; Ma, Jianming; Chen, Yanyan; Guan, Hongzhi
2016-12-01
There is a high potential of severe injury outcomes in traffic crashes on rural interstate highways due to the significant amount of high speed traffic on these corridors. Hierarchical Bayesian models are capable of incorporating between-crash variance and within-crash correlations into traffic crash data analysis and are increasingly utilized in traffic crash severity analysis. This paper applies a hierarchical Bayesian logistic model to examine the significant factors at crash and vehicle/driver levels and their heterogeneous impacts on driver injury severity in rural interstate highway crashes. Analysis results indicate that the majority of the total variance is induced by the between-crash variance, showing the appropriateness of the utilized hierarchical modeling approach. Three crash-level variables and six vehicle/driver-level variables are found significant in predicting driver injury severities: road curve, maximum vehicle damage in a crash, number of vehicles in a crash, wet road surface, vehicle type, driver age, driver gender, driver seatbelt use and driver alcohol or drug involvement. Among these variables, road curve, functional and disabled vehicle damage in crash, single-vehicle crashes, female drivers, senior drivers, motorcycles and driver alcohol or drug involvement tend to increase the odds of drivers being incapably injured or killed in rural interstate crashes, while wet road surface, male drivers and driver seatbelt use are more likely to decrease the probability of severe driver injuries. The developed methodology and estimation results provide insightful understanding of the internal mechanism of rural interstate crashes and beneficial references for developing effective countermeasures for rural interstate crash prevention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Driver drowsiness detection using ANN image processing
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Vesselenyi, T.; Moca, S.; Rus, A.; Mitran, T.; Tătaru, B.
2017-10-01
The paper presents a study regarding the possibility to develop a drowsiness detection system for car drivers based on three types of methods: EEG and EOG signal processing and driver image analysis. In previous works the authors have described the researches on the first two methods. In this paper the authors have studied the possibility to detect the drowsy or alert state of the driver based on the images taken during driving and by analyzing the state of the driver’s eyes: opened, half-opened and closed. For this purpose two kinds of artificial neural networks were employed: a 1 hidden layer network and an autoencoder network.
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Landscape heritage objects' effect on driving: a combined driving simulator and questionnaire study.
Antonson, Hans; Ahlström, Christer; Mårdh, Selina; Blomqvist, Göran; Wiklund, Mats
2014-01-01
According to the literature, landscape (panoramas, heritage objects e.g. landmarks) affects people in various ways. Data are primarily developed by asking people (interviews, photo sessions, focus groups) about their preferences, but to a lesser degree by measuring how the body reacts to such objects. Personal experience while driving a car through a landscape is even more rare. In this paper we study how different types of objects in the landscape affect drivers during their drive. A high-fidelity moving-base driving simulator was used to measure choice of speed and lateral position in combination with stress (heart rate measure) and eye tracking. The data were supplemented with questionnaires. Eighteen test drivers (8 men and 10 women) with a mean age of 37 were recruited. The test drivers were exposed to different new and old types of landscape objects such as 19th century church, wind turbine, 17th century milestone and bus stop, placed at different distances from the road driven. The findings are in some respect contradictory, but it was concluded that that 33% of the test drivers felt stressed during the drive. All test drivers said that they had felt calm at times during the drive but the reason for this was only to a minor degree connected with old and modern objects. The open landscape was experienced as conducive to acceleration. Most objects were, to a small degree, experienced (subjective data) as having a speed-reducing effect, much in line with the simulator data (objective data). Objects close to the road affected the drivers' choice of' lateral position. No significant differences could be observed concerning the test drivers' gaze between old or modern objects, but a significant difference was observed between the test drivers' gaze between road stretches with faraway objects and stretches without objects. No meaningful, significant differences were found for the drivers' stress levels as measured by heart rate. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Targeting key proximal drivers of type 2 inflammation in disease.
Gandhi, Namita A; Bennett, Brandy L; Graham, Neil M H; Pirozzi, Gianluca; Stahl, Neil; Yancopoulos, George D
2016-01-01
Systemic type 2 inflammation encompassing T helper 2 (TH2)-type responses is emerging as a unifying feature of both classically defined allergic diseases, such as asthma, and a range of other inflammatory diseases. Rather than reducing inflammation with broad-acting immunosuppressants or narrowly targeting downstream products of the TH2 pathway, such as immunoglobulin E (IgE), efforts to target the key proximal type 2 cytokines - interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5 and IL-13 - represent a promising strategy to achieve therapeutic benefit across multiple diseases. After several initial disappointing clinical results with therapies targeting IL-4, IL-5 or IL-13 in asthma, applying a personalized approach achieved therapeutic benefit in an asthma subtype exhibiting an 'allergic' phenotype. More recently, efficacy was extended into a broad population of people with asthma. This argues that the Type 2 inflammation is broadly relevant across the severe asthma population if the key upstream drivers are properly blocked. Moreover, the simultaneous inhibition of IL-4 and IL-13 has shown significant clinical activity in diseases that are often co-morbid with asthma - atopic dermatitis and chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps - supporting the hypothesis that targeting a central 'driver pathway' could benefit multiple allergic diseases.
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Comparing handheld and hands-free cell phone usage behaviors while driving.
Soccolich, Susan A; Fitch, Gregory M; Perez, Miguel A; Hanowski, Richard J
2014-01-01
The goal of this study was to compare cell phone usage behaviors while driving across 3 types of cell phones: handheld (HH) cell phones, portable hands-free (PHF) cell phones, and integrated hands-free (IHF) cell phones. Naturalistic driving data were used to observe HH, PHF, and IHF usage behaviors in participants' own vehicles without any instructions or manipulations by researchers. In addition to naturalistic driving data, drivers provided their personal cell phone call records. Calls during driving were sampled and observed in naturalistically collected video. Calls were reviewed to identify cell phone type used for, and duration of, cell phone subtasks, non-cell phone secondary tasks, and other use behaviors. Drivers in the study self-identified as HH, PHF, or IHF users if they reported using that cell phone type at least 50% of the time. However, each sampled call was classified as HH, PHF, or IHF if the talking/listening subtask was conducted using that cell phone type, without considering the driver's self-reported group. Drivers with PHF or IHF systems also used HH cell phones (IHF group used HH cell phone in 53.2% of the interactions, PHF group used HH cell phone for 55.5% of interactions). Talking/listening on a PHF phone or an IHF phone was significantly longer than talking/listening on an HH phone (P <.05). HH dialing was significantly longer in duration than PHF or IHF begin/answer tasks. End phone call task for HH phones was significantly longer in duration than the end phone call task for PHF and IHF phones. Of all the non-cell phone-related secondary tasks, eating or drinking was found to occur significantly more often during IHF subtasks (0.58%) than in HH subtasks (0.15%). Drivers observed to reach for their cell phone mostly kept their cell phone in the cup holder (36.3%) or in their seat or lap (29.0% of interactions); however, some observed locations may have required drivers to move out of position. Hands-free cell phone technologies reduce the duration of cell phone visual-manual tasks compared to handheld cell phones. However, drivers with hands-free cell phone technologies available to them still choose to use handheld cell phones to converse or complete cell phone visual-manual tasks for a noteworthy portion of interactions.
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Comments on the Operation of Capillary Pumped Loop Devices in Low Gravity
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hallinan, K. P.; Allen, J. S.
1999-01-01
The operation of Capillary Pumped Loops (CPL's) in low gravity has generally been unable to match ground-based performance. The reason for this poorer performance has been elusive. In order to investigate the behavior of a CPL in low-gravity, an idealized, glass CPL experiment was constructed. This experiment, known as the Capillary-driven Heat Transfer (CHT) experiment, was flown on board the Space Shuttle Columbia in July 1997 during the Microgravity Science Laboratory mission. During the conduct of the CHT experiment an unexpected failure mode was observed. This failure mode was a result of liquid collecting and then eventually bridging the vapor return line. With the vapor return line blocked, the condensate was unable to return to the evaporator and dry-out subsequently followed. The mechanism for this collection and bridging has been associated with long wavelength instabilities of the liquid film forming in the vapor return line. Analysis has shown that vapor line blockage in present generation CPL devices is inevitable. Additionally, previous low-gravity CPL tests have reported the presence of relatively low frequency pressure oscillations during erratic system performance. Analysis reveals that these pressure oscillations are in part a result of long wavelength instabilities present in the evaporator pores, which likewise lead to liquid bridging and vapor entrapment in the porous media. Subsequent evaporation to the trapped vapor increases the vapor pressure. Eventually the vapor pressure causes ejection of the bridged liquid. Recoil stresses depress the meniscus, the vapor pressure rapidly increases, and the heated surface cools. The process then repeats with regularity.
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Molecular identification of the chitinase genes in Plasmodium relictum.
Garcia-Longoria, Luz; Hellgren, Olof; Bensch, Staffan
2014-06-18
Malaria parasites need to synthesize chitinase in order to go through the peritrophic membrane, which is created around the mosquito midgut, to complete its life cycle. In mammalian malaria species, the chitinase gene comprises either a large or a short copy. In the avian malaria parasites Plasmodium gallinaceum both copies are present, suggesting that a gene duplication in the ancestor to these extant species preceded the loss of either the long or the short copy in Plasmodium parasites of mammals. Plasmodium gallinaceum is not the most widespread and harmful parasite of birds. This study is the first to search for and identify the chitinase gene in one of the most prevalent avian malaria parasites, Plasmodium relictum. Both copies of P. gallinaceum chitinase were used as reference sequences for primer design. Different sequences of Plasmodium spp. were used to build the phylogenetic tree of chitinase gene. The gene encoding for chitinase was identified in isolates of two mitochondrial lineages of P. relictum (SGS1 and GRW4). The chitinase found in these two lineages consists both of the long (PrCHT1) and the short (PrCHT2) copy. The genetic differences found in the long copy of the chitinase gene between SGS1 and GRW4 were higher than the difference observed for the cytochrome b gene. The identification of both copies in P. relictum sheds light on the phylogenetic relationship of the chitinase gene in the genus Plasmodium. Due to its high variability, the chitinase gene could be used to study the genetic population structure in isolates from different host species and geographic regions.
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Epidemiology of pedestrian–MVCs by road type in Cluj, Romania
Hamann, Cara; Peek-Asa, Corinne; Rus, Diana
2017-01-01
Objective Pedestrian–motor vehicle (PMV) crash rates in Romania are among the highest in all of Europe. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of pedestrian–MVCs in Cluj County, Romania, on the two major types of roadways: national or local. Methods Cluj County police crash report data from 2010 were used to identify pedestrian, driver and crash characteristics of pedestrian–MVCs. Crashes with available location data were geocoded and road type (national or local) for each crash was determined. Distributions of crash characteristics were examined by road type and multivariable logistic regression models were built to determine predictors of crash road type. Results Crashes occurring on national roads involved more teenagers and adults, while those on local roads involved more young children (0–12) and older adults (65+) (p<0.01). Crashes on national roads were more likely to have marked pedestrian crossings and shoulders compared with local crashes. Pedestrian–MVCs that involved a moving violation by the motorist were more likely to occur on national roadways (adjusted OR=1.93, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.49). Conclusions Pedestrian–MVCs pose a considerable health burden in Romania. Results from this study suggest that factors leading to PMV crashes on national roads are more likely to involve driver-related causes compared with local roads. Intervention priorities to reduce pedestrian crashes on national roads should be directed towards driver behaviour on national roads. Further examination of driver and pedestrian behaviours related to crash risk on both national and local roads, such as distraction and speeding, is warranted. PMID:25178278
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Land-use change and soil type are drivers of fungal and archaeal communities in the Pampa biome.
Lupatini, Manoeli; Jacques, Rodrigo Josemar Seminoti; Antoniolli, Zaida Inês; Suleiman, Afnan Khalil Ahmad; Fulthorpe, Roberta R; Roesch, Luiz Fernando Würdig
2013-02-01
The current study aimed to test the hypothesis that both land-use change and soil type are responsible for the major changes in the fungal and archaeal community structure and functioning of the soil microbial community in Brazilian Pampa biome. Soil samples were collected at sites with different land-uses (native grassland, native forest, Eucalyptus and Acacia plantation, soybean and watermelon field) and in a typical toposequence in Pampa biome formed by Paleudult, Albaqualf and alluvial soils. The structure of soil microbial community (archaeal and fungal) was evaluated by ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis and soil functional capabilities were measured by microbial biomass carbon and metabolic quotient. We detected different patterns in microbial community driven by land-use change and soil type, showing that both factors are significant drivers of fungal and archaeal community structure and biomass and microbial activity. Fungal community structure was more affected by land-use and archaeal community was more affected by soil type. Irrespective of the land-use or soil type, a large percentage of operational taxonomic unit were shared among the soils. We accepted the hypothesis that both land-use change and soil type are drivers of archaeal and fungal community structure and soil functional capabilities. Moreover, we also suggest the existence of a soil microbial core.
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77 FR 37093 - Amendments to Highway Safety Program Guidelines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-06-20
...: Make. Model year. Vehicle Identification Number. Type of body. License plate number. Name of current.... Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our dockets... Driver Education, Guideline No. 5 Non-Commercial Driver Licenses, Guideline No. 7, Judicial and Court...
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Age vs. experience : evaluation of a video feedback intervention for newly licensed teen drivers.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2013-02-06
This project examines the effects of age, experience, and video-based feedback on the rate and type of safety-relevant events captured on video event : recorders in the vehicles of three groups of newly licensed young drivers: : 1. 14.5- to 15.5-year...
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Zhang, Yuting; Yan, Xuedong; Li, Xiaomeng; Wu, Jiawei; Dixit, Vinayak V
2018-06-19
Red-light running (RLR) has been identified as one of the prominent contributing factors involved in signalized intersection crashes. In order to reduce RLR crashes, primarily, a better understanding of RLR behavior and crashes is needed. In this study, three RLR crash types were extracted from the general estimates system (GES), including go-straight (GS) RLR vehicle colliding with go-straight non-RLR vehicle, go-straight RLR vehicle colliding with left-turn (LT) non-RLR vehicle, and left-turn RLR vehicle colliding with go-straight non-RLR vehicle. Then, crash features within each crash type scenario were compared, and risk analyses of GS RLR and LT RLR were also conducted. The results indicated that for the GS RLR driver, the speed limit displayed the highest effects on the percentages of GS RLR collision scenarios. For the LT RLR driver, the number of lanes displayed the highest effects on the percentages of LT RLR collision scenarios. Additionally, the drivers who were older than 50 years, distracted, and had a limited view were more likely to be involved in LT RLR accidents. Furthermore, the speeding drivers were more likely to be involved in GS RLR accidents. These findings could give a comprehensive understanding of RLR crash features and propensities for each RLR crash type.
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White, Melanie J; Cunningham, Lauren C; Titchener, Kirsteen
2011-07-01
This study aimed to determine whether two brief, low cost interventions would reduce young drivers' optimism bias for their driving skills and accident risk perceptions. This tendency for such drivers to perceive themselves as more skillful and less prone to driving accidents than their peers may lead to less engagement in precautionary driving behaviours and a greater engagement in more dangerous driving behaviour. 243 young drivers (aged 17-25 years) were randomly allocated to one of three groups: accountability, insight or control. All participants provided both overall and specific situation ratings of their driving skills and accident risk relative to a typical young driver. Prior to completing the questionnaire, those in the accountability condition were first advised that their driving skills and accident risk would be later assessed via a driving simulator. Those in the insight condition first underwent a difficult computer-based hazard perception task designed to provide participants with insight into their potential limitations when responding to hazards in difficult and unpredictable driving situations. Participants in the control condition completed only the questionnaire. Results showed that the accountability manipulation was effective in reducing optimism bias in terms of participants' comparative ratings of their accident risk in specific situations, though only for less experienced drivers. In contrast, among more experienced males, participants in the insight condition showed greater optimism bias for overall accident risk than their counterparts in the accountability or control groups. There were no effects of the manipulations on drivers' skills ratings. The differential effects of the two types of manipulations on optimism bias relating to one's accident risk in different subgroups of the young driver sample highlight the importance of targeting interventions for different levels of experience. Accountability interventions may be beneficial for less experienced young drivers but the results suggest exercising caution with the use of insight type interventions, particularly hazard perception style tasks, for more experienced young drivers typically still in the provisional stage of graduated licensing systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Texting at the light and other forms of device distraction behind the wheel.
Bernstein, James J; Bernstein, Joseph
2015-09-26
Cell phones are a well-known source of distraction for drivers, and owing to the proliferation of text messaging services, web browsers and interactive apps, modern devices provide ever-increasing temptation for drivers to take their eyes off the road. Although it is probably obvious that drivers' manual engagement of a device while their vehicles are in motion is potentially dangerous, it may not be clear that such engagement when the vehicle is at rest (an activity broadly labeled "texting at the light") can also impose risks. For one thing, a distracted driver at rest may fail to respond quickly to sudden changes in road conditions, such as an ambulance passing through. In addition, texting at the light may decrease so-called "situational awareness" and lead to driving errors even after the device is put down. To our knowledge, the direct comparison of the rate of device usage by drivers at rest with the rate of device usage by drivers in motion has not been reported. We collected information on 2000 passenger vehicles by roadside observation. For the first group of 1000 passenger vehicles stopped at a traffic light, device usage ("texting", "talking", "none"), gender of the driver, vehicle type, seatbelt usage and presence of front seat passengers were recorded. For a second set of 1000 vehicles in motion, device usage alone was noted. Statistical significance for differences in rates was assessed with the chi-square test. We found that 3 % of drivers in motion were texting and 5 % were talking. Among the stopped drivers, 14.5 % were texting and 6.3 % were talking. In the stopped-vehicle set, gender and vehicle type were not associated with significant differences in device usage, but having a front seat passenger and using seatbelts were. Device usage is markedly higher among drivers temporarily at rest compared with those in motion, and the presence of a front seat passenger, who may help alleviate boredom or reprimand bad behavior, is associated with lower device usage rates among vehicles stopped at a light. These observations may help identify suitable steps to decrease distracted driving and thereby minimize traffic trauma.
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ASCERTAINMENT OF ON-ROAD SAFETY ERRORS BASED ON VIDEO REVIEW
Dawson, Jeffrey D.; Uc, Ergun Y.; Anderson, Steven W.; Dastrup, Elizabeth; Johnson, Amy M.; Rizzo, Matthew
2011-01-01
Summary Using an instrumented vehicle, we have studied several aspects of the on-road performance of healthy and diseased elderly drivers. One goal from such studies is to ascertain the type and frequency of driving safety errors. Because the judgment of such errors is somewhat subjective, we applied a taxonomy system of 15 general safety error categories and 76 specific safety error types. We also employed and trained professional driving instructors to review the video data of the on-road drives. In this report, we illustrate our rating system on a group of 111 drivers, ages 65 to 89. These drivers made errors in 13 of the 15 error categories, comprising 42 of the 76 error types. A mean (SD) of 35.8 (12.8) safety errors per drive were noted, with 2.1 (1.7) of them being judged as serious. Our methodology may be useful in applications such as intervention studies, and in longitudinal studies of changes in driving abilities in patients with declining cognitive ability. PMID:24273753
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Wu, Jianqing; Xu, Hao
2017-12-01
Understanding driver behavior is important for traffic safety and operation, especially at intersections where different traffic movements conflict. While most driver-behavior studies are based on simulation, this paper documents the analysis of driver-behavior at signalized intersections with the SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) data. This study analyzes the different influencing factors on the operation (speed control) and observation of right-turn drivers. A total of 300 NDS trips at six signalized intersections were used, including the NDS time-series sensor data, the forward videos and driver face videos. Different factors of drivers, vehicles, roads and environments were studied for their influence on driver behavior. An influencing index function was developed and the index was calculated for each influencing factor to quantitatively describe its influencing level. The influencing index was applied to prioritize the factors, which facilitates development and selection of safety countermeasures to improve intersection safety. Drivers' speed control was analyzed under different conditions with consideration of the prioritized influencing factors. Vehicle type, traffic signal status, conflicting traffic, conflicting pedestrian and driver age group were identified as the five major influencing factors on driver observation. This research revealed that drivers have high acceleration and low observation frequency under Right-Turn-On-Red (RTOR), which constituted potential danger for other roadway users, especially for pedestrians. As speed has a direct influence on crash rates and severities, the revealed speed patterns of the different situations also benefit selection of safety countermeasures at signalized intersections. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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Analyses of rear-end crashes based on classification tree models.
Yan, Xuedong; Radwan, Essam
2006-09-01
Signalized intersections are accident-prone areas especially for rear-end crashes due to the fact that the diversity of the braking behaviors of drivers increases during the signal change. The objective of this article is to improve knowledge of the relationship between rear-end crashes occurring at signalized intersections and a series of potential traffic risk factors classified by driver characteristics, environments, and vehicle types. Based on the 2001 Florida crash database, the classification tree method and Quasi-induced exposure concept were used to perform the statistical analysis. Two binary classification tree models were developed in this study. One was used for the crash comparison between rear-end and non-rear-end to identify those specific trends of the rear-end crashes. The other was constructed for the comparison between striking vehicles/drivers (at-fault) and struck vehicles/drivers (not-at-fault) to find more complex crash pattern associated with the traffic attributes of driver, vehicle, and environment. The modeling results showed that the rear-end crashes are over-presented in the higher speed limits (45-55 mph); the rear-end crash propensity for daytime is apparently larger than nighttime; and the reduction of braking capacity due to wet and slippery road surface conditions would definitely contribute to rear-end crashes, especially at intersections with higher speed limits. The tree model segmented drivers into four homogeneous age groups: < 21 years, 21-31 years, 32-75 years, and > 75 years. The youngest driver group shows the largest crash propensity; in the 21-31 age group, the male drivers are over-involved in rear-end crashes under adverse weather conditions and the 32-75 years drivers driving large size vehicles have a larger crash propensity compared to those driving passenger vehicles. Combined with the quasi-induced exposure concept, the classification tree method is a proper statistical tool for traffic-safety analysis to investigate crash propensity. Compared to the logistic regression models, tree models have advantages for handling continuous independent variables and easily explaining the complex interaction effect with more than two independent variables. This research recommended that at signalized intersections with higher speed limits, reducing the speed limit to 40 mph efficiently contribute to a lower accident rate. Drivers involved in alcohol use may increase not only rear-end crash risk but also the driver injury severity. Education and enforcement countermeasures should focus on the driver group younger than 21 years. Further studies are suggested to compare crash risk distributions of the driver age for other main crash types to seek corresponding traffic countermeasures.
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Brandenburg, Stefan; Oehl, Michael; Seigies, Kristin
2017-11-17
The objective of this article was 2-fold: firstly, we wanted to examine whether the original Driving Anger Scale (DAS) and the original Driving Anger Expression Inventory (DAX) apply to German professional taxi drivers because these scales have previously been given to professional and particularly to nonprofessional drivers in different countries. Secondly, we wanted to examine possible differences in driving anger experience and expression between professional German taxi drivers and nonprofessional German drivers. We applied German versions of the DAS, the DAX, and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) to a sample of 138 professional German taxi drivers. We then compared their ratings to the ratings of a sample of 1,136 nonprofessional German drivers (Oehl and Brandenburg n.d. ). Regarding our first objective, confirmatory factor analysis shows that the model fit of the DAS is better for nonprofessional drivers than for professional drivers. The DAX applies neither to professional nor to nonprofessional German drivers properly. Consequently, we suggest modified shorter versions of both scales for professional drivers. The STAXI applies to both professional and nonprofessional drivers. With respect to our second objective, we show that professional drivers experience significantly less driving anger than nonprofessional drivers, but they express more driving anger. We conclude that the STAXI can be applied to professional German taxi drivers. In contrast, for the DAS and the DAX we found particular shorter versions for professional taxi drivers. Especially for the DAX, most statements were too strong for German drivers to agree to. They do not show behaviors related to driving anger expression as they are described in the DAX. These problems with the original American DAX items are in line with several other studies in different countries. Future investigations should examine whether (professional) drivers from further countries express their anger as proposed by the DAX. In addition, professional drivers experience less driving anger (DAS) and less general trait anger (STAXI) than nonprofessional drivers, but they report more driving anger expression (DAX) and more current general state anger (STAXI). Subsequent studies should therefore focus on different types of anger within the group of professional drivers.
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Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel; Reith, Frank; Dennis, Paul G; Hamonts, Kelly; Powell, Jeff R; Young, Andrew; Singh, Brajesh K; Bissett, Andrew
2018-03-01
The ecological drivers of soil biodiversity in the Southern Hemisphere remain underexplored. Here, in a continental survey comprising 647 sites, across 58 degrees of latitude between tropical Australia and Antarctica, we evaluated the major ecological patterns in soil biodiversity and relative abundance of ecological clusters within a co-occurrence network of soil bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. Six major ecological clusters (modules) of co-occurring soil taxa were identified. These clusters exhibited strong shifts in their relative abundances with increasing distance from the equator. Temperature was the major environmental driver of the relative abundance of ecological clusters when Australia and Antarctica are analyzed together. Temperature, aridity, soil properties and vegetation types were the major drivers of the relative abundance of different ecological clusters within Australia. Our data supports significant reductions in the diversity of bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes in Antarctica vs. Australia linked to strong reductions in temperature. However, we only detected small latitudinal variations in soil biodiversity within Australia. Different environmental drivers regulate the diversity of soil archaea (temperature and soil carbon), bacteria (aridity, vegetation attributes and pH) and eukaryotes (vegetation type and soil carbon) across Australia. Together, our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms driving soil biodiversity in the Southern Hemisphere. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.
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Prevalence and factors associated with road traffic crash among taxi drivers in Hanoi, Vietnam.
La, Quang Ngoc; Lee, Andy H; Meuleners, Lynn B; Van Duong, Dat
2013-01-01
Injury due to road traffic crash is a major cause of ill health and premature deaths in developing countries. Taxis provide a main mode of public transport in Vietnam but there has been little research on the risk of crash for taxi drivers. This retrospective study collected information on taxi crashes for the period 2006-2009 by interviewing drivers from five taxi companies in Hanoi, Vietnam, using a structured questionnaire. Of the total 1214 participants recruited, 276 drivers reported at least one crash, giving an overall crash prevalence of 22.7%. Among the crashed group, 50 drivers (18.1%) were involved in two to four crashes. Logistic regression analysis further identified age of driver, type of driving licence, employment status, perceived sufficiency of income, seat-belt usage, and traffic infringement history to be significantly associated with the crash risk. Further prospective and qualitative studies are recommended to provide detailed crash characteristics as well as behaviour and perception of taxi drivers, so that an effective intervention can be developed to improve road safety and to prevent injury of these commercial drivers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Dabbour, Essam; Easa, Said; Haider, Murtaza
2017-10-01
This study attempts to identify significant factors that affect the severity of drivers' injuries when colliding with trains at railroad-grade crossings by analyzing the individual-specific heterogeneity related to those factors over a period of 15 years. Both fixed-parameter and random-parameter ordered regression models were used to analyze records of all vehicle-train collisions that occurred in the United States from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2015. For fixed-parameter ordered models, both probit and negative log-log link functions were used. The latter function accounts for the fact that lower injury severity levels are more probable than higher ones. Separate models were developed for heavy and light-duty vehicles. Higher train and vehicle speeds, female, and young drivers (below the age of 21 years) were found to be consistently associated with higher severity of drivers' injuries for both heavy and light-duty vehicles. Furthermore, favorable weather, light-duty trucks (including pickup trucks, panel trucks, mini-vans, vans, and sports-utility vehicles), and senior drivers (above the age of 65 years) were found be consistently associated with higher severity of drivers' injuries for light-duty vehicles only. All other factors (e.g. air temperature, the type of warning devices, darkness conditions, and highway pavement type) were found to be temporally unstable, which may explain the conflicting findings of previous studies related to those factors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Disentangling the influence of cell phone usage in the dilemma zone: An econometric approach.
Eluru, Naveen; Yasmin, Shamsunnahar
2016-11-01
This paper focuses on developing an analysis framework to study the impact of cell phone treatment (cell phone type and call status) on driver behavior in the presence of a dilemma zone. Specifically, we examine how the treatment influences the driver maneuver decision at the intersection (stop or cross) and the eventual success of the maneuver. For a stop maneuver, success is defined as stopping before the stop line. Similarly, for a cross maneuver, success is defined as clearing the intersection safely before the light turns red. The eventual success or failure of the driver's decision process is dependent on the factors that affected the maneuver decision. Hence it is important to recognize the interconnectedness of the stop or cross decision with its eventual success (or failure). Toward this end, we formulate and estimate a joint framework to analyze the stop/cross decision with its eventual success (or failure) simultaneously. The study is conducted based on driving simulator data provided online for the 2014 Transportation Research Board Data Contest at http://depts.washington.edu/hfsm/upload.php. The model is estimated to analyze drivers' behavior at the onset of yellow by employing exogenous variables from three broad categories: driver characteristics, cell phone attributes and driving attributes. We also generate probability surfaces to identify dilemma zone distribution associated with different cell phone treatment types. The plots clearly illustrate the impact of various cellphone treatments on driver dilemma zone behavior. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Horrey, William J.; Hoffman, Joshua D.
2015-01-01
Objective In this study, we investigated how drivers adapt secondary-task initiation and time-sharing behavior when faced with fluctuating driving demands. Background Reading text while driving is particularly detrimental; however, in real-world driving, drivers actively decide when to perform the task. Method In a test track experiment, participants were free to decide when to read messages while driving along a straight road consisting of an area with increased driving demands (demand zone) followed by an area with low demands. A message was made available shortly before the vehicle entered the demand zone. We manipulated the type of driving demands (baseline, narrow lane, pace clock, combined), message format (no message, paragraph, parsed), and the distance from the demand zone when the message was available (near, far). Results In all conditions, drivers started reading messages (drivers’ first glance to the display) before entering or before leaving the demand zone but tended to wait longer when faced with increased driving demands. While reading messages, drivers looked more or less off road, depending on types of driving demands. Conclusions For task initiation, drivers avoid transitions from low to high demands; however, they are not discouraged when driving demands are already elevated. Drivers adjust time-sharing behavior according to driving demands while performing secondary tasks. Nonetheless, such adjustment may be less effective when total demands are high. Application This study helps us to understand a driver’s role as an active controller in the context of distracted driving and provides insights for developing distraction interventions. PMID:25850162
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Driver Training Simulator for Backing Up Commercial Vehicles with Trailers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Berg, Uwe; Wojke, Philipp; Zöbel, Dieter
Backing up tractors with trailers is a difficult task since the kinematic behavior of articulated vehicles is complex and hard to control. Especially unskilled drivers are overstrained with the complicated steering process. To learn and practice the steering behavior of articulated vehicles, we developed a 3D driving simulator. The simulator can handle different types of articulated vehicles like semi-trailers, one- and two-axle trailers, or gigaliners. The use of a driving simulator offers many advantages over the use of real vehicles. One of the main advantages is the possibility to learn the steering behavior of all vehicle types. Drivers can be given more and better driving instructions like collision warnings or steering hints. Furthermore, the driver training costs can be reduced. Moreover, mistakes of the student do not lead to real damages and costly repairs. The hardware of the simulator consists of a low cost commercial driving stand with original truck parts, a projection of the windshield and two flat panel monitors for the left and right exterior mirrors. Standard PC hardware is used for controlling the driving stand and for generating the realtime 3D environment. Each aspect of the simulation like realistic vehicle movements or generation of different views, is handled by a specific software module. This flexible system can be easily extended which offers the opportunity for other uses than just driver training. Therefore, we use the simulator for the development and test of driver assistance systems.
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Driver seat belt use indicates decreased risk for child passengers in a motor vehicle crash.
Olsen, Cody S; Cook, Lawrence J; Keenan, Heather T; Olson, Lenora M
2010-03-01
We examined the association between driver restraint use and child emergency department (ED) evaluation following a motor vehicle crash (MVC). This cohort study included child passengers aged 0-12 years riding with an adult driver aged 21 years or older involved in a MVC in Utah from 1999 to 2004. The 6 years of Utah MVC records were probabilistically linked to statewide Utah ED records. We estimated the relative risk of ED evaluation following a MVC for children riding with restrained versus unrestrained drivers. Generalized estimating equations were used to calculate relative risks adjusted for child, driver, and crash characteristics. Six percent (6%) of children riding with restrained adult drivers were evaluated in the ED compared to twenty-two percent (22%) of children riding with unrestrained adult drivers following a MVC (relative risk 0.29, 95% confidence interval 0.26-0.32). After adjusting for child, vehicle, and crash characteristics, the relative risk of child ED evaluation associated with driver restraint remained significant (relative risk 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.72-0.94). Driver restraint use was associated with child restraint use, less alcohol/drug involvement, and lower relative risk of severe collision types (head-on, rollover). Driver seat belt use is associated with decreased risk of ED evaluation for child passengers in the event of a MVC. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Rudisill, Toni M; Zhu, Motao
2016-06-14
While numerous cell phone use while driving laws have been passed among states, little information exists regarding who gets cited for these traffic infractions and how much these laws are enforced at the state-level within the USA. Cross-sectional, descriptive study. 14 states and the District of Columbia. Those receiving cell phone use while driving citations within included states from 2007 to 2013. Demographic characteristics of cited drivers were assessed. Rates of infractions per 100 000 licensed in-state drivers per year for various cell phone use while driving violations were calculated. Drivers were cited for hand-held use violations (n=2.5 million) more than texting (n=14 682) or young driver all cell phone bans (n=342). Among states that provided data for all traffic violations, cell phone use while driving citations comprised 1% of all written citations. Regardless of ban type, males (68.2%) were cited more frequently than females. Drivers 25-64 years of age (90.8%) were more likely to be cited for hand-held phone use. The average yearly rate of infractions per 100 000 licensed in-state drivers from 2010-2013 was 5.8 for texting bans, 2607 for hand-held bans, and 9954 for any traffic violation. Among cited drivers, age and sex differences existed by the type of ban violated. State-level enforcement appeared sparse. Due to the potential serious consequences of cell phone use while driving in the USA, more enforcement and targeted public safety campaigns are likely needed. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/
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Rudisill, Toni M; Zhu, Motao
2016-01-01
Objectives While numerous cell phone use while driving laws have been passed among states, little information exists regarding who gets cited for these traffic infractions and how much these laws are enforced at the state-level within the USA. Design Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Setting 14 states and the District of Columbia. Participants Those receiving cell phone use while driving citations within included states from 2007 to 2013. Primary outcome Demographic characteristics of cited drivers were assessed. Rates of infractions per 100 000 licensed in-state drivers per year for various cell phone use while driving violations were calculated. Results Drivers were cited for hand-held use violations (n=2.5 million) more than texting (n=14 682) or young driver all cell phone bans (n=342). Among states that provided data for all traffic violations, cell phone use while driving citations comprised 1% of all written citations. Regardless of ban type, males (68.2%) were cited more frequently than females. Drivers 25–64 years of age (90.8%) were more likely to be cited for hand-held phone use. The average yearly rate of infractions per 100 000 licensed in-state drivers from 2010–2013 was 5.8 for texting bans, 2607 for hand-held bans, and 9954 for any traffic violation. Conclusions Among cited drivers, age and sex differences existed by the type of ban violated. State-level enforcement appeared sparse. Due to the potential serious consequences of cell phone use while driving in the USA, more enforcement and targeted public safety campaigns are likely needed. PMID:27301485
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Naturalistic Cycling Study: Identifying Risk Factors for On-Road Commuter Cyclists
Johnson, Marilyn; Charlton, Judith; Oxley, Jennifer; Newstead, Stuart
2010-01-01
The study aim was to identify risk factors for collisions/near-collisions involving on-road commuter cyclists and drivers. A naturalistic cycling study was conducted in Melbourne, Australia, with cyclists wearing helmet-mounted video cameras. Video recordings captured cyclists’ perspective of the road and traffic behaviours including head checks, reactions and manoeuvres. The 100-car naturalistic driving study analysis technique was adapted for data analysis and events were classified by severity: collision, near-collision and incident. Participants were adult cyclists and each filmed 12 hours of commuter cycling trips over a 4-week period. In total, 127 hours and 38 minutes were analysed for 13 participants, 54 events were identified: 2 collisions, 6 near-collisions and 46 incidents. Prior to events, 88.9% of cyclists travelled in a safe/legal manner. Sideswipe was the most frequent event type (40.7%). Most events occurred at an intersection/intersection-related location (70.3%). The vehicle driver was judged at fault in the majority of events (87.0%) and no post-event driver reaction was observed (83.3%). Cross tabulations revealed significant associations between event severity and: cyclist reaction, cyclist post-event manoeuvre, pre-event driver behaviour, other vehicle involved, driver reaction, visual obstruction, cyclist head check (left), event type and vehicle location (p<0.05). Frequent head checks suggest cyclists had high situational awareness and their reactive behaviour to driver actions led to successful avoidance of collisions/near-collisions. Strategies to improve driver awareness of on-road cyclists and to indicate early before turning/changing lanes when sharing the roadway with cyclists are discussed. Findings will contribute to the development of effective countermeasures to reduce cyclist trauma. PMID:21050610
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Naturalistic cycling study: identifying risk factors for on-road commuter cyclists.
Johnson, Marilyn; Charlton, Judith; Oxley, Jennifer; Newstead, Stuart
2010-01-01
The study aim was to identify risk factors for collisions/near-collisions involving on-road commuter cyclists and drivers. A naturalistic cycling study was conducted in Melbourne, Australia, with cyclists wearing helmet-mounted video cameras. Video recordings captured cyclists' perspective of the road and traffic behaviours including head checks, reactions and manoeuvres. The 100-car naturalistic driving study analysis technique was adapted for data analysis and events were classified by severity: collision, near-collision and incident. Participants were adult cyclists and each filmed 12 hours of commuter cycling trips over a 4-week period. In total, 127 hours and 38 minutes were analysed for 13 participants, 54 events were identified: 2 collisions, 6 near-collisions and 46 incidents. Prior to events, 88.9% of cyclists travelled in a safe/legal manner. Sideswipe was the most frequent event type (40.7%). Most events occurred at an intersection/intersection-related location (70.3%). The vehicle driver was judged at fault in the majority of events (87.0%) and no post-event driver reaction was observed (83.3%). Cross tabulations revealed significant associations between event severity and: cyclist reaction, cyclist post-event manoeuvre, pre-event driver behaviour, other vehicle involved, driver reaction, visual obstruction, cyclist head check (left), event type and vehicle location (p<0.05). Frequent head checks suggest cyclists had high situational awareness and their reactive behaviour to driver actions led to successful avoidance of collisions/near-collisions. Strategies to improve driver awareness of on-road cyclists and to indicate early before turning/changing lanes when sharing the roadway with cyclists are discussed. Findings will contribute to the development of effective countermeasures to reduce cyclist trauma.
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Child passengers killed in reckless and alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes.
Kelley-Baker, Tara; Romano, Eduardo
2014-02-01
About 20years ago, concern was raised about the dangers that children face when driven by drinking drivers in the United States. During the last decade, the pace of research on this topic subsided. Yet in 2010, every day three children younger than age 15 were killed, and 469 were injured in motor-vehicle crashes. The aim of this effort is to describe the status of the problem in the United States and suggest lines of research. From the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), we selected crashes in which a driver aged 21 or older was driving at least one child younger than age 15. We identified crashes that occurred at different times of the day in which the driver was speeding, ran a red light, or was alcohol positive. We described the drivers' demographics and examined how they relate to the different crash types. We found that, although driving a child seems to protect against the studied forms of risky driving, such protection varies sharply depending upon the drivers' and children's demographics and the crash type. There is no clear reason to explain the drivers' decision to endanger the children that they drive. The percent of children killed in speeding-related and red-light running motor-vehicle crashes has remained relatively stable during the last decade. Future research must (a) examine the effectiveness of current child endangerment laws; (b) examine crashes other than fatal; and (c) be more targeted, looking at specific drivers' age and gender, specific children's ages, the time of the crash, and the type of crash. Significant attention needs to be given towards improving state laws on child endangerment. Policymakers' reaction to this problem is tentative because of our limited understanding of the problem; therefore, further research is needed. With unfocused countermeasures and prevention efforts, we have been restricted in our ability to evaluate these responses. The findings of this report should be informative to policy makers. Copyright © 2014 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-08-12
..., ``Hours of Service (HOS) of Drivers Regulations.'' The HOS rules require most commercial motor vehicle... motor carriers and enforcement officials in monitoring compliance with the HOS rules. On June 6, 2011... INFORMATION: Title: Hours of Service (HOS) of Drivers Regulations. OMB Control Number: 2126-0001. Type of...
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76 FR 68328 - Commercial Driver's License Information System State Procedures Manual, Release 5.2.0
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-11-04
... mandating CDLIS and discusses types of CDLIS users. This Manual also includes descriptions, excerpted from... Manual, Release 5.2.0 AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT. ACTION: Final...) Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS) State Procedures Manual (the Manual) (Release 5.2.0...
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Catalog of experimental projects for a fissioning plasma reactor
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Lanzo, C. D.
1973-01-01
Experimental and theoretical investigations were carried out to determine the feasibility of using a small scale fissioning uranium plasma as the power source in a driver reactor. The driver system is a light water cooled and moderated reactor of the MTR type. The eight experiments and proposed configurations for the reactor are outlined.
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49 CFR 383.31 - Notification of convictions for driver violations.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... operates a commercial motor vehicle, who has a commercial driver's license issued by a State or jurisdiction, and who is convicted of violating, in any type of motor vehicle, a State or local law relating to motor vehicle traffic control (other than a parking violation) in a State or jurisdiction other than the...
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Effects of driver nationality and road characteristics on accident fault risk.
Yannis, George; Golias, John; Papadimitriou, Eleonora
2007-09-01
This paper investigates the combined effect of driver nationality and several road characteristics (area type, at or not at junction, lighting conditions) on accident fault risk. Data from the national accident database of Greece are used to calculate accident relative fault risk rates under induced exposure assumptions. A log-linear analysis is then used to examine first- and higher-order effects within three or more variable groups. The examination of the second-order interaction among the accident fault risks of various driver nationalities at or not at junction was found to be significant. On the contrary, the respective combined effects of area type and lighting conditions were found to be non-significant. It was also shown that roadway features do not affect accident fault risk in a combined way. Results clearly indicate that foreign drivers in Greece are at increased risk. Moreover, foreign nationalities corresponding to permanent residents (i.e. Greeks and Albanians) appear to be at lower fault risk compared to foreign nationalities corresponding to tourists and visitors (e.g. EU Nationals). The effects of the various road characteristics do not modify these general trends.
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Foot placement during error and pedal applications in naturalistic driving.
Wu, Yuqing; Boyle, Linda Ng; McGehee, Daniel; Roe, Cheryl A; Ebe, Kazutoshi; Foley, James
2017-02-01
Data from a naturalistic driving study was used to examine foot placement during routine foot pedal movements and possible pedal misapplications. The study included four weeks of observations from 30 drivers, where pedal responses were recorded and categorized. The foot movements associated with pedal misapplications and errors were the focus of the analyses. A random forest algorithm was used to predict the pedal application types based the video observations, foot placements, drivers' characteristics, drivers' cognitive function levels and anthropometric measurements. A repeated multinomial logit model was then used to estimate the likelihood of the foot placement given various driver characteristics and driving scenarios. The findings showed that prior foot location, the drivers' seat position, and the drive sequence were all associated with incorrect foot placement during an event. The study showed that there is a potential to develop a driver assistance system that can reduce the likelihood of a pedal error. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Sup-ER orthosis: an innovative treatment for infants with birth related brachial plexus injury.
Durlacher, Kim M; Bellows, Doria; Verchere, Cynthia
2014-01-01
Impairments in active and passive range of upper extremity supination and shoulder external rotation are common sequelae for children with delayed recovery from birth related brachial plexus injury. Orthotic intervention may complement traditional treatment strategies commonly employed in the newborn period. These authors describe their custom fabricated orthosis designed to balance shoulder growth and muscular function, and improve prognosis of long term functional outcomes for children with birth related brachial plexus injury. - Victoria Priganc, PhD, OTR, CHT, CLT, Practice Forum Editor. Copyright © 2014 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Bener, Abdulbari; Verjee, Mohamud; Dafeeah, Elnour E; Yousafzai, Mohammad T; Mari, Sundus; Hassib, Ahmed; Al-Khatib, Hamza; Choi, Min Kyung; Nema, Noor; Ozkan, Türker; Lajunen, Timo
2013-05-12
The aim of this study was to compare the driving behaviours of four ethnic groups and to investigate the relationship between violations, errors and lapses of DBQ and accident involvement in Qatar. The Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) was used to measure the aberrant driving behaviours leading to accidents. Of 2400 drivers approached, 1824 drivers agreed to participate (76%) and completed the driver behaviour questionnaire and background information. The study revealed that the majority of the Qatari (35.9%) and Jordanian drivers (37.5%) were below 30 years of age, whereas Filipino (42.3%) and Indian subcontinent (34.1%) drivers were in the age group of 30-39 years. Qatari drivers (52%) were involved in most accidents, followed by Jordanians (48.3%). The most common type of collision was a head on collision, which was similar in all four ethnic groups. The Qatari drivers scored higher on almost all items of violations, errors and lapses compared to other ethnic groups, while Filipino drivers were lower on all the items. The most common violation was the same in all four ethnic groups "Disregard the speed limits on a motorway". The most common error item observed was "Queing to turn right/left on to a main road". "Forget where you left your car" and "Hit something when reversing" were the two lapses identified in factor analysis. The present study identified that Qatari drivers scored higher on most of the items of violations, errors and lapses of DBQ compared to other countries, whereas Filipino drivers scored lower in DBQ items.
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Wilken, Jason A; Pordell, Paran; Goode, Brant; Jarteh, Rachel; Miller, Zayzay; Saygar, Benjamin G; Maximore, Leroy; Borbor, Watta M; Carmue, Moses; Walker, Gregory W; Yeiah, Adolphus
2017-12-01
In early 2015, a patient from a cluster of cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Monrovia, Liberia traveled to a rural village in Margibi County, potentially exposing numerous persons. The patient died in the village and post-mortem testing confirmed Ebola Virus infection. Problem The Margibi County Health Team (CHT; Kakata, Margibi, Liberia) needed to prevent further transmission of EVD within and outside of the affected villages, and they needed to better understand the factors that support or impede compliance with measures to stop the spread of EVD. In February-March 2015, the Margibi CHT instituted a 21-day quarantine and active monitoring for two villages where the patient had contact with numerous residents, and a 21-day active monitoring for five other villages where the patient had possible contact with an unknown number of persons. One contact developed EVD and quarantine was extended an additional 12 days in one village. In April 2015, the Margibi CHT conducted a household-based EVD knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) survey of the seven villages. From April 24-29, 2015, interview teams approached every household in the seven villages and collected information on demographics, knowledge of EVD, attitudes about quarantine to prevent the spread of EVD, and their quarantine experiences and practices. Descriptive statistics were calculated. One hundred fifteen interviews were conducted, representing the majority of the households in the seven villages. Most (99%) correctly identified touching an infected person's body fluids and contact with the body of someone who has died from EVD as transmission routes. However, interviewees sometimes incorrectly identified mosquito bites (58%) and airborne spread (32%) as routes of EVD transmission, and 72% incorrectly identified the longest EVD incubation period as ≤seven days. Eight of 16 households in the two quarantined villages (50%) reported times when there was not enough water or food during quarantine. Nine of 16 (56%) reported that a household member had illnesses or injuries during quarantine; of these, all (100%) obtained care from a clinic, hospital, or Ebola treatment unit (ETU). Residents' knowledge of EVD transmission routes and incubation period were suboptimal. Public health authorities should consider assessing residents' understanding of Ebola transmission routes and effectively educate them to ensure correct understanding. Quarantined residents should be provided with sufficient food, water, and access to medical care. Wilken JA , Pordell P , Goode B , Jarteh R , Miller Z , Saygar BG Sr. , Maximore L , Borbor WM , Carmue M , Walker GW , Yeiah A . Knowledge, attitudes, and practices among members of households actively monitored or quarantined to prevent transmission of Ebola Virus Disease - Margibi County, Liberia: February-March 2015. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(6):673-678.
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Wenzel, Thomas P.
This report analyzes the relationship between vehicle weight, size (wheelbase, track width, and their product, footprint), and safety, for individual vehicle makes and models. Vehicle weight and footprint are correlated with a correlation coefficient (R{sup 2}) of about 0.62. The relationship is stronger for cars (0.69) than for light trucks (0.42); light trucks include minivans, fullsize vans, truck-based SUVs, crossover SUVs, and pickup trucks. The correlation between wheelbase and track width, the components of footprint, is about 0.61 for all light vehicles, 0.62 for cars and 0.48 for light trucks. However, the footprint data used in this analysis does notmore » vary for different versions of the same vehicle model, as curb weight does; the analysis could be improved with more precise data on footprint for different versions of the same vehicle model. Although US fatality risk to drivers (driver fatalities per million registered vehicles) decreases as vehicle footprint increases, there is very little correlation either for all light vehicles (0.01), or cars (0.07) or trucks (0.11). The correlation between footprint and fatality risks cars impose on drivers of other vehicles is also very low (0.01); for trucks the correlation is higher (0.30), with risk to others increasing as truck footprint increases. Fatality risks reported here do not account for differences in annual miles driven, driver age or gender, or crash location by vehicle type or model. It is difficult to account for these factors using data on national fatal crashes because the number of vehicles registered to, for instance, young males in urban areas is not readily available by vehicle type or model. State data on all police-reported crashes can be used to estimate casualty risks that account for miles driven, driver age and gender, and crash location. The number of vehicles involved in a crash can act as a proxy of the number of miles a given vehicle type, or model, is driven per year, and is a preferable unit of exposure to a serious crash than the number of registered vehicles. However, because there are relatively few fatalities in the states providing crash data, we calculate casualty risks, which are the sum of fatalities and serious or incapacitating injuries, per vehicle involved in a crash reported to the police. We can account for driver age/gender and driving location effects by excluding from analysis crashes (and casualties) involving young males and the elderly, and occurring in very rural or very urban counties. Using state data on all police-reported crashes in five states, we find that excluding crashes involving young male and elderly drivers has little effect on casualty risk; however, excluding crashes that occurred in the most rural and most urban counties (based on population density) increases casualty risk for all vehicle types except pickups. This suggests that risks for pickups are overstated unless they account for the population density of the county in which the crashes occur. After removing crashes involving young males and elderly drivers, and those occurring in the most rural and most urban counties, we find that casualty risk in all light-duty vehicles tends to increase with increasing weight or footprint; however, the correlation (R{sup 2}) between casualty risk and vehicle weight is 0.31, while the correlation with footprint is 0.23. These relationships are stronger for cars than for light trucks. The correlation between casualty risk in frontal crashes and light-duty vehicle wheelbase is 0.12, while the correlation between casualty risk in left side crashes and track width is 0.36. We calculated separately the casualty risks vehicles impose on drivers of the other vehicles with which they crash. The correlation between casualty risk imposed by light trucks on drivers of other vehicles and light truck footprint is 0.15, while the correlation with light truck footprint is 0.33; risk imposed on others increases as light truck weight or footprint increases. Our analysis indicates that, after excluding crashes involving young male and elderly drivers, and crashes in very rural and very urban counties, and accounting for vehicle weight and footprint, sports cars, pickup trucks and truck-based SUVs have higher risk to their drivers than cars, while import luxury cars and crossover SUVs have lower risk to their drivers than cars. Similarly, pickups and sports cars impose a large casualty risk on drivers of other vehicles, after accounting for vehicle weight and footprint. Our analysis suggests that excluding young male and elderly drivers, and crashes in very rural and urban counties, accounting for vehicle weight, footprint, and type explains only about half of the variability in casualty risk to drivers, and to drivers of other vehicles, by vehicle model.« less
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Head-on crashes on two-way interurban roads: a public health concern in road safety.
Olabarria, Marta; Santamariña-Rubio, Elena; Marí-Dell'Olmo, Marc; Gotsens, Mercè; Novoa, Ana M; Borrell, Carme; Pérez, Katherine
2015-09-01
To describe the magnitude and characteristics of crashes and drivers involved in head-on crashes on two-way interurban roads in Spain between 2007 and 2012, and to identify the factors associated with the likelihood of head-on crashes on these roads compared with other types of crash. A cross-sectional study was conducted using the National Crash Register. The dependent variables were head-on crashes with injury (yes/no) and drivers involved in head-on crashes (yes/no). Factors associated with head-on crashes and with being a driver involved in a head-on crash versus other types of crash were studied using a multivariate robust Poisson regression model to estimate proportion ratios (PR) and confidence intervals (95% CI). There were 9,192 head-on crashes on two-way Spanish interurban roads. A total of 15,412 men and 3,862 women drivers were involved. Compared with other types of crash, head-on collisions were more likely on roads 7 m or more wide, on road sections with curves, narrowings or drop changes, on wet or snowy surfaces, and in twilight conditions. Transgressions committed by drivers involved in head-on crashes were driving in the opposite direction and incorrectly overtaking another vehicle. Factors associated with a lower probability of head-on crashes were the existence of medians (PR=0.57; 95%CI: 0.48-0.68) and a paved shoulder of less than 1.5 meters (PR=0.81; 95%CI: 0.77-0.86) or from 1.5 to 2.45 meters (PR=0.90; 95%CI: 0.84-0.96). This study allowed the characterization of crashes and drivers involved in head-on crashes on two-way interurban roads. The lower probability observed on roads with median strips point to these measures as an effective way to reduce these collisions. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.
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Thompson, J P; Baldock, M R J; Mathias, J L; Wundersitz, L N
2013-01-01
Motor vehicle crashes involving rural drivers aged 75 years and over are more than twice as likely to result in a serious or fatal injury as those involving their urban counterparts. The current study examined some of the reasons for this using a database of police-reported crashes (2004-2008) to identify the environmental (lighting, road and weather conditions, road layout, road surface, speed limit), driver (driver error, crash type), and vehicle (vehicle age) factors that are associated with the crashes of older rural drivers. It also determined whether these same factors are associated with an increased likelihood of serious or fatal injury in younger drivers for whom frailty does not contribute to the resulting injury severity. A number of environmental (i.e., undivided, unsealed, curved and inclined roads, and areas with a speed limit of 100km/h or greater) and driver (i.e., collision with a fixed object and rolling over) factors were more frequent in the crashes of older rural drivers and additionally associated with increased injury severity in younger drivers. Moreover, when these environmental factors were entered into a logistic regression model to predict whether older drivers who were involved in crashes did or did not sustain a serious or fatal injury, it was found that each factor independently increased the likelihood of a serious or fatal injury. Changes, such as the provision of divided and sealed roads, greater protection from fixed roadside objects, and reduced speed limits, appear to be indicated in order to improve the safety of the rural driving environment for drivers of all ages. Additionally, older rural drivers should be encouraged to reduce their exposure to these risky circumstances. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Compact Torus plasma ring accelerator: a new type driver for inertial confinement fusion
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Hartman, C.W.; Eddleman, J.L.; Hammer, J.H.
1986-08-22
We discuss the acceleration of magnetically-confined plasma rings to provide a driver for ICF. The acceleration of plasma rings is predicted to be efficient and following focusing, to generate ion-bombardment power in the range 10/sup 15/ to 10/sup 16/ W/cm/sup 2/ at a total deposition energy of multimegajoules. The simplicity of plasma ring accelerator suggests that a 5 MJ (on target) driver would cost in the range 1 to 5 $/joule. First experimental tests of the accelerator are described.
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Epidemiology of pedestrian-MVCs by road type in Cluj, Romania.
Hamann, Cara; Peek-Asa, Corinne; Rus, Diana
2015-04-01
Pedestrian-motor vehicle (PMV) crash rates in Romania are among the highest in all of Europe. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of pedestrian-MVCs in Cluj County, Romania, on the two major types of roadways: national or local. Cluj County police crash report data from 2010 were used to identify pedestrian, driver and crash characteristics of pedestrian-MVCs. Crashes with available location data were geocoded and road type (national or local) for each crash was determined. Distributions of crash characteristics were examined by road type and multivariable logistic regression models were built to determine predictors of crash road type. Crashes occurring on national roads involved more teenagers and adults, while those on local roads involved more young children (0-12) and older adults (65+) (p<0.01). Crashes on national roads were more likely to have marked pedestrian crossings and shoulders compared with local crashes. Pedestrian-MVCs that involved a moving violation by the motorist were more likely to occur on national roadways (adjusted OR=1.93, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.49). Pedestrian-MVCs pose a considerable health burden in Romania. Results from this study suggest that factors leading to PMV crashes on national roads are more likely to involve driver-related causes compared with local roads. Intervention priorities to reduce pedestrian crashes on national roads should be directed towards driver behaviour on national roads. Further examination of driver and pedestrian behaviours related to crash risk on both national and local roads, such as distraction and speeding, is warranted. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.
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Sorsby, Eleanor; Mahtey, Nabeel; Brown, Ian
2017-01-01
Candida albicans is able to proliferate in environments that vary dramatically in ambient pH, a trait required for colonising niches such as the stomach, vaginal mucosal and the GI tract. Here we show that growth in acidic environments involves cell wall remodelling which results in enhanced chitin and β-glucan exposure at the cell wall periphery. Unmasking of the underlying immuno-stimulatory β-glucan in acidic environments enhanced innate immune recognition of C. albicans by macrophages and neutrophils, and induced a stronger proinflammatory cytokine response, driven through the C-type lectin-like receptor, Dectin-1. This enhanced inflammatory response resulted in significant recruitment of neutrophils in an intraperitoneal model of infection, a hallmark of symptomatic vaginal colonisation. Enhanced chitin exposure resulted from reduced expression of the cell wall chitinase Cht2, via a Bcr1-Rim101 dependent signalling cascade, while increased β-glucan exposure was regulated via a non-canonical signalling pathway. We propose that this “unmasking” of the cell wall may induce non-protective hyper activation of the immune system during growth in acidic niches, and may attribute to symptomatic vaginal infection. PMID:28542528
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Gu, G Z; Yu, S F; Zhou, W H; Wu, H; Kang, L; Chen, R
2017-02-06
Objective: To investigate the social support status of train drivers. Methods: Using cluster sampling, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 1 413 male train drivers (including 301 passenger train drivers, 683 freight train drivers, 85 guest scheduling train drivers, 265 cargo adjustable drivers, and 79 high-speed train drivers) from a railway bureau depot. The survey included individual factors, social support, occupational stressors, strains, personalities, and coping strategy using occupational stress instruments and effort-reward imbalance questionnaire. We compared the difference in social support scores between different drivers, who were divided according to job type and age. Additionally, the correlation between social support score and job strain-related factors was analyzed. The influence of depressive symptoms and job satisfaction were analyzed using a non-conditional logistic multivariate model. Results: The overall average age P (50) ( P (25), P (75)) of 1 413 train drivers was 33.92 (27.83,43.58) years. The overall average length of service 12.25 (5.25,22.75) years. A significant difference in social support scores was observed according to job type ( H =23.23, P< 0.001). The specific scores were passenger driver(27 (23,32)), freight train driver (26 (22,30)), guest scheduling driver (27 (24,30)), cargo adjustable driver (26 (22,31)), and high-speed train driver (30 (26,36)) ( P (50)( P (25), P (75))). Additionally, social support scores among different age groups were significantly different ( H =6.64, P= 0.036). The specific scores were ≤30 years (26 (22,31)), 30-40 years (27 (23,33)), and >40 years (27 (22,31)). Correlation analysis revealed that the social support score was negatively associated with job satisfaction ( r=- 0.43), reward ( r=- 0.22), working stability ( r=- 0.23), promotion opportunities ( r=- 0.12), positive affectivity ( r=- 0.31), esteem ( r=- 0.21), and self-esteem ( r=- 0.20) scores ( P< 0.001). The social support score was positively associated with sleep disorders ( r= 0.33), external effort ( r= 0.21), pay within ( r= 0.12), role conflict ( r= 0.20), conflict between groups ( r= 0.17), conflict in groups ( r= 0.06), responsibility for the others ( r= 0.06), responsibility for things ( r= 0.08), physiological needs ( r= 0.39), psychological needs ( r= 0.19), daily stress ( r= 0.29), negative affectivity ( r= 0.23), and depressive symptoms ( r= 0.44) scores ( P< 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed social support had a great influence on depressive symptoms and low job satisfaction. Compared with high social support, low social support resulted in depressive symptoms ( OR= 4.12, 95% CI: 3.19 - 5.33) and low job satisfaction ( OR= 2.18, 95% CI: 1.65-2.88). Conclusion: Train drivers obtained various levels of social support. Social support greatly affected occupational stress. High social support was related to reduction in the occurrence of occupational stress, depressive symptoms, and low job satisfaction. Social support is related to mental health of train drivers.
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Jeon, Myounghoon; Walker, Bruce N; Gable, Thomas M
2015-09-01
Research has suggested that interaction with an in-vehicle software agent can improve a driver's psychological state and increase road safety. The present study explored the possibility of using an in-vehicle software agent to mitigate effects of driver anger on driving behavior. After either anger or neutral mood induction, 60 undergraduates drove in a simulator with two types of agent intervention. Results showed that both speech-based agents not only enhance driver situation awareness and driving performance, but also reduce their anger level and perceived workload. Regression models show that a driver's anger influences driving performance measures, mediated by situation awareness. The practical implications include design guidelines for the design of social interaction with in-vehicle software agents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.
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Subcutaneous morphine infusion by syringe driver for terminally ill patients.
Cools, H J; Berkhout, A M; De Bock, G H
1996-05-01
The study aimed to find whether subcutaneous morphine administration by syringe driver for terminally ill patients in a Dutch nursing home led to higher morphine doses and earlier death than routine morphine administration. The data comprised the files of all patients dying over a 2 year period in a 355-bed nursing home in Delft in the Netherlands. Thirty-eight per cent of the patients had been given morphine, 29% by continuous subcutaneous syringe driver. In comparing the patients given morphine with and without a syringe driver no differences emerged in mean age, sex, length of admission, type of ward, diagnosis, duration of morphine administration and mean dose. The data indicate that subcutaneous morphine administration by syringe driver decreases dose frequency problems and improves the control of pain and other symptoms in the last week before death. There was no evidence that administration of morphine in this way shortens survival.
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Modeling The Frontal Collison In Vehicles And Determining The Degree Of Injury On The Driver
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Oţăt, Oana Victoria
2015-09-01
The present research study aims at analysing the kinematic and the dynamic behaviour of the vehicle's driver in a frontal collision. Hence, a subsequent objective of the research paper is to establish the degree of injury suffered by the driver. Therefore, in order to achieve the objectives set, first, we had to define the type of the dummy placed in the position of the driver, and then to design the three-element assembly, i.e. the chair-steering wheel-dashboard assembly. Based on this model, the following step focused on the positioning of the dummy, which has also integrated the defining of the contacts between the components of the dummy and the seat elements. Seeking to model such a behaviour that would highly accurately reflect the driver's movements in a frontal collision, passive safety systems have also been defined and simulated, namely the seatbelt and the frontal airbag.
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Pinzke, Stefan; Nilsson, Kerstin; Lundqvist, Peter
2014-01-01
Agriculture consistently ranks as one of the highest risk industries in North America and Europe. In addition to vehicle injuries and other injuries that occur on farms, farm vehicle drivers are also involved in collisions involving tractors and other slow-moving vehicles (SMVs) on public roads. These collisions often lead to injuries among farmers, family members, farm workers, and other road users. To conduct a demographic analysis of road traffic incidents involving tractors in Sweden during the time period 1992-2009, with special consideration of how incidents vary with driver age. Statistics from 2,305 police reports describing tractor-related road traffic incidents in Sweden in 1992-2009 were analysed with respect to driver age, type of incident, severity of injury, type of road user and other circumstances at the accident site. Tractors of all kinds were involved in 128 road traffic incidents annually, with 7 people killed, 44 seriously injured and 143 suffering minor injuries each year. The annual number of fatalities represented 1.2% of all Swedish road fatalities. Most road traffic incidents with farm tractors involved people aged 25-55 years (mean 45 years). However, most farm tractor drivers killed or injured belonged to younger or older age groups. Drivers aged 12-16 years were over-represented in tractor incidents with no other vehicle involved. Older tractor drivers (> 55 years) were more often involved in incidents with passenger vehicles on entering traffic flows. The youngest tractor drivers aged 12-16 years were more often involved in road traffic incidents during school holidays, and both youngest and oldest drivers (>65 years) during harvest time. Sweden has an ageing fleet of tractors, so increased attention to vehicle maintenance is needed to improve road safety. The over-representation of young children in tractor incidents suggests that it is questionable whether they should be allowed to operate farm vehicles. Farm vehicle drivers suffering the inevitable effects of ageing need increase their awareness of added risks. As road traffic incidents with tractors often involve private vehicles, creating awareness among the public of slow-moving farm vehicles is essential for improving overall road safety.
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de Araújo Fernandes Jr., Silvio; Stetner Antonietti, Leandro; Saba, Amanda; Paulino de Faria, Alexandre; Maculano Esteves, Andrea; Tufik, Sergio; Túlio de Mello, Marco
2013-01-01
Objective The aim of this study was to compare sleep pattern, tiredness sensation and quality of life between different chronotypes in train drivers from a Brazilian transportation company. Subjects and Methods Ninety-one train drivers, working a rotary work schedule including night shift, were divided into three groups according to their chronotype (morning types, intermediate or evening types) and were assessed for their sleep and quality of life, as characterized by a subjective questionnaire and the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT), applied before and immediately after the night shift. The pattern of activity and rest was measured for 10 days by actigraphy, and the chronotype was determined through the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. Results Forty-one (45.1s%) individuals were classified as morning type, 44 (48.4s%) were classified as intermediate and 6 (6.6s%) as evening type. The evening types had a tendency to remain awake for a longer period of time before the night shift (p = 0.05) and scored worse overall for quality of life compared to morning types (p = 0.11). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding variability in the PVT performance, even when covaried by the period of waking time before the test. There was no significant difference either in feelings of fatigue before and after starting the shift. Conclusion Although the evening type number was small, evening type individuals scored worse relative to sleep and quality of life than morning type individuals. PMID:23328130
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Through the use of high throughput DNA sequencing techniques, it has been possible to characterize a number of tumor types at the molcular level. This has led to the concept that there are "driver" mutations and "passenger" mutations, with an estimate of the number of the driver...
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A novel active heads-up display for driver assistance.
Doshi, Anup; Cheng, Shinko Yuanhsien; Trivedi, Mohan Manubhai
2009-02-01
In this paper, we introduce a novel laser-based wide-area heads-up windshield display which is capable of actively interfacing with a human as part of a driver assistance system. The dynamic active display (DAD) is a unique prototype interface that presents safety-critical visual icons to the driver in a manner that minimizes the deviation of his or her gaze direction without adding to unnecessary visual clutter. As part of an automotive safety system, the DAD presents alerts in the field of view of the driver only if necessary, which is based upon the state and pose of the driver, vehicle, and environment. This paper examines the effectiveness of DAD through a comprehensive comparative experimental evaluation of a speed compliance driver assistance system, which is implemented on a vehicular test bed. Three different types of display protocols for assisting a driver to comply with speed limits are tested on actual roadways, and these are compared with a conventional dashboard display. Given the inclination, drivers who are given an overspeed warning alert reduced the time required to slow down to the speed limit by 38% (p < 0.01) as compared with the drivers not given the alert. Additionally, certain alerts decreased distraction levels by reducing the time spent looking away from the road by 63% (p < 0.01). Ultimately, these alerts demonstrate the utility and promise of the DAD system.
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Health assessment of taxi drivers in the city of Tshwane.
Ramukumba, Tendani S; Mathikhi, Makwena S
2016-11-30
Taxi driving seems to be a strenuous occupation. There was evidence-based paucity of literature on health assessment of taxi drivers. Meanwhile taxi drivers of South Africa were burdened by communicable and non-communicable diseases including high-level exposure to injuries and criminal attacks. Health assessment of this cohort group enables mitigation to engage in appropriation of relevant interventions related to the occupational needs of taxi drivers. The objective of the study was to conduct health assessment of taxi drivers in the city of Tshwane to identify health risk factors. An exploratory, descriptive and quantitative survey was conducted and anthropometric measurements of blood pressure, body mass index and waist circumference were monitored and recorded on a convenience sample of 69 taxi drivers in Tshwane Municipality. Consent was sought from individual taxi drivers who participated in the study, while taxi rank queue marshals assisted with smooth running of the process. Data were gathered using a questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using statistical STATA II with the assistance of a statistician. The study found that taxi drivers were obese, hypertensive, had type II diabetes-related risk factors, including unhealthy life style practices. The results indicate that the general health of taxi drivers impacts their occupation. The findings implicate that the health status of taxi operators in Tshwane was a serious concern and urgent concerted effort is needed to engage in lifestyle modification of taxi drivers. The need for health promotion and formalised occupational health services was recommended.
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Look who's talking! A roadside survey of drivers' cell phone use.
Young, Kristie L; Rudin-Brown, Christina M; Lenné, Michael G
2010-12-01
The objective of this study was to quantify Melbourne drivers' rates of handheld and hands-free phone use and the driver, vehicle, site, and time characteristics associated with phone use. Additionally, this study sought to examine any change in the prevalence of handheld cell phone use by Melbourne drivers between 2006 and 2009. Observational survey of vehicle drivers at various times of the day and week at 3 sites across metropolitan Melbourne during May 2009. A total of 195 (3.4%) of the 5813 drivers observed were using handheld phones and 81 (1.4%) were using hands-free phones. This represents a significant increase in handheld phone usage rates compared to those found in an earlier study conducted in Melbourne in 2006. Cell phone use was associated with a range of driver, vehicle, site, and time characteristics. Handheld phone users were predominately young or middle-aged drivers who drove cars or 4-wheel-drive vehicles (4WDs), and this activity was more likely to occur in the late afternoon. Use of hands-free phones did not differ significantly across gender, age group, vehicle type, observation site, or time of day; however, use of hands-free phones was higher on weekdays compared to weekends. Despite legislation being in place, drivers' handheld cell phone use is still a major road safety concern, particularly for young and middle-aged drivers. The effectiveness of other strategies for decreasing handheld usage rates, including increased surveillance and tougher penalties, need to be ascertained.
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Casualty Crash Types for which Teens are at Excess Risk
Bingham, C. R.; Shope, J. T.
2007-01-01
This study identified casualty crash types for which teen drivers experience excess risk relative to adults. Michigan State Police crash records were used to examine casualty crashes in two statewide populations of drivers who experienced at least one crash from 1989–1996 (pre-graduated driver licensing in Michigan): teens (ages 16–19) and adults (ages 45–65). Rates and rate ratios (RR) based on crash occurrence per 100,000 person miles driven (PMD) compared teens and adults from the two statewide populations. Excess risk was defined as a RR for a specific type of crash that was significantly greater than the RR for all crashes combined. The RRs for all crashes combined for teenage males was 2.41 and 1.75 for teenage females. RRs for teenage males ranged from a low of 2.16 for casualty crashes attributed to alcohol to 8.98 for casualty road departure crashes at night. Among teenage females, RRs ranged from 2.06 for casualty crashes on the weekend to 7.86 for casualty crashes at night with passengers. Casualty crash rates for teenage males ranged from 0.21 per 100,000 PMD for rollover crashes to 1.95 per 100,000 PMD for crashes with passengers. Among teen females, casualty crash rates ranged from 0.21 per 100,000 PMD for drink/driving with passengers to 3.31 per 100,000 PMD for crashes with passengers. Implications for graduated driver licensing, teen driver supervision, and policy are discussed. This study was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. PMID:18184510
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Poly-Si TFTs integrated gate driver circuit with charge-sharing structure
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chen, Meng; Lei, Jiefeng; Huang, Shengxiang; Liao, Congwei; Deng, Lianwen
2017-06-01
A p-type low-temperature poly-Si thin film transistors (LTPS TFTs) integrated gate driver using 2 non-overlapped clocks is proposed. This gate driver features charge-sharing structure to turn off buffer TFT and suppresses voltage feed-through effects. It is analyzed that the conventional gate driver suffers from waveform distortions due to voltage uncertainty of internal nodes for the initial period. The proposed charge-sharing structure also helps to suppress the unexpected pulses during the initialization phases. The proposed gate driver shows a simple circuit, as only 6 TFTs and 1 capacitor are used for single-stage, and the buffer TFT is used for both pulling-down and pulling-up of output electrode. Feasibility of the proposed gate driver is proven through detailed analyses. Investigations show that voltage bootrapping can be maintained once the bootrapping capacitance is larger than 0.8 pF, and pulse of gate driver outputs can be reduced to 5 μs. The proposed gate driver can still function properly with positive {V}{TH} shift within 0.4 V and negative {V}{TH} shift within -1.2 V and it is robust and promising for high-resolution display. Project supported by the Science and Technology Project of Hunan Province, China (No. 2015JC3401)
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-09-05
... order to further explore typologies of driver speeding types developed in our recent Motivations for... typologies provides a different way of defining speeder types. The four speeder types from the Motivations...
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Harland, Karisa K; Carney, Cher; McGehee, Daniel
2016-07-03
The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and odds of fleet driver errors and potentially distracting behaviors just prior to rear-end versus angle crashes. Analysis of naturalistic driving videos among fleet services drivers for errors and potentially distracting behaviors occurring in the 6 s before crash impact. Categorical variables were examined using the Pearson's chi-square test, and continuous variables, such as eyes-off-road time, were compared using the Student's t-test. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of a driver error or potentially distracting behavior being present in the seconds before rear-end versus angle crashes. Of the 229 crashes analyzed, 101 (44%) were rear-end and 128 (56%) were angle crashes. Driver age, gender, and presence of passengers did not differ significantly by crash type. Over 95% of rear-end crashes involved inadequate surveillance compared to only 52% of angle crashes (P < .0001). Almost 65% of rear-end crashes involved a potentially distracting driver behavior, whereas less than 40% of angle crashes involved these behaviors (P < .01). On average, drivers spent 4.4 s with their eyes off the road while operating or manipulating their cell phone. Drivers in rear-end crashes were at 3.06 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.73-5.44) times adjusted higher odds of being potentially distracted than those in angle crashes. Fleet driver driving errors and potentially distracting behaviors are frequent. This analysis provides data to inform safe driving interventions for fleet services drivers. Further research is needed in effective interventions to reduce the likelihood of drivers' distracting behaviors and errors that may potentially reducing crashes.
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Bener, Abdulbari; Verjee, Mohamud; Dafeeah, Elnour E.; Yousafzai, Mohammad T.; Mari, Sundus; Hassib, Ahmed; Al-Khatib, Hamza; Choi, Min Kyung; Nema, Noor; Özkan, Türker; Lajunen, Timo
2013-01-01
Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the driving behaviours of four ethnic groups and to investigate the relationship between violations, errors and lapses of DBQ and accident involvement in Qatar. Subjects and Methods: The Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) was used to measure the aberrant driving behaviours leading to accidents. Of 2400 drivers approached, 1824 drivers agreed to participate (76%) and completed the driver behaviour questionnaire and background information. Results: The study revealed that the majority of the Qatari (35.9%) and Jordanian drivers (37.5%) were below 30 years of age, whereas Filipino (42.3%) and Indian subcontinent (34.1%) drivers were in the age group of 30-39 years. Qatari drivers (52%) were involved in most accidents, followed by Jordanians (48.3%). The most common type of collision was a head on collision, which was similar in all four ethnic groups. The Qatari drivers scored higher on almost all items of violations, errors and lapses compared to other ethnic groups, while Filipino drivers were lower on all the items. The most common violation was the same in all four ethnic groups “Disregard the speed limits on a motorway”. The most common error item observed was “Queing to turn right/left on to a main road”. “Forget where you left your car” and “Hit something when reversing” were the two lapses identified in factor analysis. Conclusion: The present study identified that Qatari drivers scored higher on most of the items of violations, errors and lapses of DBQ compared to other countries, whereas Filipino drivers scored lower in DBQ items. PMID:23777732
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Intini, Paolo; Berloco, Nicola; Colonna, Pasquale; Ranieri, Vittorio; Ryeng, Eirin
2018-02-01
Previous research has suggested that drivers' route familiarity/unfamiliarity (using different definitions of familiarity), and the interactions between familiar and unfamiliar drivers, may affect both the driving performances and the likelihood of road crashes. The purpose of this study is to provide a contribution in the search for relationships between familiarity and crashes by: 1) introducing a measure of familiarity based on the distance from residence; 2) analyzing a traffic and accident dataset referred to rural two-lane sections of the Norwegian highways E6 and E39; 3) using a multi-level approach, based on different perspectives, from a macro analysis to more detailed levels. In the macro analyses, the accident rates computed for different seasons and for different summer traffic variation rates (used as indicators of the share of familiar drivers in the flow) were performed. At the second level, a logistic regression model was used to explain the familiarity/unfamiliarity of drivers (based on their distance from residence), through variables retrieved from the database. In the last step, an in-depth analysis considering also accident types and dynamics was conducted. In the macro analysis, no differences were found between accident rates in the different conditions. Whereas, as emerged from the detailed analyses, the factors: high traffic volume, low summer traffic variation, autumn/winter, minor intersections/driveways, speed limits <80 km/h, travel purposes (commuting/not working) are associated to higher odds of having familiar drivers involved in crashes; while the factors: high traffic volume, high summer traffic variation, summer, head on/rear end-angle crashes, heavy vehicles involved, travel purposes (not commuting), young drivers involved are associated to higher odds of finding unfamiliar drivers involved. To a minor extent, some indications arise from the in-depth analyses about crash types and dynamics, especially for familiar drivers. With regard to the definitions used in this article, the familiarity was confirmed as an influential factor on the accident risk, possibly due to distraction and dangerous behaviors, while the influence of being unfamiliar on the accident proneness has some unclarified aspects. However, crashes to unfamiliar drivers may cluster at sites showing high summer traffic variation and in summer months. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Creating pedestrian crash scenarios in a driving simulator environment.
Chrysler, Susan T; Ahmad, Omar; Schwarz, Chris W
2015-01-01
In 2012 in the United States, pedestrian injuries accounted for 3.3% of all traffic injuries but, disproportionately, pedestrian fatalities accounted for roughly 14% of traffic-related deaths (NHTSA 2014 ). In many other countries, pedestrians make up more than 50% of those injured and killed in crashes. This research project examined driver response to crash-imminent situations involving pedestrians in a high-fidelity, full-motion driving simulator. This article presents a scenario development method and discusses experimental design and control issues in conducting pedestrian crash research in a simulation environment. Driving simulators offer a safe environment in which to test driver response and offer the advantage of having virtual pedestrian models that move realistically, unlike test track studies, which by nature must use pedestrian dummies on some moving track. An analysis of pedestrian crash trajectories, speeds, roadside features, and pedestrian behavior was used to create 18 unique crash scenarios representative of the most frequent and most costly crash types. For the study reported here, we only considered scenarios where the car is traveling straight because these represent the majority of fatalities. We manipulated driver expectation of a pedestrian both by presenting intersection and mid-block crossing as well as by using features in the scene to direct the driver's visual attention toward or away from the crossing pedestrian. Three visual environments for the scenarios were used to provide a variety of roadside environments and speed: a 20-30 mph residential area, a 55 mph rural undivided highway, and a 40 mph urban area. Many variables of crash situations were considered in selecting and developing the scenarios, including vehicle and pedestrian movements; roadway and roadside features; environmental conditions; and characteristics of the pedestrian, driver, and vehicle. The driving simulator scenarios were subjected to iterative testing to adjust time to arrival triggers for the pedestrian actions. This article discusses the rationale behind creating the simulator scenarios and some of the procedural considerations for conducting this type of research. Crash analyses can be used to construct test scenarios for driver behavior evaluations using driving simulators. By considering trajectories, roadway, and environmental conditions of real-world crashes, representative virtual scenarios can serve as safe test beds for advanced driver assistance systems. The results of such research can be used to inform pedestrian crash avoidance/mitigation systems by identifying driver error, driver response time, and driver response choice (i.e., steering vs. braking).
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Kundu, Prithwish; Scarcelli, Riccardo; Som, Sibendu
Heat loss through wall boundaries play a dominant role in the overall performance and efficiency of internal combustion engines. Typical engine simulations use constant temperature wall boundary conditions. These boundary conditions cannot be estimated accurately from experiments due to the complexities involved with engine combustion. As a result they introduce a large uncertainty in engine simulations and serve as a tuning parameter. Modeling the process of heat transfer through the solid walls in an unsteady engine computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation can lead to the development of higher fidelity engine calculations. These models can be used to study the impactmore » of heat loss on engine efficiency and explore new design methodologies that can reduce heat losses. In this work, a single cylinder diesel engine is modeled along with the solid piston coupled to the fluid domain. Conjugate heat transfer (CHT) modeling techniques were implemented to model heat losses for a full cycle of a Navistar diesel engine. This CFD model is then validated against experimental data available from thermocouples embedded inside the piston surface. The overall predictions from the model match closely with the experimental observations. The validated model is further used to explore the benefits of thermal barrier coatings (TBC) on piston bowls. The effect of TBC coatings were modeled as a thermal resistance in the heat transfer models. Full cycle 3D engine simulations provide quantitative insights into heat loss and thus calculate the efficiency gain by the use of TBC coatings. The work establishes a validated modeling framework for CHT modeling in reciprocating engine simulations.« less
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Altitude negates the benefits of aerobic training on the vascular adaptations in rats.
Reboul, Cyril; Tanguy, Stephane; Dauzat, Michel; Obert, Philippe
2005-06-01
This study questioned the effect of living and training at moderate altitude on aortic vasoreactivity. Considering that chronic hypoxia exposure and endurance training are able to generate opposite effects on the systemic vascular reactivity, it was hypothesized that endurance training benefits on the vascular function could be limited by chronic hypoxia. Sea-level native rats were randomly assigned to N (living in normoxia), NT (living and training 5 d.wk for 5 wk in normoxia), CH (living in hypoxia, 2800 m), and CHT (living and training 5 d.wk for 5 wk in hypoxia, 2800 m) groups. Concentration response curves to epinephrine, norepinephrine, endothelin-1, acetylcholine, and sodium nitro-prusside were assessed on aortic isolated rings. Left ventricular resting and maximal (during Tyrode's infusion) stroke volumes were evaluated by Doppler-echocardiography and used as indexes of chronic aortic volume overload. The main finding was that favorable aortic vasoreactivity adaptations consecutive to sea-level training were not observed when training was conducted at altitude. An improvement in the endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation (maximal relaxation, R(max), N = 60.4 +/- 10.0 vs NT = 91.7 +/- 3.2%; P < 0.05) and a reduced sensitivity to ET-1 were observed in NT rats. Such an enhancement in endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation was not found in CHT rats (R(max): 48.4 +/- 7.8%). Moreover, a higher sensitivity to ET-1 was reported in this group. Altitude-induced limitation in aortic blood flow and shear stress could play a major role in the explanation of these specific altitude-training adaptations. If extrapolated to the peripheral vascular bed, our results have practical significance for aerobic performance as aortic vasoreactivity adaptations after altitude training could contribute to limit blood delivery to exercising muscles.
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Hwang, Dae-Sik; Lee, Min-Chul; Kyung, Do-Hyun; Kim, Hui-Su; Han, Jeonghoon; Kim, Il-Chan; Puthumana, Jayesh; Lee, Jae-Seong
2017-03-01
Oil pollution is considered being disastrous to marine organisms and ecosystems. As molting is critical in the developmental process of arthropods in general and copepods, in particular, the impact will be adverse if the target of spilled oil is on molting. Thus, we investigated the harmful effects of water accommodated fractions (WAFs) of crude oil with an emphasis on inhibition of chitin metabolic pathways related genes and developmental retardation in the copepod Tigriopus japonicus. Also, we analysed the ontology and domain of chitin metabolic pathway genes and mRNA expression patterns of developmental stage-specific genes. Further, the developmental retardation followed by transcriptional modulations in nuclear receptor genes (NR) and chitin metabolic pathway-related genes were observed in the WAFs-exposed T. japonicus. As a result, the developmental time was found significantly (P<0.05) delayed in response to 40% WAFs in comparison with that of control. Moreover, the NR gene, HR3 and chitinases (CHT9 and CHT10) were up-regulated in N4-5 stages, while chitin synthase genes (CHS-1, CHS-2-1, and CHS-2-2) down-regulated in response to WAFs. In brief, a high concentration of WAFs repressed nuclear receptor genes but elicited activation of some of the transcription factors at low concentration of WAFs, resulting in suppression of chitin synthesis. Thus, we suggest that WAF can lead molting retardation of naupliar stages in T. japonicus through down-regulations of chitin metabolism. These findings will provide a better understanding of the mode of action of chitin biosynthesis associated with molting mechanism in WAF-exposed T. japonicus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Jasrapuria, Sinu; Specht, Charles A.; Kramer, Karl J.; Beeman, Richard W.; Muthukrishnan, Subbaratnam
2012-01-01
The functional characterization of an entire class of 17 genes from the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, which encode two families of Cuticular Proteins Analogous to Peritrophins (CPAPs) has been carried out. CPAP genes in T. castaneum are expressed exclusively in cuticle-forming tissues and have been classified into two families, CPAP1 and CPAP3, based on whether the proteins contain either one (CPAP1), or three copies (CPAP3) of the chitin-binding domain, ChtBD2, with its six characteristically spaced cysteine residues. Individual members of the TcCPAP1 and TcCPAP3 gene families have distinct developmental patterns of expression. Many of these proteins serve essential and non-redundant functions in maintaining the structural integrity of the cuticle in different parts of the insect anatomy. Three genes of the TcCPAP1 family and five genes of the TcCPAP3 family are essential for insect development, molting, cuticle integrity, proper locomotion or fecundity. RNA interference (RNAi) targeting TcCPAP1-C, TcCPAP1-H, TcCPAP1-J or TcCPAP3-C transcripts resulted in death at the pharate adult stage of development. RNAi for TcCPAP3-A1, TcCPAP3-B, TcCPAP3-D1 or TcCPAP3-D2 genes resulted in different developmental defects, including adult/embryonic mortality, abnormal elytra or hindwings, or an abnormal ‘stiff-jointed’ gait. These results provide experimental support for specialization in the functions of CPAP proteins in T. castaneum and a biological rationale for the conservation of CPAP orthologs in other orders of insects. This is the first comprehensive functional analysis of an entire class of cuticular proteins with one or more ChtBD2 domains in any insect species. PMID:23185457
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Jasrapuria, Sinu; Specht, Charles A; Kramer, Karl J; Beeman, Richard W; Muthukrishnan, Subbaratnam
2012-01-01
The functional characterization of an entire class of 17 genes from the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, which encode two families of Cuticular Proteins Analogous to Peritrophins (CPAPs) has been carried out. CPAP genes in T. castaneum are expressed exclusively in cuticle-forming tissues and have been classified into two families, CPAP1 and CPAP3, based on whether the proteins contain either one (CPAP1), or three copies (CPAP3) of the chitin-binding domain, ChtBD2, with its six characteristically spaced cysteine residues. Individual members of the TcCPAP1 and TcCPAP3 gene families have distinct developmental patterns of expression. Many of these proteins serve essential and non-redundant functions in maintaining the structural integrity of the cuticle in different parts of the insect anatomy. Three genes of the TcCPAP1 family and five genes of the TcCPAP3 family are essential for insect development, molting, cuticle integrity, proper locomotion or fecundity. RNA interference (RNAi) targeting TcCPAP1-C, TcCPAP1-H, TcCPAP1-J or TcCPAP3-C transcripts resulted in death at the pharate adult stage of development. RNAi for TcCPAP3-A1, TcCPAP3-B, TcCPAP3-D1 or TcCPAP3-D2 genes resulted in different developmental defects, including adult/embryonic mortality, abnormal elytra or hindwings, or an abnormal 'stiff-jointed' gait. These results provide experimental support for specialization in the functions of CPAP proteins in T. castaneum and a biological rationale for the conservation of CPAP orthologs in other orders of insects. This is the first comprehensive functional analysis of an entire class of cuticular proteins with one or more ChtBD2 domains in any insect species.
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Non-neuronal expression of choline acetyltransferase in the rat kidney.
Maeda, Seishi; Jun, Jin Gon; Kuwahara-Otani, Sachi; Tanaka, Koichi; Hayakawa, Tetsu; Seki, Makoto
2011-09-12
Acetylcholine (ACh) has been shown to increase ion and water excretion in the kidneys, resulting in hypotension. However, no evidence of renal parasympathetic innervation has been shown, and the source of ACh acting on nephrons is still unknown. The aim of the present study was to identify ACh-producing cells in the rat kidney, by examining the expression of cholinergic agents and localization of an ACh-synthesizing enzyme, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), in the kidney. Adult mail Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. Expression of mRNA of cholinergic agents, ChAT, vesicular ACh transporter (VAChT), and high-affinity choline transporter (CHT-1), in the kidney was examined by RT-PCR. Localization of ChAT mRNA and protein was examined by in situ hybridization and tyramide-enhanced immunohistochemistry, respectively. RT-PCR showed the expression of ChAT, VAChT, and CHT-1. In situ hybridization demonstrated that ChAT mRNA is localized to the renal cortical collecting ducts (CCD). Immunohistochemistry showed that the ChAT-positive cells were principal cells, and that they were unevenly distributed in the tubules, and constituted approximately 15.2% of CCD in the cortex, and 3.6% and 1.5% in the outer and inner medulla, respectively. ChAT-positive immunoreactivity was localized to the apical side of principal cells, suggesting that ACh synthesis may occur in the apical compartment of these cells. These results suggest that the cholinergic effects in the nephron may be mediated at least in part by ACh originating from CCD principal cells and its expression may be locally regulated in the rat kidney. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Craciunescu, Oana I.; Blackwell, Kimberly L.; Jones, Ellen L.; MacFall, James R.; Yu, Daohai; Vujaskovic, Zeljko; Wong, Terence Z.; Liotcheva, Vlayka; Rosen, Eric L.; Prosnitz, Leonard R.; Samulski, Thaddeus V.; Dewhirst, Mark W.
2009-01-01
Purpose To use a novel Morpho-Physiological Tumor Score (MPTS) generated from dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) to predict response to treatment. Materials and Methods A protocol was designed to acquire DCE-MRI images of 20 locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NA ChT) and hyperthermia (HT). Imaging was done over 30 minutes following bolus injection of Gd-based contrast agent. Parametric maps were generated by fitting the signal intensity to a double exponential curve and were used to derive a morphological characterization of the lesions. Enhancement-variance dynamics parameters, washin and washout parameters (WiP, WoP) were extracted. The morphological characterization and the WiP and WoP were combined into a MPTS with the intent of achieving better prognostic efficacy. The MPTS was correlated with response to NA therapy as determined by pathologic residual tumor and MRI imaging. Results The contrast agent in all tumors typically peaked in the first 1–4 minutes. The tumors WiP and WoP varied considerably. The MPTS was highly correlated with whether the patients had a pathologic response. This scoring system has a specificity of 78% and a sensitivity of 91% for predicting response to NA chemotherapy. The kappa was 0.69 with a 95% confidence interval of [0.38, 1.0] and a p-value of 0.002. Conclusions This pilot study shows that the MPTS derived using pre-treatment MRI images has the potential to predict response to NA ChT and HT in LABC patients. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm the validity of these results. PMID:19657852
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20 Years of Air-Water Gas Exchange Observations for Pesticides in the Western Arctic Ocean.
Jantunen, Liisa M; Wong, Fiona; Gawor, Anya; Kylin, Henrik; Helm, Paul A; Stern, Gary A; Strachan, William M J; Burniston, Deborah A; Bidleman, Terry F
2015-12-01
The Arctic has been contaminated by legacy organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and currently used pesticides (CUPs) through atmospheric transport and oceanic currents. Here we report the time trends and air-water exchange of OCPs and CUPs from research expeditions conducted between 1993 and 2013. Compounds determined in both air and water were trans- and cis-chlordanes (TC, CC), trans- and cis-nonachlors (TN, CN), heptachlor exo-epoxide (HEPX), dieldrin (DIEL), chlorobornanes (ΣCHBs and toxaphene), dacthal (DAC), endosulfans and metabolite endosulfan sulfate (ENDO-I, ENDO-II, and ENDO SUL), chlorothalonil (CHT), chlorpyrifos (CPF), and trifluralin (TFN). Pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB and quintozene) and its soil metabolite pentachlorothianisole (PCTA) were also found in air. Concentrations of most OCPs declined in surface water, whereas some CUPs increased (ENDO-I, CHT, and TFN) or showed no significant change (CPF and DAC), and most compounds declined in air. Chlordane compound fractions TC/(TC + CC) and TC/(TC + CC + TN) decreased in water and air, while CC/(TC + CC + TN) increased. TN/(TC + CC + TN) also increased in air and slightly, but not significantly, in water. These changes suggest selective removal of more labile TC and/or a shift in chlordane sources. Water-air fugacity ratios indicated net volatilization (FR > 1.0) or near equilibrium (FR not significantly different from 1.0) for most OCPs but net deposition (FR < 1.0) for ΣCHBs. Net deposition was shown for ENDO-I on all expeditions, while the net exchange direction of other CUPs varied. Understanding the processes and current state of air-surface exchange helps to interpret environmental exposure and evaluate the effectiveness of international protocols and provides insights for the environmental fate of new and emerging chemicals.
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Global Changes in Food Supply and the Obesity Epidemic.
Zobel, Emilie H; Hansen, Tine W; Rossing, Peter; von Scholten, Bernt Johan
2016-12-01
We explore how a global shift in the food system caused by global economic growth, increase in available food per capita and in food processing is a driver of the obesity epidemic. Economic development in most areas of the world has resulted in increased purchasing power and available per capita food. Supermarkets and a growing fast-food industry have transformed our dietary pattern. Ultra-processed food rich on sugars and saturated fat is now the major source of energy in most countries. The shift in food supply is considered a major driver of the obesity epidemic and the increasing prevalence of accompanying complications, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, the global shift might also have direct effects on the increase in type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, independently of overweight and obesity. The shift in the food supply is a major driver of the obesity epidemic.
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Beyond the Floodplain: Drivers of Flood Risk in Coastal Cities
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rosenzweig, B.; McPhearson, T.; Rosi, E. J.
2017-12-01
While the catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Katrina increased awareness of coastal flood risk, conventional approaches to flood risk assessment do not adequately represent the drivers of flood risk in the unique, highly engineered landscape of dense cities. We review the recent (1996-2016) history of flooding events and current regional climate change projection for 4 diverse coastal cities in the United States: San Juan, Miami, Baltimore and New York. Our review suggests that while all 4 of these cities face increased risk from direct coastal flooding with climate change, pluvial flooding will be an additional, important driver of risk that is currently poorly quantified. Unlike other types of flooding, pluvial flood risk is not limited to a contiguous riverine or coastal floodplain, but is instead driven by interactions between spatially variable geophysical drivers (intense rainfall, shallow groundwater, and influent tidal water), social drivers (patterns of land use) and technical drivers (urban stormwater and coastal infrastructure). We discuss approaches for quantitative assessment of pluvial flood risk, the challenges presented by the lack of data on geophysical flooding drivers in dense cities, and opportunities for integrated research to provide the scientific information needed by practitioners.
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Dependence of loudness evaluation by drivers on vehicle styling.
Yoshida, Junji; Igata, Takumi
2012-12-01
Influence of participants' impressions of vehicle styling on loudness of acceleration sounds was investigated. A series of images of luxury and sporty vehicles were presented to the participants while acceleration sounds were being replayed. The results indicated that frequent drivers perceived that the sound associated with luxury vehicles was louder than that associated with sporty vehicles. On the other hand, infrequent drivers perceived almost no difference between the loudness of the two vehicle types. Then, the infrequent drivers underwent a pseudo-loudness evaluation test to increase amount of experience for listening vehicle sound with vehicle styling image. After the procedure, the influence of vehicle styling on loudness was investigated again for the infrequent drivers. The result showed that the influence for the infrequent drivers was quite different from that for the frequent drivers. The participants who rarely drove perceived that the sound associated with luxury vehicles was softer than that associated with sporty vehicles. Furthermore, a questionnaire was filled out by both groups to investigate their preferred vehicle characteristics such as exterior design and engine performance. As a result, loudness was clarified to depend on both the participants' impressions of vehicle styling and their preferred vehicle characteristics.
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Prospect theory based estimation of drivers' risk attitudes in route choice behaviors.
Zhou, Lizhen; Zhong, Shiquan; Ma, Shoufeng; Jia, Ning
2014-12-01
This paper applied prospect theory (PT) to describe drivers' route choice behavior under Variable Message Sign (VMS), which presented visual traffic information to assist them to make route choice decisions. A quite rich empirical data from questionnaire and field spot was used to estimate parameters of PT. In order to make the parameters more realistic with drivers' attitudes, they were classified into different types by significant factors influencing their behaviors. Based on the travel time distribution of alternative routes and route choice results from questionnaire, the parameterized value function of each category was figured out, which represented drivers' risk attitudes and choice characteristics. The empirical verification showed that the estimates were acceptable and effective. The result showed drivers' risk attitudes and route choice characteristics could be captured by PT under real-time information shown on VMS. For practical application, once drivers' route choice characteristics and parameters were identified, their route choice behavior under different road conditions could be predicted accurately, which was the basis of traffic guidance measures formulation and implementation for targeted traffic management. Moreover, the heterogeneous risk attitudes among drivers should be considered when releasing traffic information and regulating traffic flow. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Fleming, Paul J.; Gruskin, Sofia; Rojo, Florencia; Dworkin, Shari L.
2015-01-01
Men are more likely than women to perpetrate nearly all types of interpersonal violence (e.g. intimate partner violence, murder, assault, rape). While public health programs target prevention efforts for each type of violence, there are rarely efforts that approach the prevention of violence holistically and attempt to tackle its common root causes. Drawing upon theories that explain the drivers of violence, we examine how gender norms, including norms and social constructions of masculinity, are at the root of most physical violence perpetration by men against women and against other men. We then argue that simply isolating each type of violence and constructing separate interventions for each type is inefficient and less effective. We call for recognition of the commonalities found across the drivers of different types of violence and make intervention recommendations with the goal of seeking more long-standing solutions to violence prevention. PMID:26482359
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Type II Radio Bursts as Indicators of Space Weather Drivers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gopalswamy, N.
2015-12-01
Interplanetary type II radio bursts are important indicators of shock-driving coronal mass ejections (CMEs). CME-driven shocks are responsible for large solar energetic particle (SEP) events and sudden commencement/sudden impulse events recorded by ground magnetometers. The excellent overlap of the spatial domains probed by SOHO/STEREO coronagraphs with the spectral domains of Wind/WAVES and STEREO/WAVES has contributed enormously in understanding CMEs and shocks as space weather drivers. This paper is concerned with type II bursts of solar cycle 23 and 24 that had emission components down to kilometric wavelengths. CMEs associated with these bursts seem to be the best indicators of large SEP events, better than the halo CMEs. However, there are some differences between the type II bursts of the two cycles, which are explained based on the different states of the heliosphere in the two cycles. Finally, the type II burst characteristics of some recent extreme events are discussed.
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Hao, Wei; Daniel, Janice
2014-12-01
Based on the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) database, approximately 62% of the collisions at highway-rail crossings occurred at locations with active controls (gate and flashing lights), followed by passive controls (cross bucks and stop signs) with approximately 28% of accidents. The study applied an ordered probit model to explore the determinants of driver injury severity under various control measures at highway-rail grade crossing in the United States. The analysis found that schedule factor (peak hour), visibility, motor vehicle speed, train speed, driver's age, area type, traffic volume and highway pavement impact driver injury severity at both active and passive highway-rail crossings. For both active and passive control highway-rail grade crossings, speed control for both trains and vehicles will significantly reduce driver injury severity. However, the level of influence by vehicle speed and train speed at passive control is higher compared with active control. Paving highways at highway-rail grade crossings will also help to reduce driver injury severity at highway-rail crossing accidents. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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Value drivers: an approach for estimating health and disease management program savings.
Phillips, V L; Becker, Edmund R; Howard, David H
2013-12-01
Health and disease management (HDM) programs have faced challenges in documenting savings related to their implementation. The objective of this eliminate study was to describe OptumHealth's (Optum) methods for estimating anticipated savings from HDM programs using Value Drivers. Optum's general methodology was reviewed, along with details of 5 high-use Value Drivers. The results showed that the Value Driver approach offers an innovative method for estimating savings associated with HDM programs. The authors demonstrated how real-time savings can be estimated for 5 Value Drivers commonly used in HDM programs: (1) use of beta-blockers in treatment of heart disease, (2) discharge planning for high-risk patients, (3) decision support related to chronic low back pain, (4) obesity management, and (5) securing transportation for primary care. The validity of savings estimates is dependent on the type of evidence used to gauge the intervention effect, generating changes in utilization and, ultimately, costs. The savings estimates derived from the Value Driver method are generally reasonable to conservative and provide a valuable framework for estimating financial impacts from evidence-based interventions.
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Railway suicide: the psychological effects on drivers.
Farmer, R; Tranah, T; O'Donnell, I; Catalan, J
1992-05-01
People have jumped (or fallen) in front of trains on the London Underground system in increasing numbers throughout the twentieth century. During the past decade there have been about 100 such incidents each year, of which around 90 would involve the train driver witnessing his train strike the person on the track. Most are suicides or attempts at suicide. They represent major unexpected and violent events in the lives of the train drivers and it might be expected that some of them would respond by developing a post-traumatic stress reaction of the type identified by Horowitz (1976) or other adverse psychological reactions or both. The research reported in this paper was designed to characterize the range of responses of drivers to the experiences of killing or injuring members of the public during the course of their daily work. It was found that 16.3% of the drivers involved in incidents did develop post-traumatic stress disorder and that other diagnoses, e.g. depression and phobic states, were present in 39.5% of drivers when interviewed one month after the incident.
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Self-Control Behavior of Drinking Drivers beyond the Context of a Behavioral Self-Control Program.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Werch, Chudley E.
This paper reports on the post hoc analysis of specific types of self-control behaviors being employed by drinking drivers who were exposed to a behavioral self-control training program. The underlying assumption of this study is that the success of health promotion and intervention programs most probably depends on the development of greater…
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Rosalie, Simon M; Malone, James M
2018-06-07
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile recently mandated the use of the halo frontal cockpit protection system to mitigate the risk of impact to the driver's head. Here we describe the effect of a halo-type structure on the neck muscle activity of one of the authors, who is a national-level amateur racing driver, during a full qualifying session. We found that the workload of sternocleidomastoid increased and the workload of cervical erector spinae decreased with the halo fitted which is indicative of a forward head position. Left sternocleidomastoid and right cervical erector spinae fatigued more rapidly; whereas, left cervical erector spinae fatigued more slowly. There was no change in the rate of fatigue of right sternocleidomastoid. In combination with a forward head position, this suggests an increase in lateral flexion during head rotation which may affect accuracy of navigation. Thus, drivers may need to be trained to adapt to the halo to mitigate the effects on head position and movement. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.
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Impact of the Penalty Points System on Road Traffic Injuries in Spain: A Time–Series Study
Novoa, Ana M.; Santamariña-Rubio, Elena; Marí-Dell'Olmo, Marc; Ferrando, Josep; Peiró, Rosana; Tobías, Aurelio; Zori, Pilar; Borrell, Carme
2010-01-01
Objectives. We assessed the effectiveness of the penalty points system (PPS) introduced in Spain in July 2006 in reducing traffic injuries. Methods. We performed an evaluation study with an interrupted time–series design. We stratified dependent variables—numbers of drivers involved in injury collisions and people injured in traffic collisions in Spain from 2000 to 2007 (police data)—by age, injury severity, type of road user, road type, and time of collision, and analyzed variables separately by gender. The explanatory variable (the PPS) compared the postintervention period (July 2006 to December 2007) with the preintervention period (January 2000 to June 2006). We used quasi-Poisson regression, controlling for time trend and seasonality. Results. Among men, we observed a significant risk reduction in the postintervention period for seriously injured drivers (relative risk [RR] = 0.89) and seriously injured people (RR = 0.89). The RRs among women were 0.91 (P = .095) and 0.88 (P < .05), respectively. Risk reduction was greater among male drivers, moped riders, and on urban roads. Conclusions. The PPS was associated with reduced numbers of drivers involved in injury collisions and people injured by traffic collisions in Spain. PMID:20864703
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Dimensions of driving anger and their relationships with aberrant driving.
Zhang, Tingru; Chan, Alan H S; Zhang, Wei
2015-08-01
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between driving anger and aberrant driving behaviours. An internet-based questionnaire survey was administered to a sample of Chinese drivers, with driving anger measured by a 14-item short Driving Anger Scale (DAS) and the aberrant driving behaviours measured by a 23-item Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). The results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated that the three-factor model (hostile gesture, arrival-blocking and safety-blocking) of the DAS fitted the driving anger data well. The Exploratory Factor Analysis on DBQ data differentiated four types of aberrant driving, viz. emotional violation, error, deliberate violation and maintaining progress violation. For the anger-aberration relation, it was found that only "arrival-blocking" anger was a significant positive predictor for all four types of aberrant driving behaviours. The "safety-blocking" anger revealed a negative impact on deliberate violations, a finding different from previously established positive anger-aberration relation. These results suggest that drivers with different patterns of driving anger would show different behavioural tendencies and as a result intervention strategies may be differentially effective for drivers of different profiles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Injury Outcome in Crashes with Guardrail End Terminals.
Johnson, Nicholas S; Gabler, Hampton C
2015-01-01
The goal of this study is to evaluate the crash performance of guardrail end terminals in real-world crashes. Guardrail end terminals are installed at the ends of guardrail systems to prevent the rail from spearing through the car in an end-on collision. Recently, there has been a great deal of controversy as to the safety of certain widely used end terminal designs, partly because there is surprisingly little real-world crash data for end terminals. Most existing studies of end terminal crashes used data from prior to the mid-1990s. Since then, there have been large improvements to vehicle crashworthiness and seat belt usage rates, as well as new roadside safety hardware compliant with National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350, "Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features." Additionally, most existing studies of injury in end terminal crashes do not account for factors such as the occurrence of rollover. This analysis uses more recent crash data that represent post-1990s vehicle fleet changes and account for a number of factors that may affect driver injury outcome and rollover occurrence. Passenger vehicle crashes coded as involving guardrail end terminals were identified in the set of police-reported crashes in Michigan in 2011 and 2012. End terminal performance was expected to be a function of end terminal system design. State crash databases generally do not identify specific end terminal systems. In this study, the coded crash location was used to obtain photographs of the crash site prior to the crash from Google Street View. These site photographs were manually inspected to identify the particular end terminal system involved in the crash. Multiple logistic regression was used to test for significant differences in the odds of driver injury and rollover between different terminal types while accounting for other factors. A total of 1,001 end terminal crashes from the 2011-2012 Michigan State crash data were manually inspected to identify the terminal that had been struck. Four hundred fifty-one crashes were found to be suitable for analysis. Serious to fatal driver injury occurred in 3.8% of end terminal crashes, moderate to fatal driver injury occurred in 11.8%, and 72.3% involved property damage only. No significant difference in moderate to fatal driver injury odds was observed between NCHRP 350 compliant end terminals and noncompliant terminals. Car drivers showed odds of moderate to fatal injury 3.6 times greater than LTV drivers in end terminal crashes. Rollover occurrence was not significantly associated with end terminal type. Car drivers have greater potential for injury in end terminal crashes than light truck/van/sport utility vehicle drivers. End terminal designs compliant with NCHRP 350 did not appear to carry different odds of moderate driver injury than noncompliant end terminals. The findings account for driver seat belt use, rollover occurrence, terminal orientation (leading/trailing), control loss, and the number of impact events. Rollover and nonuse of seat belts carried much larger increases in injury potential than end terminal type. Rollover did not appear to be associated with NCHRP 350 compliance.
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Critical older driver errors in a national sample of serious U.S. crashes.
Cicchino, Jessica B; McCartt, Anne T
2015-07-01
Older drivers are at increased risk of crash involvement per mile traveled. The purpose of this study was to examine older driver errors in serious crashes to determine which errors are most prevalent. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey collected in-depth, on-scene data for a nationally representative sample of 5470 U.S. police-reported passenger vehicle crashes during 2005-2007 for which emergency medical services were dispatched. There were 620 crashes involving 647 drivers aged 70 and older, representing 250,504 crash-involved older drivers. The proportion of various critical errors made by drivers aged 70 and older were compared with those made by drivers aged 35-54. Driver error was the critical reason for 97% of crashes involving older drivers. Among older drivers who made critical errors, the most common were inadequate surveillance (33%) and misjudgment of the length of a gap between vehicles or of another vehicle's speed, illegal maneuvers, medical events, and daydreaming (6% each). Inadequate surveillance (33% vs. 22%) and gap or speed misjudgment errors (6% vs. 3%) were more prevalent among older drivers than middle-aged drivers. Seventy-one percent of older drivers' inadequate surveillance errors were due to looking and not seeing another vehicle or failing to see a traffic control rather than failing to look, compared with 40% of inadequate surveillance errors among middle-aged drivers. About two-thirds (66%) of older drivers' inadequate surveillance errors and 77% of their gap or speed misjudgment errors were made when turning left at intersections. When older drivers traveled off the edge of the road or traveled over the lane line, this was most commonly due to non-performance errors such as medical events (51% and 44%, respectively), whereas middle-aged drivers were involved in these crash types for other reasons. Gap or speed misjudgment errors and inadequate surveillance errors were significantly more prevalent among female older drivers than among female middle-aged drivers, but the prevalence of these errors did not differ significantly between older and middle-aged male drivers. These errors comprised 51% of errors among older female drivers but only 31% among older male drivers. Efforts to reduce older driver crash involvements should focus on diminishing the likelihood of the most common driver errors. Countermeasures that simplify or remove the need to make left turns across traffic such as roundabouts, protected left turn signals, and diverging diamond intersection designs could decrease the frequency of inadequate surveillance and gap or speed misjudgment errors. In the future, vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications may also help protect older drivers from these errors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Williamson, Ann; Friswell, Rena
2013-09-01
The aim of this study was to explore the effects of external influences on long distance trucking, in particular, incentive-based remuneration systems and the need to wait or queue to load or unload on driver experiences of fatigue. Long distance truck drivers (n=475) were recruited at truck rest stops on the major transport corridors within New South Wales, Australia and asked to complete a survey by self-administration or interview. The survey covered demographics, usual working arrangements, details of the last trip and safety outcomes including fatigue experiences. On average drivers' last trip was over 2000 km and took 21.5 h to complete with an additional 6h of non-driving work. Incentive payments were associated with longer working hours, greater distances driven and higher fatigue for more drivers. Drivers required to wait in queues did significantly more non-driving work and experienced fatigue more often than those who did not. Drivers who were not paid to wait did the longest trips with average weekly hours above the legal working hours limits, had the highest levels of fatigue and the highest levels of interference by work with family life. In contrast, drivers who were paid to wait did significantly less work with shorter usual hours and shorter last trips. Multivariate analysis showed that incentive-based payment and unpaid waiting in queues were significant predictors of driver fatigue. The findings suggest that mandating payment of drivers for non-driving work including waiting would reduce the amount of non-driving work required for drivers and reduce weekly hours of work. In turn this would reduce driver fatigue and safety risk as well as enhancing the efficiency of the long distance road transport industry. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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The prevalence of distraction among passenger vehicle drivers: a roadside observational approach.
Huisingh, Carrie; Griffin, Russell; McGwin, Gerald
2015-01-01
Distracted driving contributes to a large proportion of motor vehicle crashes, yet little is known about the prevalence of distracted driving and the specific types of distracting behaviors. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of driver distraction using a roadside observational study design. A cross-sectional survey involving direct roadside observation was conducted at 11 selected intersections. Trained investigators observed a sample of passenger vehicles and recorded distraction-related behaviors, driver characteristics, and contextual factors such as vehicle speed and traffic flow. Of the 3,265 drivers observed, the prevalence of distracted driving was 32.7%. Among those involved in a distracting activity, the most frequently observed distractions included interacting with another passenger (53.2%, where passengers were present), talking on the phone (31.4%), external-vehicle distractions (20.4%), and texting/dialing a phone (16.6%). The prevalence of talking on the phone was higher among females than males (38.6% vs. 24.3%), whereas external vehicle distractions were higher among males than females (25.8% vs. 24.3%). Drivers <30 years were observed being engaged in any distracting activity, interacting with other passengers, and texting/dialing more frequently than drivers aged 30-50 and >50 years. Drivers were engaged in distracting behaviors more frequently when the car was stopped. When using similar methodology, roadside observational studies generate comparable prevalence estimates of driver distraction as naturalistic driving studies. Driver distraction is a common problem among passenger vehicle drivers. Despite the increased awareness on the dangers of texting and cell phone use while driving, these specific activities were 2 of the most frequently observed distractions. There is a continued need for road safety education about the dangers of distracted driving, especially for younger drivers.
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de Oña, Juan; de Oña, Rocio; Eboli, Laura; Forciniti, Carmen; Mazzulla, Gabriella
2014-12-01
Road crashes can be caused by different factors, including infrastructure, vehicles, and human variables. Many research studies have focused solely on identifying the key factors that cause road crashes. From these studies, it emerged that human factors have the most relevant impact on accident severity. More specifically, accident severity depends on several factors related directly to the driver, i.e., driving experience, driver's socio-economic characteristics, and driving behavior and attitudes. In this paper, we investigate driver behaviors and attitudes while driving and specifically focus on different methods for identifying the factors that most affect the driver's perception of accident risk. To this end, we designed and conducted a survey in two different European contexts: the city of Cosenza, which is located in the south of Italy, and the city of Granada, which is located in the south of Spain. Samples of drivers were contacted for their opinions on certain aspects of driving rules and attitudes while driving, and different types of questions were addressed to the drivers to assess their judgments of these aspects. Consequently, different methods of data analysis were applied to determine the aspects that heavily influence driver perception of accident risk. An experiment based on the stated preferences (SP) was carried out with the drivers, and the SP data were analyzed using an ordered probit (OP) model. Interesting findings emerged from different analyses of the data and from the comparisons among the data collected in the two different territorial contexts. We found that both Italian and Spanish drivers consider driving in an altered psychophysical state and violating the overtaking rules to be the most risky behaviors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Drivers' social-work relationships as antecedents of unsafe driving: A social network perspective.
Arizon Peretz, Renana; Luria, Gil
2017-09-01
In order to reduce road accidents rates, studies around the globe have attempted to shed light on the antecedents for unsafe road behaviors. The aim of the current research is to contribute to this literature by offering a new organizational antecedent of driver's unsafe behavior: The driver's relationships with his or her peers, as reflected in three types of social networks: negative relationships network, friendship networks and advice networks (safety consulting). We hypothesized that a driver's position in negative relationship networks, friendship networks, and advice networks will predict unsafe driving. Additionally, we hypothesized the existence of mutual influences among the driver's positions in these various networks, and suggested that the driver's positions interact to predict unsafe driving behaviors. The research included 83 professional drivers from four different organizations. Driving behavior data were gathered via the IVDR (In-Vehicle Data Recorder) system, installed in every truck to measure and record the driver's behavior. The findings indicated that the drivers' position in the team networks predicts safe driving behavior: Centrality in negative relationship networks is positively related to unsafe driving, and centrality in friendship networks is negatively related to unsafe driving, while centrality in advice networks is not related to unsafe driving. Furthermore, we found an interaction effect between negative network centrality and centrality in friendship networks. The relation between negative networks and unsafe behavior is weaker when high levels of friendship network centrality exist. The implications will be presented in the Discussion section. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Green, Paul E; Woodrooffe, John
2006-01-01
Using data from the NASS General Estimates System (GES), the method of induced exposure was used to assess the effects of electronic stability control (ESC) on loss-of-control type crashes for sport utility vehicles. Sport utility vehicles were classified into crash types generally associated with loss of control and crash types most likely not associated with loss of control. Vehicles were then compared as to whether ESC technology was present or absent in the vehicles. A generalized additive model was fit to assess the effects of ESC, driver age, and driver gender on the odds of loss of control. In addition, the effects of ESC on roads that were not dry were compared to effects on roads that were dry. Overall, the estimated percentage reduction in the odds of a loss-of-control crash for sport utility vehicles equipped with ESC was 70.3%. Both genders and all age groups showed reduced odds of loss-of-control crashes, but there was no significant difference between males and females. With respect to driver age, the maximum percentage reduction of 73.6% occurred at age 27. The positive effects of ESC on roads that were not dry were significantly greater than on roads that were dry.
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The effect of motion and signalling on drivers' ability to predict intentions of other road users.
Lee, Yee Mun; Sheppard, Elizabeth
2016-10-01
Failure in making the correct judgment about the intention of an approaching vehicle at a junction could lead to a collision. This paper investigated the impact of dynamic information on drivers' judgments about the intentions of approaching cars and motorcycles, and whether a valid or invalid signal was provided was also manipulated. Participants were presented with videoclips of vehicles approaching a junction which terminated immediately before the vehicle made any manoeuvre, or images of the final frame of each video. They were asked to judge whether or not the vehicle would turn. Drivers were better in judging the manoeuvre of approaching vehicles in dynamic than static stimuli, for both vehicle types. Drivers were better in judging the manoeuvre of cars than motorcycles for videos, but not for photographs. Drivers were also better in judging the manoeuvre of approaching vehicles when a valid signal was provided than an invalid signal, demonstrating the importance of providing a valid signal while driving. However, drivers were still somewhat successful in their judgments in most of the conditions with an invalid signal, suggesting that drivers were able to focus on other cues to intention. Finally, given that dynamic stimuli more closely reflect the demands of real-life driving there may be a need for drivers to adopt a more cautious approach while inferring a motorcyclist's intentions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Hallmark, Shauna L; Tyner, Samantha; Oneyear, Nicole; Carney, Cher; McGehee, Dan
2015-09-01
Over half of motor vehicle fatalities are roadway departures, with rural horizontal curves being of particular interest because they make up only a small share of the system mileage but have a crash rate that is significantly higher than tangent sections. However the interaction between the driver and roadway environment is not well understood, and, as a result, it is difficult to select appropriate countermeasures. In order to address this knowledge gap, data from the SHRP 2 naturalistic driving study were used to develop relationships between driver, roadway, and environmental characteristics and risk of a road departure on rural curves. The SHRP 2 NDS collected data from over 3,000 male and female volunteer passenger vehicle drivers, ages 16-98, during a three year period, with most drivers participating between one to two years. A Roadway Information Database was collected in parallel and contains detailed roadway data collected on more than 12,500 centerline miles of highways in and around the study sites. Roadway data were reduced for rural 2-lane curves and included factors such as geometry, shoulder type, presence of rumble strips, etc. Environmental and traffic characteristics, such as time of day, ambient conditions, or whether the subject vehicle was following another vehicle, were reduced from the forward roadway video view. Driver characteristics, such as glance location and distraction were reduced from the driver and over the shoulder videos. Logistic regression models were developed to assess the probability (odds) of a given type of encroachment based on driver, roadway, and environmental characteristics. At the point this study was undertaken, crashes and near crashes were not yet available and only around 1/3 of the full SHRP NDS dataset could be queried. As a result, the likelihood of crossing the right or left lane line (encroachments) and speeding were used as dependent variables. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.
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Exploring inattention and distraction in the SafetyNet Accident Causation Database.
Talbot, Rachel; Fagerlind, Helen; Morris, Andrew
2013-11-01
Distraction and inattention are considered to be very important and prevalent factors in the causation of road accidents. There have been many recent research studies which have attempted to understand the circumstances under which a driver becomes distracted or inattentive and how distraction/inattention can be prevented. Both factors are thought to have become more important in recent times partly due to the evolution of in-vehicle information and communication technology. This study describes a methodology that was developed to understand when factors such as distraction and inattention may have been contributors to crashes and also describes some of the consequences of distraction and inattention in terms of subsequent driver actions. The study uses data relating to distraction and inattention from the SafetyNet Accident Causation Database. This database was formulated as part of the SafetyNet project to address the lack of representative in-depth accident causation data within the European Union. Data were collected in 6 European countries using 'on-scene' and 'nearly on-scene' crash investigation methodologies. 32% of crashes recorded in the database, involved at least one driver, rider or pedestrian, who was determined to be 'Inattentive' or 'Distracted'. 212 of the drivers were assigned 'Distraction' and 140 drivers were given the code 'Inattention'. It was found that both distraction and inattention often lead to missed observations within the driving task and consequently 'Timing' or 'Direction' become critical events in the aetiology of crashes. In addition, the crash types and outcomes may differ according to the type and nature of the distraction and inattention as determined by the in-depth investigations. The development of accident coding methodology is described in this study as is its evolution into the Driver Reliability and Error Analysis Model (DREAM) version 3.0. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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[Spanish drivers' beliefs about speed. Speeding is a major issue of road safety].
Montoro González, Luis; Roca Ruiz, Javier; Lucas-Alba, Antonio
2010-11-01
Extending and updating our knowledge concerning drivers' motivational and cognitive processes is of essential importance if we are to apply policies with long-lasting effects. This study presents data from a representative national survey analyzing the Spanish drivers' beliefs about speed, the risks of speeding, the degree of violation of speed-limits and the reasons for speeding. Results indicate that Spanish drivers rate speeding as a serious offence, yet not among the most dangerous ones. All in all, they claim to comply mostly with the speed limits. However, some interesting violation patterns emerge: observance is lower for generic speed limits according to road type (vs. specific limits shown by certain road signs), and particularly in motorways (vs. single carriageways and urban areas). Risk perception and reasons for speeding emerge as the main factors predicting the levels of speed violations reported. Results suggest that any effective intervention strategy should consider such factors, namely the link between speed, road safety, and drivers' specific reasons for speeding.
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A comparison of soil organic carbon stocks between residential turf grass and native soil
Richard V. Pouyat; Ian D. Yesilonis; Nancy E. Golubiewski
2009-01-01
A central principle in urban ecological theory implies that in urbanized landscapes anthropogenic drivers will dominate natural drivers in the control of soil organic carbon storage (SOC). To assess the effect of urban land-use change on the storage of SOC, we compared SOC stocks of turf grass and native cover types of two metropolitan areas (Baltimore, MD, and Denver...
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Retroreflectivity database study.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2009-07-16
Pavement marking delineation is one method to provide positive driver guidance on all roadway types. There are a variety of pavement markings used by local and state transportation agencies in the United States. The type of pavement marking applied t...
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Braver, Elisa R; Kufera, Joseph A; Alexander, Melvin T; Scerbo, Marge; Volpini, Karen; Lloyd, Joseph P
2008-03-01
US air bag regulations were changed in 1997 to allow tests of unbelted male dummies in vehicles mounted and accelerated on sleds, resulting in longer crash pulses than rigid-barrier crashes. This change facilitated depowering of frontal air bags and was intended to reduce air bag-induced deaths. Controversy ensued as to whether sled-certified air bags could increase adult fatality risk. A matched-pair cohort study of two-vehicle, head-on, fatal collisions between drivers involving first-generation versus sled-certified air bags during 1998-2005 was conducted by using Fatality Analysis Reporting System data. Sled certification was ascertained from public information and a survey of automakers. Conditional Poisson regression for matched-pair cohorts was used to estimate risk ratios adjusted for age, seat belt status, vehicle type, passenger car size, and model year for driver deaths in vehicles with sled-certified air bags versus first-generation air bags. For all passenger-vehicle pairs, the adjusted risk ratio was 0.87 (95% confidence interval: 0.77, 0.98). In head-on collisions involving only passenger cars, the adjusted risk ratio was 1.04 (95% confidence interval: 0.85, 1.29). Increased fatality risk for drivers with sled-certified air bags was not observed. A borderline significant interaction between vehicle type and air bag generation suggested that sled-certified air bags may have reduced the risk of dying in head-on collisions among drivers of pickup trucks.
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Patterson, Richard; Hammoud, Ahmad
2011-01-01
A new commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) gate driver designed to drive both the high-side and the low-side enhancement-mode GaN FETs, National Semiconductor's type LM5113, was evaluated for operation at temperatures beyond its recommended specified limits of -40 C to +125 C. The effects of limited thermal cycling under the extended test temperature, which ranged from -194 C to +150 C, on the operation of this chip as well as restart capability at the extreme cryogenic and hot temperatures were also investigated. The driver circuit was able to maintain good operation throughout the entire test regime between -194 C and +150 C without undergoing any major changes in its outputs signals and characteristics. The limited thermal cycling performed on the device also had no effect on its performance, and the driver chip was able to successfully restart at each of the extreme temperatures of -194 C and +150 C. The plastic packaging of this device was also not affected by either the short extreme temperature exposure or the limited thermal cycling. These preliminary results indicate that this new commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) halfbridge eGaN FET driver integrated circuit has the potential for use in space exploration missions under extreme temperature environments. Further testing is planned under long-term cycling to assess the reliability of these parts and to determine their suitability for extended use in the harsh environments of space.
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The effects of non-evaluative feedback on drivers' self-evaluation and performance.
Dogan, Ebru; Steg, Linda; Delhomme, Patricia; Rothengatter, Talib
2012-03-01
Drivers' tend to overestimate their competences, which may result in risk taking behavior. Providing drivers with feedback has been suggested as one of the solutions to overcome drivers' inaccurate self-evaluations. In practice, many tests and driving simulators provide drivers with non-evaluative feedback, which conveys information on the level of performance but not on what caused the performance. Is this type of feedback indeed effective in reducing self-enhancement biases? The current study aimed to investigate the effect of non-evaluative performance feedback on drivers' self-evaluations using a computerized hazard perception test. A between-subjects design was used with one group receiving feedback on performance in the hazard perception test while the other group not receiving any feedback. The results indicated that drivers had a robust self-enhancement bias in their self-evaluations regardless of the presence of performance feedback and that they systematically estimated their performance to be higher than they actually achieved in the test. Furthermore, they devalued the credibility of the test instead of adjusting their self-evaluations in order to cope with the negative feelings following the failure feedback. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these counterproductive effects of non-evaluative feedback. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Identifying Cancer Driver Genes Using Replication-Incompetent Retroviral Vectors
Bii, Victor M.; Trobridge, Grant D.
2016-01-01
Identifying novel genes that drive tumor metastasis and drug resistance has significant potential to improve patient outcomes. High-throughput sequencing approaches have identified cancer genes, but distinguishing driver genes from passengers remains challenging. Insertional mutagenesis screens using replication-incompetent retroviral vectors have emerged as a powerful tool to identify cancer genes. Unlike replicating retroviruses and transposons, replication-incompetent retroviral vectors lack additional mutagenesis events that can complicate the identification of driver mutations from passenger mutations. They can also be used for almost any human cancer due to the broad tropism of the vectors. Replication-incompetent retroviral vectors have the ability to dysregulate nearby cancer genes via several mechanisms including enhancer-mediated activation of gene promoters. The integrated provirus acts as a unique molecular tag for nearby candidate driver genes which can be rapidly identified using well established methods that utilize next generation sequencing and bioinformatics programs. Recently, retroviral vector screens have been used to efficiently identify candidate driver genes in prostate, breast, liver and pancreatic cancers. Validated driver genes can be potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers. In this review, we describe the emergence of retroviral insertional mutagenesis screens using replication-incompetent retroviral vectors as a novel tool to identify cancer driver genes in different cancer types. PMID:27792127
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Pradhan, A.K.; Pollatsek, A.; Knodler, M.; Fisher, D.L.
2009-01-01
Younger drivers (18–21 years) are over-involved in crashes. Research suggests that one of the reasons for this over-involvement is their failure to scan areas of the roadway for information about potential risks in situations that are hazardous, but not obviously so. The primary objective of the present study is to develop and evaluate a training program that addresses this failure. It was hypothesised that PC-based hazard anticipation training would increase the likelihood that younger drivers would scan for potential hazards on the open road. In order to test this hypothesis, 12 trained and 12 untrained drivers' eye movements were measured as they drove a vehicle on local residential, feeder and arterial roads. Overall, the trained drivers were significantly more likely to gaze at areas of the roadway that contained information relevant to the reduction of risks (64.4%) than were the untrained drivers (37.4%). Significant training effects were observed even in situations on the road that were quite different from those shown in training. These findings have clear implications for the type of training of teen drivers that is necessary in order to increase their anticipation of hazards. PMID:19296315
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Park, Juneyoung; Abdel-Aty, Mohamed; Lee, Jaeyoung
2016-09-01
Although many researchers have estimated the crash modification factors (CMFs) for specific treatments (or countermeasures), there is a lack of prior studies that have explored the variation of CMFs. Thus, the main objectives of this study are: (a) to estimate CMFs for the installation of different types of roadside barriers, and (b) to determine the changes of safety effects for different crash types, severities, and conditions. Two observational before-after analyses (i.e. empirical Bayes (EB) and full Bayes (FB) approaches) were utilized in this study to estimate CMFs. To consider the variation of safety effects based on different vehicle, driver, weather, and time of day information, the crashes were categorized based on vehicle size (passenger and heavy), driver age (young, middle, and old), weather condition (normal and rain), and time difference (day time and night time). The results show that the addition of roadside barriers is safety effective in reducing severe crashes for all types and run-off roadway (ROR) crashes. On the other hand, it was found that roadside barriers tend to increase all types of crashes for all severities. The results indicate that the treatment might increase the total number of crashes but it might be helpful in reducing injury and severe crashes. In this study, the variation of CMFs was determined for ROR crashes based on the different vehicle, driver, weather, and time information. Based on the findings from this study, the variation of CMFs can enhance the reliability of CMFs for different roadway conditions in decision making process. Also, it can be recommended to identify the safety effects of specific treatments for different crash types and severity levels with consideration of the different vehicle, driver, weather, and time of day information. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.
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Dynamic models to analyse the influence of the seat belt in a frontal collision
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Oana, Oţăt; Nicolae, Dumitru; Ilie, Dumitru
2017-10-01
Traffic accidents are influenced by various factors, yet, the highest impacting ones are related to vehicle impact speed and collision type. Also, passive vehicle safety systems play a significant role upon the injuries suffered by vehicle occupants. Under the circumstances, a particularly important aspect to consider when using such systems is the position of the vehicle’s driver and its occupants. In what follows we embark upon an in-depth analysis in order to investigate the contact effects between the seat belt and the driver, under a dynamic regime. We set out to identify the variation of the kinematic and dynamic parameters for both the driver and the seat belt via comparative analyses between the normal position of the driver and some other out of position instances, considered as critical.
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Performance of a 100V Half-Bridge MOSFET Driver, Type MIC4103, Over a Wide Temperature Range
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Patterson, Richard L.; Hammoud, Ahmad
2011-01-01
The operation of a high frequency, high voltage MOSFET (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors) driver was investigated over a wide temperature regime that extended beyond its specified range. The Micrel MIC4103 is a 100V, non-inverting, dual driver that is designed to independently drive both high-side and low-side N-channel MOSFETs. It features fast propagation delay times and can drive 1000 pF load with 10ns rise times and 6 ns fall times [1]. The device consumes very little power, has supply under-voltage protection, and is rated for a -40 C to +125 C junction temperature range. The floating high-side driver of the chip can sustain boost voltages up to 100 V. Table I shows some of the device manufacturer s specification.
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Flombaum, Pedro; Yahdjian, Laura; Sala, Osvaldo E
2017-02-01
Humans are altering global environment at an unprecedented rate through changes in biodiversity, climate, nitrogen cycle, and land use. To address their effects on ecosystem functioning, experiments most frequently explore one driver at a time and control as many confounding factors as possible. Yet, which driver exerts the largest influence on ecosystem functioning and whether their relative importance changes among systems remain unclear. We analyzed experiments in the Patagonian steppe that evaluated the aboveground net primary production (ANPP) response to manipulated gradients of species richness, precipitation, temperature, nitrogen fertilization (N), and grazing intensity. We compared the effect on ANPP relative to ambient conditions considering intensity and direction of manipulations for each driver. The ranking of responses to drivers with comparable manipulation intensity was as follows: biodiversity>grazing>precipitation>N. For a similar intensity of manipulation, the effect of biodiversity loss was 4.0, 3.6, and 1.5, times larger than N deposition, decreased precipitation, and increased grazing intensity. We interpreted our results considering two hypotheses. First, the response of ANPP to changes in precipitation and biodiversity is saturating, so we expected larger effects when the driver was reduced, relative to ambient conditions, than when it was increased. Experimental manipulations that reduced ambient levels had larger effects than those that increased them. Second, the sensitivity of ANPP to each driver is inversely related to the natural variability of the driver. In Patagonia, the ranking of natural variability of drivers is as follows: precipitation>grazing>temperature>biodiversity>N. So, in general, the ecosystem was most sensitive to drivers that varied the least. Comparable results from Cedar Creek (MN) support both hypotheses and suggest that sensitivity to drivers varies among ecosystem types. Given the importance of understanding ecosystem sensitivity to predict global-change impacts, it is necessary to design new experiments located in regions with contrasting natural variability and that include the full range of drivers. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Chen, Cong; Zhang, Guohui; Huang, Helai; Wang, Jiangfeng; Tarefder, Rafiqul A
2016-11-01
Rural non-interstate crashes induce a significant amount of severe injuries and fatalities. Examination of such injury patterns and the associated contributing factors is of practical importance. Taking into account the ordinal nature of injury severity levels and the hierarchical feature of crash data, this study employs a hierarchical ordered logit model to examine the significant factors in predicting driver injury severities in rural non-interstate crashes based on two-year New Mexico crash records. Bayesian inference is utilized in model estimation procedure and 95% Bayesian Credible Interval (BCI) is applied to testing variable significance. An ordinary ordered logit model omitting the between-crash variance effect is evaluated as well for model performance comparison. Results indicate that the model employed in this study outperforms ordinary ordered logit model in model fit and parameter estimation. Variables regarding crash features, environment conditions, and driver and vehicle characteristics are found to have significant influence on the predictions of driver injury severities in rural non-interstate crashes. Factors such as road segments far from intersection, wet road surface condition, collision with animals, heavy vehicle drivers, male drivers and driver seatbelt used tend to induce less severe driver injury outcomes than the factors such as multiple-vehicle crashes, severe vehicle damage in a crash, motorcyclists, females, senior drivers, driver with alcohol or drug impairment, and other major collision types. Research limitations regarding crash data and model assumptions are also discussed. Overall, this research provides reasonable results and insight in developing effective road safety measures for crash injury severity reduction and prevention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Fell, James C; Tippetts, Scott; Voas, Robert
2010-10-01
Are drivers arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) most likely to be the drinking drivers who are involved in fatal and serious injury crashes? This study determined the drinking characteristics of drivers arrested for DWI or driving under the influence (DUI) and the proportion classified as problem drinkers and hardcore drinking drivers in two police jurisdictions. In addition to determining the drinking characteristics of DWI arrestees, the results were compared to the drinking characteristics of intoxicated drivers killed in traffic crashes. Police officers gathered data at the time of arrest from 1027 drivers apprehended for DWI or DUI in the two communities on their alcohol consumption, their drinking-and-driving frequency, their self-reported alcohol problems, their place of drinking and types of drinks before the arrest, and their perceptions of impaired-driving enforcement intensity. Data analyses indicated that 52 percent of the arrested DWI offenders were considered problem drinkers, 46 percent were repeat offenders, 57 percent were classified as hardcore drinking drivers, 51 percent were drinking at a bar or restaurant before their arrest, and 72 percent were drinking beer before their arrest. Compared to highly intoxicated (blood alcohol concentration [BAC] ≥.15) drivers killed in traffic crashes, the high-BAC arrestees were substantially more likely to be problem drinkers and to report drinking and driving more often. The limited resources available for combating impaired driving should not be solely allocated to problem drinkers, hardcore drinkers, or repeat offenders because, at most, they constitute only about half of the impaired-driving problem in the United States. General deterrent strategies have the best chance of impacting the total population of at-risk drinking drivers.
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Stephen, Peter; Mahalakshmy, Thulasingam; Manju, Rajaram; Laksham, Karthik B; Subramani, Sudalai; Panda, Kanhu; Sarkar, Sonali
2018-01-01
Auto-rickshaw (three wheelers open cabin type of vehicle) drivers are exposed to traffic air pollution. Studies have demonstrated reduced pulmonary function among drivers. However, limited studies have determined the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among drivers. Among auto-rickshaw drivers of urban Puducherry to determine prevalence of (i) chronic respiratory symptoms by using Indian Study on Epidemiology of Asthma, Respiratory Symptoms, and Chronic Bronchitis (INSEARCH) questionnaire and (ii) COPD by measuring peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Cluster random sampling was used to select 297 auto-rickshaw drivers. Subjects were interviewed using the INSEARCH questionnaire. PEFR was measured using Wright's peak flow meter. We also assessed exposure to tobacco smoke. Prevalence and 95% confidence interval of chronic respiratory symptoms and COPD were calculated. All the auto-rickshaw drivers were male, and 75% were in the age group of 31-50 years. They spend most of the time on the roadside either driving or waiting at the auto-stand. Prevalence of nonspecific respiratory symptoms among auto-rickshaw drivers was 76% (breathlessness on exertion 68%, cough at night and phlegm in the morning 22%, wheezing 18% assessed for last 12 months). Around 28% of them had PEFR <80%. The prevalence of tobacco smoking was also high (64%), and 100% had exposure to tobacco smoke at the workplace. The nonspecific chronic symptoms were high among auto-rickshaw drivers as compared to the general population noted from a multicentric study done in India. We recommend that auto-rickshaw drivers should use personal protective equipment and would require regular screening and treatment for respiratory impairment.
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Bunn, T; Singleton, M; Nicholson, V; Slavova, S
2013-01-01
Prescription drug overdoses, abuse, and sales have increased dramatically in the United States in the last decade. The purpose of the present study was to link crash data with emergency department (ED) and inpatient hospitalization data to assess the concordance between the data sets in the identification of the presence of drugs among injured motor vehicle drivers (passenger cars, passenger trucks, light trucks, and semi-trucks) in Kentucky. Kentucky CRASH data were probabilistically linked to ED data sets for years 2008-2010 and to inpatient hospitalization data sets for years 2000-2010. Statistical analyses were performed. Of the 72,529 linked crash/ED visits, there were 473 drivers with an associated nondependent abuse of drugs diagnosis in the ED, and 930 drivers had drug involvement recorded in the CRASH data (only 163 cases overlapped with drug involvement both recorded in CRASH data and coded as nondependent abuse of drugs in the ED); 64 drivers had multiple drug types present in their system. Of the 20,860 total linked crash/inpatient hospitalization cases, there were 973 drivers diagnosed with nondependent abuse of drugs in the inpatient hospitalization record and 499 drivers had drug involvement recorded in the CRASH data (only 207 overlapped); 250 drivers were diagnosed with multiple drugs in their system. Surveillance data from multiple public health data sets is necessary to identify the presence of drugs in injured drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes. The use of a single surveillance data set alone may significantly underreport the number of drugged drivers who were injured in a motor vehicle collision.
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Pulido, José; Barrio, Gregorio; Hoyos, Juan; Jiménez-Mejías, Eladio; Martín-Rodríguez, María Del Mar; Houwing, Sjoerd; Lardelli-Claret, Pablo
2016-09-01
Part of the differences by age and gender in driver death rates from traffic injuries depends on the amount of exposure (km/year travelled). Unfortunately, direct indicators of exposure are not available in many countries. Our aim was to compare the age and gender differences in death rates with and without adjustment by exposure using a quasi-induced exposure approach in Spain, during 2004-2012. Crude and adjusted death rate ratios (CDRR and ADRR, respectively) were calculated for each age and gender group. To obtain the latter estimates, in accordance with quasi-exposure reasoning, the number of registered drivers was replaced by the number of non-infractor drivers, passively involved in collisions with another vehicle whose driver committed an infraction. 18-29 years and female drivers were chosen as the reference categories for age and gender. Striking differences were found between CDRR and ADRR estimates. When CDRR were estimated, we found the highest traffic mortality among the youngest drivers, except for females in non-urban roads. ADRR however showed the highest mortality among the oldest groups, especially in females, peaking among drivers >74 years in all types of roads. Regarding differences by gender, both estimates revealed higher traffic mortality in males, although the differences were much smaller when using ADRR. CDRR and ADRR for males tended to converge as age increased. Death risk from traffic injuries among drivers is clearly influenced by the amount of exposure. These findings further emphasize the need to obtain direct traffic exposure estimates by subgroups of drivers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Taubman-Ben-Ari, Orit; Musicant, Oren; Lotan, Tsippy; Farah, Haneen
2014-11-01
One of the prominent issues in contemporary research on young drivers deals with the mechanisms underlying parents' influences on their offspring's driving behavior. The present study combines two sets of data: the first gathered from in-vehicle data recorders tracking the driving of parents and their teenage sons, and the second derived from self-report questionnaires completed by the young drivers. The aim was to evaluate the contribution of parents' driving behavior, participation in a parent-targeted intervention, and the teen drivers' perception of the family climate for road safety, to the driving behavior of young drivers during solo driving. The data was collected over the course of 12 months, beginning with the licensure of the teen driver, and examined a sample of 166 families who were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups (receiving different forms of feedback) or a control group (with no feedback). Findings indicate that young male drivers' risky driving events rate was positively associated with that of their parents. In addition, any type of intervention led to a lower rate of risky driving events among young drivers compared to the control group. Finally, a higher perception of parents as not committed to safety and lower perceived parental monitoring were related to a higher risky driving events rate among young drivers. The results highlight the need to consider a complex set of antecedents in parents' attitudes and behavior, as well as the family's safety atmosphere, in order to better understand young drivers' risky driving. The practical implications refer to the effective use of the family as a lever in the attempt to promote safety awareness among young drivers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Prevalence and characteristics of road traffic injuries among young drivers in Oman, 2009-2011.
Al Reesi, Hamed; Al Maniri, Abdullah; Adawi, Samir Al; Davey, Jeremy; Armstrong, Kerry; Edwards, Jason
2016-07-03
Studies from different parts of the world have indicated that the impact of road traffic incidents disproportionally affects young adults. Few known studies have been forthcoming from Arabian Gulf countries. Within Oman, a high proportion of the population is under the age of 20. Coupled with the drastic increase in motorization in recent years, there is a need to understand the state of road safety among young people in Oman. The current research aimed to explore the prevalence and characteristics of road traffic injuries among young drivers aged 17-25 years. Crash data from 2009 to 2011 were extracted from the Directorate General of Traffic, Royal Oman Police (ROP) database in Oman. The data were analyzed to explore the impact of road crashes on young people (17-25 years), the characteristics of young driver crashes, and how these differ from older drivers and to identify key predictors of fatalities in young driver crashes. Overall, young people were overrepresented in injuries and fatalities within the sample time period. Though it is true that many young people in crashes were driving at the time, it was also evident that young people were often victims in a crash caused by someone else. Thus, to reduce the impact of road crashes on young people, there is a need to generally address road safety within Oman. When young drivers were involved in crashes they were predominantly male. The types of crashes these drivers have can be broadly attributed to risk taking and inexperience. Speeding and nighttime driving were the key risk factors for fatalities. The results highlight the need to address young driver safety in Oman. From these findings, the introduction of a graduated driver licensing system with nighttime driving restrictions could significantly improve young driver safety.
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Stephen, Peter; Mahalakshmy, Thulasingam; Manju, Rajaram; Laksham, Karthik B.; Subramani, Sudalai; Panda, Kanhu; Sarkar, Sonali
2018-01-01
Context: Auto-rickshaw (three wheelers open cabin type of vehicle) drivers are exposed to traffic air pollution. Studies have demonstrated reduced pulmonary function among drivers. However, limited studies have determined the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among drivers. Aims: Among auto-rickshaw drivers of urban Puducherry to determine prevalence of (i) chronic respiratory symptoms by using Indian Study on Epidemiology of Asthma, Respiratory Symptoms, and Chronic Bronchitis (INSEARCH) questionnaire and (ii) COPD by measuring peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). Setting and Designs: Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Subjects and Methods: Cluster random sampling was used to select 297 auto-rickshaw drivers. Subjects were interviewed using the INSEARCH questionnaire. PEFR was measured using Wright's peak flow meter. We also assessed exposure to tobacco smoke. Statistical Analysis Used: Prevalence and 95% confidence interval of chronic respiratory symptoms and COPD were calculated. Results: All the auto-rickshaw drivers were male, and 75% were in the age group of 31–50 years. They spend most of the time on the roadside either driving or waiting at the auto-stand. Prevalence of nonspecific respiratory symptoms among auto-rickshaw drivers was 76% (breathlessness on exertion 68%, cough at night and phlegm in the morning 22%, wheezing 18% assessed for last 12 months). Around 28% of them had PEFR <80%. The prevalence of tobacco smoking was also high (64%), and 100% had exposure to tobacco smoke at the workplace. Conclusion: The nonspecific chronic symptoms were high among auto-rickshaw drivers as compared to the general population noted from a multicentric study done in India. We recommend that auto-rickshaw drivers should use personal protective equipment and would require regular screening and treatment for respiratory impairment. PMID:29743784
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
1981-01-01
Design requirements for photovoltaic modules and arrays used in commercial and industrial applications were identified. Building codes and referenced standards were reviewed for their applicability to commercial and industrial photovoltaic array installation. Four general installation types were identified - integral (replaces roofing), direct (mounted on top of roofing), stand-off (mounted away from roofing), and rack (for flat or low slope roofs, or ground mounted). Each of the generic mounting types can be used in vertical wall mounting systems. This implies eight mounting types exist in the commercial/industrial sector. Installation costs were developed for these mounting types as a function of panel/module size. Cost drivers were identified. Studies were performed to identify optimum module shapes and sizes and operating voltage cost drivers. The general conclusion is that there are no perceived major obstacles to the use of photovoltaic modules in commercial/industrial arrays.
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Vranish, John M. (Inventor)
1993-01-01
A split spline screw type payload fastener assembly, including three identical male and female type split spline sections, is discussed. The male spline sections are formed on the head of a male type spline driver. Each of the split male type spline sections has an outwardly projecting load baring segment including a convex upper surface which is adapted to engage a complementary concave surface of a female spline receptor in the form of a hollow bolt head. Additionally, the male spline section also includes a horizontal spline releasing segment and a spline tightening segment below each load bearing segment. The spline tightening segment consists of a vertical web of constant thickness. The web has at least one flat vertical wall surface which is designed to contact a generally flat vertically extending wall surface tab of the bolt head. Mutual interlocking and unlocking of the male and female splines results upon clockwise and counter clockwise turning of the driver element.
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Driver dependent factors and the risk of causing a collision for two wheeled motor vehicles
Lardelli-Claret, P; Jimenez-Moleon, J; de Dios, Luna-del-... J; Garcia-Martin, M; Bueno-Cavanillas, A; Galvez-Vargas, R
2005-01-01
Objective: To assess the effect of driver dependent factors on the risk of causing a collision for two wheeled motor vehicles (TWMVs). Design: Case control study. Setting: Spain, from 1993 to 2002. Subjects: All drivers of TWMVs involved in the 181 551 collisions between two vehicles recorded in the Spanish registry which did not involve pedestrians, and in which at least one of the vehicles was a TWMV and only one driver had committed a driving infraction. The infractor and non-infractor drivers constituted the case and control groups, respectively. Main outcome measures: Logistic regression analyses were used to obtain crude and adjusted odds ratio estimates for each of the driver related factors recorded in the registry (age, sex, nationality, psychophysical factors, and speeding infractions, among others). Results: Inappropriate speed was the variable with the greatest influence on the risk of causing a collision, followed by excessive speed and driving under the influence of alcohol. Younger and older drivers, foreign drivers, and driving without a valid license were also associated with a higher risk of causing a collision. In contrast, helmet use, female sex, and longer time in possession of a driving license were associated with a lower risk. Conclusions: Although the main driver dependent factors related to the risk of causing a collision for a TWMV were similar to those documented for four wheeled vehicles, several differences in the pattern of associations support the need to study moped and motorcycle crashes separately from crashes involving other types of vehicles. PMID:16081752
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Split-shift work in relation to stress, health and psychosocial work factors among bus drivers.
Ihlström, Jonas; Kecklund, Göran; Anund, Anna
2017-01-01
Shift work has been associated with poor health, sleep and fatigue problems and low satisfaction with working hours. However, one type of shift working, namely split shifts, have received little attention. This study examined stress, health and psychosocial aspects of split-shift schedules among bus drivers in urban transport. A questionnaire was distributed to drivers working more than 70% of full time which 235 drivers in total answered. In general, drivers working split-shift schedules (n = 146) did not differ from drivers not working such shifts (n = 83) as regards any of the outcome variables that were studied. However, when individual perceptions towards split-shift schedules were taken into account, a different picture appeared. Bus drivers who reported problems working split shifts (36%) reported poorer health, higher perceived stress, working hours interfering with social life, lower sleep quality, more persistent fatigue and lower general work satisfaction than those who did not view split shifts as a problem. Moreover, drivers who reported problems with split shifts also perceived lower possibilities to influence working hours, indicating lower work time control. This study indicates that split shifts were not associated with increased stress, poorer health and adverse psychosocial work factors for the entire study sample. However, the results showed that individual differences were important and approximately one third of the drivers reported problems with split shifts, which in turn was associated with stress, poor health and negative psychosocial work conditions. More research is needed to understand the individual and organizational determinants of tolerance to split shifts.
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Mallia, Luca; Lazuras, Lambros; Violani, Cristiano; Lucidi, Fabio
2015-06-01
Several studies have shown that personality traits and attitudes toward traffic safety predict aberrant driving behaviors and crash involvement. However, this process has not been adequately investigated in professional drivers, such as bus drivers. The present study used a personality-attitudes model to assess whether personality traits predicted aberrant self-reported driving behaviors (driving violations, lapses, and errors) both directly and indirectly, through the effects of attitudes towards traffic safety in a large sample of bus drivers. Additionally, the relationship between aberrant self-reported driving behaviors and crash risk was also assessed. Three hundred and one bus drivers (mean age=39.1, SD=10.7 years) completed a structured and anonymous questionnaire measuring personality traits, attitudes toward traffic safety, self-reported aberrant driving behaviors (i.e., errors, lapses, and traffic violations), and accident risk in the last 12 months. Structural equation modeling analysis revealed that personality traits were associated to aberrant driving behaviors both directly and indirectly. In particular altruism, excitement seeking, and normlessness directly predicted bus drivers' attitudes toward traffic safety which, in turn, were negatively associated with the three types of self-reported aberrant driving behaviors. Personality traits relevant to emotionality directly predicted bus drivers' aberrant driving behaviors, without any mediation of attitudes. Finally, only self-reported violations were related to bus drivers' accident risk. The present findings suggest that the hypothesized personality-attitudes model accounts for aberrant driving behaviors in bus drivers, and provide the empirical basis for evidence-based road safety interventions in the context of public transport. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Study on mobile phone use while driving in a sample of Iranian drivers.
Arvin, Ramin; Khademi, Mostafa; Razi-Ardakani, Hesamoddin
2017-06-01
The use of cell phone is a significant source of driver distraction. Phone use while driving can impair a number of factors critical for safe driving which can cause serious traffic safety problems. The objective of this paper was to investigate the frequency of using cell phones while driving in Iran's roads through an observational survey with a random sample of drivers, to recognize contributing factors to cell phone usage and to understand the magnitude of the problem. A total of 1794 observations were collected from 12 sites at controlled intersections, entrance and exit points of highways. The cell phone use rate among drivers (talking or texting) was estimated at 10% which is significantly higher than that in other countries such as Australia, USA and Canada. Rate of cell phone use among younger drivers (14.15%) was higher in comparison with other groups. In order to identify factors affecting cell phone use while driving, a binary logit model is estimated. Variables which significantly contribute to the rate of using cell phone were found to be the age of driver, number of passengers, presence of kids under the age of 8, time of observation, vehicle price and type of car.
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Risk of Alcohol-Impaired Driving Recidivism Among First Offenders and Multiple Offenders
Zador, Paul L.; Ahlin, Eileen M.; Howard, Jan M.; Frissell, Kevin C.; Duncan, G. Doug
2010-01-01
Objectives. We sought to determine the statewide impact of having prior alcohol-impaired driving violations of any type on the rate of first occurrence or recidivism among drivers with 0, 1, 2, or 3 or more prior violations in Maryland. Methods. We analyzed more than 100 million driver records from 1973 to 2004 and classified all Maryland drivers into 4 groups: those with 0, 1, 2, or 3 or more prior violations. The violation rates for approximately 21 million drivers in these 4 groups were compared for the study period 1999 to 2004. Results. On average, there were 3.4, 24.3, 35.9, and 50.8 violations per 1000 drivers a year among those with 0, 1, 2, or 3 or more priors, respectively. The relative risks for men compared with women among these groups of drivers were 3.8, 1.2, 1.0, and 1.0, respectively. Conclusions. The recidivism rate among first offenders more closely resembles that of second offenders than of nonoffenders. Men and women are at equal risk of recidivating once they have had a first violation documented. Any alcohol-impaired driving violation, not just convictions, is a marker for future recidivism. PMID:19846687
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Measuring driver responses at railway level crossings.
Tey, Li-Sian; Ferreira, Luis; Wallace, Angela
2011-11-01
Railway level crossings are amongst the most complex of road safety control systems, due to the conflicts between road vehicles and rail infrastructure, trains and train operations. Driver behaviour at railway crossings is the major collision factor. The main objective of the present paper was to evaluate the existing conventional warning devices in relation to driver behaviour. The common conventional warning devices in Australia are a stop sign (passive), flashing lights and a half boom-barrier with flashing lights (active). The data were collected using two approaches, namely: field video recordings at selected sites and a driving simulator in a laboratory. This paper describes and compares the driver response results from both the field survey and the driving simulator. The conclusion drawn is that different types of warning systems resulted in varying driver responses at crossings. The results showed that on average driver responses to passive crossings were poor when compared to active ones. The field results were consistent with the simulator results for the existing conventional warning devices and hence they may be used to calibrate the simulator for further evaluation of alternative warning systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Improving graduated driver licensing systems: a conceptual approach and its implications.
Foss, Robert D
2007-01-01
Graduated driver licensing (GDL) is a concept for how to transform non-drivers into reasonably safe drivers while minimizing the risks as they learn. Several state GDL programs can be improved by moving their structures closer to an adequate implementation of that concept. The learner stage of a GDL system needs to be long enough for beginners to obtain a thorough introduction to the vagaries of driving. The second or intermediate stage needs to effectively limit exposure to known high risk conditions as novices adapt to being fully in charge of the vehicle. The benefits of GDL to date are due almost entirely to the risk-reducing conditions it implements. To improve the functioning of GDL will probably require a better understanding of teen driving than we presently have. The likelihood of further gains will be enhanced by efforts to learn more about the actual causes of teen crashes, the nature and type of teen driver exposures, and what parents do with their teens during the supervised driving stage of GDL. Without a better understanding of these, and other, phenomena it will be difficult to further reduce crashes among young beginning drivers, whether through GDL enhancements or with other approaches.
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Pan-cancer transcriptomic analysis associates long non-coding RNAs with key mutational driver events
Ashouri, Arghavan; Sayin, Volkan I.; Van den Eynden, Jimmy; Singh, Simranjit X.; Papagiannakopoulos, Thales; Larsson, Erik
2016-01-01
Thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) lie interspersed with coding genes across the genome, and a small subset has been implicated as downstream effectors in oncogenic pathways. Here we make use of transcriptome and exome sequencing data from thousands of tumours across 19 cancer types, to identify lncRNAs that are induced or repressed in relation to somatic mutations in key oncogenic driver genes. Our screen confirms known coding and non-coding effectors and also associates many new lncRNAs to relevant pathways. The associations are often highly reproducible across cancer types, and while many lncRNAs are co-expressed with their protein-coding hosts or neighbours, some are intergenic and independent. We highlight lncRNAs with possible functions downstream of the tumour suppressor TP53 and the master antioxidant transcription factor NFE2L2. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of lncRNA transcriptional alterations in relation to key driver mutational events in human cancers. PMID:28959951
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Graduated driver licensing for reducing motor vehicle crashes among young drivers.
Russell, Kelly F; Vandermeer, Ben; Hartling, Lisa
2011-10-05
Graduated driver licensing (GDL) has been proposed as a means of reducing crash rates among novice drivers by gradually introducing them to higher risk driving situations. To examine the effectiveness of GDL in reducing crash rates among young drivers. Studies were identified through searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Healthstar, Web of Science, NTIS Bibliographic Database, TRIS Online, SIGLE, the World Wide Web, conference proceedings, consultation with experts and reference lists in relevant published literature. The searches were conducted from the time of inception to May 2009, and the Cochrane Injuries Group conducted an updated search of the TRANSPORT database in September 2009. Studies were included if: 1) they compared outcomes pre- and post-implementation of a GDL program within the same jurisdiction, 2) comparisons were made between jurisdictions with and without GDL, or 3) both. Studies had to report at least one objective, quantified outcome. Results were not pooled due to substantial heterogeneity. Percentage change was calculated for each year after the intervention, using one year prior to the intervention as baseline. Results were adjusted by internal controls. Analyses were stratified by denominators (population, licensed drivers). Results were calculated for the different crash types and presented for 16 year-olds alone as well as all teenage drivers. We included 34 studies evaluating 21 GDL programs and 2 analyses of >40 US states. GDL programs were implemented in the US (n=16), Canada (n=3), New Zealand (n=1), and Australia (n=1) and varied in their restrictions during the intermediate stage. Based on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) classification, eleven programs were good, four were fair, five were marginal, one was poor and two could not be assessed. Reductions in crash rates were seen in all jurisdictions and for all crash types. Among 16 year-old drivers, the median decrease in per population adjusted overall crash rates during the first year was 15.5% (range -27 to -8%, five studies). There was a decrease in per population adjusted injury crash rates (median -21%, range -46 to -2%, five studies). Results for all teenage drivers, rates per licensed driver, and rates adjusting for internal controls were generally reduced when comparing within jurisdictions. GDL is effective in reducing crash rates among young drivers, although the magnitude of the effect varies. The conclusions are supported by consistent findings, temporal relationship, and plausibility of the association. Stronger GDL programs (i.e. more restrictions or higher quality based on IIHS classification) appear to result in greater fatality reduction. Future studies should focus on which components and combination of components yield the greatest reductions.
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Weight and volume variation in truckloads of logs hauled in the central Appalachians
Floyd G. Timson
1974-01-01
Variation in volume and weight was found among loaded log trucks even when such factors as truck type, logging job, and driver influence were eliminated. A load range of 10,000 pounds or 1,000 board feet was commonplace for the same truck, driver, and cutting site. Differences in log size, shape, weight, and species caused a major share of this variation. Yet,...
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Whiplash-type neck distortion in restrained car drivers: frequency, causes and long-term results.
Richter, M; Otte, D; Pohlemann, T; Krettek, C; Blauth, M
2000-04-01
An analysis was made of 1176 whiplash-type neck distortions taken from a total of 3838 restrained car driver incident reports. The percentage of whiplash-type neck distortion among injured drivers increased from less than 10% in 1985 to over 30% in 1997. Most occurred in head-on crashes or crashes with multiple collisions; only 15% occurred in rear-end collisions. More than 1,000 questionnaires were sent to the injured to find out about the duration and type of complaints caused by their cervical spine injury. Although only 138 (12%) returned the questionnaire, which may not be a representative sample, a further analysis was carried out. Of the 138, 121 (88%) indicated that they had suffered or were still suffering from their symptoms. The percentages of the various complaints were as follows: pain (74%), tension (6%) and stiffness (5%) in the head (27%), neck (55%) and shoulder (8%). The duration of the complaints was longest after multiple collisions and when the onset of complaints was longer than 24 h after trauma. Women and elderly persons predominated slightly in the group with longer duration of complaints. A correlation between the severity of the accompanying injuries and duration of complaints was found. Lack of adequate follow-up for patients with less severe injuries posed considerable difficulties for this retrospective study. In order to better evaluate this problem, prospective studies are necessary, with documentation including diagnosis, treatments, complaint duration and type.
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Reducing crashes and injuries among young drivers: what kind of prevention should we be focusing on?
Berg, H‐Y
2006-01-01
Every year, drivers throughout the world are killed or injured in road traffic. Young drivers run a greater risk everywhere, and this problem is still largely unsolved. Better understanding of the underlying processes could, however, be a useful tool in preventive endeavours. To change a young driver's goals behind driving and the context in which it is done, a variety of different methods of persuasion should be tested. Both “soft” and “hard” methods should be used. For example, communication and increased enforcement may be used simultaneously. Communication campaigns should highlight the dangers of unsafe behaviour and in particular target young males. Communication campaigns that employ persuasive, emotional messages are most effective where young drivers are concerned. Research shows that attitudes about safety are formed at an early age, long before legal driving, and therefore it would also be important to target young adolescents. Laws need enforcement to be effective and should target areas of particular risk to young drivers. Driver education or communication campaigns cannot be expected to radically change a young person's life goals. For that purpose, active learning methods that make use of the learner's own experiences have to be applied. Special courses for young drivers designed to make individuals conscious of their personal tendencies and the type of social context that affects their driving behaviour could be helpful, whether offered via the ordinary school system or at driving schools. PMID:16788106
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Seat belt and child seat use in Lipetskaya Oblast, Russia: frequencies, attitudes, and perceptions.
Ma, Sai; Tran, Nhan; Klyavin, Vladimir E; Zambon, Francesco; Hatcher, Kristin W; Hyder, Adnan A
2012-01-01
Despite the importance of understanding seat belt use patterns among drivers and passengers for the purpose of direct interventions or monitoring improvements, no study has described wearing rates for all seat positions in Russia. This study describes observed seat belt use and knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of seat belt use in Lipetskaya Oblast, Russia. An observational study on the use of seat belts and child restraints in the Lipetskaya region conducted during October 2010 collected data in 6 districts and on 3 different road types. A roadside survey gathered information on knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions toward the use of seat belts from randomly selected drivers. Frequencies of seat belt use by seat position, gender, and road type were calculated. A multivariable logit model disclosed the associations between seat belt use and sociodemographic factors. The study design permitted comparison of observed seat belt use to self-reported seat belt use. A total of 25,795 vehicles and 39,833 drivers and passengers contributed observations. Overall, 55 percent of drivers were observed to be using seat belts. More than half (58%) of front seat passengers wore seat belts and only 9 percent of back seat passengers were observed to be wearing seat belts; 11 percent of cars with children had any type of child safety measure. Drivers on urban roads were less likely to wear seat belts compared to those on main highways and rural roads. Nearly 60 percent of survey respondents mentioned "seat belts save lives," and more than half mentioned law requirements and fines. Although the observed seat belt use in Lipetskaya Oblast is much higher than previous estimates in Russia, overall wearing rates remain far from universal. Rear seat passengers and children are particularly at risk. Because combined education and enforcement has proven to be effective elsewhere, such interventions are needed to improve seat belt use.
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Cox, Jolene A; Beanland, Vanessa; Filtness, Ashleigh J
2017-10-03
The ability to detect changing visual information is a vital component of safe driving. In addition to detecting changing visual information, drivers must also interpret its relevance to safety. Environmental changes considered to have high safety relevance will likely demand greater attention and more timely responses than those considered to have lower safety relevance. The aim of this study was to explore factors that are likely to influence perceptions of risk and safety regarding changing visual information in the driving environment. Factors explored were the environment in which the change occurs (i.e., urban vs. rural), the type of object that changes, and the driver's age, experience, and risk sensitivity. Sixty-three licensed drivers aged 18-70 years completed a hazard rating task, which required them to rate the perceived hazardousness of changing specific elements within urban and rural driving environments. Three attributes of potential hazards were systematically manipulated: the environment (urban, rural); the type of object changed (road sign, car, motorcycle, pedestrian, traffic light, animal, tree); and its inherent safety risk (low risk, high risk). Inherent safety risk was manipulated by either varying the object's placement, on/near or away from the road, or altering an infrastructure element that would require a change to driver behavior. Participants also completed two driving-related risk perception tasks, rating their relative crash risk and perceived risk of aberrant driving behaviors. Driver age was not significantly associated with hazard ratings, but individual differences in perceived risk of aberrant driving behaviors predicted hazard ratings, suggesting that general driving-related risk sensitivity plays a strong role in safety perception. In both urban and rural scenes, there were significant associations between hazard ratings and inherent safety risk, with low-risk changes perceived as consistently less hazardous than high-risk impact changes; however, the effect was larger for urban environments. There were also effects of object type, with certain objects rated as consistently more safety relevant. In urban scenes, changes involving pedestrians were rated significantly more hazardous than all other objects, and in rural scenes, changes involving animals were rated as significantly more hazardous. Notably, hazard ratings were found to be higher in urban compared with rural driving environments, even when changes were matched between environments. This study demonstrates that drivers perceive rural roads as less risky than urban roads, even when similar scenarios occur in both environments. Age did not affect hazard ratings. Instead, the findings suggest that the assessment of risk posed by hazards is influenced more by individual differences in risk sensitivity. This highlights the need for driver education to account for appraisal of hazards' risk and relevance, in addition to hazard detection, when considering factors that promote road safety.
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Tobin, Rebecca L; Kulmatiski, Andrew
2018-01-01
Our goal was to describe stomatal conductance (gs) and the site-scale environmental parameters that best predict gs in Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. Dominant grass and woody species were measured over two growing seasons in each of four study sites that represented the natural factorial combination of mean annual precipitation [wet (750 mm) or dry (450 mm)] and soil type (clay or sand) found in KNP. A machine-learning (random forest) model was used to describe gs as a function of plant type (species or functional group) and site-level environmental parameters (CO2, season, shortwave radiation, soil type, soil moisture, time of day, vapor pressure deficit and wind speed). The model explained 58% of the variance among 6,850 gs measurements. Species, or plant functional group, and shallow (0-20 cm) soil moisture had the greatest effect on gs. Atmospheric drivers and soil type were less important. When parameterized with three years of observed environmental data, the model estimated mean daytime growing season gs as 68 and 157 mmol m-2 sec-1 for grasses and woody plants, respectively. The model produced here could, for example, be used to estimate gs and evapotranspiration in KNP under varying climate conditions. Results from this field-based study highlight the role of species identity and shallow soil moisture as primary drivers of gs in savanna ecosystems of KNP.
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Prevalence of driver physical factors leading to unintentional lane departure crashes.
Cicchino, Jessica B; Zuby, David S
2017-07-04
Some lane-keeping assist systems in development and production provide autonomous braking and steering to correct unintentional lane drift but otherwise require drivers to fully control their vehicles. The goal of this study was to quantify the proportion of drivers involved in unintentional lane drift crashes who would be unable to regain control of their vehicles to inform the design of such systems. The NHTSA's National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey collected in-depth, on-scene data for a nationally representative sample of 5,470 U.S. police-reported passenger vehicle crashes during 2005-2007 that occurred between 6 a.m. and midnight and for which emergency medical services were dispatched. The physical states of drivers involved in the 631 lane drift crashes in the sample, which represented 259,034 crashes nationally, were characterized. Thirty-four percent of drivers who crashed because they drifted from their lanes were sleeping or otherwise incapacitated. These drivers would be unlikely to regain full control of their vehicles if an active safety system prevented their initial drift. An additional 13% of these drivers had a nonincapacitating medical issue, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) ≥ 0.08%, or other physical factor that may not allow them to regain full vehicle control. When crashes involved serious or fatal injuries, 42% of drivers who drifted were sleeping or otherwise incapacitated, and an additional 14% were impacted by a nonincapacitating medical issue, BAC ≥ 0.08%, or other physical factor. Designers of active safety systems that provide autonomous lateral control should consider that a substantial proportion of drivers at risk of lane drift crashes are incapacitated. Systems that provide only transient corrective action may not ultimately prevent lane departure crashes for these drivers, and drivers who do avoid lane drift crashes because of these systems may be at high risk of other types of crashes when they attempt to regain control. Active lane-keeping assist systems may need to be combined with in-vehicle driver monitoring to identify incapacitated drivers and safely remove them from the roadway if the systems are to reach their maximum potential benefit.
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Self-assembly of tissue spheroids on polymeric membranes.
Messina, Antonietta; Morelli, Sabrina; Forgacs, Gabor; Barbieri, Giuseppe; Drioli, Enrico; De Bartolo, Loredana
2017-07-01
In this study, multicellular tissue spheroids were fabricated on polymeric membranes in order to accelerate the fusion process and tissue formation. To this purpose, tissue spheroids composed of three different cell types, myoblasts, fibroblasts and neural cells, were formed and cultured on agarose and membranes of polycaprolactone (PCL) and chitosan (CHT). Membranes prepared by a phase-inversion technique display different physicochemical, mechanical and transport properties, which can affect the fusion process. The membranes accelerated the fusion process of a pair of spheroids with respect to the inert substrate. In this process, a critical role is played by the membrane properties, especially by their mechanical characteristics and oxygen and carbon dioxide mass transfer. The rate of fusion was quantified and found to be similar for fibroblast, myoblast and neural tissue spheroids on membranes, which completed the fusion within 3 days. These spheroids underwent faster fusion and maturation on PCL membrane than on agarose, the rate of fusion being proportional to the value of oxygen and carbon dioxide permeances and elastic characteristics. Consequently, tissue spheroids on the membranes expressed high biological activity in terms of oxygen uptake, making them more suitable as building blocks in the fabrication of tissues and organs. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Characterization of a Laser Surface-Treated Martensitic Stainless Steel.
Al-Sayed, S R; Hussein, A A; Nofal, A A; Hassab Elnaby, S I; Elgazzar, H
2017-05-29
Laser surface treatment was carried out on AISI 416 machinable martensitic stainless steel containing 0.225 wt.% sulfur. Nd:YAG laser with a 2.2-KW continuous wave was used. The aim was to compare the physical and chemical properties achieved by this type of selective surface treatment with those achieved by the conventional treatment. Laser power of different values (700 and 1000 W) with four corresponding different laser scanning speeds (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 m•min-1) was adopted to reach the optimum conditions for impact toughness, wear, and corrosion resistance for laser heat treated (LHT) samples. The 0 °C impact energy of LHT samples indicated higher values compared to the conventionally heat treated (CHT) samples. This was accompanied by the formation of a hard surface layer and a soft interior base metal. Microhardness was studied to determine the variation of hardness values with respect to the depth under the treated surface. The wear resistance at the surface was enhanced considerably. Microstructure examination was characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopes. The corrosion behavior of the LHT samples was also studied and its correlation with the microstructures was determined. The corrosion data was obtained in 3.5% NaCl solution at room temperature by means of a potentiodynamic polarization technique.
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Characterization of a Laser Surface-Treated Martensitic Stainless Steel
Al-Sayed, S. R.; Hussein, A. A.; Nofal, A. A.; Hassab Elnaby, S. I.; Elgazzar, H.
2017-01-01
Laser surface treatment was carried out on AISI 416 machinable martensitic stainless steel containing 0.225 wt.% sulfur. Nd:YAG laser with a 2.2-KW continuous wave was used. The aim was to compare the physical and chemical properties achieved by this type of selective surface treatment with those achieved by the conventional treatment. Laser power of different values (700 and 1000 W) with four corresponding different laser scanning speeds (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 m·min−1) was adopted to reach the optimum conditions for impact toughness, wear, and corrosion resistance for laser heat treated (LHT) samples. The 0 °C impact energy of LHT samples indicated higher values compared to the conventionally heat treated (CHT) samples. This was accompanied by the formation of a hard surface layer and a soft interior base metal. Microhardness was studied to determine the variation of hardness values with respect to the depth under the treated surface. The wear resistance at the surface was enhanced considerably. Microstructure examination was characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopes. The corrosion behavior of the LHT samples was also studied and its correlation with the microstructures was determined. The corrosion data was obtained in 3.5% NaCl solution at room temperature by means of a potentiodynamic polarization technique. PMID:28772955
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Reincentivizing--a new theory of work and work absence.
Thulesius, Hans O; Grahn, Birgitta E
2007-07-03
Work capacity correlates weakly to disease concepts, which in turn are insufficient to explain sick leave behavior. With data mainly from Sweden, a welfare state with high sickness absence rates, our aim was to develop an explanatory theory of how to understand and deal with work absence and sick leave. We used classic grounded theory for analyzing data from >130 interviews with people working or on sick leave, physicians, social security officers, and literature. Several hundreds of typed and handwritten memos were the basis for writing up the theory. In this paper we present a theory of work incentives and how to deal with work absence. We suggest that work disability can be seen as hurt work drivers or people caught in mode traps. Work drivers are specified as work capacities + work incentives, monetary and non-monetary. Also, people can get trapped in certain modes of behavior through changed capacities or incentives, or by inertia. Different modes have different drivers and these can trap the individual from reincentivizing, ie from going back to work or go on working. Hurt drivers and mode traps are recognized by driver assessments done on several different levels. Mode driver calculations are done by the worker. Then follows employer, physician, and social insurance officer assessments. Also, driver assessments are done on the macro level by legislators and other stakeholders. Reincentivizing is done by different repair strategies for hurt work drivers such as body repair, self repair, work-place repair, rehumanizing, controlling sick leave insurance, and strengthening monetary work incentives. Combinations of these driver repair strategies also do release people from mode traps. Reincentivizing is about recognizing hurt work drivers and mode traps followed by repairing and releasing the same drivers and traps. Reincentivizing aims at explaining what is going on when work absence is dealt with and the theory may add to social psychological research on work and work absence, and possibly inform sick leave policies.
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Reincentivizing – a new theory of work and work absence
Thulesius, Hans O; Grahn, Birgitta E
2007-01-01
Background Work capacity correlates weakly to disease concepts, which in turn are insufficient to explain sick leave behavior. With data mainly from Sweden, a welfare state with high sickness absence rates, our aim was to develop an explanatory theory of how to understand and deal with work absence and sick leave. Methods We used classic grounded theory for analyzing data from >130 interviews with people working or on sick leave, physicians, social security officers, and literature. Several hundreds of typed and handwritten memos were the basis for writing up the theory. Results In this paper we present a theory of work incentives and how to deal with work absence. We suggest that work disability can be seen as hurt work drivers or people caught in mode traps. Work drivers are specified as work capacities + work incentives, monetary and non-monetary. Also, people can get trapped in certain modes of behavior through changed capacities or incentives, or by inertia. Different modes have different drivers and these can trap the individual from reincentivizing, ie from going back to work or go on working. Hurt drivers and mode traps are recognized by driver assessments done on several different levels. Mode driver calculations are done by the worker. Then follows employer, physician, and social insurance officer assessments. Also, driver assessments are done on the macro level by legislators and other stakeholders. Reincentivizing is done by different repair strategies for hurt work drivers such as body repair, self repair, work-place repair, rehumanizing, controlling sick leave insurance, and strengthening monetary work incentives. Combinations of these driver repair strategies also do release people from mode traps. Conclusion Reincentivizing is about recognizing hurt work drivers and mode traps followed by repairing and releasing the same drivers and traps. Reincentivizing aims at explaining what is going on when work absence is dealt with and the theory may add to social psychological research on work and work absence, and possibly inform sick leave policies. PMID:17608942
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Cyclists and drivers in road interactions: A comparison of perceived crash risk.
Chaurand, Nadine; Delhomme, Patricia
2013-01-01
Today's increase in the number of cyclists has triggered a change in the interactions to be handled by road users. However, few studies have investigated crash risk perceived by cyclists interacting with other users, and few have compared cyclists' and drivers' perceptions of crash risk in bike-car interactions, the most dangerous situation for cyclists. Our aims here are to study perceived crash risk (no matter the seriousness of the crash) in six common road situations during which cyclist crashes are frequent and also to study cyclists' and drivers' perceived risk in bike-car interactions, in comparison to other interaction types (cyclist vs. cyclist and driver vs. driver). We predicted that perceived risk of being involved in a crash during a particular interaction would be greater when in interaction with a car than with a bike, and that drivers would perceive more risk than cyclists would. We also predicted that perceived risk would decrease with drivers' and cyclists' experience of their transportation mode and their perceived control over the interaction situation. We ran an online survey on two samples, experienced cyclists (N=336) and non-cyclist car drivers (N=92). Participants evaluated their personal risk - as cyclists or as drivers - of being involved in a road crash if they were in an interaction with a bike or a car for each of six risky road situations. Experience was measured in terms of years of vehicle driving and driven km; perceived control was measured in terms of perceived skill and responsibility for the risky behavior. The results validated our hypotheses: perceived risk was higher for car drivers than for cyclists and for interacting with a car than with a bike. The implications of these results for interventions to improve road safety for both cyclists and car drivers are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Design and evaluation of steering protection for avoiding collisions during a lane change.
Itoh, Makoto; Inagaki, Toshiyuki
2014-01-01
This paper discusses the design of a driver assistance system for avoiding collisions with vehicles in blind spots. The following three types of support systems are compared: (1) a warning system that provides the driver with an auditory alert, (2) a 'soft' protection system that makes the steering wheel stiffer to tell the driver that a lane-change manoeuvre is not recommended and (3) a 'hard' protection system that cancels the driver's input and controls the tyre angle autonomously to prevent lane departure. The results of an experiment showed that the hard protection system was more effective for collision avoidance than either the warning or the soft protection system. The warning and soft protection systems were almost the same in terms of collision avoidance. The results suggest that the human-centred automation principle, which requires the human to have the final authority over the automation, can be violated depending on the context.
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Measurement of Whole-Body Vibration Exposure from Garbage Trucks
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Maeda, S.; Morioka, M.
1998-08-01
Japanese garbage truck drivers are exposed to mechanical whole-body vibration during their work. Some drivers have suffered from low back pain from this vibration. However, there is no evidence of a relationship between the whole-body vibration from the garbage trucks and low back pain or occupational disease, due to the lack of investigations. A field study was conducted in order to characterize the health risks associated with garbage truck work. Three different types of truck were tested at different loadings and on different road surfaces, with the vibrations measured at the driver/seat interface (x,y, andz-axes). The vibrations were compared with the health risk guidance according to Annex B of ISO 2631-1 [1]. The findings of this study indicated that Japanese garbage truck drivers should not operate trucks for 2.5 h in a day, under current working conditions.
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Factors associated with automobile accidents and survival.
Kim, Hong Sok; Kim, Hyung Jin; Son, Bongsoo
2006-09-01
This paper develops an econometric model for vehicles' inherent mortality rate and estimates the probability of accidents and survival in the United States. Logistic regression model is used to estimate probability of survival, and censored regression model is used to estimate probability of accidents. The estimation results indicated that the probability of accident and survival are influenced by the physical characteristics of the vehicles involved in the accident, and by the characteristics of the driver and the occupants. Using restrain system and riding in heavy vehicle increased the survival rate. Middle-aged drivers are less susceptible to involve in an accident, and surprisingly, female drivers are more likely to have an accident than male drivers. Riding in powerful vehicles (high horsepower) and driving late night increase the probability of accident. Overall, the driving behavior and characteristics of vehicle does matter and affects the probabilities of having a fatal accident for different types of vehicles.
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Influences of Vehicle Size and Mass and Selected Driver Factors on Odds of Driver Fatality
Padmanaban, Jeya
2003-01-01
Research was undertaken to determine vehicle size parameters influencing driver fatality odds, independent of mass, in two-vehicle collisions. Forty vehicle parameters were evaluated for 1,500 vehicle groupings. Logistic regression analyses show driver factors (belt use, age, drinking) collectively contribute more to fatality odds than vehicle factors, and that mass is the most important vehicular parameter influencing fatality odds for all crash configurations. In car crashes, other vehicle parameters with statistical significance had a second order effect compared to mass. In light truck-to-car crashes, “vehicle type-striking vehicle is light truck” was the most important parameter after mass, followed by vehicle height and bumper height, with second order effect. To understand the importance of “vehicle type” variable, further investigation of vehicle “stiffness” and other passenger car/light truck differentiating parameters is warranted. PMID:12941244
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An Integrated Gate Driver in 4H-SiC for Power Converter Applications
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Ericson, Milton Nance; Frank, Steven Shane; Britton, Charles
2014-01-01
A gate driver fabricated in a 2-um 4H silicon carbide (SiC) process is presented. This process was optimized for vertical power MOSFET fabrication but accommodated integration of a few low-voltage device types including N-channel MOSFETs, resistors, and capacitors. The gate driver topology employed incorporates an input level translator, variable power connections, and separate power supply connectivity allowing selection of the output signal drive amplitude. The output stage utilizes a source follower pull-up device that is both overdriven and body source connected to improve rise time behavior. Full characterization of this design driving a SiC power MOSFET is presented including risemore » and fall times, propagation delays, and power consumption. All parameters were measured to elevated temperatures exceeding 300 C. Details of the custom test system hardware and software utilized for gate driver testing are also provided.« less
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Xi, Jianing; Wang, Minghui; Li, Ao
2018-06-05
Discovery of mutated driver genes is one of the primary objective for studying tumorigenesis. To discover some relatively low frequently mutated driver genes from somatic mutation data, many existing methods incorporate interaction network as prior information. However, the prior information of mRNA expression patterns are not exploited by these existing network-based methods, which is also proven to be highly informative of cancer progressions. To incorporate prior information from both interaction network and mRNA expressions, we propose a robust and sparse co-regularized nonnegative matrix factorization to discover driver genes from mutation data. Furthermore, our framework also conducts Frobenius norm regularization to overcome overfitting issue. Sparsity-inducing penalty is employed to obtain sparse scores in gene representations, of which the top scored genes are selected as driver candidates. Evaluation experiments by known benchmarking genes indicate that the performance of our method benefits from the two type of prior information. Our method also outperforms the existing network-based methods, and detect some driver genes that are not predicted by the competing methods. In summary, our proposed method can improve the performance of driver gene discovery by effectively incorporating prior information from interaction network and mRNA expression patterns into a robust and sparse co-regularized matrix factorization framework.
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Common Traffic Violations of Bus Drivers in Urban China: An Observational Study.
Wang, Qiqi; Zhang, Wei; Yang, Rendong; Huang, Yuanxiu; Zhang, Lin; Ning, Peishan; Cheng, Xunjie; Schwebel, David C; Hu, Guoqing; Yao, Hongyan
2015-01-01
To report common traffic violations in bus drivers and the factors that influence those violations in urban China. We conducted an observational study to record three types of traffic violations among bus drivers in Changsha City, China: illegal stopping at bus stations, violating traffic light signals, and distracted driving. The behaviors of bus drivers on 32 routes (20% of bus routes in the city) were observed. A two-level Poisson regression examined factors that predicted bus driver violations. The incidence of illegal stopping at bus stations was 20.2%. Illegal stopping was less frequent on weekends, sunny days, and at stations with cameras, with adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of 0.81, 0.65 and 0.89, respectively. The incidence of violating traffic light signals was 2.2%, and was lower on cloudy than sunny days (adjusted IRR: 0.60). The incidence of distracted driving was 3.3%. The incidence of distracted driving was less common on cloudy days, rainy or snowy days, and foggy/windy/dusty days compared to sunny days, with adjusted IRRs of 0.54, 0.55 and 0.07, respectively. Traffic violations are common in bus drivers in urban China and they are associated with the date, weather, and presence of traffic cameras at bus station. Further studies are recommended to understand the behavioral mechanisms that may explain bus driver violations and to develop feasible prevention measures.
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Factors associated with civilian drivers involved in crashes with emergency vehicles.
Drucker, Christopher; Gerberich, Susan G; Manser, Michael P; Alexander, Bruce H; Church, Timothy R; Ryan, Andrew D; Becic, Ensar
2013-06-01
Motor vehicle crashes involving civilian and emergency vehicles (EVs) have been a known problem that contributes to fatal and nonfatal injuries; however, characteristics associated with civilian drivers have not been examined adequately. This study used data from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System to identify driver, roadway, environmental, and crash factors, and consequences for civilian drivers involved in fatal and nonfatal crashes with in-use and in-transport EVs. In general, drivers involved in emergency-civilian crashes (ECCs) were more often driving: straight through intersections (vs. same direction) of four-points or more (vs. not at intersection); where traffic signals were present (vs. no traffic control device); and at night (vs. midday). For nonfatal ECCs, drivers were more often driving: distracted (vs. not distracted); with vision obstructed by external objects (vs. no obstruction); on dark but lighted roads (vs. daylight); and in opposite directions (vs. same directions) of the EVs. Consequences included increased risk of injury (vs. no injury) and receiving traffic violations (vs. no violation). Fatal ECCs were associated with driving on urban roads (vs. rural), although these types of crashes were less likely to occur on dark roads (vs. daylight). The findings of this study suggest drivers may have difficulties in visually detecting EVs in different environments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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A roadside study of observable driver distractions.
Sullman, Mark J M; Prat, Francesc; Tasci, Duygu Kuzu
2015-01-01
This study investigated the prevalence of observable distractions while driving and the effect of drivers' characteristics and time-related variables on their prevalence. Using roadside observation, 2 independent observers collected data at 4 randomly selected locations in St. Albans, UK. Of the 10,984 drivers observed, 16.8% were engaged in a secondary task, with talking to passengers being the most common distraction (8.8%), followed by smoking (1.9%) and talking on a hands-free mobile phone (1.7%). An additional 1.0% were observed talking on a handheld phone, and the rest of the distractions (e.g., texting, drinking) were recorded in less than 1% of the drivers observed. Gender-related differences were found for a number of different distractions (i.e., talking to passengers, drinking, and handheld mobile phone conversations), but age emerged as a significant predictor for most secondary tasks, including talking to passengers, smoking, hands-free mobile phone use, handheld mobile phone use, texting/keying numbers, drinking, and engagement in any type of distraction (all distractions combined). The overall pattern for age was that middle-aged and older drivers were less likely to be distracted than younger drivers. This work provides further evidence of the relatively high rate of distracted driving in the UK. The findings clearly indicate that younger drivers are more likely to drive distracted, which probably contributes to their higher crash rates.
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Wang, Junhua; Sun, Shuaiyi; Fang, Shouen; Fu, Ting; Stipancic, Joshua
2017-02-01
This paper aims to both identify the factors affecting driver drowsiness and to develop a real-time drowsy driving probability model based on virtual Location-Based Services (LBS) data obtained using a driving simulator. A driving simulation experiment was designed and conducted using 32 participant drivers. Collected data included the continuous driving time before detection of drowsiness and virtual LBS data related to temperature, time of day, lane width, average travel speed, driving time in heavy traffic, and driving time on different roadway types. Demographic information, such as nap habit, age, gender, and driving experience was also collected through questionnaires distributed to the participants. An Accelerated Failure Time (AFT) model was developed to estimate the driving time before detection of drowsiness. The results of the AFT model showed driving time before drowsiness was longer during the day than at night, and was longer at lower temperatures. Additionally, drivers who identified as having a nap habit were more vulnerable to drowsiness. Generally, higher average travel speeds were correlated to a higher risk of drowsy driving, as were longer periods of low-speed driving in traffic jam conditions. Considering different road types, drivers felt drowsy more quickly on freeways compared to other facilities. The proposed model provides a better understanding of how driver drowsiness is influenced by different environmental and demographic factors. The model can be used to provide real-time data for the LBS-based drowsy driving warning system, improving past methods based only on a fixed driving. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Naturalistic study on the usage of smartphone applications among Finnish drivers.
Kujala, Tuomo; Mäkelä, Jakke
2018-06-01
We present results from a naturalistic study that tracked how Finnish drivers use their smartphones while on the move. We monitored 30 heavy in-car smartphone users in Finland during June-September 2016, recording the times that they used their phones, the application used at the time of touch (calls excluded), the location and driving speed. Touches per time unit were used as a proxy for estimating visual-manual distraction due to visual-manual tasks. Our data set allows the determining of whether drivers use their phones differently on varying road types (highway, main road, local rural road, urban road). We found that the road type has an effect on phone use but the effect is contrary to what we expected. Drivers produced more touches per hour on urban roads, yet the use instances tend to be shorter than on the highway or main roads. We also collected statistics on the applications that were used. By far the highest overall rankings in the number of drivers using, number of uses, and duration per use instance was associated with the WhatsApp messaging service. One instance of WhatsApp use had a median of 8 touches, and had a median duration of 35 s. In contrast, navigation application use included a median of 3 touches and lasted for 11 s. The findings suggest that the Finnish smartphone heavy-users do not decrease their phone use when the demands of the traffic conditions increase and that the greatest risk from smartphone use may be currently caused by messaging applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Glaucoma and Driving: On-Road Driving Characteristics
Wood, Joanne M.; Black, Alex A.; Mallon, Kerry; Thomas, Ravi; Owsley, Cynthia
2016-01-01
Purpose To comprehensively investigate the types of driving errors and locations that are most problematic for older drivers with glaucoma compared to those without glaucoma using a standardized on-road assessment. Methods Participants included 75 drivers with glaucoma (mean = 73.2±6.0 years) with mild to moderate field loss (better-eye MD = -1.21 dB; worse-eye MD = -7.75 dB) and 70 age-matched controls without glaucoma (mean = 72.6 ± 5.0 years). On-road driving performance was assessed in a dual-brake vehicle by an occupational therapist using a standardized scoring system which assessed the types of driving errors and the locations where they were made and the number of critical errors that required an instructor intervention. Driving safety was rated on a 10-point scale. Self-reported driving ability and difficulties were recorded using the Driving Habits Questionnaire. Results Drivers with glaucoma were rated as significantly less safe, made more driving errors, and had almost double the rate of critical errors than those without glaucoma. Driving errors involved lane positioning and planning/approach, and were significantly more likely to occur at traffic lights and yield/give-way intersections. There were few between group differences in self-reported driving ability. Conclusions Older drivers with glaucoma with even mild to moderate field loss exhibit impairments in driving ability, particularly during complex driving situations that involve tactical problems with lane-position, planning ahead and observation. These results, together with the fact that these drivers self-report their driving to be relatively good, reinforce the need for evidence-based on-road assessments for evaluating driving fitness. PMID:27472221
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Glaucoma and Driving: On-Road Driving Characteristics.
Wood, Joanne M; Black, Alex A; Mallon, Kerry; Thomas, Ravi; Owsley, Cynthia
2016-01-01
To comprehensively investigate the types of driving errors and locations that are most problematic for older drivers with glaucoma compared to those without glaucoma using a standardized on-road assessment. Participants included 75 drivers with glaucoma (mean = 73.2±6.0 years) with mild to moderate field loss (better-eye MD = -1.21 dB; worse-eye MD = -7.75 dB) and 70 age-matched controls without glaucoma (mean = 72.6 ± 5.0 years). On-road driving performance was assessed in a dual-brake vehicle by an occupational therapist using a standardized scoring system which assessed the types of driving errors and the locations where they were made and the number of critical errors that required an instructor intervention. Driving safety was rated on a 10-point scale. Self-reported driving ability and difficulties were recorded using the Driving Habits Questionnaire. Drivers with glaucoma were rated as significantly less safe, made more driving errors, and had almost double the rate of critical errors than those without glaucoma. Driving errors involved lane positioning and planning/approach, and were significantly more likely to occur at traffic lights and yield/give-way intersections. There were few between group differences in self-reported driving ability. Older drivers with glaucoma with even mild to moderate field loss exhibit impairments in driving ability, particularly during complex driving situations that involve tactical problems with lane-position, planning ahead and observation. These results, together with the fact that these drivers self-report their driving to be relatively good, reinforce the need for evidence-based on-road assessments for evaluating driving fitness.
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Driver Mortality in Paired Side Impact Collisions Due to Incompatible Vehicle Types
Crandall, C.S.
2003-01-01
Using a matched case control design, this study measured the mortality associated with paired passenger car-sport utility vehicle side impact (‘T-bone’) collisions using FARS data. Survival versus fatal outcome within the matched crash pairs was measured with matched pair odds ratios. Conditional logistic regression adjusted for multiple effects. Overall, passenger car drivers experienced greater mortality than did SUV drivers, regardless if they were in the struck or striking vehicle (odds ratio: 10.0; 95% confidence interval: 7.9, 12.5). Differential mortality persisted after adjustment for confounders. Efforts should be sought to improve passenger car side impact crashworthiness and to reduce SUV aggressivity. PMID:12941243
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The Effect of Low-Frequency Road Noise on Driver Sleepiness and Performance
Anund, Anna; Lahti, Eva; Fors, Carina; Genell, Anders
2015-01-01
It is a well-known fact today that driver sleepiness is a contributory factor in crashes. Factors considered as sleepiness contributor are mostly related to time of the day, hours being awake and hours slept. Factors contributing to active and passive fatigue are mostly focusing on the level of cognitive load. Less is known what role external factors, e.g. type of road, sound/noise, vibrations etc., have on the ability to stay awake both under conditions of sleepiness and under active or passive fatigue. The aim of this moving base driving simulator study with 19 drivers participating in a random order day and night time, was to evaluate the effect of low-frequency road noise on driver sleepiness and performance, including both long-term and short-term effects. The results support to some extent the hypothesis that road-induced interior vehicle sound affects driving performance and driver sleepiness. Increased low-frequency noise helps to reduce speed during both day- and night time driving, but also contributes to increase the number of lane crossings during night time. PMID:25874883
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Driver fatigue alarm based on eye detection and gaze estimation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sun, Xinghua; Xu, Lu; Yang, Jingyu
2007-11-01
The driver assistant system has attracted much attention as an essential component of intelligent transportation systems. One task of driver assistant system is to prevent the drivers from fatigue. For the fatigue detection it is natural that the information about eyes should be utilized. The driver fatigue can be divided into two types, one is the sleep with eyes close and another is the sleep with eyes open. Considering that the fatigue detection is related with the prior knowledge and probabilistic statistics, the dynamic Bayesian network is used as the analysis tool to perform the reasoning of fatigue. Two kinds of experiments are performed to verify the system effectiveness, one is based on the video got from the laboratory and another is based on the video got from the real driving situation. Ten persons participate in the test and the experimental result is that, in the laboratory all the fatigue events can be detected, and in the practical vehicle the detection ratio is about 85%. Experiments show that in most of situations the proposed system works and the corresponding performance is satisfying.
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Geber, Sarah; Baumann, Eva; Klimmt, Christoph
2016-12-01
Speeding is one of the most relevant risk behaviors for serious and fatal accidents, particularly among young drivers. This study presents a tailoring strategy for anti-speeding communication. By referring to their motivational dispositions toward speeding derived from motivational models of health behavior, young car drivers were segmented into different risk groups. In order to ensure that risk communication efforts would actually be capable to target these groups, the linkage between the risk profiles and communication preferences were explored. The study was conducted on the basis of survey data of 1168 German car drivers aged between 17 and 24 years. The data reveal four types of risk drivers significantly differing in their motivational profiles. Moreover, the findings show significant differences in communication habits and media use between these risk groups. By linking the risk profiles and communication preferences, implications for tailoring strategies of road safety communication campaigns are derived. Promising segmentation and targeting strategies are discussed also beyond the current case of anti-speeding campaigns. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bogdanoff, David W.; Edwards, Thomas A. (Technical Monitor)
1995-01-01
This review is divided into two main sections. The first section described the various types of shock tunnel facilities - reflected shock tunnels, non-reflected shock tunnels and expansion tubes/tunnels. Driver technology is then described, followed by a discussion of the performance obtainable from various driver-driven combinations. A survey of a number of facilities is then presented. The second part of the review deals with details of the operation of the facilities. Operation of combustion drivers, electrically heated drivers and piston compression drivers is discussed in some detail. Main diaphragm break techniques are discussed, with particular attention being paid to maintaining the integrity of the diaphragm petals. Secondary diaphragm techniques are discussed. Phenomena which limit test time are discussed and a number of techniques to increase test time are presented. Contamination of the flow with material ablated from the wall is discussed along with the relative suitability of various materials for lining the tubes and nozzle. Finally, boundary layer effects in shock tunnels and expansion tubes are discussed.
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A Smartphone-Based Driver Safety Monitoring System Using Data Fusion
Lee, Boon-Giin; Chung, Wan-Young
2012-01-01
This paper proposes a method for monitoring driver safety levels using a data fusion approach based on several discrete data types: eye features, bio-signal variation, in-vehicle temperature, and vehicle speed. The driver safety monitoring system was developed in practice in the form of an application for an Android-based smartphone device, where measuring safety-related data requires no extra monetary expenditure or equipment. Moreover, the system provides high resolution and flexibility. The safety monitoring process involves the fusion of attributes gathered from different sensors, including video, electrocardiography, photoplethysmography, temperature, and a three-axis accelerometer, that are assigned as input variables to an inference analysis framework. A Fuzzy Bayesian framework is designed to indicate the driver’s capability level and is updated continuously in real-time. The sensory data are transmitted via Bluetooth communication to the smartphone device. A fake incoming call warning service alerts the driver if his or her safety level is suspiciously compromised. Realistic testing of the system demonstrates the practical benefits of multiple features and their fusion in providing a more authentic and effective driver safety monitoring. PMID:23247416
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Difference in rural and urban driver-injury severities in highway-rail grade crossing accidents.
Hao, Wei; Kamga, Camille
2017-06-01
Based on the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) database, there were 25,945 highway-rail crossing accidents in the United States between 2002 and 2011. With an extensive research, analysis results showed that there were substantial differences between rural and urban areas at highway-rail grade crossings. However, there is no published study specific on driver's injury severity at highway-rail grade crossings classified by area types. Using an ordered probit modelling approach, the study explores the determinants of driver-injury severity at rural highway-rail grade crossings compared with urban highway-rail grade crossings. The analysis found that motor vehicle driver's injury level at rural highway-rail grade crossing is extremely higher than urban area. Compared to collisions at urban area, collisions happened at rural area tend to result in more severe injuries. These crashes were more prevalent if vehicle drivers are driving at a high speed or the oncoming trains are high-speed. Moreover, highway-rail grade crossing accidents were more likely to occur at rural area without pavement and lighting.
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Quality of life technology: the state of personal transportation.
van Roosmalen, Linda; Paquin, Gregory J; Steinfeld, Aaron M
2010-02-01
Motor vehicles are a technology that has been embedded in the built environment since the early 1900s. Personal transportation is important for the quality of life of individuals who have disabilities because it gives a feeling of freedom and enables individuals who have mobility impairments to participate in the community. This article describes the evaluation of individuals and their cognitive, sensory, and physical abilities that are important for (safe) driving. A case is made for independent mobility for individuals who have disabilities and elderly individuals by first giving an overview of the functional, cognitive, and sensory abilities that are critical for driving. Second, the types of vehicle modifications and state-of-the-art controls that are available and on the horizon are described and the way in which these technologies are selected to meet driver needs is explained. Requirements for driver safety systems for drivers who remain in their wheelchairs are then discussed. Finally, emerging and innovative driving enhancement systems, such as obstacle avoidance and navigation, are discussed, as are their benefits in helping drivers who have disabilities and elderly drivers to experience safe and independent driving.
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The effect of low-frequency road noise on driver sleepiness and performance.
Anund, Anna; Lahti, Eva; Fors, Carina; Genell, Anders
2015-01-01
It is a well-known fact today that driver sleepiness is a contributory factor in crashes. Factors considered as sleepiness contributor are mostly related to time of the day, hours being awake and hours slept. Factors contributing to active and passive fatigue are mostly focusing on the level of cognitive load. Less is known what role external factors, e.g. type of road, sound/noise, vibrations etc., have on the ability to stay awake both under conditions of sleepiness and under active or passive fatigue. The aim of this moving base driving simulator study with 19 drivers participating in a random order day and night time, was to evaluate the effect of low-frequency road noise on driver sleepiness and performance, including both long-term and short-term effects. The results support to some extent the hypothesis that road-induced interior vehicle sound affects driving performance and driver sleepiness. Increased low-frequency noise helps to reduce speed during both day- and night time driving, but also contributes to increase the number of lane crossings during night time.
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Dawson, Jeffrey D.; Bair, Elizabeth; Askan, Nazan; Sewell, Kelly; Tippin, Jon; Rizzo, Matthew
2017-01-01
Summary In naturalistic studies, Global Positioning System (GPS) data and date/time stamps can link driver exposure to specific environments (e.g., road types, speed limits, night driving, etc.), providing valuable context for analyzing critical events, such as crashes, near crashes, and breaches of accelerometer limits. In previous work, we showed how to automate this contextualization, using GPS data obtained at 1 Hz and merging this with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases maintained by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). Here we further demonstrate our methods by analyzing data from 80 drivers with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and 48 controls, and comparing the two groups with respect to several factors of interest. The majority of comparisons found no difference between groups, suggesting similar patterns of exposures to driving environments in OSA and control drivers. However, OSA drivers appeared to spend slightly more time on roads with annual traffic counts of 500–10,000 and less time driving on wider highways, during twilight, and on roads with 10,000–25,000 annual traffic counts. PMID:29629434
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Tay, Richard; Rifaat, Shakil Mohammad; Chin, Hoong Chor
2008-07-01
Leaving the scene of a crash without reporting it is an offence in most countries and many studies have been devoted to improving ways to identify hit-and-run vehicles and the drivers involved. However, relatively few studies have been conducted on identifying factors that contribute to the decision to run after the crash. This study identifies the factors that are associated with the likelihood of hit-and-run crashes including driver characteristics, vehicle types, crash characteristics, roadway features and environmental characteristics. Using a logistic regression model to delineate hit-and-run crashes from nonhit-and-run crashes, this study found that drivers were more likely to run when crashes occurred at night, on a bridge and flyover, bend, straight road and near shop houses; involved two vehicles, two-wheel vehicles and vehicles from neighboring countries; and when the driver was a male, minority, and aged between 45 and 69. On the other hand, collisions involving right turn and U-turn maneuvers, and occurring on undivided roads were less likely to be hit-and-run crashes.
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Patient-specific dosimetry based on quantitative SPECT imaging and 3D-DFT convolution
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Akabani, G.; Hawkins, W.G.; Eckblade, M.B.
1999-01-01
The objective of this study was to validate the use of a 3-D discrete Fourier Transform (3D-DFT) convolution method to carry out the dosimetry for I-131 for soft tissues in radioimmunotherapy procedures. To validate this convolution method, mathematical and physical phantoms were used as a basis of comparison with Monte Carlo transport (MCT) calculations which were carried out using the EGS4 system code. The mathematical phantom consisted of a sphere containing uniform and nonuniform activity distributions. The physical phantom consisted of a cylinder containing uniform and nonuniform activity distributions. Quantitative SPECT reconstruction was carried out using the Circular Harmonic Transformmore » (CHT) algorithm.« less
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Hao, Wei; Daniel, Janice
2016-01-01
Previous studies on crash modeling at highway-rail grade crossings were aimed at exploring the factors that are likely to increase the crash frequencies at highway-rail grade crossings. In recent years, modeling driver's injury severity at highway-rail grade crossings has received interest. Because there were substantial differences among different weather conditions for driver's injury severity, this study attempts to explore the impact of weather influence on driver injury at highway-rail grade crossing. Utilizing the most recent 10 years (2002-2011) of highway-rail grade crossing accident data, this study applied a mixed logit model to explore the determinants of driver injury severity under different weather conditions at highway-rail grade crossing. Analysis results indicate that drivers' injury severity at highway-rail grade crossings is strongly different for different weather conditions. It was found that the factors significantly impacting driver injury severity at highway-rail grade crossings include motor vehicle speed, train speed, driver's age, gender, area type, lighting condition, highway pavement, traffic volume, and time of day. The findings of this study indicate that crashes are more prevalent if vehicle drivers are driving at high speed or the oncoming trains are high speed. Hence, a reduction in speed limit during inclement weather conditions could be particularly effective in moderating injury severity, allowing more reaction time for last-minute maneuvering and braking in moments before impacts. In addition, inclement weather-related crashes were more likely to occur in open areas and highway-rail grade crossings without pavement and lighting. Paved highway-rail grade crossings with installation of lights could be particularly effective in moderating injury severity.
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Aberrant Behaviors and Road Accidents among Iranian Truck Drivers, 2010.
Ketabi, Damon; Barkhordari, Abalfazl; Mirmohammadi, Seyyed Jalil; Mehrparvar, Amir Houshang
2011-01-01
Road accidents are a social phenomenon in different communities that its infra-structural dimensions of which as well as technologic failures such as road quality, and tech-nical faults of automobiles, need to be assessed in detail. Iran has the first order in the world for deadly road accidents. This study was designed to assess the association between aberrant behaviors of truck drivers and the incidence of road accidents in Yazd, center of Iran, in 2010. This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 300 truck drivers in Yazd. We used 3 questionnaires, including one for demographic data, Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ), and one for drivers' self-evaluation of the of their driving. Five types of the behavior had the highest frequency: Misjudge speed of oncoming vehicle when overtaking.; Deliberately disregard the speed limits late at night or very early in the morning.; Ignore 'give way' signs, and narrowly avoid colliding with traffic having right of way.; Stuck behind a slow-moving vehicle on a two-lane highway, you are driven by frustration to try to overtake in risky circumstances.; Drive with only 'half-an-eye' on the road while looking at a map, changing a cassette or radio channel, etc. The more the driver's driv-ing was influenced by emotional and mental states the more deliberate violations and slips. Among truck drivers, safety has not developed sufficiently, and because of the dangers of road accidents both for the drivers and other people and its economic losses, the importance of the presenting some solutions is completely obvious.
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A positive view on road safety: Can 'car karma' contribute to safe driving styles?
Kleisen, Lucienne M B
2013-01-01
Many studies in the field of road safety are occupied with studying road unsafety since it generally concentrates on traffic crashes, crash, risk, and aberrant driving behaviour, especially in relation to young drivers. However, this study shows there is scope for thinking about driving and driver training from a different vantage point, that is in terms of safe or normal driving. The findings are reported from four group interviews with young drivers (18-25 years of age); the young drivers discussed their ideas of safe driving and their reasons for using (or not using) safe driving styles. The data show a type of optimistic thinking among young drivers which they call 'car karma'. This finding offers an opportunity to reconceptualise driving in a way that is focused on normal, safe driving styles, a topic that has received less attention in the past. The paper argues that greater focus on safe driving styles could be more conducive to young drivers actually driving safely than focusing on, for instance, crashes, which on an individual level are relatively rare (Elander et al., 1993, p. 277). Based on empirical research, the first positively stated definition of road safety is proposed based on the notion of 'car karma'. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Clark, Hallie; Feng, Jing
2017-09-01
High-level vehicle automation has been proposed as a valuable means to enhance the mobility of older drivers, as older drivers experience age-related declines in many cognitive functions that are vital for safe driving. Recent research attempted to examine age differences in how engagement in non-driving-related activities impact driving performance, by instructing drivers to engage in mandatory pre-designed activities. While the mandatory engagement method allows a precise control of the timing and mental workload of the non-driving-related activities, it is different from how a driver would naturally engage in these activities. This study allowed younger (age 18-35, mean age=19.9years) and older drivers (age 62-81, mean age=70.4years) to freely decide when and how to engage in voluntarily chosen non-driving-related activities during simulated driving with conditional automation. We coded video recordings of participants' engagement in non-driving-related activities. We examined the effect of age, level of activity-engagement and takeover notification interval on vehicle control performance during the takeover, by comparing between the high and low engagement groups in younger and older drivers, across two takeover notification interval conditions. We found that both younger and older drivers engaged in various non-driving-related activities during the automated driving portion, with distinct preferences on the type of activity for each age group (i.e., while younger drivers mostly used an electronic device, older drivers tended to converse). There were also significant differences between the two age groups and between the two notification intervals on various driving performance measures. Older drivers benefited more than younger drivers from the longer interval in terms of response time to notifications. Voluntary engagement in non-driving-related activities did not impair takeover performance in general, although there was a trend of older drivers who were more engaged in non-driving-related activities braking harder than those with low activity-engagement during the takeover. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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Gene integrated set profile analysis: a context-based approach for inferring biological endpoints
Kowalski, Jeanne; Dwivedi, Bhakti; Newman, Scott; Switchenko, Jeffery M.; Pauly, Rini; Gutman, David A.; Arora, Jyoti; Gandhi, Khanjan; Ainslie, Kylie; Doho, Gregory; Qin, Zhaohui; Moreno, Carlos S.; Rossi, Michael R.; Vertino, Paula M.; Lonial, Sagar; Bernal-Mizrachi, Leon; Boise, Lawrence H.
2016-01-01
The identification of genes with specific patterns of change (e.g. down-regulated and methylated) as phenotype drivers or samples with similar profiles for a given gene set as drivers of clinical outcome, requires the integration of several genomic data types for which an ‘integrate by intersection’ (IBI) approach is often applied. In this approach, results from separate analyses of each data type are intersected, which has the limitation of a smaller intersection with more data types. We introduce a new method, GISPA (Gene Integrated Set Profile Analysis) for integrated genomic analysis and its variation, SISPA (Sample Integrated Set Profile Analysis) for defining respective genes and samples with the context of similar, a priori specified molecular profiles. With GISPA, the user defines a molecular profile that is compared among several classes and obtains ranked gene sets that satisfy the profile as drivers of each class. With SISPA, the user defines a gene set that satisfies a profile and obtains sample groups of profile activity. Our results from applying GISPA to human multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines contained genes of known profiles and importance, along with several novel targets, and their further SISPA application to MM coMMpass trial data showed clinical relevance. PMID:26826710