Quantifying Astronaut Tasks: Robotic Technology and Future Space Suit Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Dava

2003-01-01

The primary aim of this research effort was to advance the current understanding of astronauts' capabilities and limitations in space-suited EVA by developing models of the constitutive and compatibility relations of a space suit, based on experimental data gained from human test subjects as well as a 12 degree-of-freedom human-sized robot, and utilizing these fundamental relations to estimate a human factors performance metric for space suited EVA work. The three specific objectives are to: 1) Compile a detailed database of torques required to bend the joints of a space suit, using realistic, multi- joint human motions. 2) Develop a mathematical model of the constitutive relations between space suit joint torques and joint angular positions, based on experimental data and compare other investigators' physics-based models to experimental data. 3) Estimate the work envelope of a space suited astronaut, using the constitutive and compatibility relations of the space suit. The body of work that makes up this report includes experimentation, empirical and physics-based modeling, and model applications. A detailed space suit joint torque-angle database was compiled with a novel experimental approach that used space-suited human test subjects to generate realistic, multi-joint motions and an instrumented robot to measure the torques required to accomplish these motions in a space suit. Based on the experimental data, a mathematical model is developed to predict joint torque from the joint angle history. Two physics-based models of pressurized fabric cylinder bending are compared to experimental data, yielding design insights. The mathematical model is applied to EVA operations in an inverse kinematic analysis coupled to the space suit model to calculate the volume in which space-suited astronauts can work with their hands, demonstrating that operational human factors metrics can be predicted from fundamental space suit information.

Design and Implementation of an Experimental Cataloging Advisor--Mapper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ercegovac, Zorana; Borko, Harold

1992-01-01

Describes the design of an experimental computer-aided cataloging advisor, Mapper, that was developed to help novice users with the descriptive cataloging of single-sheet maps from U.S. publishers. The human-computer interface is considered, the use of HyperCard is discussed, the knowledge base is explained, and assistance screens are described.…

Methods for Improving Information from ’Undesigned’ Human Factors Experiments.

DTIC Science & Technology

Human factors engineering, Information processing, Regression analysis , Experimental design, Least squares method, Analysis of variance, Correlation techniques, Matrices(Mathematics), Multiple disciplines, Mathematical prediction

Diet composition as a source of variation in experimental animal models of cancer cachexia.

PubMed

Giles, Kaitlin; Guan, Chen; Jagoe, Thomas R; Mazurak, Vera

2016-05-01

A variety of experimental animal models are used extensively to study mechanisms underlying cancer cachexia, and to identify potential treatments. The important potential confounding effect of dietary composition and intake used in many preclinical studies of cancer cachexia is frequently overlooked. Dietary designs applied in experimental studies should maximize the applicability to human cancer cachexia, meeting the essential requirements of the species used in the study, matched between treatment and control groups as well as also being generally similar to human consumption. A literature review of scientific studies using animal models of cancer and cancer cachexia with dietary interventions was performed. Studies that investigated interventions using lipid sources were selected as the focus of discussion. The search revealed a number of nutrient intervention studies (n = 44), with the majority including n-3 fatty acids (n = 16), mainly eicosapentaenoic acid and/or docosahexaenoic acid. A review of the literature revealed that the majority of studies do not provide information about dietary design; food intake or pair-feeding is rarely reported. Further, there is a lack of standardization in dietary design, content, source, and overall composition in animal models of cancer cachexia. A model is proposed with the intent of guiding dietary design in preclinical studies to enable comparisons of dietary treatments within the same study, translation across different study designs, as well as application to human nutrient intakes. The potential for experimental endpoints to be affected by variations in food intake, macronutrient content, and diet composition is likely. Diet content and composition should be reported, and food intake assessed. Minimum standards for diet definition in cachexia studies would improve reproducibility of pre-clinical studies and aid the interpretation and translation of results to humans with cancer.

Diet composition as a source of variation in experimental animal models of cancer cachexia

PubMed Central

Giles, Kaitlin; Guan, Chen; Jagoe, Thomas R.

2015-01-01

Abstract Background A variety of experimental animal models are used extensively to study mechanisms underlying cancer cachexia, and to identify potential treatments. The important potential confounding effect of dietary composition and intake used in many preclinical studies of cancer cachexia is frequently overlooked. Dietary designs applied in experimental studies should maximize the applicability to human cancer cachexia, meeting the essential requirements of the species used in the study, matched between treatment and control groups as well as also being generally similar to human consumption. Methods A literature review of scientific studies using animal models of cancer and cancer cachexia with dietary interventions was performed. Studies that investigated interventions using lipid sources were selected as the focus of discussion. Results The search revealed a number of nutrient intervention studies (n = 44), with the majority including n‐3 fatty acids (n = 16), mainly eicosapentaenoic acid and/or docosahexaenoic acid. A review of the literature revealed that the majority of studies do not provide information about dietary design; food intake or pair‐feeding is rarely reported. Further, there is a lack of standardization in dietary design, content, source, and overall composition in animal models of cancer cachexia. A model is proposed with the intent of guiding dietary design in preclinical studies to enable comparisons of dietary treatments within the same study, translation across different study designs, as well as application to human nutrient intakes. Conclusion The potential for experimental endpoints to be affected by variations in food intake, macronutrient content, and diet composition is likely. Diet content and composition should be reported, and food intake assessed. Minimum standards for diet definition in cachexia studies would improve reproducibility of pre‐clinical studies and aid the interpretation and translation of results to humans with cancer. PMID:27493865

Assessing Consequential Scenarios in a Complex Operational Environment Using Agent Based Simulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-16

RWISE) 93 5.1.5 Conflict Modeling, Planning, and Outcomes Experimentation Program (COMPOEX) 94 5.1.6 Joint Non -Kinetic Effects Model (JNEM)/Athena... experimental design and testing. 4.3.8 Types and Attributes of Agent-Based Model Design Patterns Using the aforementioned ABM flowchart design methodology ...speed, or flexibility during tactical US Army wargaming. The report considers methodologies to improve analysis of the human domain, identifies

The Utilization of Navy People-Related RDT&E (Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation): Fiscal Year 1983.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

emostraion. Tese eserch ool wee deignted and experimental demonstrations wre successfully con- for demonstrations. These research tools wre designated ...Topics 4.02 Instructional Systems Design Methodology Instructional Systems Development and Effectiveness Evaluation .................................... 1...6 53 0 0 67w Report Page 10.07 Human Performance Variables/Factors 10.08 Man-Machine Design Methodology Computer Assisted Methods for Human

What do we mean by Human-Centered Design of Life-Critical Systems?

PubMed

Boy, Guy A

2012-01-01

Human-centered design is not a new approach to design. Aerospace is a good example of a life-critical systems domain where participatory design was fully integrated, involving experimental test pilots and design engineers as well as many other actors of the aerospace engineering community. This paper provides six topics that are currently part of the requirements of the Ph.D. Program in Human-Centered Design of the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT.) This Human-Centered Design program offers principles, methods and tools that support human-centered sustainable products such as mission or process control environments, cockpits and hospital operating rooms. It supports education and training of design thinkers who are natural leaders, and understand complex relationships among technology, organizations and people. We all need to understand what we want to do with technology, how we should organize ourselves to a better life and finally find out whom we are and have become. Human-centered design is being developed for all these reasons and issues.

Detection of VEGF-A(xxx)b isoforms in human tissues.

PubMed

Bates, David O; Mavrou, Athina; Qiu, Yan; Carter, James G; Hamdollah-Zadeh, Maryam; Barratt, Shaney; Gammons, Melissa V; Millar, Ann B; Salmon, Andrew H J; Oltean, Sebastian; Harper, Steven J

2013-01-01

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A) can be generated as multiple isoforms by alternative splicing. Two families of isoforms have been described in humans, pro-angiogenic isoforms typified by VEGF-A165a, and anti-angiogenic isoforms typified by VEGF-A165b. The practical determination of expression levels of alternative isoforms of the same gene may be complicated by experimental protocols that favour one isoform over another, and the use of specific positive and negative controls is essential for the interpretation of findings on expression of the isoforms. Here we address some of the difficulties in experimental design when investigating alternative splicing of VEGF isoforms, and discuss the use of appropriate control paradigms. We demonstrate why use of specific control experiments can prevent assumptions that VEGF-A165b is not present, when in fact it is. We reiterate, and confirm previously published experimental design protocols that demonstrate the importance of using positive controls. These include using known target sequences to show that the experimental conditions are suitable for PCR amplification of VEGF-A165b mRNA for both q-PCR and RT-PCR and to ensure that mispriming does not occur. We also provide evidence that demonstrates that detection of VEGF-A165b protein in mice needs to be tightly controlled to prevent detection of mouse IgG by a secondary antibody. We also show that human VEGF165b protein can be immunoprecipitated from cultured human cells and that immunoprecipitating VEGF-A results in protein that is detected by VEGF-A165b antibody. These findings support the conclusion that more information on the biology of VEGF-A165b isoforms is required, and confirm the importance of the experimental design in such investigations, including the use of specific positive and negative controls.

Guide to Instrumentation Literature

DTIC Science & Technology

1955-12-14

equipment design , 1287f]-040. 166 refs. 5059. A. Chapanis, W. Ro Garner and C& T. Morgan, Applied experImental psychology. Human factors in enginering...Complete details of the work are presented, including laboratory data, experimental procedures, and theoretical and mathematical analyses. Annual...Instrumentation . . . . . . ....... 16 2.3 Books * • • •••••••••.• 1 Automatic Control; Design ; lhteory; Servomechanisms; Applications . . . . . . . . . 18

Intention of College Students to Receive the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, Keith

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to better understand what influences the intentions of college students to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the USA and cancers related to HPV are on the rise. Design/Methodology/Approach: A 2×2 experimental design was used to predict the…

Human Factors in Field Experimentation Design and Analysis of Analytical Suppression Model

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-01

men in uf"an-dachine- Systems " supports the development of new doctrines, design of weapon systems as well as training programs for trQops. One...Experimentation Design -Master’s thesis: and Analysis.of an Analytical Suppression.Spebr17 Model PR@~w 3.RPR 7. AUTHOR(@) COT RIETeo 31AN? wijMu~aw...influences to suppression. Techniques are examined for including. the suppre.ssive effects of weapon systems in Lanchester-type combat m~odels, whir~h may be

Model Effectiveness as a Function of Personnel (ME = f(PER))

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-10-01

Human Factor in Military Modernization, The RAND Corporation, R- 2460-NA, 1979 AD-A072955 D-7. SUPPRESSION Mueller, M. P., K. H. Pietsch , Human Factors in...H. Pietsch , Human Factors in Field Experimentation, Design and Analysis of an Analytical Suppression Model, 1978 A061417 Office of Naval Research

Common Mechanism Underlies Repeated Evolution of Extreme Pollution Tolerance

EPA Science Inventory

Human alterations to the environment can exert strong evolutionary pressures, yet contemporary adaptation to human-mediated stressors is rarely documented in wild populations. A common-garden experimental design was coupled with comparative transcriptomics to discover evolved me...

Gut Microbiome Standardization in Control and Experimental Mice.

PubMed

McCoy, Kathy D; Geuking, Markus B; Ronchi, Francesca

2017-04-03

Mouse models are used extensively to study human health and to investigate the mechanisms underlying human disease. In the past, most animal studies were performed without taking into consideration the impact of the microbiota. However, the microbiota that colonizes all body surfaces, including the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, genitourinary tract, and skin, heavily impacts nearly every aspect of host physiology. When performing studies utilizing mouse models it is critical to understand that the microbiome is heavily impacted by environmental factors, including (but not limited to) food, bedding, caging, and temperature. In addition, stochastic changes in the microbiota can occur over time that also play a role in shaping microbial composition. These factors lead to massive variability in the composition of the microbiota between animal facilities and research institutions, and even within a single facility. Lack of experimental reproducibility between research groups has highlighted the necessity for rigorously controlled experimental designs in order to standardize the microbiota between control and experimental animals. Well controlled experiments are mandatory in order to reduce variability and allow correct interpretation of experimental results, not just of host-microbiome studies but of all mouse models of human disease. The protocols presented are aimed to design experiments that control the microbiota composition between different genetic strains of experimental mice within an animal unit. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Man-machine Integration Design and Analysis System (MIDAS) Task Loading Model (TLM) experimental and software detailed design report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staveland, Lowell

1994-01-01

This is the experimental and software detailed design report for the prototype task loading model (TLM) developed as part of the man-machine integration design and analysis system (MIDAS), as implemented and tested in phase 6 of the Army-NASA Aircrew/Aircraft Integration (A3I) Program. The A3I program is an exploratory development effort to advance the capabilities and use of computational representations of human performance and behavior in the design, synthesis, and analysis of manned systems. The MIDAS TLM computationally models the demands designs impose on operators to aide engineers in the conceptual design of aircraft crewstations. This report describes TLM and the results of a series of experiments which were run this phase to test its capabilities as a predictive task demand modeling tool. Specifically, it includes discussions of: the inputs and outputs of TLM, the theories underlying it, the results of the test experiments, the use of the TLM as both stand alone tool and part of a complete human operator simulation, and a brief introduction to the TLM software design.

Human factors research problems in electronic voice warning system design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, C. A.; Williams, D. H.

1975-01-01

The speech messages issued by voice warning systems must be carefully designed in accordance with general principles of human decision making processes, human speech comprehension, and the conditions in which the warnings can occur. The operator's effectiveness must not be degraded by messages that are either inappropriate or difficult to comprehend. Important experimental variables include message content, linguistic redundancy, signal/noise ratio, interference with concurrent tasks, and listener expectations generated by the pragmatic or real world context in which the messages are presented.

A Discourse on Human Systems Integration

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

criterion for one of the study tasks. 2. Research Design This was a mixed methods study. The first-phase quantitative portion of the study...used a quasi-experimental, posttest-only with nonequivalent groups design . The independent variables were defined as follows: • The categorical... Research Design ...............................................................................287 3. Instruments

A Proposal to Perform New Theoretical and Experimental Research on HumanEfficiency Through Developments Within Systems Factorial Technology (SFT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-26

Mathematical psychology. In APA Handbook of Research Methods in Psychology, Vol. 2: Research Designs: Quantitative , Qualitative, DISTRIBUTION A: Distribution...AFRL-AFOSR-VA-TR-2017-0108 A Proposal to Perform New Theoretical and Experimental Research on Human Efficiency Through Developments Within Systems...release. AF Office Of Scientific Research (AFOSR)/ RTA2 Arlington, Virginia 22203 Air Force Research Laboratory Air Force Materiel Command a. REPORT

Development of Conceptual Design Support Tool Founded on Formalization of Conceptual Design Process for Regenerative Life Support Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyajima, Hiroyuki; Yuhara, Naohiro

Regenerative Life Support Systems (RLSS), which maintain human lives by recycling substances essential for living, are comprised of humans, plants, and material circulation systems. The plants supply food to the humans or reproduce water and gases by photosynthesis, while the material circulation systems recycle physicochemically and circulate substances disposed by humans and plants. RLSS attracts attention since manned space activities have been shifted from previous short trips to long-term stay activities as such base as a space station, a lunar base, and a Mars base. The present typical space base is the International Space Station (ISS), a manned experimental base for prolonged stays, where RLSS recycles only water and air. In order to accommodate prolonged and extended manned activity in future space bases, developing RLSS that implements food production and regeneration of resources at once using plants is expected. The configuration of RLSS should be designed to suit its own duty, for which design requirements for RLSS with an unprecedented configuration may arise. Accordingly, it is necessary to establish a conceptual design method for generalized RLSS. It is difficult, however, to systematize the design process by analyzing previous design because there are only a few ground-experimental facilities, namely CEEF (Closed Ecology Experiment Facilities) of Japan, BIO-Plex (Bioregenerative Planetary Life Support Systems Test Complex) of the U.S., and BIOS3 of Russia. Thus a conceptual design method which doesn’t rely on previous design examples is required for generalized RLSS from the above reasons. This study formalizes a conceptual design process, and develops a conceptual design support tool for RLSS based on this design process.

Using experimental design to define boundary manikins.

PubMed

Bertilsson, Erik; Högberg, Dan; Hanson, Lars

2012-01-01

When evaluating human-machine interaction it is central to consider anthropometric diversity to ensure intended accommodation levels. A well-known method is the use of boundary cases where manikins with extreme but likely measurement combinations are derived by mathematical treatment of anthropometric data. The supposition by that method is that the use of these manikins will facilitate accommodation of the expected part of the total, less extreme, population. In literature sources there are differences in how many and in what way these manikins should be defined. A similar field to the boundary case method is the use of experimental design in where relationships between affecting factors of a process is studied by a systematic approach. This paper examines the possibilities to adopt methodology used in experimental design to define a group of manikins. Different experimental designs were adopted to be used together with a confidence region and its axes. The result from the study shows that it is possible to adapt the methodology of experimental design when creating groups of manikins. The size of these groups of manikins depends heavily on the number of key measurements but also on the type of chosen experimental design.

Regression Discontinuity Design: A Guide for Strengthening Causal Inference in HRD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Silvana

2016-01-01

Purpose: Regression discontinuity (RD) design is a sophisticated quasi-experimental approach used for inferring causal relationships and estimating treatment effects. This paper aims to educate human resource development (HRD) researchers and practitioners on the implementation of RD design as an ethical alternative for making causal claims about…

A Review of the Experimental and Modeling Development of a Water Phase Change Heat Exchanger for Future Exploration Support Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cognata, Thomas; Leimkuehler, Thomas; Ramaswamy, Balasubramaniam; Nayagam, Vedha; Hasan, Mohammad; Stephan, Ryan

2011-01-01

Water affords manifold benefits for human space exploration. Its properties make it useful for the storage of thermal energy as a Phase Change Material (PCM) in thermal control systems, in radiation shielding against Solar Particle Events (SPE) for the protection of crew members, and it is indisputably necessary for human life support. This paper envisions a single application for water which addresses these benefits for future exploration support vehicles and it describes recent experimental and modeling work that has been performed in order to arrive at a description of the thermal behavior of such a system. Experimental units have been developed and tested which permit the evaluation of the many parameters of design for such a system with emphasis on the latent energy content, temperature rise, mass, and interstitial material geometry. The experimental results are used to develop a robust and well correlated model which is intended to guide future design efforts toward the multi-purposed water PCM heat exchanger envisioned.

Unified Approach to the Biomechanics of Dental Implantology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grenoble, D. E.; Knoell, A. C.

1973-01-01

The human need for safe and effective dental implants is well-recognized. Although many implant designs have been tested and are in use today, a large number have resulted in clinical failure. These failures appear to be due to biomechanical effects, as well as biocompatibility and surgical factors. A unified approach is proposed using multidisciplinary systems technology, for the study of the biomechanical interactions between dental implants and host tissues. The approach progresses from biomechanical modeling and analysis, supported by experimental investigations, through implant design development, clinical verification, and education of the dental practitioner. The result of the biomechanical modeling, analysis, and experimental phases would be the development of scientific design criteria for implants. Implant designs meeting these criteria would be generated, fabricated, and tested in animals. After design acceptance, these implants would be tested in humans, using efficient and safe surgical and restorative procedures. Finally, educational media and instructional courses would be developed for training dental practitioners in the use of the resulting implants.

Improving the physiological realism of experimental models.

PubMed

Vinnakota, Kalyan C; Cha, Chae Y; Rorsman, Patrik; Balaban, Robert S; La Gerche, Andre; Wade-Martins, Richard; Beard, Daniel A; Jeneson, Jeroen A L

2016-04-06

The Virtual Physiological Human (VPH) project aims to develop integrative, explanatory and predictive computational models (C-Models) as numerical investigational tools to study disease, identify and design effective therapies and provide an in silico platform for drug screening. Ultimately, these models rely on the analysis and integration of experimental data. As such, the success of VPH depends on the availability of physiologically realistic experimental models (E-Models) of human organ function that can be parametrized to test the numerical models. Here, the current state of suitable E-models, ranging from in vitro non-human cell organelles to in vivo human organ systems, is discussed. Specifically, challenges and recent progress in improving the physiological realism of E-models that may benefit the VPH project are highlighted and discussed using examples from the field of research on cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

Experimentation with human subjects: a critique of the views of Hans Jonas.

PubMed Central

Schafer, A

1983-01-01

The ethics of experimentation on human subjects has become the subject of much debate among medical scientists and philosophers. Ethical problems and conflicts of interest become especially serious when research subjects are recruited from the class of patients. Are patients who are ill and suffering in a position to give voluntary and informed consent? Are there inevitable conflicts of interest and moral obligation when a personal physician recruits his own patients for an experiment designed partly to advance scientific knowledge and only partly as therapy for those patients? The views of the eminent American ethicist Hans Jonas on these issues are briefly summarised and criticised, and some moral guidelines are then proposed to regulate experimentation on human subjects. PMID:6876101

Aviation human-in-the-loop simulation studies : experimental planning, design, and data management.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

Researchers from the NASAAmes Flight Cognition Laband the FAAs Aerospace Human Factors Research Lab at the Civil Aerospace Medical Instituteexamined task and workload management by single pilots in very light jets, also called entry-level jets.Thi...

A Framework for Human Performance Criteria for Advanced Reactor Operational Concepts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacques V Hugo; David I Gertman; Jeffrey C Joe

2014-08-01

This report supports the determination of new Operational Concept models needed in support of the operational design of new reactors. The objective of this research is to establish the technical bases for human performance and human performance criteria frameworks, models, and guidance for operational concepts for advanced reactor designs. The report includes a discussion of operating principles for advanced reactors, the human performance issues and requirements for human performance based upon work domain analysis and current regulatory requirements, and a description of general human performance criteria. The major findings and key observations to date are that there is some operatingmore » experience that informs operational concepts for baseline designs for SFR and HGTRs, with the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) as a best-case predecessor design. This report summarizes the theoretical and operational foundations for the development of a framework and model for human performance criteria that will influence the development of future Operational Concepts. The report also highlights issues associated with advanced reactor design and clarifies and codifies the identified aspects of technology and operating scenarios.« less

The human power amplifier technology at the University of California, Berkeley.

PubMed

Kazerooni, H

1996-01-01

A human's ability to perform physical tasks is limited by physical strength, not by intelligence. We define "extenders" as a class of robot manipulators worn by humans to augment human mechanical strength, while the wearer's intellect remains the central control system for manipulating the extender. Our research objective is to determine the ground rules for the design and control of robotic systems worn by humans through the design, construction, and control of several prototype experimental direct-drive/non-direct-drive multi-degree-of-freedom hydraulic/electric extenders. The design of extenders is different from the design of conventional robots because the extender interfaces with the human on a physical level. Two sets of force sensors measure the forces imposed on the extender by the human and by the environment (i.e., the load). The extender's compliances in response to such contact forces were designed by selecting appropriate force compensators. This paper gives a summary of some of the selected research efforts related to Extender Technology, carried out during 1980s. The references, at the end of this article, give detailed description of the research efforts.

Marginal biotin deficiency can be induced experimentally in humans using a cost-effective outpatient design.

PubMed

Stratton, Shawna L; Henrich, Cindy L; Matthews, Nell I; Bogusiewicz, Anna; Dawson, Amanda M; Horvath, Thomas D; Owen, Suzanne N; Boysen, Gunnar; Moran, Jeffery H; Mock, Donald M

2012-01-01

To date, marginal, asymptomatic biotin deficiency has been successfully induced experimentally by the use of labor-intensive inpatient designs requiring rigorous dietary control. We sought to determine if marginal biotin deficiency could be induced in humans in a less expensive outpatient design incorporating a self-selected, mixed general diet. We sought to examine the efficacy of three outpatient study designs: two based on oral avidin dosing and one based on a diet high in undenatured egg white for a period of 28 d. In study design 1, participants (n = 4; 3 women) received avidin in capsules with a biotin binding capacity of 7 times the estimated dietary biotin intake of a typical self-selected diet. In study design 2, participants (n = 2; 2 women) received double the amount of avidin capsules (14 times the estimated dietary biotin intake). In study design 3, participants (n = 5; 3 women) consumed egg-white beverages containing avidin with a biotin binding capacity of 7 times the estimated dietary biotin intake. Established indices of biotin status [lymphocyte propionyl-CoA carboxylase activity; urinary excretion of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid, 3-hydroxyisovaleryl carnitine (3HIA-carnitine), and biotin; and plasma concentration of 3HIA-carnitine] indicated that study designs 1 and 2 were not effective in inducing marginal biotin deficiency, but study design 3 was as effective as previous inpatient study designs that induced deficiency by egg-white beverage. Marginal biotin deficiency can be induced experimentally by using a cost-effective outpatient design by avidin delivery in egg-white beverages. This design should be useful to the broader nutritional research community.

New insights on therapeutic touch: a discussion of experimental methodology and design that resulted in significant effects on normal human cells and osteosarcoma.

PubMed

Monzillo, Eloise; Gronowicz, Gloria

2011-01-01

Our purpose is to discuss the study design and innovative approaches that led to finding significant effects of one energy medicine therapy, Therapeutic Touch (TT), on cells. In the original published studies, TT was shown to significantly increase human osteoblast DNA synthesis, differentiation, and mineralization; increase in a dose-dependent manner the growth of other human cell types; and decrease the differentiation and mineralization of a human osteosarcoma-derived cell line. A unique feature of the study's methodology and design that contributed to the success of the findings was that a basic level of skill and maturity of the TT practitioner was quantified for producing observable and replicable outcomes in a test administered to all TT practitioners. Only those practitioners that passed the test were selected for the study. (2) The practitioners were required to keep a journal, which appeared to promote their ability to stay centered and replicate their treatments over months of cell experimentation. (3) The origin of the cells that the practitioners were treating was explained to them, although they were blinded to cell type during the experiments. (4) Only early passage cells were used to maintain a stable cell phenotype. (5) Standard protocols for performing TT in the room were followed to ensure reproducible conditions. (6) Placebo controls and untreated controls were used for each experiment. (7) The principal investigator and technicians performing the assays were blinded as to the experimental groups, and all assays and procedures were well established in the laboratory prior to the start of the TT experiments. The absence of studies on the human biofield from mainstream scientific literature is also discussed by describing the difficulties encountered in publishing. These roadblocks contribute to our lack of understanding of the human biofield and energy medicine modalities in science. In conclusion, this report seeks to encourage well-designed, evidence-based studies on the human biofield and the therapeutic potential of the human biofield. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optimizing Experimental Design for Comparing Models of Brain Function

PubMed Central

Daunizeau, Jean; Preuschoff, Kerstin; Friston, Karl; Stephan, Klaas

2011-01-01

This article presents the first attempt to formalize the optimization of experimental design with the aim of comparing models of brain function based on neuroimaging data. We demonstrate our approach in the context of Dynamic Causal Modelling (DCM), which relates experimental manipulations to observed network dynamics (via hidden neuronal states) and provides an inference framework for selecting among candidate models. Here, we show how to optimize the sensitivity of model selection by choosing among experimental designs according to their respective model selection accuracy. Using Bayesian decision theory, we (i) derive the Laplace-Chernoff risk for model selection, (ii) disclose its relationship with classical design optimality criteria and (iii) assess its sensitivity to basic modelling assumptions. We then evaluate the approach when identifying brain networks using DCM. Monte-Carlo simulations and empirical analyses of fMRI data from a simple bimanual motor task in humans serve to demonstrate the relationship between network identification and the optimal experimental design. For example, we show that deciding whether there is a feedback connection requires shorter epoch durations, relative to asking whether there is experimentally induced change in a connection that is known to be present. Finally, we discuss limitations and potential extensions of this work. PMID:22125485

Conducting Human Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-05

Socio-cultural data acquisition, extraction, and management.??? First the idea of a theoretical framework will be very briefly discussed as well as...SUBJECT TERMS human behavior, theoretical framework , hypothesis development, experimental design, ethical research, statistical power, human laboratory...who throw rocks? • How can we make them stay too far away to throw rocks? UNCLASSIFIED – Approved for Public Release Theoretical Framework / Conceptual

Generalization Gradients in Human Predictive Learning: Effects of Discrimination Training and within-Subjects Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vervliet, Bram; Iberico, Carlos; Vervoort, Ellen; Baeyens, Frank

2011-01-01

Generalization gradients have been investigated widely in animal conditioning experiments, but much less so in human predictive learning tasks. Here, we apply the experimental design of a recent study on conditioned fear generalization in humans (Lissek et al., 2008) to a predictive learning task, and examine the effects of a number of relevant…

A wideband spiral antenna for ingestible capsule endoscope systems: experimental results in a human phantom and a pig.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Heun; Lee, Jaebok; Yoon, Young Joong; Park, Sangbok; Cheon, Changyul; Kim, Kihyun; Nam, Sangwook

2011-06-01

This paper presents the design of a wideband spiral antenna for ingestible capsule endoscope systems and a comparison between the experimental results in a human phantom and a pig under general anesthesia. As wireless capsule endoscope systems transmit real-time internal biological image data at a high resolution to external receivers and because they operate in the human body, a small wideband antenna is required. To incorporate these properties, a thick-arm spiral structure is applied to the designed antenna. To make practical and efficient use of antennas inside the human body, which is composed of a high dielectric and lossy material, the resonance characteristics and radiation patterns were evaluated through a measurement setup using a liquid human phantom. The total height of the designed antenna is 5 mm and the diameter is 10 mm. The fractional bandwidth of the fabricated antenna is about 21% with a voltage standing-wave ratio of less than 2, and it has an isotropic radiation pattern. These characteristics are suitable for wideband capsule endoscope systems. Moreover, the received power level was measured using the proposed antenna, a circular polarized receiver antenna, and a pig under general anesthesia. Finally, endoscopic capsule images in the stomach and large intestine were captured using an on-off keying transceiver system.

Building an experimental model of the human body with non-physiological parameters.

PubMed

Labuz, Joseph M; Moraes, Christopher; Mertz, David R; Leung, Brendan M; Takayama, Shuichi

2017-03-01

New advances in engineering and biomedical technology have enabled recent efforts to capture essential aspects of human physiology in microscale, in-vitro systems. The application of these advances to experimentally model complex processes in an integrated platform - commonly called a 'human-on-a-chip (HOC)' - requires that relevant compartments and parameters be sized correctly relative to each other and to the system as a whole. Empirical observation, theoretical treatments of resource distribution systems and natural experiments can all be used to inform rational design of such a system, but technical and fundamental challenges (e.g. small system blood volumes and context-dependent cell metabolism, respectively) pose substantial, unaddressed obstacles. Here, we put forth two fundamental principles for HOC design: inducing in-vivo -like cellular metabolic rates is necessary and may be accomplished in-vitro by limiting O 2 availability and that the effects of increased blood volumes on drug concentration can be mitigated through pharmacokinetics-based treatments of solute distribution. Combining these principles with natural observation and engineering workarounds, we derive a complete set of design criteria for a practically realizable, physiologically faithful, five-organ millionth-scale (× 10 -6 ) microfluidic model of the human body.

Building an experimental model of the human body with non-physiological parameters

PubMed Central

Labuz, Joseph M.; Moraes, Christopher; Mertz, David R.; Leung, Brendan M.; Takayama, Shuichi

2017-01-01

New advances in engineering and biomedical technology have enabled recent efforts to capture essential aspects of human physiology in microscale, in-vitro systems. The application of these advances to experimentally model complex processes in an integrated platform — commonly called a ‘human-on-a-chip (HOC)’ — requires that relevant compartments and parameters be sized correctly relative to each other and to the system as a whole. Empirical observation, theoretical treatments of resource distribution systems and natural experiments can all be used to inform rational design of such a system, but technical and fundamental challenges (e.g. small system blood volumes and context-dependent cell metabolism, respectively) pose substantial, unaddressed obstacles. Here, we put forth two fundamental principles for HOC design: inducing in-vivo-like cellular metabolic rates is necessary and may be accomplished in-vitro by limiting O2 availability and that the effects of increased blood volumes on drug concentration can be mitigated through pharmacokinetics-based treatments of solute distribution. Combining these principles with natural observation and engineering workarounds, we derive a complete set of design criteria for a practically realizable, physiologically faithful, five-organ millionth-scale (× 10−6) microfluidic model of the human body. PMID:28713851

Stochastic estimation of human shoulder impedance with robots: an experimental design.

PubMed

Park, Kyungbin; Chang, Pyung Hun

2011-01-01

Previous studies assumed the shoulder as a hinge joint during human arm impedance measurement. This is obviously a vast simplification since the shoulder is a complex of several joints with multiple degrees of freedom. In the present work, a practical methodology for more general and realistic estimation of human shoulder impedance is proposed and validated with a spring array. It includes a gravity compensation scheme, which is developed and used for the experiments with a spatial three degrees of freedom PUMA-type robot. The experimental results were accurate and reliable, and thus it has shown a strong potential of the proposed methodology in the estimation of human shoulder impedance. © 2011 IEEE

Improving the physiological realism of experimental models

PubMed Central

Vinnakota, Kalyan C.; Cha, Chae Y.; Rorsman, Patrik; Balaban, Robert S.; La Gerche, Andre; Wade-Martins, Richard; Beard, Daniel A.

2016-01-01

The Virtual Physiological Human (VPH) project aims to develop integrative, explanatory and predictive computational models (C-Models) as numerical investigational tools to study disease, identify and design effective therapies and provide an in silico platform for drug screening. Ultimately, these models rely on the analysis and integration of experimental data. As such, the success of VPH depends on the availability of physiologically realistic experimental models (E-Models) of human organ function that can be parametrized to test the numerical models. Here, the current state of suitable E-models, ranging from in vitro non-human cell organelles to in vivo human organ systems, is discussed. Specifically, challenges and recent progress in improving the physiological realism of E-models that may benefit the VPH project are highlighted and discussed using examples from the field of research on cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, diabetes and Parkinson's disease. PMID:27051507

A review on human reinstatement studies: an overview and methodological challenges

PubMed Central

Haaker, Jan; Golkar, Armita; Hermans, Dirk

2014-01-01

In human research, studies of return of fear (ROF) phenomena, and reinstatement in particular, began only a decade ago and recently are more widely used, e.g., as outcome measures for fear/extinction memory manipulations (e.g., reconsolidation). As reinstatement research in humans is still in its infancy, providing an overview of its stability and boundary conditions and summarizing methodological challenges is timely to foster fruitful future research. As a translational endeavor, clarifying the circumstances under which (experimental) reinstatement occurs may offer a first step toward understanding relapse as a clinical phenomenon and pave the way for the development of new pharmacological or behavioral ways to prevent ROF. The current state of research does not yet allow pinpointing these circumstances in detail and we hope this review will aid the research field to advance in this direction. As an introduction, we begin with a synopsis of rodent work on reinstatement and theories that have been proposed to explain the findings. The review however mainly focuses on reinstatement in humans. We first describe details and variations of the experimental setup in reinstatement studies in humans and give a general overview of results. We continue with a compilation of possible experimental boundary conditions and end with the role of individual differences and behavioral and/or pharmacological manipulations. Furthermore, we compile important methodological and design details on the published studies in humans and end with open research questions and some important methodological and design recommendations as a guide for future research. PMID:25128533

Marginal Biotin Deficiency Can Be Induced Experimentally in Humans Using a Cost-Effective Outpatient Design123

PubMed Central

Stratton, Shawna L.; Henrich, Cindy L.; Matthews, Nell I.; Bogusiewicz, Anna; Dawson, Amanda M.; Horvath, Thomas D.; Owen, Suzanne N.; Boysen, Gunnar; Moran, Jeffery H.; Mock, Donald M.

2012-01-01

To date, marginal, asymptomatic biotin deficiency has been successfully induced experimentally by the use of labor-intensive inpatient designs requiring rigorous dietary control. We sought to determine if marginal biotin deficiency could be induced in humans in a less expensive outpatient design incorporating a self-selected, mixed general diet. We sought to examine the efficacy of three outpatient study designs: two based on oral avidin dosing and one based on a diet high in undenatured egg white for a period of 28 d. In study design 1, participants (n = 4; 3 women) received avidin in capsules with a biotin binding capacity of 7 times the estimated dietary biotin intake of a typical self-selected diet. In study design 2, participants (n = 2; 2 women) received double the amount of avidin capsules (14 times the estimated dietary biotin intake). In study design 3, participants (n = 5; 3 women) consumed egg-white beverages containing avidin with a biotin binding capacity of 7 times the estimated dietary biotin intake. Established indices of biotin status [lymphocyte propionyl-CoA carboxylase activity; urinary excretion of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid, 3-hydroxyisovaleryl carnitine (3HIA-carnitine), and biotin; and plasma concentration of 3HIA-carnitine] indicated that study designs 1 and 2 were not effective in inducing marginal biotin deficiency, but study design 3 was as effective as previous inpatient study designs that induced deficiency by egg-white beverage. Marginal biotin deficiency can be induced experimentally by using a cost-effective outpatient design by avidin delivery in egg-white beverages. This design should be useful to the broader nutritional research community. PMID:22157538

Understanding of visual attention by adult humans (Homo sapiens): a partial replication of Povinelli, Bierschwale, and Cech (1999).

PubMed

Thomas, Emily; Murphy, Mary; Pitt, Rebecca; Rivers, Angela; Leavens, David A

2008-11-01

Povinelli, Bierschwale, and Cech (1999) reported that when tested on a visual attention task, the behavior of juvenile chimpanzees did not support a high-level understanding of visual attention. This study replicates their research using adult humans and aims to investigate the validity of their experimental design. Participants were trained to respond to pointing cues given by an experimenter, and then tested on their ability to locate hidden objects from visual cues. Povinelli et al.'s assertion that the generalization of pointing to gaze is indicative of a high-level framework was not supported by our findings: Training improved performance only on initial probe trials when the experimenter's gaze was not directed at the baited cup. Furthermore, participants performed above chance on such trials, the same result exhibited by chimpanzees and used as evidence by Povinelli et al. to support a low-level framework. These findings, together with the high performance of participants in an incongruent condition, in which the experimenter pointed to or gazed at an unbaited container, challenge the validity of their experimental design. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

Human Cadavers vs. Multimedia Simulation: A Study of Student Learning in Anatomy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saltarelli, Andrew J.; Roseth, Cary J.; Saltarelli, William A.

2014-01-01

Multimedia and simulation programs are increasingly being used for anatomy instruction, yet it remains unclear how learning with these technologies compares with learning with actual human cadavers. Using a multilevel, quasi-experimental-control design, this study compared the effects of "Anatomy and Physiology Revealed" (APR) multimedia…

Screening and Identification of Peptides Specifically Targeted to Gastric Cancer Cells from a Phage Display Peptide Library

PubMed

Sahin, Deniz; Taflan, Sevket Onur; Yartas, Gizem; Ashktorab, Hassan; Smoot, Duane T

2018-04-25

Background: Gastric cancer is the second most common cancer among the malign cancer types. Inefficiency of traditional techniques both in diagnosis and therapy of the disease makes the development of alternative and novel techniques indispensable. As an alternative to traditional methods, tumor specific targeting small peptides can be used to increase the efficiency of the treatment and reduce the side effects related to traditional techniques. The aim of this study is screening and identification of individual peptides specifically targeted to human gastric cancer cells using a phage-displayed peptide library and designing specific peptide sequences by using experimentally-eluted peptide sequences. Methods: Here, MKN-45 human gastric cancer cells and HFE-145 human normal gastric epithelial cells were used as the target and control cells, respectively. 5 rounds of biopannning with a phage display 12-peptide library were applied following subtraction biopanning with HFE-145 control cells. The selected phage clones were established by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence detection. We first obtain random phage clones after five biopanning rounds, determine the binding levels of each individual clone. Then, we analyze the frequencies of each amino acid in best binding clones to determine positively overexpressed amino acids for designing novel peptide sequences. Results: DE532 (VETSQYFRGTLS) phage clone was screened positive, showing specific binding on MKN-45 gastric cancer cells. DE-Obs (HNDLFPSWYHNY) peptide, which was designed by using amino acid frequencies of experimentally selected peptides in the 5th round of biopanning, showed specific binding in MKN-45 cells. Conclusion: Selection and characterization of individual clones may give us specifically binding peptides, but more importantly, data extracted from eluted phage clones may be used to design theoretical peptides with better binding properties than even experimentally selected ones. Both peptides, experimental and designed, may be potential candidates to be developed as useful diagnostic or therapeutic ligand molecules in gastric cancer research. Creative Commons Attribution License

Design and fabrication of a prototype for an automatic transport system for transferring human and other wastes to an incinerator unit onboard spacecraft, phase A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labak, L. J.; Remus, G. A.; Mansnerus, R.

1971-01-01

Three transport system concepts were experimentally evaluated for transferring human and nonhuman wastes from a collection site to an incineration unit onboard spacecraft. The operating parameters, merits, and shortcomings of a porous-pneumatic, nozzle-pneumatic, and a mechanical screw-feed system were determined. An analysis of the test data was made and a preliminary design of two prototype systems was prepared.

Statistical modelling of networked human-automation performance using working memory capacity.

PubMed

Ahmed, Nisar; de Visser, Ewart; Shaw, Tyler; Mohamed-Ameen, Amira; Campbell, Mark; Parasuraman, Raja

2014-01-01

This study examines the challenging problem of modelling the interaction between individual attentional limitations and decision-making performance in networked human-automation system tasks. Analysis of real experimental data from a task involving networked supervision of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles by human participants shows that both task load and network message quality affect performance, but that these effects are modulated by individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity. These insights were used to assess three statistical approaches for modelling and making predictions with real experimental networked supervisory performance data: classical linear regression, non-parametric Gaussian processes and probabilistic Bayesian networks. It is shown that each of these approaches can help designers of networked human-automated systems cope with various uncertainties in order to accommodate future users by linking expected operating conditions and performance from real experimental data to observable cognitive traits like WM capacity. Practitioner Summary: Working memory (WM) capacity helps account for inter-individual variability in operator performance in networked unmanned aerial vehicle supervisory tasks. This is useful for reliable performance prediction near experimental conditions via linear models; robust statistical prediction beyond experimental conditions via Gaussian process models and probabilistic inference about unknown task conditions/WM capacities via Bayesian network models.

Compact divided-pupil line-scanning confocal microscope for investigation of human tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glazowski, Christopher; Peterson, Gary; Rajadhyaksha, Milind

2013-03-01

Divided-pupil line-scanning confocal microscopy (DPLSCM) can provide a simple and low-cost approach for imaging of human tissues with pathology-like nuclear and cellular detail. Using results from a multidimensional numerical model of DPLSCM, we found optimal pupil configurations for improved axial sectioning, as well as control of speckle noise in the case of reflectance imaging. The modeling results guided the design and construction of a simple (10 component) microscope, packaged within the footprint of an iPhone, and capable of cellular resolution. We present the optical design with experimental video-images of in-vivo human tissues.

The Microphysiology Systems Database for Analyzing and Modeling Compound Interactions with Human and Animal Organ Models

PubMed Central

Vernetti, Lawrence; Bergenthal, Luke; Shun, Tong Ying; Taylor, D. Lansing

2016-01-01

Abstract Microfluidic human organ models, microphysiology systems (MPS), are currently being developed as predictive models of drug safety and efficacy in humans. To design and validate MPS as predictive of human safety liabilities requires safety data for a reference set of compounds, combined with in vitro data from the human organ models. To address this need, we have developed an internet database, the MPS database (MPS-Db), as a powerful platform for experimental design, data management, and analysis, and to combine experimental data with reference data, to enable computational modeling. The present study demonstrates the capability of the MPS-Db in early safety testing using a human liver MPS to relate the effects of tolcapone and entacapone in the in vitro model to human in vivo effects. These two compounds were chosen to be evaluated as a representative pair of marketed drugs because they are structurally similar, have the same target, and were found safe or had an acceptable risk in preclinical and clinical trials, yet tolcapone induced unacceptable levels of hepatotoxicity while entacapone was found to be safe. Results demonstrate the utility of the MPS-Db as an essential resource for relating in vitro organ model data to the multiple biochemical, preclinical, and clinical data sources on in vivo drug effects. PMID:28781990

Preventable Medical Errors Driven Modeling of Medical Best Practice Guidance Systems.

PubMed

Ou, Andrew Y-Z; Jiang, Yu; Wu, Po-Liang; Sha, Lui; Berlin, Richard B

2017-01-01

In a medical environment such as Intensive Care Unit, there are many possible reasons to cause errors, and one important reason is the effect of human intellectual tasks. When designing an interactive healthcare system such as medical Cyber-Physical-Human Systems (CPHSystems), it is important to consider whether the system design can mitigate the errors caused by these tasks or not. In this paper, we first introduce five categories of generic intellectual tasks of humans, where tasks among each category may lead to potential medical errors. Then, we present an integrated modeling framework to model a medical CPHSystem and use UPPAAL as the foundation to integrate and verify the whole medical CPHSystem design models. With a verified and comprehensive model capturing the human intellectual tasks effects, we can design a more accurate and acceptable system. We use a cardiac arrest resuscitation guidance and navigation system (CAR-GNSystem) for such medical CPHSystem modeling. Experimental results show that the CPHSystem models help determine system design flaws and can mitigate the potential medical errors caused by the human intellectual tasks.

Human Systems Integration at NASA Ames Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCandless, Jeffrey

2017-01-01

The Human Systems Integration Division focuses on the design and operations of complex aerospace systems through analysis, experimentation and modeling. With over a dozen labs and over 120 people, the division conducts research to improve safety, efficiency and mission success. Areas of investigation include applied vision research which will be discussed during this seminar.

Recommendations for Improving Identification and Quantification in Non-Targeted, GC-MS-Based Metabolomic Profiling of Human Plasma

PubMed Central

Wang, Hanghang; Muehlbauer, Michael J.; O’Neal, Sara K.; Newgard, Christopher B.; Hauser, Elizabeth R.; Shah, Svati H.

2017-01-01

The field of metabolomics as applied to human disease and health is rapidly expanding. In recent efforts of metabolomics research, greater emphasis has been placed on quality control and method validation. In this study, we report an experience with quality control and a practical application of method validation. Specifically, we sought to identify and modify steps in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based, non-targeted metabolomic profiling of human plasma that could influence metabolite identification and quantification. Our experimental design included two studies: (1) a limiting-dilution study, which investigated the effects of dilution on analyte identification and quantification; and (2) a concentration-specific study, which compared the optimal plasma extract volume established in the first study with the volume used in the current institutional protocol. We confirmed that contaminants, concentration, repeatability and intermediate precision are major factors influencing metabolite identification and quantification. In addition, we established methods for improved metabolite identification and quantification, which were summarized to provide recommendations for experimental design of GC-MS-based non-targeted profiling of human plasma. PMID:28841195

Comparative Assessment of Torso and Seat Mounted Restraint Systems using Manikins on the Vertical Deceleration Tower

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

experimental effort involving a series of +z-axis impact tests was conducted on the 711th Human Performance Wing’s Vertical Deceleration Tower (VDT...parameters) and a JSF-styled ejection seat configuration (combined non -baseline test parameters) produced similar biodynamic response parameters for the LOIS...Photography .............................................................................. 12 6.0 EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

A review on human reinstatement studies: an overview and methodological challenges.

PubMed

Haaker, Jan; Golkar, Armita; Hermans, Dirk; Lonsdorf, Tina B

2014-09-01

In human research, studies of return of fear (ROF) phenomena, and reinstatement in particular, began only a decade ago and recently are more widely used, e.g., as outcome measures for fear/extinction memory manipulations (e.g., reconsolidation). As reinstatement research in humans is still in its infancy, providing an overview of its stability and boundary conditions and summarizing methodological challenges is timely to foster fruitful future research. As a translational endeavor, clarifying the circumstances under which (experimental) reinstatement occurs may offer a first step toward understanding relapse as a clinical phenomenon and pave the way for the development of new pharmacological or behavioral ways to prevent ROF. The current state of research does not yet allow pinpointing these circumstances in detail and we hope this review will aid the research field to advance in this direction. As an introduction, we begin with a synopsis of rodent work on reinstatement and theories that have been proposed to explain the findings. The review however mainly focuses on reinstatement in humans. We first describe details and variations of the experimental setup in reinstatement studies in humans and give a general overview of results. We continue with a compilation of possible experimental boundary conditions and end with the role of individual differences and behavioral and/or pharmacological manipulations. Furthermore, we compile important methodological and design details on the published studies in humans and end with open research questions and some important methodological and design recommendations as a guide for future research. © 2014 Haaker et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

A meta-analysis of factors affecting trust in human-robot interaction.

PubMed

Hancock, Peter A; Billings, Deborah R; Schaefer, Kristin E; Chen, Jessie Y C; de Visser, Ewart J; Parasuraman, Raja

2011-10-01

We evaluate and quantify the effects of human, robot, and environmental factors on perceived trust in human-robot interaction (HRI). To date, reviews of trust in HRI have been qualitative or descriptive. Our quantitative review provides a fundamental empirical foundation to advance both theory and practice. Meta-analytic methods were applied to the available literature on trust and HRI. A total of 29 empirical studies were collected, of which 10 met the selection criteria for correlational analysis and 11 for experimental analysis. These studies provided 69 correlational and 47 experimental effect sizes. The overall correlational effect size for trust was r = +0.26,with an experimental effect size of d = +0.71. The effects of human, robot, and environmental characteristics were examined with an especial evaluation of the robot dimensions of performance and attribute-based factors. The robot performance and attributes were the largest contributors to the development of trust in HRI. Environmental factors played only a moderate role. Factors related to the robot itself, specifically, its performance, had the greatest current association with trust, and environmental factors were moderately associated. There was little evidence for effects of human-related factors. The findings provide quantitative estimates of human, robot, and environmental factors influencing HRI trust. Specifically, the current summary provides effect size estimates that are useful in establishing design and training guidelines with reference to robot-related factors of HRI trust. Furthermore, results indicate that improper trust calibration may be mitigated by the manipulation of robot design. However, many future research needs are identified.

Platelet-rich plasma in orthopedic therapy: a comparative systematic review of clinical and experimental data in equine and human musculoskeletal lesions.

PubMed

Brossi, Patrícia M; Moreira, Juliana J; Machado, Thaís S L; Baccarin, Raquel Y A

2015-04-22

This systematic review aimed to present and critically appraise the available information on the efficacy of platelet rich plasma (PRP) in equine and human orthopedic therapeutics and to verify the influence of study design and methodology on the assumption of PRP's efficacy. We searched Medline, PubMed, Embase, Bireme and Google Scholar without restrictions until July 2013. Randomized trials, human cohort clinical studies or case series with a control group on the use of PRP in tendons, ligaments or articular lesions were included. Equine clinical studies on the same topics were included independently of their design. Experimental studies relevant to the clarification of PRP's effects and mechanisms of action in tissues of interest, conducted in any animal species, were selected. This review included 123 studies. PRP's beneficial effects were observed in 46.7% of the clinical studies, while the absence of positive effects was observed in 43.3%. Among experimental studies, 73% yielded positive results, and 7.9% yielded negative results. The most frequent flaws in the clinical trials' designs were the lack of a true placebo group, poor product characterization, insufficient blinding, small sampling, short follow-up periods, and adoption of poor outcome measures. The methods employed for PRP preparation and administration and the selected outcome measures varied greatly. Poor study design was a common feature of equine clinical trials. From studies in which PRP had beneficial effects, 67.8% had an overall high risk of bias. From the studies in which PRP failed to exhibit beneficial effects, 67.8% had an overall low risk of bias. Most experimental studies revealed positive effects of PRP. Although the majority of equine clinical studies yielded positive results, the human clinical trials' results failed to corroborate these findings. In both species, beneficial results were more frequently observed in studies with a high risk of bias. The use of PRP in musculoskeletal lesions, although safe and promising, has still not shown strong evidence in clinical scenarios.

linkedISA: semantic representation of ISA-Tab experimental metadata.

PubMed

González-Beltrán, Alejandra; Maguire, Eamonn; Sansone, Susanna-Assunta; Rocca-Serra, Philippe

2014-01-01

Reporting and sharing experimental metadata- such as the experimental design, characteristics of the samples, and procedures applied, along with the analysis results, in a standardised manner ensures that datasets are comprehensible and, in principle, reproducible, comparable and reusable. Furthermore, sharing datasets in formats designed for consumption by humans and machines will also maximize their use. The Investigation/Study/Assay (ISA) open source metadata tracking framework facilitates standards-compliant collection, curation, visualization, storage and sharing of datasets, leveraging on other platforms to enable analysis and publication. The ISA software suite includes several components used in increasingly diverse set of life science and biomedical domains; it is underpinned by a general-purpose format, ISA-Tab, and conversions exist into formats required by public repositories. While ISA-Tab works well mainly as a human readable format, we have also implemented a linked data approach to semantically define the ISA-Tab syntax. We present a semantic web representation of the ISA-Tab syntax that complements ISA-Tab's syntactic interoperability with semantic interoperability. We introduce the linkedISA conversion tool from ISA-Tab to the Resource Description Framework (RDF), supporting mappings from the ISA syntax to multiple community-defined, open ontologies and capitalising on user-provided ontology annotations in the experimental metadata. We describe insights of the implementation and how annotations can be expanded driven by the metadata. We applied the conversion tool as part of Bio-GraphIIn, a web-based application supporting integration of the semantically-rich experimental descriptions. Designed in a user-friendly manner, the Bio-GraphIIn interface hides most of the complexities to the users, exposing a familiar tabular view of the experimental description to allow seamless interaction with the RDF representation, and visualising descriptors to drive the query over the semantic representation of the experimental design. In addition, we defined queries over the linkedISA RDF representation and demonstrated its use over the linkedISA conversion of datasets from Nature' Scientific Data online publication. Our linked data approach has allowed us to: 1) make the ISA-Tab semantics explicit and machine-processable, 2) exploit the existing ontology-based annotations in the ISA-Tab experimental descriptions, 3) augment the ISA-Tab syntax with new descriptive elements, 4) visualise and query elements related to the experimental design. Reasoning over ISA-Tab metadata and associated data will facilitate data integration and knowledge discovery.

Experimental analysis of oligonucleotide microarray design criteria to detect deletions by comparative genomic hybridization.

PubMed

Flibotte, Stephane; Moerman, Donald G

2008-10-21

Microarray comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) is currently one of the most powerful techniques to measure DNA copy number in large genomes. In humans, microarray CGH is widely used to assess copy number variants in healthy individuals and copy number aberrations associated with various diseases, syndromes and disease susceptibility. In model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) the technique has been applied to detect mutations, primarily deletions, in strains of interest. Although various constraints on oligonucleotide properties have been suggested to minimize non-specific hybridization and improve the data quality, there have been few experimental validations for CGH experiments. For genomic regions where strict design filters would limit the coverage it would also be useful to quantify the expected loss in data quality associated with relaxed design criteria. We have quantified the effects of filtering various oligonucleotide properties by measuring the resolving power for detecting deletions in the human and C. elegans genomes using NimbleGen microarrays. Approximately twice as many oligonucleotides are typically required to be affected by a deletion in human DNA samples in order to achieve the same statistical confidence as one would observe for a deletion in C. elegans. Surprisingly, the ability to detect deletions strongly depends on the oligonucleotide 15-mer count, which is defined as the sum of the genomic frequency of all the constituent 15-mers within the oligonucleotide. A similarity level above 80% to non-target sequences over the length of the probe produces significant cross-hybridization. We recommend the use of a fairly large melting temperature window of up to 10 degrees C, the elimination of repeat sequences, the elimination of homopolymers longer than 5 nucleotides, and a threshold of -1 kcal/mol on the oligonucleotide self-folding energy. We observed very little difference in data quality when varying the oligonucleotide length between 50 and 70, and even when using an isothermal design strategy. We have determined experimentally the effects of varying several key oligonucleotide microarray design criteria for detection of deletions in C. elegans and humans with NimbleGen's CGH technology. Our oligonucleotide design recommendations should be applicable for CGH analysis in most species.

Development and validation of LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of oxcarbazepine in human plasma using an experimental design.

PubMed

Srinubabu, Gedela; Ratnam, Bandaru Veera Venkata; Rao, Allam Appa; Rao, Medicherla Narasimha

2008-01-01

A rapid tandem mass spectrometric (MS-MS) method for the quantification of Oxcarbazepine (OXB) in human plasma using imipramine as an internal standard (IS) has been developed and validated. Chromatographic separation was achieved isocratically on a C18 reversed-phase column within 3.0 min, using a mobile phase of acetonitrile-10 mM ammonium formate (90 : 10 v/v) at a flow rate of 0.3 ml/min. Quantitation was achieved using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scan at MRM transitions m/z 253>208 and m/z 281>86 for OXB and the IS respectively. Calibration curves were linear over the concentration range of 0.2-16 mug/ml (r>0.999) with a limit of quantification of 0.2 mug/ml. Analytical recoveries of OXB from spiked human plasma were in the range of 74.9 to 76.3%. Plackett-Burman design was applied for screening of chromatographic and mass spectrometric factors; factorial design was applied for optimization of essential factors for the robustness study. A linear model was postulated and a 2(3) full factorial design was employed to estimate the model coefficients for intermediate precision. More specifically, experimental design helps the researcher to verify if changes in factor values produce a statistically significant variation of the observed response. The strategy is most effective if statistical design is used in most or all stages of the screening and optimizing process for future method validation of pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence studies.

Reconciled Rat and Human Metabolic Networks for Comparative Toxicogenomics and Biomarker Predictions

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-08

compared with the original human GPR rules (Supplementary Fig. 3). The consensus-based approach for filtering orthology annotations was designed to...ARTICLE Received 29 Jan 2016 | Accepted 13 Dec 2016 | Published 8 Feb 2017 Reconciled rat and human metabolic networks for comparative toxicogenomics...predictions in response to 76 drugs. We validate comparative predictions for xanthine derivatives with new experimental data and literature- based evidence

Human-computer interaction in multitask situations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouse, W. B.

1977-01-01

Human-computer interaction in multitask decisionmaking situations is considered, and it is proposed that humans and computers have overlapping responsibilities. Queueing theory is employed to model this dynamic approach to the allocation of responsibility between human and computer. Results of simulation experiments are used to illustrate the effects of several system variables including number of tasks, mean time between arrivals of action-evoking events, human-computer speed mismatch, probability of computer error, probability of human error, and the level of feedback between human and computer. Current experimental efforts are discussed and the practical issues involved in designing human-computer systems for multitask situations are considered.

Study of optical design of three-dimensional digital ophthalmoscopes.

PubMed

Fang, Yi-Chin; Yen, Chih-Ta; Chu, Chin-Hsien

2015-10-01

This study primarily involves using optical zoom structures to design a three-dimensional (3D) human-eye optical sensory system with infrared and visible light. According to experimental data on two-dimensional (2D) and 3D images, human-eye recognition of 3D images is substantially higher (approximately 13.182%) than that of 2D images. Thus, 3D images are more effective than 2D images when they are used at work or in high-recognition devices. In the optical system design, infrared and visible light wavebands were incorporated as light sources to perform simulations. The results can be used to facilitate the design of optical systems suitable for 3D digital ophthalmoscopes.

Design standards for experimental and field studies to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of tests for infectious diseases in aquatic animals.

PubMed

Laurin, E; Thakur, K K; Gardner, I A; Hick, P; Moody, N J G; Crane, M S J; Ernst, I

2018-05-01

Design and reporting quality of diagnostic accuracy studies (DAS) are important metrics for assessing utility of tests used in animal and human health. Following standards for designing DAS will assist in appropriate test selection for specific testing purposes and minimize the risk of reporting biased sensitivity and specificity estimates. To examine the benefits of recommending standards, design information from published DAS literature was assessed for 10 finfish, seven mollusc, nine crustacean and two amphibian diseases listed in the 2017 OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals. Of the 56 DAS identified, 41 were based on field testing, eight on experimental challenge studies and seven on both. Also, we adapted human and terrestrial-animal standards and guidelines for DAS structure for use in aquatic animal diagnostic research. Through this process, we identified and addressed important metrics for consideration at the design phase: study purpose, targeted disease state, selection of appropriate samples and specimens, laboratory analytical methods, statistical methods and data interpretation. These recommended design standards for DAS are presented as a checklist including risk-of-failure points and actions to mitigate bias at each critical step. Adherence to standards when designing DAS will also facilitate future systematic review and meta-analyses of DAS research literature. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Decisionmaking in Military Command Teams: An Experimental Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

of the problems that remain to be solved by systems designers . The Fogarty report concluded that "The AEGIS combat system’s performance was excellent...1989). He maintains that the designers of the AEGIS system failed to incorporate enough human engineering in their design . Without addressing the fault...Naval Command Teams (RAINCOAT), Composite Warfare Commander - Destributed Dynamc Decisionmaking ICWC-[I)), resource coordination, resource effectiveness

Video Games: A Human Factors Guide to Visual Display Design and Instructional System Design

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-04-01

Electronic video games have many of the same technological and psychological characteristics that are found in military computer-based systems. For...both of which employ video games as experimental stimuli, are presented here. The first research program seeks to identify and exploit the...characteristics of video games in the design of game-based training devices. The second program is designed to explore the effects of electronic video display

Computer Modeling and Simulation of Bullet Impact to the Human Thorax

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-06-01

manufacturers into the design and assessment stag~e of their body armor systems. V50 36 testing as used by body armor manufacturers experimentally identifies a...was due to the use of numerical integration by the experimenters at AFIP to obtain the velocities and displacements. In order to set a standard for... numerical integration. As such, in the sternum velocity graph, the initial downward motion of the experimental results, dependent upon the initial negative

A Robust Adaptive Autonomous Approach to Optimal Experimental Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Hairong

Experimentation is the fundamental tool of scientific inquiries to understand the laws governing the nature and human behaviors. Many complex real-world experimental scenarios, particularly in quest of prediction accuracy, often encounter difficulties to conduct experiments using an existing experimental procedure for the following two reasons. First, the existing experimental procedures require a parametric model to serve as the proxy of the latent data structure or data-generating mechanism at the beginning of an experiment. However, for those experimental scenarios of concern, a sound model is often unavailable before an experiment. Second, those experimental scenarios usually contain a large number of design variables, which potentially leads to a lengthy and costly data collection cycle. Incompetently, the existing experimental procedures are unable to optimize large-scale experiments so as to minimize the experimental length and cost. Facing the two challenges in those experimental scenarios, the aim of the present study is to develop a new experimental procedure that allows an experiment to be conducted without the assumption of a parametric model while still achieving satisfactory prediction, and performs optimization of experimental designs to improve the efficiency of an experiment. The new experimental procedure developed in the present study is named robust adaptive autonomous system (RAAS). RAAS is a procedure for sequential experiments composed of multiple experimental trials, which performs function estimation, variable selection, reverse prediction and design optimization on each trial. Directly addressing the challenges in those experimental scenarios of concern, function estimation and variable selection are performed by data-driven modeling methods to generate a predictive model from data collected during the course of an experiment, thus exempting the requirement of a parametric model at the beginning of an experiment; design optimization is performed to select experimental designs on the fly of an experiment based on their usefulness so that fewest designs are needed to reach useful inferential conclusions. Technically, function estimation is realized by Bayesian P-splines, variable selection is realized by Bayesian spike-and-slab prior, reverse prediction is realized by grid-search and design optimization is realized by the concepts of active learning. The present study demonstrated that RAAS achieves statistical robustness by making accurate predictions without the assumption of a parametric model serving as the proxy of latent data structure while the existing procedures can draw poor statistical inferences if a misspecified model is assumed; RAAS also achieves inferential efficiency by taking fewer designs to acquire useful statistical inferences than non-optimal procedures. Thus, RAAS is expected to be a principled solution to real-world experimental scenarios pursuing robust prediction and efficient experimentation.

Influence of Cultural, Organizational, and Automation Capability on Human Automation Trust: A Case Study of Auto-GCAS Experimental Test Pilots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koltai, Kolina; Ho, Nhut; Masequesmay, Gina; Niedober, David; Skoog, Mark; Cacanindin, Artemio; Johnson, Walter; Lyons, Joseph

2014-01-01

This paper discusses a case study that examined the influence of cultural, organizational and automation capability upon human trust in, and reliance on, automation. In particular, this paper focuses on the design and application of an extended case study methodology, and on the foundational lessons revealed by it. Experimental test pilots involved in the research and development of the US Air Force's newly developed Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System served as the context for this examination. An eclectic, multi-pronged approach was designed to conduct this case study, and proved effective in addressing the challenges associated with the case's politically sensitive and military environment. Key results indicate that the system design was in alignment with pilot culture and organizational mission, indicating the potential for appropriate trust development in operational pilots. These include the low-vulnerability/ high risk nature of the pilot profession, automation transparency and suspicion, system reputation, and the setup of and communications among organizations involved in the system development.

Intervention Research and Its Influence on Nonintervention Research in Human Resource Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Sunyoung; Chae, Chungil

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify how intervention research weighed in nonintervention research in the field of human resource development (HRD) by examining the number, citation frequency and use of experimental studies in HRD academic journals. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 2,700 articles published between 1990 and 2014…

Evidence Evaluation: Measure "Z" Corresponds to Human Utility Judgments Better than Measure "L" and Optimal-Experimental-Design Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rusconi, Patrice; Marelli, Marco; D'Addario, Marco; Russo, Selena; Cherubini, Paolo

2014-01-01

Evidence evaluation is a crucial process in many human activities, spanning from medical diagnosis to impression formation. The present experiments investigated which, if any, normative model best conforms to people's intuition about the value of the obtained evidence. Psychologists, epistemologists, and philosophers of science have proposed…

75 FR 42087 - Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations of Experts for the SAB Hydraulic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-20

... regarding trace organics and environmental monitoring; statistics, particularly regarding experimental design of field studies; human health effects and risk assessment; civil and environmental engineering...

Predicting phenotype from genotype: Improving accuracy through more robust experimental and computational modeling.

PubMed

Gallion, Jonathan; Koire, Amanda; Katsonis, Panagiotis; Schoenegge, Anne-Marie; Bouvier, Michel; Lichtarge, Olivier

2017-05-01

Computational prediction yields efficient and scalable initial assessments of how variants of unknown significance may affect human health. However, when discrepancies between these predictions and direct experimental measurements of functional impact arise, inaccurate computational predictions are frequently assumed as the source. Here, we present a methodological analysis indicating that shortcomings in both computational and biological data can contribute to these disagreements. We demonstrate that incomplete assaying of multifunctional proteins can affect the strength of correlations between prediction and experiments; a variant's full impact on function is better quantified by considering multiple assays that probe an ensemble of protein functions. Additionally, many variants predictions are sensitive to protein alignment construction and can be customized to maximize relevance of predictions to a specific experimental question. We conclude that inconsistencies between computation and experiment can often be attributed to the fact that they do not test identical hypotheses. Aligning the design of the computational input with the design of the experimental output will require cooperation between computational and biological scientists, but will also lead to improved estimations of computational prediction accuracy and a better understanding of the genotype-phenotype relationship. © 2017 The Authors. **Human Mutation published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

2015 Summer Series - Lee Stone - Brain Function Through the Eyes of the Beholder

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-06-09

The Visuomotor Control Laboratory (VCL) at NASA Ames conducts neuroscience research on the link between eye movements and brain function to provide an efficient and quantitative means of monitoring human perceptual performance. The VCL aims to make dramatic improvements in mission success through analysis, experimentation, and modeling of human performance and human-automation interaction. Dr. Lee Stone elaborates on how this research is conducted and how it contributes to NASA's mission and advances human-centered design and operations of complex aerospace systems.

Predicting the Consequences of Workload Management Strategies with Human Performance Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, Diane Kuhl; Samma, Charneta

2011-01-01

Human performance modelers at the US Army Research Laboratory have developed an approach for establishing Soldier high workload that can be used for analyses of proposed system designs. Their technique includes three key components. To implement the approach in an experiment, the researcher would create two experimental conditions: a baseline and a design alternative. Next they would identify a scenario in which the test participants perform all their representative concurrent interactions with the system. This scenario should include any events that would trigger a different set of goals for the human operators. They would collect workload values during both the control and alternative design condition to see if the alternative increased workload and decreased performance. They have successfully implemented this approach for military vehicle. designs using the human performance modeling tool, IMPRINT. Although ARL researches use IMPRINT to implement their approach, it can be applied to any workload analysis. Researchers using other modeling and simulations tools or conducting experiments or field tests can use the same approach.

Experimental study and constitutive modeling of the viscoelastic mechanical properties of the human prolapsed vaginal tissue.

PubMed

Peña, Estefania; Calvo, B; Martínez, M A; Martins, P; Mascarenhas, T; Jorge, R M N; Ferreira, A; Doblaré, M

2010-02-01

In this paper, the viscoelastic mechanical properties of vaginal tissue are investigated. Using previous results of the authors on the mechanical properties of biological soft tissues and newly experimental data from uniaxial tension tests, a new model for the viscoelastic mechanical properties of the human vaginal tissue is proposed. The structural model seems to be sufficiently accurate to guarantee its application to prediction of reliable stress distributions, and is suitable for finite element computations. The obtained results may be helpful in the design of surgical procedures with autologous tissue or prostheses.

A cranial nail for fetal shunting.

PubMed

Saunders, R L; Simmons, G M; Edwards, W H; Crow, H C

1985-01-01

A small number of human fetal hydrocephalics have been treated by ventriculoamniotic shunts of silastic tubing. The Colorado device appears to be the one most commonly used. The original experimental device tested on a primate model resembled a hollow shingle nail. This was designed by Michedja and Hodgen, contained a spring valve, measured approximately 32 X 4 mm and was placed by hysterotomy. An attractive feature of this design was its fixation by impaction in the skull, preventing displacement by fetal activity, a reported disadvantage with the silastic devices. To our knowledge, no one has used this nail-like design and tailored it to transuterine percutaneous placement in a human case.

Design, Kinematic Optimization, and Evaluation of a Teleoperated System for Middle Ear Microsurgery

PubMed Central

Miroir, Mathieu; Nguyen, Yann; Szewczyk, Jérôme; Sterkers, Olivier; Bozorg Grayeli, Alexis

2012-01-01

Middle ear surgery involves the smallest and the most fragile bones of the human body. Since microsurgical gestures and a submillimetric precision are required in these procedures, the outcome can be potentially improved by robotic assistance. Today, there is no commercially available device in this field. Here, we describe a method to design a teleoperated assistance robotic system dedicated to the middle ear surgery. Determination of design specifications, the kinematic structure, and its optimization are detailed. The robot-surgeon interface and the command modes are provided. Finally, the system is evaluated by realistic tasks in experimental dedicated settings and in human temporal bone specimens. PMID:22927789

Intuitive web-based experimental design for high-throughput biomedical data.

PubMed

Friedrich, Andreas; Kenar, Erhan; Kohlbacher, Oliver; Nahnsen, Sven

2015-01-01

Big data bioinformatics aims at drawing biological conclusions from huge and complex biological datasets. Added value from the analysis of big data, however, is only possible if the data is accompanied by accurate metadata annotation. Particularly in high-throughput experiments intelligent approaches are needed to keep track of the experimental design, including the conditions that are studied as well as information that might be interesting for failure analysis or further experiments in the future. In addition to the management of this information, means for an integrated design and interfaces for structured data annotation are urgently needed by researchers. Here, we propose a factor-based experimental design approach that enables scientists to easily create large-scale experiments with the help of a web-based system. We present a novel implementation of a web-based interface allowing the collection of arbitrary metadata. To exchange and edit information we provide a spreadsheet-based, humanly readable format. Subsequently, sample sheets with identifiers and metainformation for data generation facilities can be created. Data files created after measurement of the samples can be uploaded to a datastore, where they are automatically linked to the previously created experimental design model.

Design and evaluation of an onboard computer-based information system for aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouse, S. H.; Rouse, W. B.; Hammer, J. M.

1982-01-01

Information seeking by human operators of technical systems is considered. Types of information and forms of presentation are discussed and important issues reviewed. This broad discussion provides a framework within which flight management is considered. The design of an onboard computer-based information system for aircraft is discussed. The aiding possibilities of a computer-based system are emphasized. Results of an experimental evaluation of a prototype system are presented. It is concluded that a computer-based information system can substantially lessen the frequency of human errors.

[Teaching design and practice of human blood type traits in genetics comprehensive laboratory course].

PubMed

Zhao, Jian; Hu, Dong-mei; Yu, Da-de; Dong, Ming-liang; Li, Yun; Fan, Ying-ming; Wang, Yan-wei; Zhang, Jin-feng

2016-05-01

Comprehensive laboratory courses, which enable students to aptly apply theoretic knowledge and master experiment skills, play an important role in the present educational reform of laboratory courses. We utilized human ABO blood type as the experimental subject, and designed the experiment--"Molecular Genotyping of Human ABO Blood Type and Analysis of Population Genetic Equilibrium". In the experiment, DNA in mucosal cells is extracted from students' saliva, and each student's genotype is identified using a series of molecular genetics technologies, including PCR amplification of target fragments, enzymatic digestion, and electrophoretic separation. Then, taking the whole class as an analogous Mendel population, a survey of genotype frequency of ABO blood type is conducted, followed with analyses of various population genetic parameters using Popgene. Through the open laboratory course, students can not only master molecular genetic experimental skills, but also improve their understanding of theoretic knowledge through independent design and optimization of molecular techniques. After five years of research and practice, a stable experimental system of molecular genetics has been established to identify six genotypes of ABO blood types, namely I(A)I(A), I(A)i, I(B)I(B), I(B)i, I(A)I(B) and ii. Laboratory courses of molecular and population genetics have been integrated by calculating the frequencies of the six genotypes and three multiple alleles and testing population genetic equilibrium. The goal of the open laboratory course with independent design and implementation by the students has been achieved. This laboratory course has proved effective and received good reviews from the students. It could be applied as a genetics laboratory course for the biology majors directly, and its ideas and methods could be promoted and applied to other biological laboratory courses.

HuMOVE: a low-invasive wearable monitoring platform in sexual medicine.

PubMed

Ciuti, Gastone; Nardi, Matteo; Valdastri, Pietro; Menciassi, Arianna; Basile Fasolo, Ciro; Dario, Paolo

2014-10-01

To investigate an accelerometer-based wearable system, named Human Movement (HuMOVE) platform, designed to enable quantitative and continuous measurement of sexual performance with minimal invasiveness and inconvenience for users. Design, implementation, and development of HuMOVE, a wearable platform equipped with an accelerometer sensor for monitoring inertial parameters for sexual performance assessment and diagnosis, were performed. The system enables quantitative measurement of movement parameters during sexual intercourse, meeting the requirements of wearability, data storage, sampling rate, and interfacing methods, which are fundamental for human sexual intercourse performance analysis. HuMOVE was validated through characterization using a controlled experimental test bench and evaluated in a human model during simulated sexual intercourse conditions. HuMOVE demonstrated to be a robust and quantitative monitoring platform and a reliable candidate for sexual performance evaluation and diagnosis. Characterization analysis on the controlled experimental test bench demonstrated an accurate correlation between the HuMOVE system and data from a reference displacement sensor. Experimental tests in the human model during simulated intercourse conditions confirmed the accuracy of the sexual performance evaluation platform and the effectiveness of the selected and derived parameters. The obtained outcomes also established the project expectations in terms of usability and comfort, evidenced by the questionnaires that highlighted the low invasiveness and acceptance of the device. To the best of our knowledge, HuMOVE platform is the first device for human sexual performance analysis compatible with sexual intercourse; the system has the potential to be a helpful tool for physicians to accurately classify sexual disorders, such as premature or delayed ejaculation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optimizing methods and dodging pitfalls in microbiome research.

PubMed

Kim, Dorothy; Hofstaedter, Casey E; Zhao, Chunyu; Mattei, Lisa; Tanes, Ceylan; Clarke, Erik; Lauder, Abigail; Sherrill-Mix, Scott; Chehoud, Christel; Kelsen, Judith; Conrad, Máire; Collman, Ronald G; Baldassano, Robert; Bushman, Frederic D; Bittinger, Kyle

2017-05-05

Research on the human microbiome has yielded numerous insights into health and disease, but also has resulted in a wealth of experimental artifacts. Here, we present suggestions for optimizing experimental design and avoiding known pitfalls, organized in the typical order in which studies are carried out. We first review best practices in experimental design and introduce common confounders such as age, diet, antibiotic use, pet ownership, longitudinal instability, and microbial sharing during cohousing in animal studies. Typically, samples will need to be stored, so we provide data on best practices for several sample types. We then discuss design and analysis of positive and negative controls, which should always be run with experimental samples. We introduce a convenient set of non-biological DNA sequences that can be useful as positive controls for high-volume analysis. Careful analysis of negative and positive controls is particularly important in studies of samples with low microbial biomass, where contamination can comprise most or all of a sample. Lastly, we summarize approaches to enhancing experimental robustness by careful control of multiple comparisons and to comparing discovery and validation cohorts. We hope the experimental tactics summarized here will help researchers in this exciting field advance their studies efficiently while avoiding errors.

Simulating Human Cognition in the Domain of Air Traffic Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freed, Michael; Johnston, James C.; Null, Cynthia H. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

Experiments intended to assess performance in human-machine interactions are often prohibitively expensive, unethical or otherwise impractical to run. Approximations of experimental results can be obtained, in principle, by simulating the behavior of subjects using computer models of human mental behavior. Computer simulation technology has been developed for this purpose. Our goal is to produce a cognitive model suitable to guide the simulation machinery and enable it to closely approximate a human subject's performance in experimental conditions. The described model is designed to simulate a variety of cognitive behaviors involved in routine air traffic control. As the model is elaborated, our ability to predict the effects of novel circumstances on controller error rates and other performance characteristics should increase. This will enable the system to project the impact of proposed changes to air traffic control procedures and equipment on controller performance.

A Comparative Study on the Teaching Effects of TRIZ Courses for the Humanities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luo, Lingling; Li, Peng; Zhang, Ping

2017-01-01

In order to test the feasibility of the curriculum system of TRIZ used in humanities and social science majors, this study will test whether it is effective to cultivate students' creativity and to train their ability to solve problems. This study designs the randomly experimental targets in the two control groups for pretest and post-test. This…

A study on the application of voice interaction in automotive human machine interface experience design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Zhaohui; Huang, Xiemin

2018-04-01

This paper, firstly, introduces the application trend of the integration of multi-channel interactions in automotive HMI ((Human Machine Interface) from complex information models faced by existing automotive HMI and describes various interaction modes. By comparing voice interaction and touch screen, gestures and other interaction modes, the potential and feasibility of voice interaction in automotive HMI experience design are concluded. Then, the related theories of voice interaction, identification technologies, human beings' cognitive models of voices and voice design methods are further explored. And the research priority of this paper is proposed, i.e. how to design voice interaction to create more humane task-oriented dialogue scenarios to enhance interactive experiences of automotive HMI. The specific scenarios in driving behaviors suitable for the use of voice interaction are studied and classified, and the usability principles and key elements for automotive HMI voice design are proposed according to the scenario features. Then, through the user participatory usability testing experiment, the dialogue processes of voice interaction in automotive HMI are defined. The logics and grammars in voice interaction are classified according to the experimental results, and the mental models in the interaction processes are analyzed. At last, the voice interaction design method to create the humane task-oriented dialogue scenarios in the driving environment is proposed.

The Penn State Safety Floor: Part I--Design parameters associated with walking deflections.

PubMed

Casalena, J A; Ovaert, T C; Cavanagh, P R; Streit, D A

1998-08-01

A new flooring system has been developed to reduce peak impact forces to the hips when humans fall. The new safety floor is designed to remain relatively rigid under normal walking conditions, but to deform elastically when impacted during a fall. Design objectives included minimizing peak force experienced by the femur during a fall-induced impact, while maintaining a maximum of 2 mm of floor deflection during walking. Finite Element Models (FEMs) were developed to capture the complex dynamics of impact response between two deformable bodies. Validation of the finite element models included analytical calculations of theoretical buckling column response, experimental quasi-static loading of full-scale flooring prototypes, and flooring response during walking trials. Finite Element Method results compared well with theoretical and experimental data. Both finite element and experimental data suggest that the proposed safety floor can effectively meet the design goal of 2 mm maximum deflection during walking, while effectively reducing impact forces during a fall.

Critical evaluation of challenges and future use of animals in experimentation for biomedical research.

PubMed

Singh, Vijay Pal; Pratap, Kunal; Sinha, Juhi; Desiraju, Koundinya; Bahal, Devika; Kukreti, Ritushree

2016-12-01

Animal experiments that are conducted worldwide contribute to significant findings and breakthroughs in the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of various diseases, bringing up appropriate clinical interventions. However, their predictive value is often low, leading to translational failure. Problems like translational failure of animal studies and poorly designed animal experiments lead to loss of animal lives and less translatable data which affect research outcomes ethically and economically. Due to increasing complexities in animal usage with changes in public perception and stringent guidelines, it is becoming difficult to use animals for conducting studies. This review deals with challenges like poor experimental design and ethical concerns and discusses key concepts like sample size, statistics in experimental design, humane endpoints, economic assessment, species difference, housing conditions, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses that are often neglected. If practiced, these strategies can refine the procedures effectively and help translate the outcomes efficiently. © The Author(s) 2016.

Critical evaluation of challenges and future use of animals in experimentation for biomedical research

PubMed Central

Singh, Vijay Pal; Pratap, Kunal; Sinha, Juhi; Desiraju, Koundinya; Bahal, Devika; Kukreti, Ritushree

2016-01-01

Animal experiments that are conducted worldwide contribute to significant findings and breakthroughs in the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of various diseases, bringing up appropriate clinical interventions. However, their predictive value is often low, leading to translational failure. Problems like translational failure of animal studies and poorly designed animal experiments lead to loss of animal lives and less translatable data which affect research outcomes ethically and economically. Due to increasing complexities in animal usage with changes in public perception and stringent guidelines, it is becoming difficult to use animals for conducting studies. This review deals with challenges like poor experimental design and ethical concerns and discusses key concepts like sample size, statistics in experimental design, humane endpoints, economic assessment, species difference, housing conditions, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses that are often neglected. If practiced, these strategies can refine the procedures effectively and help translate the outcomes efficiently. PMID:27694614

Understanding 3D human torso shape via manifold clustering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Sheng; Li, Peng; Fu, Yun

2013-05-01

Discovering the variations in human torso shape plays a key role in many design-oriented applications, such as suit designing. With recent advances in 3D surface imaging technologies, people can obtain 3D human torso data that provide more information than traditional measurements. However, how to find different human shapes from 3D torso data is still an open problem. In this paper, we propose to use spectral clustering approach on torso manifold to address this problem. We first represent high-dimensional torso data in a low-dimensional space using manifold learning algorithm. Then the spectral clustering method is performed to get several disjoint clusters. Experimental results show that the clusters discovered by our approach can describe the discrepancies in both genders and human shapes, and our approach achieves better performance than the compared clustering method.

Design and experimental analysis of a new malleovestibulopexy prosthesis using a finite element model of the human middle ear.

PubMed

Vallejo Valdezate, Luis A; Hidalgo Otamendi, Antonio; Hernández, Alberto; Lobo, Fernando; Gil-Carcedo Sañudo, Elisa; Gil-Carcedo García, Luis M

2015-01-01

Many designs of prostheses are available for middle ear surgery. In this study we propose a design for a new prosthesis, which optimises mechanical performance in the human middle ear and improves some deficiencies in the prostheses currently available. Our objective was to design and assess the theoretical acoustic-mechanical behaviour of this new total ossicular replacement prosthesis. The design of this new prosthesis was based on an animal model (an iguana). For the modelling and mechanical analysis of the new prosthesis, we used a dynamic 3D computer model of the human middle ear, based on the finite elements method (FEM). The new malleovestibulopexy prosthesis design demonstrates an acoustical-mechanical performance similar to that of the healthy human middle ear. This new design also has additional advantages, such as ease of implantation and stability in the middle ear. This study shows that computer simulation can be used to design and optimise the vibroacoustic characteristics of middle ear implants and demonstrates the effectiveness of a new malleovestibulopexy prosthesis in reconstructing the ossicular chain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Patología Cérvico-Facial. All rights reserved.

Experimental Studies in a Reconfigurable C4 Test-bed for Network Enabled Capability

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

Cross1, Dr R. Houghton1, and Mr R. McMaster1 Defence Technology Centre for Human factors Integration (DTC HFI ) BITlab, School of Engineering and Design...NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Defence Technology Centre for Human factors Integration (DTC HFI ) BITlab, School of...studies into NEC by the Human Factors Integration Defence Technology Centre ( HFI -DTC). DEVELOPMENT OF THE TESTBED In brief, the C4 test-bed

Human Thermal Model Evaluation Using the JSC Human Thermal Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bue, Grant; Makinen, Janice; Cognata, Thomas

2012-01-01

Human thermal modeling has considerable long term utility to human space flight. Such models provide a tool to predict crew survivability in support of vehicle design and to evaluate crew response in untested space environments. It is to the benefit of any such model not only to collect relevant experimental data to correlate it against, but also to maintain an experimental standard or benchmark for future development in a readily and rapidly searchable and software accessible format. The Human thermal database project is intended to do just so; to collect relevant data from literature and experimentation and to store the data in a database structure for immediate and future use as a benchmark to judge human thermal models against, in identifying model strengths and weakness, to support model development and improve correlation, and to statistically quantify a model s predictive quality. The human thermal database developed at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) is intended to evaluate a set of widely used human thermal models. This set includes the Wissler human thermal model, a model that has been widely used to predict the human thermoregulatory response to a variety of cold and hot environments. These models are statistically compared to the current database, which contains experiments of human subjects primarily in air from a literature survey ranging between 1953 and 2004 and from a suited experiment recently performed by the authors, for a quantitative study of relative strength and predictive quality of the models.

Accounting for reciprocal host-microbiome interactions in experimental science.

PubMed

Stappenbeck, Thaddeus S; Virgin, Herbert W

2016-06-09

Mammals are defined by their metagenome, a combination of host and microbiome genes. This knowledge presents opportunities to further basic biology with translation to human diseases. However, the now-documented influence of the metagenome on experimental results and the reproducibility of in vivo mammalian models present new challenges. Here we provide the scientific basis for calling on all investigators, editors and funding agencies to embrace changes that will enhance reproducible and interpretable experiments by accounting for metagenomic effects. Implementation of new reporting and experimental design principles will improve experimental work, speed discovery and translation, and properly use substantial investments in biomedical research.

Annotated Bibliography of the Air Force Human Resources Laboratory Technical Reports - 1978

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-01

selection of incentives for classroom use. Grade-related and non -grade-related incentives were described in this experiment in a manner designed to...information monitoring- feedback. The current piractice= materials and methods are an outgroiuth of experimental aJpproache-s to the design . dev...operated in a stand- alone mode, the R & M model can be utilized to analyze the impact of various avionics design configurations on system support

Design of high productivity antibody capture by protein A chromatography using an integrated experimental and modeling approach.

PubMed

Ng, Candy K S; Osuna-Sanchez, Hector; Valéry, Eric; Sørensen, Eva; Bracewell, Daniel G

2012-06-15

An integrated experimental and modeling approach for the design of high productivity protein A chromatography is presented to maximize productivity in bioproduct manufacture. The approach consists of four steps: (1) small-scale experimentation, (2) model parameter estimation, (3) productivity optimization and (4) model validation with process verification. The integrated use of process experimentation and modeling enables fewer experiments to be performed, and thus minimizes the time and materials required in order to gain process understanding, which is of key importance during process development. The application of the approach is demonstrated for the capture of antibody by a novel silica-based high performance protein A adsorbent named AbSolute. In the example, a series of pulse injections and breakthrough experiments were performed to develop a lumped parameter model, which was then used to find the best design that optimizes the productivity of a batch protein A chromatographic process for human IgG capture. An optimum productivity of 2.9 kg L⁻¹ day⁻¹ for a column of 5mm diameter and 8.5 cm length was predicted, and subsequently verified experimentally, completing the whole process design approach in only 75 person-hours (or approximately 2 weeks). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of large woody debris placement on stream channels and benthic macroinvertebrates

Treesearch

Robert H. Hilderbrand; A. Dennis Lemly; C. Andrew Dolloff; Kelly L. Harpster

1997-01-01

Large woody debris (LWD)was added as an experimental stream restoration techniquein two streams in southwest Virginia. Additions were designed to compare human judgement in log placements against a randomized design and an unmanipulated reach, &d also to compare effectiveness in a low- and a high-gradient stream. Pool area increased 146% in the systematic placement...

Designing and Interpreting Limiting Dilution Assays: General Principles and Applications to the Latent Reservoir for Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1.

PubMed

Rosenbloom, Daniel I S; Elliott, Oliver; Hill, Alison L; Henrich, Timothy J; Siliciano, Janet M; Siliciano, Robert F

2015-12-01

Limiting dilution assays are widely used in infectious disease research. These assays are crucial for current human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 cure research in particular. In this study, we offer new tools to help investigators design and analyze dilution assays based on their specific research needs. Limiting dilution assays are commonly used to measure the extent of infection, and in the context of HIV they represent an essential tool for studying latency and potential curative strategies. Yet standard assay designs may not discern whether an intervention reduces an already miniscule latent infection. This review addresses challenges arising in this setting and in the general use of dilution assays. We illustrate the major statistical method for estimating frequency of infectious units from assay results, and we offer an online tool for computing this estimate. We recommend a procedure for customizing assay design to achieve desired sensitivity and precision goals, subject to experimental constraints. We consider experiments in which no viral outgrowth is observed and explain how using alternatives to viral outgrowth may make measurement of HIV latency more efficient. Finally, we discuss how biological complications, such as probabilistic growth of small infections, alter interpretations of experimental results.

Experimental cancer cachexia: Evolving strategies for getting closer to the human scenario.

PubMed

Penna, Fabio; Busquets, Sílvia; Argilés, Josep M

2016-06-01

Cancer cachexia is a frequent syndrome that dramatically affects patient quality of life, anti-cancer treatment effectiveness, and overall survival. To date, no effective treatment is available and most of the studies are performed in experimental models in order to uncover the underlying mechanisms and to design prospective therapeutic strategies. This review summarizes the most relevant information regarding the use of animal models for studying cancer cachexia. Technical limitations and degree of recapitulation of the features of human cachexia are highlighted, in order to help investigators choose the most suitable model according to study-specific endpoints. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theoretical and Experimental Estimations of Volumetric Inductive Phase Shift in Breast Cancer Tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, C. A.; Lozano, L. M.; Uscanga, M. C.; Silva, J. G.; Polo, S. M.

2013-04-01

Impedance measurements based on magnetic induction for breast cancer detection has been proposed in some studies. This study evaluates theoretical and experimentally the use of a non-invasive technique based on magnetic induction for detection of patho-physiological conditions in breast cancer tissue associated to its volumetric electrical conductivity changes through inductive phase shift measurements. An induction coils-breast 3D pixel model was designed and tested. The model involves two circular coils coaxially centered and a human breast volume centrally placed with respect to the coils. A time-harmonic numerical simulation study addressed the effects of frequency-dependent electrical properties of tumoral tissue on the volumetric inductive phase shift of the breast model measured with the circular coils as inductor and sensor elements. Experimentally; five female volunteer patients with infiltrating ductal carcinoma previously diagnosed by the radiology and oncology departments of the Specialty Clinic for Women of the Mexican Army were measured by an experimental inductive spectrometer and the use of an ergonomic inductor-sensor coil designed to estimate the volumetric inductive phase shift in human breast tissue. Theoretical and experimental inductive phase shift estimations were developed at four frequencies: 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 MHz. The theoretical estimations were qualitatively in agreement with the experimental findings. Important increments in volumetric inductive phase shift measurements were evident at 0.01MHz in theoretical and experimental observations. The results suggest that the tested technique has the potential to detect pathological conditions in breast tissue associated to cancer by non-invasive monitoring. Further complementary studies are warranted to confirm the observations.

Identification of DEP domain-containing proteins by a machine learning method and experimental analysis of their expression in human HCC tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Zhijun; Wang, Xinrui; Zeng, Yeting; Zou, Quan

2016-12-01

The Dishevelled/EGL-10/Pleckstrin (DEP) domain-containing (DEPDC) proteins have seven members. However, whether this superfamily can be distinguished from other proteins based only on the amino acid sequences, remains unknown. Here, we describe a computational method to segregate DEPDCs and non-DEPDCs. First, we examined the Pfam numbers of the known DEPDCs and used the longest sequences for each Pfam to construct a phylogenetic tree. Subsequently, we extracted 188-dimensional (188D) and 20D features of DEPDCs and non-DEPDCs and classified them with random forest classifier. We also mined the motifs of human DEPDCs to find the related domains. Finally, we designed experimental verification methods of human DEPDC expression at the mRNA level in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and adjacent normal tissues. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the DEPDCs superfamily can be divided into three clusters. Moreover, the 188D and 20D features can both be used to effectively distinguish the two protein types. Motif analysis revealed that the DEP and RhoGAP domain was common in human DEPDCs, human HCC and the adjacent tissues that widely expressed DEPDCs. However, their regulation was not identical. In conclusion, we successfully constructed a binary classifier for DEPDCs and experimentally verified their expression in human HCC tissues.

Solidarity with Animals: Assessing a Relevant Dimension of Social Identification with Animals.

PubMed

Amiot, Catherine E; Bastian, Brock

2017-01-01

Interactions with animals are pervasive in human life, a fact that is reflected in the burgeoning field of human-animal relations research. The goal of the current research was to examine the psychology of our social connection with other animals, by specifically developing a measure of solidarity with animals. In 8 studies using correlational, experimental, and longitudinal designs, solidarity with animals predicted more positive attitudes and behaviors toward animals, over and above existing scales of identification, and even when this implied a loss of resources and privileges for humans relative to animals. Solidarity with animals also displayed predicted relationships with relevant variables (anthropomorphism, empathy). Pet owners and vegetarians displayed higher levels of solidarity with animals. Correlational and experimental evidence confirmed that human-animal similarity heightens solidarity with animals. Our findings provide a useful measure that can facilitate important insights into the nature of our relationships with animals.

Solidarity with Animals: Assessing a Relevant Dimension of Social Identification with Animals

PubMed Central

Amiot, Catherine E.; Bastian, Brock

2017-01-01

Interactions with animals are pervasive in human life, a fact that is reflected in the burgeoning field of human-animal relations research. The goal of the current research was to examine the psychology of our social connection with other animals, by specifically developing a measure of solidarity with animals. In 8 studies using correlational, experimental, and longitudinal designs, solidarity with animals predicted more positive attitudes and behaviors toward animals, over and above existing scales of identification, and even when this implied a loss of resources and privileges for humans relative to animals. Solidarity with animals also displayed predicted relationships with relevant variables (anthropomorphism, empathy). Pet owners and vegetarians displayed higher levels of solidarity with animals. Correlational and experimental evidence confirmed that human-animal similarity heightens solidarity with animals. Our findings provide a useful measure that can facilitate important insights into the nature of our relationships with animals. PMID:28045909

A review and preliminary evaluation of methodological factors in performance assessments of time-varying aircraft noise effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coates, G. D.; Alluisi, E. A.

1975-01-01

The effects of aircraft noise on human performance is considered. Progress is reported in the following areas: (1) review of the literature to identify the methodological and stimulus parameters involved in the study of noise effects on human performance; (2) development of a theoretical framework to provide working hypotheses as to the effects of noise on complex human performance; and (3) data collection on the first of several experimental investigations designed to provide tests of the hypotheses.

The study of human higher mental functions as they relate to neurophysiological processes and personal characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Runnova, Anastasiya; Zhuravlev, Maxim; Kulanin, Roman; Protasov, Pavel; Hramov, Alexander; Koronovskii, Alexey

2018-02-01

In this paper we study the correlation between the neurophysiological processes and personal characteristics arising in the processes of human higher mental functions. We find that the activity of the brain correlates with the results of psychological tests (according to the Cattell test). Experimental studies and math processing are described for operation design with the registration of human multi-channel EEG data in two phases (the processes of passive wakefulness (background) and special psychological testing (active phase)).

A New Hemodynamic Ex Vivo Model for Medical Devices Assessment.

PubMed

Maurel, Blandine; Sarraf, Christophe; Bakir, Farid; Chai, Feng; Maton, Mickael; Sobocinski, Jonathan; Hertault, Adrien; Blanchemain, Nicolas; Haulon, Stephan; Lermusiaux, Patrick

2015-11-01

In-stent restenosis (ISR) remains a major public health concern associated with an increased morbidity, mortality, and health-related costs. Drug-eluting stents (DES) have reduced ISR, but generate healing-related issues or hypersensitivity reactions, leading to an increased risk of late acute stent thrombosis. Assessments of new DES are based on animal models or in vitro release systems, which have several limitations. The role of flow and shear stress on endothelial cell and ISR has also been emphasized. The aim of this work was to design and first evaluate an original bioreactor, replicating ex vivo hemodynamic and biological conditions similar to human conditions, to further evaluate new DES. This bioreactor was designed to study up to 6 stented arteries connected in bypass, immersed in a culture box, in which circulated a physiological systolo-diastolic resistive flow. Two centrifugal pumps drove the flow. The main pump generated pulsating flows by modulation of rotation velocity, and the second pump worked at constant rotation velocity, ensuring the counter pressure levels and backflows. The flow rate, the velocity profile, the arterial pressure, and the resistance of the flow were adjustable. The bioreactor was placed in an incubator to reproduce a biological environment. A first feasibility experience was performed over a 24-day period. Three rat aortic thoracic arteries were placed into the bioreactor, immersed in cell culture medium changed every 3 days, and with a circulating systolic and diastolic flux during the entire experimentation. There was no infection and no leak. At the end of the experimentation, a morphometric analysis was performed confirming the viability of the arteries. We designed and patented an original hemodynamic ex vivo model to further study new DES, as well as a wide range of vascular diseases and medical devices. This bioreactor will allow characterization of the velocity field and drug transfers within a stented artery with new functionalized DES, with experimental means not available in vivo. Another major benefit will be the reduction of animal experimentation and the opportunity to test new DES or other vascular therapeutics in human tissues (human infrapopliteal or coronary arteries collected during human donation). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and development of a novel strain gauge automatic pasting device for mini split Hopkinson pressure bar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wenkai; Huan, Shi; He, Junfeng; Jiang, Jichang

2018-03-01

In a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) experiment, the pasting quality of strain gauges will directly affect the accuracy of the measurement results. The traditional method of pasting the strain gauges is done manually by the experimenter. In the process of pasting, it is easy to shift or twist the strain gauge, and the experimental results are greatly affected by human factors. In this paper, a novel type automatic pasting device for strain gauges is designed and developed, which can be used to accurately and rapidly paste the strain gauges. The paste quality is reliable, and it can guarantee the consistency of SHPB experimental measurement. We found that a clamping force of 74 N achieved a success rate of 97%, whilst ensuring good adhesion.

Thoracic and respirable particle definitions for human health risk assessment

EPA Science Inventory

Provides estimates of the thoracic and respirable fractions, for adults and children during typical activities during both nasal and oral inhalation, that may be used in the design of experimental studies and interpretation of evidence of health effects.

Optimization and Development of a Human Scent Collection Method

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-04

19. Schoon, G. A. A., Scent Identification Lineups by Dogs (Canis familiaris): Experimental Design and Forensic Application. Applied Animal...Parker, Lloyd R., Morgan, Stephen L., Deming, Stanley N., Sequential Simplex Optimization. Chemometrics Series, ed. S.D. Brown. 1991, Boca Raton

A comprehensive transcript index of the human genome generated using microarrays and computational approaches

PubMed Central

Schadt, Eric E; Edwards, Stephen W; GuhaThakurta, Debraj; Holder, Dan; Ying, Lisa; Svetnik, Vladimir; Leonardson, Amy; Hart, Kyle W; Russell, Archie; Li, Guoya; Cavet, Guy; Castle, John; McDonagh, Paul; Kan, Zhengyan; Chen, Ronghua; Kasarskis, Andrew; Margarint, Mihai; Caceres, Ramon M; Johnson, Jason M; Armour, Christopher D; Garrett-Engele, Philip W; Tsinoremas, Nicholas F; Shoemaker, Daniel D

2004-01-01

Background Computational and microarray-based experimental approaches were used to generate a comprehensive transcript index for the human genome. Oligonucleotide probes designed from approximately 50,000 known and predicted transcript sequences from the human genome were used to survey transcription from a diverse set of 60 tissues and cell lines using ink-jet microarrays. Further, expression activity over at least six conditions was more generally assessed using genomic tiling arrays consisting of probes tiled through a repeat-masked version of the genomic sequence making up chromosomes 20 and 22. Results The combination of microarray data with extensive genome annotations resulted in a set of 28,456 experimentally supported transcripts. This set of high-confidence transcripts represents the first experimentally driven annotation of the human genome. In addition, the results from genomic tiling suggest that a large amount of transcription exists outside of annotated regions of the genome and serves as an example of how this activity could be measured on a genome-wide scale. Conclusions These data represent one of the most comprehensive assessments of transcriptional activity in the human genome and provide an atlas of human gene expression over a unique set of gene predictions. Before the annotation of the human genome is considered complete, however, the previously unannotated transcriptional activity throughout the genome must be fully characterized. PMID:15461792

Seven Experiment Designs Addressing Problems of Safety and Capacity on Two-Lane Rural Highways : Volume 3. Experimental Design to Evaluate MUTCD and Other Traffic Controls for Highway Construction and Maintenance Operations on Two-Lane Highways

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-11-01

The purpose of Task A was to conduct a literature review of human factors-applicable articles associated with Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) and ATIS-related commercial vehicle operations (CVO) systems. Specifically, Task A was to asses...

Branched Nerve Allografts to Improve Outcomes in Facial Composite Tissue Transplantation

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

Ethicon, Inc. Somervile, N.J.). Postoperatively, animals were recovered per standard protocol in the animal care facility.  Experimental Design ...official Department of the Army position, policy or decision unless so designated by other documentation. REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No...a human xenograft with or without oral Tacrolimus. Electrophysiologic assessments were performed pre -operatively and at the study endpoint (24 weeks

Humane Science Projects: Suggestions for Biology Studies That Are Scientifically Educational and Ethically Non-Controversial.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balcombe, Jonathan P., Comp.

This paper lists 35 studies in biology which can be tailored to suit the full range of student age groups and are designed to involve most or all of the key elements of the scientific process (study design, data collection and presentation, and experimental manipulation). Examples of some studies are: (1) study the growth of molds on food items…

Designing Anticancer Peptides by Constructive Machine Learning.

PubMed

Grisoni, Francesca; Neuhaus, Claudia S; Gabernet, Gisela; Müller, Alex T; Hiss, Jan A; Schneider, Gisbert

2018-04-21

Constructive (generative) machine learning enables the automated generation of novel chemical structures without the need for explicit molecular design rules. This study presents the experimental application of such a deep machine learning model to design membranolytic anticancer peptides (ACPs) de novo. A recurrent neural network with long short-term memory cells was trained on α-helical cationic amphipathic peptide sequences and then fine-tuned with 26 known ACPs by transfer learning. This optimized model was used to generate unique and novel amino acid sequences. Twelve of the peptides were synthesized and tested for their activity on MCF7 human breast adenocarcinoma cells and selectivity against human erythrocytes. Ten of these peptides were active against cancer cells. Six of the active peptides killed MCF7 cancer cells without affecting human erythrocytes with at least threefold selectivity. These results advocate constructive machine learning for the automated design of peptides with desired biological activities. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Modeling functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) experimental variables in the Ontology of Experimental Variables and Values (OoEVV)

PubMed Central

Burns, Gully A.P.C.; Turner, Jessica A.

2015-01-01

Neuroimaging data is raw material for cognitive neuroscience experiments, leading to scientific knowledge about human neurological and psychological disease, language, perception, attention and ultimately, cognition. The structure of the variables used in the experimental design defines the structure of the data gathered in the experiments; this in turn structures the interpretative assertions that may be presented as experimental conclusions. Representing these assertions and the experimental data which support them in a computable way means that they could be used in logical reasoning environments, i.e. for automated meta-analyses, or linking hypotheses and results across different levels of neuroscientific experiments. Therefore, a crucial first step in being able to represent neuroimaging results in a clear, computable way is to develop representations for the scientific variables involved in neuroimaging experiments. These representations should be expressive, computable, valid, extensible, and easy-to-use. They should also leverage existing semantic standards to interoperate easily with other systems. We present an ontology design pattern called the Ontology of Experimental Variables and Values (OoEVV). This is designed to provide a lightweight framework to capture mathematical properties of data, with appropriate ‘hooks’ to permit linkage to other ontology-driven projects (such as the Ontology of Biomedical Investigations, OBI). We instantiate the OoEVV system with a small number of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging datasets, to demonstrate the system’s ability to describe the variables of a neuroimaging experiment. OoEVV is designed to be compatible with the XCEDE neuroimaging data standard for data collection terminology, and with the Cognitive Paradigm Ontology (CogPO) for specific reasoning elements of neuroimaging experimental designs. PMID:23684873

SysFinder: A customized platform for search, comparison and assisted design of appropriate animal models based on systematic similarity.

PubMed

Yang, Shuang; Zhang, Guoqing; Liu, Wan; Wang, Zhen; Zhang, Jifeng; Yang, Dongshan; Chen, Y Eugene; Sun, Hong; Li, Yixue

2017-05-20

Animal models are increasingly gaining values by cross-comparisons of response or resistance to clinical agents used for patients. However, many disease mechanisms and drug effects generated from animal models are not transferable to human. To address these issues, we developed SysFinder (http://lifecenter.sgst.cn/SysFinder), a platform for scientists to find appropriate animal models for translational research. SysFinder offers a "topic-centered" approach for systematic comparisons of human genes, whose functions are involved in a specific scientific topic, to the corresponding homologous genes of animal models. Scientific topic can be a certain disease, drug, gene function or biological pathway. SysFinder calculates multi-level similarity indexes to evaluate the similarities between human and animal models in specified scientific topics. Meanwhile, SysFinder offers species-specific information to investigate the differences in molecular mechanisms between humans and animal models. Furthermore, SysFinder provides a user-friendly platform for determination of short guide RNAs (sgRNAs) and homology arms to design a new animal model. Case studies illustrate the ability of SysFinder in helping experimental scientists. SysFinder is a useful platform for experimental scientists to carry out their research in the human molecular mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Genetics Society of China. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Empowering Processes to Create Empowered Outcomes through the Family Development Credential Program: An Empirical Study of Change in Human Service Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewitt, Nicole M.

2010-01-01

This study employed a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design with pretest and posttest. Two waves of data were collected from a non-random sample of 180 human service professionals in Western and Central Pennsylvania using two research instruments: the Social Work Empowerment Scale and the Conditions of Work Effectiveness-II Scale.…

A double-slit experiment for non-classical interference effects in decision making.

PubMed

La Mura, Pierfrancesco

2014-01-01

We discuss the possible nature and role of non-physical entanglement, and the classical vs. non-classical interface, in models of human decision-making. We also introduce an experimental setting designed after the double-slit experiment in physics, and discuss how it could be used to discriminate between classical and non-classical interference effects in human decisions. Copyright © 2013 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Investigating the Awareness and Knowledge of Secondary School Students about the Effects of Allergic Pollen on Human Health: A Case of Burdur Province

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuzlak, Kadir

2016-01-01

The overall objective of this study is to increase the awareness of secondary school students of the effects of pollen allergy on human health by mapping allergic pollens appearing in Burdur atmosphere. This study is a pre-test and post-test experimental design. Mix method is applied thus. Both qualitative and quantitative data are gathered. The…

Comparison of protocols for measuring cosmetic ingredient distribution in human and pig skin.

PubMed

Gerstel, D; Jacques-Jamin, C; Schepky, A; Cubberley, R; Eilstein, J; Grégoire, S; Hewitt, N; Klaric, M; Rothe, H; Duplan, H

2016-08-01

The Cosmetics Europe Skin Bioavailability and Metabolism Task Force aims to improve the measurement and prediction of the bioavailability of topically-exposed compounds for risk assessment. Key parameters of the experimental design of the skin penetration studies were compared. Penetration studies with frozen human and pig skin were conducted in two laboratories, according to the SCCS and OECD 428 guidelines. The disposition in skin was measured 24h after finite topical doses of caffeine, resorcinol and 7-ethoxycoumarin. The bioavailability distribution in skin layers of cold and radiolabelled chemicals were comparable. Furthermore, the distribution of each chemical was comparable in human and pig skin. The protocol was reproducible across the two laboratories. There were small differences in the amount of chemical detected in the skin layers, which were attributed to differences in washing procedures and anatomical sites of the skin used. In conclusion, these studies support the use of pig skin as an alternative source of skin should the availability of human skin become a limiting factor. If radiolabelled chemicals are not available, cold chemicals can be used, provided that the influence of chemical stability, reactivity or metabolism on the experimental design and the relevance of the data obtained is considered. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Human-robot interaction modeling and simulation of supervisory control and situational awareness during field experimentation with military manned and unmanned ground vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Tony; Metcalfe, Jason; Brewster, Benjamin; Manteuffel, Christopher; Jaswa, Matthew; Tierney, Terrance

2010-04-01

The proliferation of intelligent systems in today's military demands increased focus on the optimization of human-robot interactions. Traditional studies in this domain involve large-scale field tests that require humans to operate semiautomated systems under varying conditions within military-relevant scenarios. However, provided that adequate constraints are employed, modeling and simulation can be a cost-effective alternative and supplement. The current presentation discusses a simulation effort that was executed in parallel with a field test with Soldiers operating military vehicles in an environment that represented key elements of the true operational context. In this study, "constructive" human operators were designed to represent average Soldiers executing supervisory control over an intelligent ground system. The constructive Soldiers were simulated performing the same tasks as those performed by real Soldiers during a directly analogous field test. Exercising the models in a high-fidelity virtual environment provided predictive results that represented actual performance in certain aspects, such as situational awareness, but diverged in others. These findings largely reflected the quality of modeling assumptions used to design behaviors and the quality of information available on which to articulate principles of operation. Ultimately, predictive analyses partially supported expectations, with deficiencies explicable via Soldier surveys, experimenter observations, and previously-identified knowledge gaps.

A low-cost, computer-controlled robotic flower system for behavioral experiments.

PubMed

Kuusela, Erno; Lämsä, Juho

2016-04-01

Human observations during behavioral studies are expensive, time-consuming, and error prone. For this reason, automatization of experiments is highly desirable, as it reduces the risk of human errors and workload. The robotic system we developed is simple and cheap to build and handles feeding and data collection automatically. The system was built using mostly off-the-shelf components and has a novel feeding mechanism that uses servos to perform refill operations. We used the robotic system in two separate behavioral studies with bumblebees (Bombus terrestris): The system was used both for training of the bees and for the experimental data collection. The robotic system was reliable, with no flight in our studies failing due to a technical malfunction. The data recorded were easy to apply for further analysis. The software and the hardware design are open source. The development of cheap open-source prototyping platforms during the recent years has opened up many possibilities in designing of experiments. Automatization not only reduces workload, but also potentially allows experimental designs never done before, such as dynamic experiments, where the system responds to, for example, learning of the animal. We present a complete system with hardware and software, and it can be used as such in various experiments requiring feeders and collection of visitation data. Use of the system is not limited to any particular experimental setup or even species.

Vestibular models for design and evaluation of flight simulator motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bussolari, S. R.; Sullivan, R. B.; Young, L. R.

1986-01-01

The use of spatial orientation models in the design and evaluation of control systems for motion-base flight simulators is investigated experimentally. The development of a high-fidelity motion drive controller using an optimal control approach based on human vestibular models is described. The formulation and implementation of the optimal washout system are discussed. The effectiveness of the motion washout system was evaluated by studying the response of six motion washout systems to the NASA/AMES Vertical Motion Simulator for a single dash-quick-stop maneuver. The effects of the motion washout system on pilot performance and simulator acceptability are examined. The data reveal that human spatial orientation models are useful for the design and evaluation of flight simulator motion fidelity.

Experimental identification and analytical modelling of human walking forces: Literature review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Racic, V.; Pavic, A.; Brownjohn, J. M. W.

2009-09-01

Dynamic forces induced by humans walking change simultaneously in time and space, being random in nature and varying considerably not only between different people but also for a single individual who cannot repeat two identical steps. Since these important aspects of walking forces have not been adequately researched in the past, the corresponding lack of knowledge has reflected badly on the quality of their mathematical models used in vibration assessments of pedestrian structures such as footbridges, staircases and floors. To develop better force models which can be used with more confidence in the structural design, an adequate experimental and analytical approach must be taken to account for their complexity. This paper is the most comprehensive review published to date, of 270 references dealing with different experimental and analytical characterizations of human walking loading. The source of dynamic human-induced forces is in fact in the body motion. To date, human motion has attracted a lot of interest in many scientific branches, particularly in medical and sports science, bioengineering, robotics, and space flight programs. Other fields include biologists of various kinds, physiologists, anthropologists, computer scientists (graphics and animation), human factors and ergonomists, etc. It resulted in technologically advanced tools that can help understanding the human movement in more detail. Therefore, in addition to traditional direct force measurements utilizing a force plate and an instrumented treadmill, this review also introduces methods for indirect measurement of time-varying records of walking forces via combination of visual motion tracking (imaging) data and known body mass distribution. The review is therefore an interdisciplinary article that bridges the gaps between biomechanics of human gait and civil engineering dynamics. Finally, the key reason for undertaking this review is the fact that human-structure dynamic interaction and pedestrian synchronization when walking on more or less perceptibly moving structures are increasingly giving serious cause for concern in vibration serviceability design. There is a considerable uncertainty about how excessive structural vibrations modify walking and hence affect pedestrian-induced forces, significantly in many cases. Modelling of this delicate mechanism is one of the challenges that the international civil structural engineering community face nowadays and this review thus provides a step toward understanding better the problem.

An anisotropic, hyperelastic model for skin: experimental measurements, finite element modelling and identification of parameters for human and murine skin.

PubMed

Groves, Rachel B; Coulman, Sion A; Birchall, James C; Evans, Sam L

2013-02-01

The mechanical characteristics of skin are extremely complex and have not been satisfactorily simulated by conventional engineering models. The ability to predict human skin behaviour and to evaluate changes in the mechanical properties of the tissue would inform engineering design and would prove valuable in a diversity of disciplines, for example the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, which currently rely upon experiments performed in animal models. The aim of this study was to develop a predictive anisotropic, hyperelastic constitutive model of human skin and to validate this model using laboratory data. As a corollary, the mechanical characteristics of human and murine skin have been compared. A novel experimental design, using tensile tests on circular skin specimens, and an optimisation procedure were adopted for laboratory experiments to identify the material parameters of the tissue. Uniaxial tensile tests were performed along three load axes on excised murine and human skin samples, using a single set of material parameters for each skin sample. A finite element model was developed using the transversely isotropic, hyperelastic constitutive model of Weiss et al. (1996) and was embedded within a Veronda-Westmann isotropic material matrix, using three fibre families to create anisotropic behaviour. The model was able to represent the nonlinear, anisotropic behaviour of the skin well. Additionally, examination of the optimal material coefficients and the experimental data permitted quantification of the mechanical differences between human and murine skin. Differences between the skin types, most notably the extension of the skin at low load, have highlighted some of the limitations of murine skin as a biomechanical model of the human tissue. The development of accurate, predictive computational models of human tissue, such as skin, to reduce, refine or replace animal models and to inform developments in the medical, engineering and cosmetic fields, is a significant challenge but is highly desirable. Concurrent advances in computer technology and our understanding of human physiology must be utilised to produce more accurate and accessible predictive models, such as the finite element model described in this study. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation Information for Designing and Interpreting Biological Experiments Onboard Missions Beyond Low Earth Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Straume, T.; Slaba, T.; Bhattacharya, S.; Braby, L. A.

2017-01-01

There is growing interest in flying biological experiments beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO) to measure biological responses potentially relevant to those expected during a human mission to Mars. Such experiments could be payloads onboard precursor missions, including unmanned private-public partnerships, as well as small low-cost spacecraft (satellites) designed specifically for biosentinel type missions. Designing such experiments requires knowledge of the radiation environment and its interactions with both the spacecraft and the experimental payload. Information is provided here that is useful for designing such experiments.

Experimental models of tracheobronchial stenoses: a useful tool for evaluating airway stents.

PubMed

Marquette, C H; Mensier, E; Copin, M C; Desmidt, A; Freitag, L; Witt, C; Petyt, L; Ramon, P

1995-09-01

Stent implantation is a conservative alternative to open operation for treating benign tracheobronchial strictures. Most of the presently available stents were primarily designed for endovascular use. Their respiratory use entails a risk of iatrogenic complications. From a scientific and from an ethical point of view these risks justify preclinical evaluation of new respiratory stents in experimental models of central airway stenoses. Therefore, an attempt was made to develop such models in piglets and adult minipigs. Tracheal stenoses were obtained by creating first a segmental tracheomalacia through extramucosal resection of cartilaginous arches. The fibrous component of the stenoses was then obtained through bronchoscopic application of a caustic agent causing progressive deep mucosal and submucosal injury. Stenoses of the main bronchi were created by topical application of the caustic agent only. These models demonstrated the typical features of benign fibromalacic tracheobronchial stenoses with constant recurrence after mechanical dilation. Preliminary experiments showed that short-term problems of tolerance of stent prototypes are easily demonstrable in these models. These experimental models, which simulate quite realistically human diseases, offer the opportunity to perfect new tracheobronchial stents specifically designed for respiratory use and to evaluate their long-term tolerance before their use in humans.

The Impact of Environmental Design on Doffing Personal Protective Equipment in a Healthcare Environment: A Formative Human Factors Trial.

PubMed

Herlihey, Tracey A; Gelmi, Stefano; Cafazzo, Joseph A; Hall, Trevor N T

2017-06-01

OBJECTIVE To explore the impact of environmental design on doffing personal protective equipment in a simulated healthcare environment. METHODS A mixed-methods approach was used that included human-factors usability testing and qualitative questionnaire responses. A patient room and connecting anteroom were constructed for testing purposes. This experimental doffing area was designed to overcome the environmental failures identified in a previous study and was not constructed based on any generalizable hospital standard. RESULTS In total, 72 healthcare workers from Ontario, Canada, took part in the study and tested the simulated doffing area. The following environmental design changes were tested and were deemed effective: increasing prominence of color-coded zones; securing disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer; outlining disposal bins locations; providing mirrors to detect possible contamination; providing hand rails to assist with doffing; and restricting the space to doff. Further experimentation and iterative design are required with regard to several important features: positioning the disposal bins for safety, decreasing the risk of contamination and user accessibility; optimal positioning of mirrors for safety; communication within the team; and positioning the secondary team member for optimal awareness. Additional design suggestions also emerged during this study, and they require future investigation. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the importance of the environment on doffing personal protective equipment in a healthcare setting. Iterative testing and modification of the design of the environment (doffing area) are important to enhancing healthcare worker safety. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:712-717.

Time series modeling of human operator dynamics in manual control tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biezad, D. J.; Schmidt, D. K.

1984-01-01

A time-series technique is presented for identifying the dynamic characteristics of the human operator in manual control tasks from relatively short records of experimental data. Control of system excitation signals used in the identification is not required. The approach is a multi-channel identification technique for modeling multi-input/multi-output situations. The method presented includes statistical tests for validity, is designed for digital computation, and yields estimates for the frequency responses of the human operator. A comprehensive relative power analysis may also be performed for validated models. This method is applied to several sets of experimental data; the results are discussed and shown to compare favorably with previous research findings. New results are also presented for a multi-input task that has not been previously modeled to demonstrate the strengths of the method.

Time Series Modeling of Human Operator Dynamics in Manual Control Tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biezad, D. J.; Schmidt, D. K.

1984-01-01

A time-series technique is presented for identifying the dynamic characteristics of the human operator in manual control tasks from relatively short records of experimental data. Control of system excitation signals used in the identification is not required. The approach is a multi-channel identification technique for modeling multi-input/multi-output situations. The method presented includes statistical tests for validity, is designed for digital computation, and yields estimates for the frequency response of the human operator. A comprehensive relative power analysis may also be performed for validated models. This method is applied to several sets of experimental data; the results are discussed and shown to compare favorably with previous research findings. New results are also presented for a multi-input task that was previously modeled to demonstrate the strengths of the method.

Quantifying anti-gravity torques in the design of a powered exoskeleton.

PubMed

Ragonesi, Daniel; Agrawal, Sunil; Sample, Whitney; Rahman, Tariq

2011-01-01

Designing an upper extremity exoskeleton for people with arm weakness requires knowledge of the passive and active residual force capabilities of users. This paper experimentally measures the passive gravitational torques of 3 groups of subjects: able-bodied adults, able bodied children, and children with neurological disabilities. The experiment involves moving the arm to various positions in the sagittal plane and measuring the gravitational force at the wrist. This force is then converted to static gravitational torques at the elbow and shoulder. Data are compared between look-up table data based on anthropometry and empirical data. Results show that the look-up torques deviate from experimentally measured torques as the arm reaches up and down. This experiment informs designers of Upper Limb orthoses on the contribution of passive human joint torques.

Humanizing Instructional Videos in Physics: When Less Is More

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroeder, Noah L.; Traxler, Adrienne L.

2017-06-01

Many instructors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields are striving to create active learning environments in their classrooms and in doing so are frequently moving the lecture portion of their course into online video format. In this classroom-based study, we used a two group randomized experimental design to examine the efficacy of an instructional video that incorporates a human hand demonstrating and modeling how to solve frictional inclined plane problems compared to an identical video that did not include the human hand. The results show that the learners who viewed the video without the human hand present performed significantly better on a learning test and experienced a significantly better training efficiency than the learners who viewed the video with the human hand present. Meanwhile, those who learned with the human hand present in the instructional video rated the instructor as being more humanlike and engaging. The results have implications for both theory and practice. Implications for those designing instructional videos are discussed, as well as the limitations of the current study.

Experimental study on trace chemical contaminant generation rates of human metabolism in spacecraft crew module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lihua, Guo; Xinxing, He; Guoxin, Xu; Xin, Qi

2012-12-01

Trace chemical contaminants generated by human metabolism is a major source of contamination in spacecraft crew module. In this research, types and generation rates of pollutants from human metabolism were determined in the Chinese diets. Expired air, skin gas, and sweat of 20 subjects were analyzed at different exercise states in a simulated module. The exercise states were designed according to the basic activities in the orbit of astronauts. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of contaminants generated by human metabolic were performed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, gas chromatography and UV spectrophotometer. Sixteen chemical compounds from metabolic sources were found. With the increase in physical load, the concentrations of chemical compounds from human skin and expired air correspondingly increased. The species and the offgassing rates of pollutants from human metabolism are different among the Chinese, Americans and the Russians due to differences in ethnicity and dietary customs. This research provides data to aid in the design, development and operation of China's long duration space mission.

A Modified Experimental Hut Design for Studying Responses of Disease-Transmitting Mosquitoes to Indoor Interventions: The Ifakara Experimental Huts

PubMed Central

Okumu, Fredros O.; Moore, Jason; Mbeyela, Edgar; Sherlock, Mark; Sangusangu, Robert; Ligamba, Godfrey; Russell, Tanya; Moore, Sarah J.

2012-01-01

Differences between individual human houses can confound results of studies aimed at evaluating indoor vector control interventions such as insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual insecticide spraying (IRS). Specially designed and standardised experimental huts have historically provided a solution to this challenge, with an added advantage that they can be fitted with special interception traps to sample entering or exiting mosquitoes. However, many of these experimental hut designs have a number of limitations, for example: 1) inability to sample mosquitoes on all sides of huts, 2) increased likelihood of live mosquitoes flying out of the huts, leaving mainly dead ones, 3) difficulties of cleaning the huts when a new insecticide is to be tested, and 4) the generally small size of the experimental huts, which can misrepresent actual local house sizes or airflow dynamics in the local houses. Here, we describe a modified experimental hut design - The Ifakara Experimental Huts- and explain how these huts can be used to more realistically monitor behavioural and physiological responses of wild, free-flying disease-transmitting mosquitoes, including the African malaria vectors of the species complexes Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus, to indoor vector control-technologies including ITNs and IRS. Important characteristics of the Ifakara experimental huts include: 1) interception traps fitted onto eave spaces and windows, 2) use of eave baffles (panels that direct mosquito movement) to control exit of live mosquitoes through the eave spaces, 3) use of replaceable wall panels and ceilings, which allow safe insecticide disposal and reuse of the huts to test different insecticides in successive periods, 4) the kit format of the huts allowing portability and 5) an improved suite of entomological procedures to maximise data quality. PMID:22347415

Kernel Method Based Human Model for Enhancing Interactive Evolutionary Optimization

PubMed Central

Zhao, Qiangfu; Liu, Yong

2015-01-01

A fitness landscape presents the relationship between individual and its reproductive success in evolutionary computation (EC). However, discrete and approximate landscape in an original search space may not support enough and accurate information for EC search, especially in interactive EC (IEC). The fitness landscape of human subjective evaluation in IEC is very difficult and impossible to model, even with a hypothesis of what its definition might be. In this paper, we propose a method to establish a human model in projected high dimensional search space by kernel classification for enhancing IEC search. Because bivalent logic is a simplest perceptual paradigm, the human model is established by considering this paradigm principle. In feature space, we design a linear classifier as a human model to obtain user preference knowledge, which cannot be supported linearly in original discrete search space. The human model is established by this method for predicting potential perceptual knowledge of human. With the human model, we design an evolution control method to enhance IEC search. From experimental evaluation results with a pseudo-IEC user, our proposed model and method can enhance IEC search significantly. PMID:25879050

Robust control of dielectric elastomer diaphragm actuator for human pulse signal tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Zhihang; Chen, Zheng; Asmatulu, Ramazan; Chan, Hoyin

2017-08-01

Human pulse signal tracking is an emerging technology that is needed in traditional Chinese medicine. However, soft actuation with multi-frequency tracking capability is needed for tracking human pulse signal. Dielectric elastomer (DE) is one type of soft actuating that has great potential in human pulse signal tracking. In this paper, a DE diaphragm actuator was designed and fabricated to track human pulse pressure signal. A physics-based and control-oriented model has been developed to capture the dynamic behavior of DE diaphragm actuator. Using the physical model, an H-infinity robust control was designed for the actuator to reject high-frequency sensing noises and disturbances. The robust control was then implemented in real-time to track a multi-frequency signal, which verified the tracking capability and robustness of the control system. In the human pulse signal tracking test, a human pulse signal was measured at the City University of Hong Kong and then was tracked using DE actuator at Wichita State University in the US. Experimental results have verified that the DE actuator with its robust control is capable of tracking human pulse signal.

The eXperience Induction Machine: A New Paradigm for Mixed-Reality Interaction Design and Psychological Experimentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernardet, Ulysses; Bermúdez I Badia, Sergi; Duff, Armin; Inderbitzin, Martin; Le Groux, Sylvain; Manzolli, Jônatas; Mathews, Zenon; Mura, Anna; Väljamäe, Aleksander; Verschure, Paul F. M. J.

The eXperience Induction Machine (XIM) is one of the most advanced mixed-reality spaces available today. XIM is an immersive space that consists of physical sensors and effectors and which is conceptualized as a general-purpose infrastructure for research in the field of psychology and human-artifact interaction. In this chapter, we set out the epistemological rational behind XIM by putting the installation in the context of psychological research. The design and implementation of XIM are based on principles and technologies of neuromorphic control. We give a detailed description of the hardware infrastructure and software architecture, including the logic of the overall behavioral control. To illustrate the approach toward psychological experimentation, we discuss a number of practical applications of XIM. These include the so-called, persistent virtual community, the application in the research of the relationship between human experience and multi-modal stimulation, and an investigation of a mixed-reality social interaction paradigm.

Human Thermal Model Evaluation Using the JSC Human Thermal Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cognata, T.; Bue, G.; Makinen, J.

2011-01-01

The human thermal database developed at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) is used to evaluate a set of widely used human thermal models. This database will facilitate a more accurate evaluation of human thermoregulatory response using in a variety of situations, including those situations that might otherwise prove too dangerous for actual testing--such as extreme hot or cold splashdown conditions. This set includes the Wissler human thermal model, a model that has been widely used to predict the human thermoregulatory response to a variety of cold and hot environments. These models are statistically compared to the current database, which contains experiments of human subjects primarily in air from a literature survey ranging between 1953 and 2004 and from a suited experiment recently performed by the authors, for a quantitative study of relative strength and predictive quality of the models. Human thermal modeling has considerable long term utility to human space flight. Such models provide a tool to predict crew survivability in support of vehicle design and to evaluate crew response in untested environments. It is to the benefit of any such model not only to collect relevant experimental data to correlate it against, but also to maintain an experimental standard or benchmark for future development in a readily and rapidly searchable and software accessible format. The Human thermal database project is intended to do just so; to collect relevant data from literature and experimentation and to store the data in a database structure for immediate and future use as a benchmark to judge human thermal models against, in identifying model strengths and weakness, to support model development and improve correlation, and to statistically quantify a model s predictive quality.

[Short-term memory characteristics of vibration intensity tactile perception on human wrist].

PubMed

Hao, Fei; Chen, Li-Juan; Lu, Wei; Song, Ai-Guo

2014-12-25

In this study, a recall experiment and a recognition experiment were designed to assess the human wrist's short-term memory characteristics of tactile perception on vibration intensity, by using a novel homemade vibrotactile display device based on the spatiotemporal combination vibration of multiple micro vibration motors as a test device. Based on the obtained experimental data, the short-term memory span, recognition accuracy and reaction time of vibration intensity were analyzed. From the experimental results, some important conclusions can be made: (1) The average short-term memory span of tactile perception on vibration intensity is 3 ± 1 items; (2) The greater difference between two adjacent discrete intensities of vibrotactile stimulation is defined, the better average short-term memory span human wrist gets; (3) There is an obvious difference of the average short-term memory span on vibration intensity between the male and female; (4) The mechanism of information extraction in short-term memory of vibrotactile display is to traverse the scanning process by comparison; (5) The recognition accuracy and reaction time performance of vibrotactile display compares unfavourably with that of visual and auditory. The results from this study are important for designing vibrotactile display coding scheme.

Utility of Experimental Design in Pre-Column Derivatization for the Analysis of Tobramycin by HPLC-Fluorescence Detection: Application to Ophthalmic Solution and Human Plasma.

PubMed

El-Zaher, Asmaa A; Mahrouse, Marianne A

2013-01-01

A novel, selective, and sensitive reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method coupled with fluorescence detection has been developed for the determination of tobramycin (TOB) in pure form, in ophthalmic solution and in spiked human plasma. Since TOB lacks UV absorbing chromophores and native fluorescence, pre-column derivatization of TOB was carried out using fluorescamine reagent (0.01%, 1.5 mL) and borate buffer (pH 8.5, 2 mL). Experimental design was applied for optimization of the derivatization step. The resulting highly fluorescent stable derivative was chromatographed on C18 column and eluted using methanol:water (60:40, v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL min(-1). A fluorescence detector (λex 390 and λem 480 nm) was used. The method was linear over the concentration range 20-200 ng mL(-1). The structure of the fluorescent product was proposed, the method was then validated and applied for the determination of TOB in human plasma. The results were statistically compared with the reference method, revealing no significant difference.

Utility of Experimental Design in Pre-Column Derivatization for the Analysis of Tobramycin by HPLC—Fluorescence Detection: Application to Ophthalmic Solution and Human Plasma

PubMed Central

El-Zaher, Asmaa A.; Mahrouse, Marianne A.

2013-01-01

A novel, selective, and sensitive reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method coupled with fluorescence detection has been developed for the determination of tobramycin (TOB) in pure form, in ophthalmic solution and in spiked human plasma. Since TOB lacks UV absorbing chromophores and native fluorescence, pre-column derivatization of TOB was carried out using fluorescamine reagent (0.01%, 1.5 mL) and borate buffer (pH 8.5, 2 mL). Experimental design was applied for optimization of the derivatization step. The resulting highly fluorescent stable derivative was chromatographed on C18 column and eluted using methanol:water (60:40, v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL min−1. A fluorescence detector (λex 390 and λem 480 nm) was used. The method was linear over the concentration range 20–200 ng mL−1. The structure of the fluorescent product was proposed, the method was then validated and applied for the determination of TOB in human plasma. The results were statistically compared with the reference method, revealing no significant difference. PMID:23700362

Overview of clinical research design.

PubMed

Hartung, Daniel M; Touchette, Daniel

2009-02-15

Basic concepts and terminology of clinical research design are presented for new clinical investigators. Clinical research, research involving human subjects, can be described as either observational or experimental. The findings of all clinical research can be threatened by issues of bias and confounding. Biases are systematic errors in how study subjects are selected or measured, which result in false inferences. Confounding is a distortion in findings that is attributable to mixing variable effects. Uncontrolled observation research is generally more prone to bias and confounding than experimental research. Observational research includes designs such as the cohort study, case-control study, and cross-sectional study, while experimental research typically involves a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The cohort study, which includes the RCT, defines subject allocation on the basis of exposure interest (e.g., drug, disease-management program) and follows the patients to assess the outcomes. The case-control study uses the primary outcome of interest (e.g., adverse event) to define subject allocation, and different exposures are assessed in a retrospective manner. Cross-sectional research evaluates both exposure and outcome concurrently. Each of these design methods possesses different strengths and weaknesses in answering research questions, as well as underlying many study subtypes. While experimental research is the strongest method for establishing causality, it can be difficult to accomplish under many scenarios. Observational clinical research offers many design alternatives that may be appropriate if planned and executed carefully.

Iterative optimization method for design of quantitative magnetization transfer imaging experiments.

PubMed

Levesque, Ives R; Sled, John G; Pike, G Bruce

2011-09-01

Quantitative magnetization transfer imaging (QMTI) using spoiled gradient echo sequences with pulsed off-resonance saturation can be a time-consuming technique. A method is presented for selection of an optimum experimental design for quantitative magnetization transfer imaging based on the iterative reduction of a discrete sampling of the Z-spectrum. The applicability of the technique is demonstrated for human brain white matter imaging at 1.5 T and 3 T, and optimal designs are produced to target specific model parameters. The optimal number of measurements and the signal-to-noise ratio required for stable parameter estimation are also investigated. In vivo imaging results demonstrate that this optimal design approach substantially improves parameter map quality. The iterative method presented here provides an advantage over free form optimal design methods, in that pragmatic design constraints are readily incorporated. In particular, the presented method avoids clustering and repeated measures in the final experimental design, an attractive feature for the purpose of magnetization transfer model validation. The iterative optimal design technique is general and can be applied to any method of quantitative magnetization transfer imaging. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Supercritical water oxidation of products of human metabolism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tester, Jefferson W.; Orge A. achelling, Richard K. ADTHOMASSON; Orge A. achelling, Richard K. ADTHOMASSON

1986-01-01

Although the efficient destruction of organic material was demonstrated in the supercritical water oxidation process, the reaction kinetics and mechanisms are unknown. The kinetics and mechanisms of carbon monoxide and ammonia oxidation in and reaction with supercritical water were studied experimentally. Experimental oxidation of urine and feces in a microprocessor controlled system was performed. A minaturized supercritical water oxidation process for space applications was design, including preliminary mass and energy balances, power, space and weight requirements.

ANIMAL COGNITION. Comment on "Number-space mapping in the newborn chick resembles humans' mental number line".

PubMed

Mangalam, Madhur; Karve, Shraddha Madhav

2015-06-26

Rugani et al. (Reports, 30 January 3015, p. 534) tested 3-day-old domestic chicks using an innovative experimental setup and demonstrate the presence of the mental number line. We raise concerns regarding this conclusion by highlighting the possible loopholes in the experimental design and the data analysis procedures. We further suggest auxiliary experiments that can substantiate the authors' claim. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dissecting the human immunologic memory for pathogens.

PubMed

Zielinski, Christina E; Corti, Davide; Mele, Federico; Pinto, Dora; Lanzavecchia, Antonio; Sallusto, Federica

2011-03-01

Studies on immunologic memory in animal models and especially in the human system are instrumental to identify mechanisms and correlates of protection necessary for vaccine development. In this article, we provide an overview of the cellular basis of immunologic memory. We also describe experimental approaches based on high throughput cell cultures, which we have developed to interrogate human memory T cells, B cells, and plasma cells. We discuss how these approaches can provide new tools and information for vaccine design, in a process that we define as 'analytic vaccinology'. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Computer modeling and simulation of human movement. Applications in sport and rehabilitation.

PubMed

Neptune, R R

2000-05-01

Computer modeling and simulation of human movement plays an increasingly important role in sport and rehabilitation, with applications ranging from sport equipment design to understanding pathologic gait. The complex dynamic interactions within the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems make analyzing human movement with existing experimental techniques difficult but computer modeling and simulation allows for the identification of these complex interactions and causal relationships between input and output variables. This article provides an overview of computer modeling and simulation and presents an example application in the field of rehabilitation.

Phase II Clinical Trial of Intraoral Grafting of Human Tissue Engineered Oral Mucosa

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

experimental arm subject in the small defect study. A protocol amendment in early 2017revised the study inclusionary criteria to include all non ...construed as an official Department of the Army position, policy or decision unless so designated by other documentation. REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE...group phase II study to assess the safety and efficacy for use of human EVPOME for soft tissue intraoral grafting procedures compared to the “gold

Human-In-The-Loop Experimental Research for Detect and Avoid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Consiglio, Maria; Munoz, Cesar; Hagen, George; Narkawicz, Anthony; Upchurch, Jason; Comstock, James; Ghatas, Rania; Vincent, Michael; Chamberlain, James

2015-01-01

This paper describes a Detect and Avoid (DAA) concept for integration of UAS into the NAS developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and provides results from recent human-in-the-loop experiments performed to investigate interoperability and acceptability issues associated with these vehicles and operations. The series of experiments was designed to incrementally assess critical elements of the new concept and the enabling technologies that will be required.

The Second Conference on Lunar Bases and Space Activities of the 21st Century, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mendell, Wendell W. (Editor); Alred, John W. (Editor); Bell, Larry S. (Editor); Cintala, Mark J. (Editor); Crabb, Thomas M. (Editor); Durrett, Robert H. (Editor); Finney, Ben R. (Editor); Franklin, H. Andrew (Editor); French, James R. (Editor); Greenberg, Joel S. (Editor)

1992-01-01

These 92 papers comprise a peer-reviewed selection of presentations by authors from NASA, the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), industry, and academia at the Second Conference on Lunar Bases and Space Activities of the 21st Century. These papers go into more technical depth than did those published from the first NASA-sponsored symposium on the topic, held in 1984. Session topics included the following: (1) design and operation of transportation systems to, in orbit around, and on the Moon; (2) lunar base site selection; (3) design, architecture, construction, and operation of lunar bases and human habitats; (4) lunar-based scientific research and experimentation in astronomy, exobiology, and lunar geology; (5) recovery and use of lunar resources; (6) environmental and human factors of and life support technology for human presence on the Moon; and (7) program management of human exploration of the Moon and space.

Design of a detection system of highlight LED arrays' effect on the human organization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shuwang; Shi, Guiju; Xue, Tongze; Liu, Yanming

2009-05-01

LED (Light Emitting Diode) has many advantages in the intensity, wavelength, practicality and price, so it is feasible to apply in biomedicine engineering. A system for the research on the effect of highlight LED arrays to human organization is designed. The temperature of skin surface can rise if skin and organization are in irradiation by highlight LED arrays. The metabolism and blood circulation of corresponding position will be quicker than those not in the shine, so the surface temperature will vary in different position of skin. The structure of LED source arrays system is presented and a measure system for studying LED's influence on human organization is designed. The temperature values of shining point are detected by infrared temperature detector. Temperature change is different according to LED parameters, such as the number, irradiation time and luminous intensity of LED. Experimental device is designed as an LED arrays pen. The LED arrays device is used to shine the points of human body, then it may effect on personal organization as well as the acupuncture. The system is applied in curing a certain skin disease, such as age pigment, skin cancer and fleck.

HUMAN BODY SHAPE INDEX BASED ON AN EXPERIMENTALLY DERIVED MODEL OF HUMAN GROWTH

PubMed Central

Lebiedowska, Maria K.; Alter, Katharine E.; Stanhope, Steven J.

2009-01-01

Objectives To test the assumption of geometrically similar growth by developing experimentally derived models of human body growth during the age interval of 5–18 years; to use the derived growth models to establish a new Human Body Shape Index (HBSI) based on natural age related changes in HBS; and to compare various metrics of relative body weight (body mass index, ponderal index, HBSI) in a sample of 5–18 year old children. Study design Non-disabled Polish children (N=847) participated in this descriptive study. To model growth, the best fit between body height (H) and body mass (M) was calculated for each sex with the allometric equation M= miHχ. HBSI and HBSI were calculated separately for girls and boys, using sex-specific values for χ and a general HBSI from combined data. The customary body mass and ponderal indices were calculated and compared to HBSI values. Results The models of growth were M=13.11H2.84 (R2=.90) and M=13.64H2.68 (R2=.91) for girls and boys respectively. HBSI values contained less inherent variability and were influenced least by growth (age and height) than customary indices. Conclusion Age-related growth during childhood is sex-specific and not geometrically similar. Therefore, indices of human body shape formulated from experimentally derived models of human growth are superior to customary geometric similarity-based indices for the characterization of human body shape in children during the formative growth years. PMID:18154897

Test verification and design of the bicycle frame parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Long; Xiang, Zhongxia; Luo, Huan; Tian, Guan

2015-07-01

Research on design of bicycles is concentrated on mechanism and auto appearance design, however few on matches between the bike and the rider. Since unreasonable human-bike relationship leads to both riders' worn-out joints and muscle injuries, the design of bicycles should focus on the matching. In order to find the best position of human-bike system, simulation experiments on riding comfort under different riding postures are done with the lifemode software employed to facilitate the cycling process as well as to obtain the best position and the size function of it. With BP neural network and GA, analyzing simulation data, conducting regression analysis of parameters on different heights and bike frames, the equation of best position of human-bike system is gained at last. In addition, after selecting testers, customized bikes based on testers' height dimensions are produced according to the size function. By analyzing and comparing the experimental data that are collected from testers when riding common bicycles and customized bicycles, it is concluded that customized bicycles are four times even six times as comfortable as common ones. The equation of best position of human-bike system is applied to improve bikes' function, and the new direction on future design of bicycle frame parameters is presented.

Dynamic response of a collidant impacting a low pressure airbag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dreher, Peter A.

There are many uses of low pressure airbags, both military and commercial. Many of these applications have been hampered by inadequate and inaccurate modeling tools. This dissertation contains the derivation of a four degree-of-freedom system of differential equations from physical laws of mass and energy conservation, force equilibrium, and the Ideal Gas Law. Kinematic equations were derived to model a cylindrical airbag as a single control volume impacted by a parallelepiped collidant. An efficient numerical procedure was devised to solve the simplified system of equations in a manner amenable to discovering design trends. The largest public airbag experiment, both in scale and scope, was designed and built to collect data on low-pressure airbag responses, otherwise unavailable in the literature. The experimental results were compared to computational simulations to validate the simplified numerical model. Experimental response trends are presented that will aid airbag designers. The two objectives of using a low pressure airbag to demonstrate the feasibility to (1) accelerate a munition to 15 feet per second velocity from a bomb bay, and (2) decelerate humans hitting trucks below the human tolerance level of 50 G's, were both met.

Use of diaminofluoresceins to detect and measure nitric oxide in low level generating human immune cells.

PubMed

Tiscornia, Adriana; Cairoli, Ernesto; Marquez, Maria; Denicola, Ana; Pritsch, Otto; Cayota, Alfonso

2009-03-15

Nitric oxide ((*)NO) has been implicated in multiple physiological and pathological immune processes. Different methods have been developed to detect and quantify (*)NO, where one of the principal difficulties are the accurately detection in cellular system with low levels of (*)NO production. The choice of the (*)NO detection method to be used depends on the characteristics of the experimental system and the levels of (*)NO production which depend on either the organism source of samples or the experimental conditions. Recently, high sensitive methods to detect and image (*)NO have been reported using 4,5-diaminofluorescein-based fluorescent probes (DAF) and its derivate 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate (DAF-2 DA). This work was aimed to adapt and optimize the use of DAF probes to detect and quantify the (*)NO production in systems of high, moderate and low out-put production, especially in human PBMC and their subpopulations. Here, we report an original experimental design which is useful to detect and estimate (*)NO fluxes in human PBMC and their subpopulations with high specificity and sensitivity.

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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

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Inflammasomes make the case for littermate-controlled experimental design in studying host-microbiota interactions.

PubMed

Mamantopoulos, Michail; Ronchi, Francesca; McCoy, Kathy D; Wullaert, Andy

2018-04-19

Several human diseases are thought to evolve due to a combination of host genetic mutations and environmental factors that include alterations in intestinal microbiota composition termed dysbiosis. Although in some cases, host genetics may shape the gut microbiota and enable it to provoke disease, experimentally disentangling cause and consequence in such host-microbe interactions requires strict control over non-genetic confounding factors. Mouse genetic studies previously proposed Nlrp6/ASC inflammasomes as innate immunity regulators of the intestinal ecosystem. In contrast, using littermate-controlled experimental setups, we recently showed that Nlrp6/ASC inflammasomes do not alter the gut microbiota composition. Our analyses indicated that maternal inheritance and long-term separate housing are non-genetic confounders that preclude the use of non-littermate mice when analyzing host genetic effects on intestinal ecology. Here, we summarize and discuss our gut microbiota analyses in inflammasome-deficient mice for illustrating the importance of littermate experimental design in studying host-microbiota interactions.

Brown Adipose Reporting Criteria in Imaging STudies (BARCIST 1.0): Recommendations for Standardized FDG-PET/CT Experiments in Humans

PubMed Central

Chen, Kong Y.; Laughlin, Maren R.; Haft, Carol R.; Hu, Houchun Harry; Bredella, Miriam A.; Enerbäck, Sven; Kinahan, Paul E.; van Marken Lichtenbelt, Wouter; Lin, Frank I.; Sunderland, John J.; Virtanen, Kirsi A.; Wahl, Richard L.

2016-01-01

Human brown adipose tissue (BAT) presence, metabolic activity and estimated mass are typically measured by imaging [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in response to cold exposure in regions of the body expected to contain BAT, using positron emission tomography combined with x-ray computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT). Efforts to describe the epidemiology and biology of human BAT are hampered by diverse experimental practices, making it difficult to directly compare results among laboratories. An expert panel was assembled by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases on November 4, 2014 to discuss minimal requirements for conducting FDG-PET/CT experiments of human BAT, data analysis, and publication of results. This resulted in Brown Adipose Reporting Criteria in Imaging STudies (BARCIST 1.0). Since there are no fully-validated best practices at this time, panel recommendations are meant to enhance comparability across experiments, but not to constrain experimental design or the questions that can be asked. PMID:27508870

Using Complementary Learning Clusters in Studying Literature to Enhance Students' Medical Humanities Literacy, Critical Thinking, and English Proficiency.

PubMed

Liao, Hung-Chang; Wang, Ya-Huei

2016-04-01

This study examined whether students studying literature in complementary learning clusters would show more improvement in medical humanities literacy, critical thinking skills, and English proficiency compared to those in conventional learning clusters. Ninety-three students participated in the study (M age = 18.2 years, SD = 0.4; 36 men, 57 women). A quasi-experimental design was used over 16 weeks, with the control group (n = 47) working in conventional learning clusters and the experimental group (n = 46) working in complementary learning clusters. Complementary learning clusters were those in which individuals had complementary strengths enabling them to learn from and offer assistance to other cluster members, hypothetically facilitating the learning process. Measures included the Medical Humanities Literacy Scale, Critical Thinking Disposition Assessment, English proficiency tests, and Analytic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric. The results showed that complementary learning clusters have the potential to improve students' medical humanities literacy, critical thinking skills, and English proficiency. © The Author(s) 2016.

Harnessing the hygroscopic and biofluorescent behaviors of genetically tractable microbial cells to design biohybrid wearables.

PubMed

Wang, Wen; Yao, Lining; Cheng, Chin-Yi; Zhang, Teng; Atsumi, Hiroshi; Wang, Luda; Wang, Guanyun; Anilionyte, Oksana; Steiner, Helene; Ou, Jifei; Zhou, Kang; Wawrousek, Chris; Petrecca, Katherine; Belcher, Angela M; Karnik, Rohit; Zhao, Xuanhe; Wang, Daniel I C; Ishii, Hiroshi

2017-05-01

Cells' biomechanical responses to external stimuli have been intensively studied but rarely implemented into devices that interact with the human body. We demonstrate that the hygroscopic and biofluorescent behaviors of living cells can be engineered to design biohybrid wearables, which give multifunctional responsiveness to human sweat. By depositing genetically tractable microbes on a humidity-inert material to form a heterogeneous multilayered structure, we obtained biohybrid films that can reversibly change shape and biofluorescence intensity within a few seconds in response to environmental humidity gradients. Experimental characterization and mechanical modeling of the film were performed to guide the design of a wearable running suit and a fluorescent shoe prototype with bio-flaps that dynamically modulates ventilation in synergy with the body's need for cooling.

Experimental investigation of dynamic performance of a prototype hybrid tuned mass damper under human excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noormohammadi, Nima; Reynolds, Paul

2013-04-01

Current sport stadia designs focus mainly on maximizing audience capacity and providing a clear view for all spectators. Hence, incorporation of one or more cantilevered tiers is typical in these designs. However, employing such cantilevered tiers, usually with relatively low damping and natural frequencies, can make grandstands more susceptible to excitation by human activities. This is caused by the coincidence between the activity frequencies (and their lowest three harmonics) and the structural natural frequencies hence raising the possibility of resonant vibration. This can be both a vibration serviceability and a safety issue. Past solutions to deal with observed or anticipated vibration serviceability problems have been mainly passive methods, such as tuned mass dampers (TMDs). These techniques have exhibited problems such as lack of performance and offtuning caused by human-structure interaction. To address this issue, research is currently underway to investigate the possible application of hybrid TMDs (HTMDs), which are a combination of active and passive control, to improve the vibration serviceability of such structures under human excitation. The work presented here shows a comparative experimental investigation of a passive TMD and a prototype HTMD applied on a slab strip structure. The most effective control algorithm to enhance the performance of the HTMD and also deal with the off-tuning problem is investigated. The laboratory structure used here is an in-situ cast simply-supported post-tensioned slab strip excited by forces from a range of human activities.

Human patient simulators and interactive case studies: a comparative analysis of learning outcomes and student perceptions.

PubMed

Howard, Valerie Michele; Ross, Carl; Mitchell, Ann M; Nelson, Glenn M

2010-01-01

Although human patient simulators provide an innovative teaching method for nursing students, they are quite expensive. To investigate the value of this expenditure, a quantitative, quasi-experimental, two-group pretest and posttest design was used to compare two educational interventions: human patient simulators and interactive case studies. The sample (N = 49) consisted of students from baccalaureate, accelerated baccalaureate, and diploma nursing programs. Custom-designed Health Education Systems, Inc examinations were used to measure knowledge before and after the implementation of the two educational interventions. Students in the human patient simulation group scored significantly higher than did those in the interactive case study group on the posttest Health Education Systems, Inc examination, and no significant difference was found in student scores among the three types of nursing programs that participated in the study. Data obtained from a questionnaire administered to participants indicated that students responded favorably to the use of human patient simulators as a teaching method.

[Design of High Frequency Signal Detecting Circuit of Human Body Impedance Used for Ultrashort Wave Diathermy Apparatus].

PubMed

Fan, Xu; Wang, Yunguang; Cheng, Haiping; Chong, Xiaochen

2016-02-01

The present circuit was designed to apply to human tissue impedance tuning and matching device in ultra-short wave treatment equipment. In order to judge if the optimum status of circuit parameter between energy emitter circuit and accepter circuit is in well syntony, we designed a high frequency envelope detect circuit to coordinate with automatic adjust device of accepter circuit, which would achieve the function of human tissue impedance matching and tuning. Using the sampling coil to receive the signal of amplitude-modulated wave, we compared the voltage signal of envelope detect circuit with electric current of energy emitter circuit. The result of experimental study was that the signal, which was transformed by the envelope detect circuit, was stable and could be recognized by low speed Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) and was proportional to the electric current signal of energy emitter circuit. It could be concluded that the voltage, transformed by envelope detect circuit can mirror the real circuit state of syntony and realize the function of human tissue impedance collecting.

Analysis of Brain Recurrence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frilot, Clifton; Kim, Paul Y.; Carrubba, Simona; McCarty, David E.; Chesson, Andrew L.; Marino, Andrew A.

Analysis of Brain Recurrence (ABR) is a method for extracting physiologically significant information from the electroencephalogram (EEG), a non-stationary electrical output of the brain, the ultimate complex dynamical system. ABR permits quantification of temporal patterns in the EEG produced by the non-autonomous differential laws that govern brain metabolism. In the context of appropriate experimental and statistical designs, ABR is ideally suited to the task of interpreting the EEG. Present applications of ABR include discovery of a human magnetic sense, increased mechanistic understanding of neuronal membrane processes, diagnosis of degenerative neurological disease, detection of changes in brain metabolism caused by weak environmental electromagnetic fields, objective characterization of the quality of human sleep, and evaluation of sleep disorders. ABR has important beneficial implications for the development of clinical and experimental neuroscience.

SAR in human head model due to resonant wireless power transfer system.

PubMed

Zhang, Chao; Liu, Guoqiang; Li, Yanhong; Song, Xianjin

2016-04-29

Efficient mid-range wireless power transfer between transmitter and the receiver has been achieved based on the magnetic resonant coupling method. The influence of electromagnetic field on the human body due to resonant wireless power transfer system (RWPT) should be taken into account during the design process of the system. To analyze the transfer performance of the RWPT system and the change rules of the specific absorption rate (SAR) in the human head model due to the RWPT system. The circuit-field coupling method for a RWPT system with consideration of the displacement current was presented. The relationship between the spiral coil parameters and transfer performance was studied. The SAR in the human head model was calculated under two different exposure conditions. A system with output power higher than 10 W at 0.2 m distance operating at a frequency of approximately 1 MHz was designed. The FEM simulation results show the peak SAR value is below the safety limit which appeared when the human head model is in front of the transmitter. The simulation results agreed well with the experimental results, which verified the validity of the analysis and design.

Human-Automation Integration: Principle and Method for Design and Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billman, Dorrit; Feary, Michael

2012-01-01

Future space missions will increasingly depend on integration of complex engineered systems with their human operators. It is important to ensure that the systems that are designed and developed do a good job of supporting the needs of the work domain. Our research investigates methods for needs analysis. We included analysis of work products (plans for regulation of the space station) as well as work processes (tasks using current software), in a case study of Attitude Determination and Control Officers (ADCO) planning work. This allows comparing how well different designs match the structure of the work to be supported. Redesigned planning software that better matches the structure of work was developed and experimentally assessed. The new prototype enabled substantially faster and more accurate performance in plan revision tasks. This success suggests the approach to needs assessment and use in design and evaluation is promising, and merits investigatation in future research.

A novel framework for virtual prototyping of rehabilitation exoskeletons.

PubMed

Agarwal, Priyanshu; Kuo, Pei-Hsin; Neptune, Richard R; Deshpande, Ashish D

2013-06-01

Human-worn rehabilitation exoskeletons have the potential to make therapeutic exercises increasingly accessible to disabled individuals while reducing the cost and labor involved in rehabilitation therapy. In this work, we propose a novel human-model-in-the-loop framework for virtual prototyping (design, control and experimentation) of rehabilitation exoskeletons by merging computational musculoskeletal analysis with simulation-based design techniques. The framework allows to iteratively optimize design and control algorithm of an exoskeleton using simulation. We introduce biomechanical, morphological, and controller measures to quantify the performance of the device for optimization study. Furthermore, the framework allows one to carry out virtual experiments for testing specific "what-if" scenarios to quantify device performance and recovery progress. To illustrate the application of the framework, we present a case study wherein the design and analysis of an index-finger exoskeleton is carried out using the proposed framework.

Soft-rigid interaction mechanism towards a lobster-inspired hybrid actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yaohui; Wan, Fang; Wu, Tong; Song, Chaoyang

2018-01-01

Soft pneumatic actuators (SPAs) are intrinsically light-weight, compliant and therefore ideal to directly interact with humans and be implemented into wearable robotic devices. However, they also pose new challenges in describing and sensing their continuous deformation. In this paper, we propose a hybrid actuator design with bio-inspirations from the lobsters, which can generate reconfigurable bending movements through the internal soft chamber interacting with the external rigid shells. This design with joint and link structures enables us to exactly track its bending configurations that previously posed a significant challenge to soft robots. Analytic models are developed to illustrate the soft-rigid interaction mechanism with experimental validation. A robotic glove using hybrid actuators to assist grasping is assembled to illustrate their potentials in safe human-robot interactions. Considering all the design merits, our work presents a practical approach to the design of next-generation robots capable of achieving both good accuracy and compliance.

Design of energy harvesting systems for harnessing vibrational motion from human and vehicular motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wickenheiser, Adam; Garcia, Ephrahim

2010-04-01

In much of the vibration-based energy harvesting literature, devices are modeled, designed, and tested for dissipating energy across a resistive load at a single base excitation frequency. This paper presents several practical scenarios germane to tracking, sensing, and wireless communication on humans and land vehicles. Measured vibrational data from these platforms are used to provide a time-varying, broadband input to the energy harvesting system. Optimal power considerations are given for several circuit topologies, including a passive rectifier circuit and active, switching methods. Under various size and mass constraints, the optimal design is presented for two scenarios: walking and idling a car. The frequency response functions are given alongside time histories of the power harvested using the experimental base accelerations recorded. The issues involved in designing an energy harvester for practical (i.e. timevarying, non-sinusoidal) applications are discussed.

The design of a commercial space infrastructure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

Space Services and Logistics, Inc. represents the complete engineering design of a technically and financially viable commercial space company. The final proposal offers an economically sound program of space vehicles and systems designed to substantially affect a variety of space markets and produce a vertically integrated structure within the next 20 years. Throughout this design process, particular stress has been placed on attaining the highest possible levels of safety and reliability. The final program financial design requires a considerable initial outlay, but promises a relatively quick return on invested capital, culminating in large annual profits by the end of the 20-year scope of the cost outlook. The overall design has been extensively researched and was primarily driven by the present and near-term projected market demands for services uniquely or competitively offered only by space-oriented operations. Heretofore, available capabilities, rather than these market demands, have determined the degree and type of commercial market access. Removing this limitation through extensive use of modularity and reconfigurability allows the company to gear itself to the market, while still remaining extremely competitive with existing systems. The markets identified as lucrative, and that have governed much of the design requirements, are: low-cost launch services to LEO over a wide range of payload masses and inclinations; upper stage payload delivery from LEO to GEO; manned space operations and human transport to and from orbit; EVA assembly and maintenance of large space structures; satellite servicing and repair by both humans and telerobotic operations; a line of customized satellites designed for extended life and capable of reconfiguration or technology upgrade on orbit; small-scale microgravity experimentation and manufacturing supported by spacecraft retrieval capabilities for experimental specimens and manufactured goods; and a full-range of payload integration, testing, design, and support services before launch and once in orbit.

Human error and human factors engineering in health care.

PubMed

Welch, D L

1997-01-01

Human error is inevitable. It happens in health care systems as it does in all other complex systems, and no measure of attention, training, dedication, or punishment is going to stop it. The discipline of human factors engineering (HFE) has been dealing with the causes and effects of human error since the 1940's. Originally applied to the design of increasingly complex military aircraft cockpits, HFE has since been effectively applied to the problem of human error in such diverse systems as nuclear power plants, NASA spacecraft, the process control industry, and computer software. Today the health care industry is becoming aware of the costs of human error and is turning to HFE for answers. Just as early experimental psychologists went beyond the label of "pilot error" to explain how the design of cockpits led to air crashes, today's HFE specialists are assisting the health care industry in identifying the causes of significant human errors in medicine and developing ways to eliminate or ameliorate them. This series of articles will explore the nature of human error and how HFE can be applied to reduce the likelihood of errors and mitigate their effects.

77 FR 54402 - Dichlorvos (DDVP); Order Denying NRDC's Objections on Remand

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-05

... may be calculated separately for different age-based population groups (e.g., non-nursing infants) or... in conjunction with experimental toxicity data in assessing risk to humans from exposure to chemical substances. (Ref. 4). These numerical factors are designed to provide an additional margin of safety so that...

Using Alien Coins to Test Whether Simple Inference Is Bayesian

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassey, Peter; Hawkins, Guy E.; Donkin, Chris; Brown, Scott D.

2016-01-01

Reasoning and inference are well-studied aspects of basic cognition that have been explained as statistically optimal Bayesian inference. Using a simplified experimental design, we conducted quantitative comparisons between Bayesian inference and human inference at the level of individuals. In 3 experiments, with more than 13,000 participants, we…

Development of a Self-Balancing Human Transportation Vehicle for the Teaching of Feedback Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Shui-Chun; Tsai, Ching-Chih

2009-01-01

Control systems education often needs to design interesting hands-on exercises that keep students interested in the control theory presented in lectures. These exercises include system modeling, system analyses, controller syntheses, implementation, experimentation, and performance evaluation of a control system. This paper presents an interesting…

Research and Development on a Public Attitude Instrument for Stuttering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Louis, Kenneth O.

2012-01-01

This paper summarizes research associated with the development of the "Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering" ("POSHA-S"), a survey instrument designed to provide a worldwide standard measure of public attitudes toward stuttering. Pilot studies with early experimental prototypes of the "POSHA-S" are summarized that relate to…

Experimental spectroscopy for the high-school Physics curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinra, Rajeev; Karpetis, Adonios

2008-11-01

The present work explores the feasibility of including spectroscopic experiments in high-school physics curricula. Two experimental optics ``modules'' were constructed for this purpose: (a) a simple CCD detector, in combination with appropriate filters, was used for the measurement of solar spectra and the determination of the sun's surface temperature; (b) the same detector was used, in combination with a transmissive diffraction grating and some miniature optics, to form a spectrophotometer that can be used for the determination of spectra with high resolution. Both modules were designed and constructed with portability and low cost in mind, and their objective is to introduce experimental spectroscopy to high school students in an intriguing, educational and phase-appropriate manner without sacrificing scientific rigor. A large variety of experiments may be designed around the basic devices that were built during this work, and a number of possible examples will be presented, from research on plant phototropism to human color cognition.

Experimental system, and its evaluation for the control of surgically inducted infections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tevebaugh, M. D.; Nelson, J. P.

1972-01-01

The effect is reported to design, fabricate, test and evaluate a prototype experimental system for the control of surgically induced infections. The purpose is to provide the cleanest possible environment within a hospital surgery room and eliminate contamination sources that could cause infections during surgery. The system design is described. The system provides for a portable laminar flow clean room, a full bubble helmet system with associated communications and ventilation subsystems for operating room personnel, and surgical gowns that minimize the migration of bacteria. The development test results consisting of portability, laminar flowrate, air flow pattern, electrostatic buildup, noise level, ventilation, human factors, electrical and material compatibility tests are summarized. The conclusions are that the experimental system is effective in reducing the airborne and wound contamination although the helmets and gowns may not be a significant part of this reduction. Definitive conclusions with regard to the infection rate cannot be made at this time.

Air ions and respiratory function outcomes: a comprehensive review

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background From a mechanistic or physical perspective there is no basis to suspect that electric charges on clusters of air molecules (air ions) would have beneficial or deleterious effects on respiratory function. Yet, there is a large lay and scientific literature spanning 80 years that asserts exposure to air ions affects the respiratory system and has other biological effects. Aims This review evaluates the scientific evidence in published human experimental studies regarding the effects of exposure to air ions on respiratory performance and symptoms. Methods We identified 23 studies (published 1933–1993) that met our inclusion criteria. Relevant data pertaining to study population characteristics, study design, experimental methods, statistical techniques, and study results were assessed. Where relevant, random effects meta-analysis models were utilized to quantify similar exposure and outcome groupings. Results The included studies examined the therapeutic benefits of exposure to negative air ions on respiratory outcomes, such as ventilatory function and asthmatic symptoms. Study specific sample sizes ranged between 7 and 23, and studies varied considerably by subject characteristics (e.g., infants with asthma, adults with emphysema), experimental method, outcomes measured (e.g., subjective symptoms, sensitivity, clinical pulmonary function), analytical design, and statistical reporting. Conclusions Despite numerous experimental and analytical differences across studies, the literature does not clearly support a beneficial role in exposure to negative air ions and respiratory function or asthmatic symptom alleviation. Further, collectively, the human experimental studies do not indicate a significant detrimental effect of exposure to positive air ions on respiratory measures. Exposure to negative or positive air ions does not appear to play an appreciable role in respiratory function. PMID:24016271

A human factors evaluation of Extravehicular Activity gloves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Hara, John M.; Briganti, Michael; Cleland, John; Winfield, Dan

1989-01-01

One of the major problems faced in Extravehicular Activity (EVA) glove development has been the absence of concise and reliable methods to measure the effects of EVA gloves on human-hand capabilities. NASA has sponsored a program to develop a standardized set of tests designed to assess EVA-gloved hand capabilities in six performance domains: Range of Motion, Strength, Tactile Perception, Dexterity, Fatigue, and Comfort. Based upon an assessment of general human-hand functioning and EVA task requirements, several tests within each performance domain were developed to provide a comprehensive evaluation. All tests were designed to be conducted in a glove box with the bare hand, an EVA glove without pressure, an EVA glove at operation pressure. Thus, the differential effect on performance of the glove with and without pressure was tested. Bare hand performance was used to 'calibrate' the effects. Ten subjects participated in the test setup as a repeated-measures experimental design. The paper will report the results of the test program.

Experimental evaluation of a miniature MR device for a wide range of human perceivable haptic sensations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Tae-Heon; Koo, Jeong-Hoi

2017-12-01

Humans can experience a realistic and vivid haptic sensations by the sense of touch. In order to have a fully immersive haptic experience, both kinaesthetic and vibrotactile information must be presented to human users. Currently, little haptic research has been performed on small haptic actuators that can covey both vibrotactile feedback based on the frequency of vibrations up to the human-perceivable limit and multiple levels of kinaesthetic feedback rapidly. Therefore, this study intends to design a miniature haptic device based on MR fluid and experimentally evaluate its ability to convey vibrotactile feedback up to 300 Hz along with kinaesthetic feedback. After constructing a prototype device, a series of testing was performed to evaluate its performance of the prototype using an experimental setup, consisting of a precision dynamic mechanical analyzer and an accelerometer. The kinaesthetic testing results show that the prototype device can provide the force rate up to 89% at 5 V (360 mA), which can be discretized into multiple levels of ‘just noticeable difference’ force rate, indicating that the device can convey a wide range of kinaesthetic sensations. To evaluate the high frequency vibrotactile feedback performance of the device, its acceleration responses were measured and processed using the FFT analysis. The results indicate that the device can convey high frequency vibrotactile sensations up to 300 Hz with the sufficiently large intensity of accelerations that human can feel.

PLDAPS: A Hardware Architecture and Software Toolbox for Neurophysiology Requiring Complex Visual Stimuli and Online Behavioral Control.

PubMed

Eastman, Kyler M; Huk, Alexander C

2012-01-01

Neurophysiological studies in awake, behaving primates (both human and non-human) have focused with increasing scrutiny on the temporal relationship between neural signals and behaviors. Consequently, laboratories are often faced with the problem of developing experimental equipment that can support data recording with high temporal precision and also be flexible enough to accommodate a wide variety of experimental paradigms. To this end, we have developed a MATLAB toolbox that integrates several modern pieces of equipment, but still grants experimenters the flexibility of a high-level programming language. Our toolbox takes advantage of three popular and powerful technologies: the Plexon apparatus for neurophysiological recordings (Plexon, Inc., Dallas, TX, USA), a Datapixx peripheral (Vpixx Technologies, Saint-Bruno, QC, Canada) for control of analog, digital, and video input-output signals, and the Psychtoolbox MATLAB toolbox for stimulus generation (Brainard, 1997; Pelli, 1997; Kleiner et al., 2007). The PLDAPS ("Platypus") system is designed to support the study of the visual systems of awake, behaving primates during multi-electrode neurophysiological recordings, but can be easily applied to other related domains. Despite its wide range of capabilities and support for cutting-edge video displays and neural recording systems, the PLDAPS system is simple enough for someone with basic MATLAB programming skills to design their own experiments.

Exercise-induced neuroplasticity in human Parkinson's disease: What is the evidence telling us?

PubMed

Hirsch, Mark A; Iyer, Sanjay S; Sanjak, Mohammed

2016-01-01

While animal models of exercise and PD have pushed the field forward, few studies have addressed exercise-induced neuroplasticity in human PD. As a first step toward promoting greater international collaboration on exercise-induced neuroplasticity in human PD, we present data on 8 human PD studies (published between 2008 and 2015) with 144 adults with PD of varying disease severity (Hoehn and Yahr stage 1 to stage 3), using various experimental (e.g., randomized controlled trial) and quasi-experimental designs on the effects of cognitive and physical activity on brain structure or function in PD. We focus on plasticity mechanisms of intervention-induced increases in maximal corticomotor excitability, exercise-induced changes in voxel-based gray matter volume changes and increases in exercise-induced serum levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Finally, we provide a future perspective for promoting international, collaborative research on exercise-induced neuroplasticity in human PD. An emerging body of evidence suggests exercise triggers several plasticity related events in the human PD brain including corticomotor excitation, increases and decreases in gray matter volume and changes in BDNF levels. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Petri net-based modelling of human-automation conflicts in aviation.

PubMed

Pizziol, Sergio; Tessier, Catherine; Dehais, Frédéric

2014-01-01

Analyses of aviation safety reports reveal that human-machine conflicts induced by poor automation design are remarkable precursors of accidents. A review of different crew-automation conflicting scenarios shows that they have a common denominator: the autopilot behaviour interferes with the pilot's goal regarding the flight guidance via 'hidden' mode transitions. Considering both the human operator and the machine (i.e. the autopilot or the decision functions) as agents, we propose a Petri net model of those conflicting interactions, which allows them to be detected as deadlocks in the Petri net. In order to test our Petri net model, we designed an autoflight system that was formally analysed to detect conflicting situations. We identified three conflicting situations that were integrated in an experimental scenario in a flight simulator with 10 general aviation pilots. The results showed that the conflicts that we had a-priori identified as critical had impacted the pilots' performance. Indeed, the first conflict remained unnoticed by eight participants and led to a potential collision with another aircraft. The second conflict was detected by all the participants but three of them did not manage the situation correctly. The last conflict was also detected by all the participants but provoked typical automation surprise situation as only one declared that he had understood the autopilot behaviour. These behavioural results are discussed in terms of workload and number of fired 'hidden' transitions. Eventually, this study reveals that both formal and experimental approaches are complementary to identify and assess the criticality of human-automation conflicts. Practitioner Summary: We propose a Petri net model of human-automation conflicts. An experiment was conducted with general aviation pilots performing a scenario involving three conflicting situations to test the soundness of our formal approach. This study reveals that both formal and experimental approaches are complementary to identify and assess the criticality conflicts.

Design and Characterization of an Exoskeleton for Perturbing the Knee During Gait.

PubMed

Tucker, Michael R; Shirota, Camila; Lambercy, Olivier; Sulzer, James S; Gassert, Roger

2017-10-01

An improved understanding of mechanical impedance modulation in human joints would provide insights about the neuromechanics underlying functional movements. Experimental estimation of impedance requires specialized tools with highly reproducible perturbation dynamics and reliable measurement capabilities. This paper presents the design and mechanical characterization of the ETH Knee Perturbator: an actuated exoskeleton for perturbing the knee during gait. A novel wearable perturbation device was developed based on specific experimental objectives. Bench-top tests validated the device's torque limiting capability and characterized the time delays of the on-board clutch. Further tests demonstrated the device's ability to perform system identification on passive loads with static initial conditions. Finally, the ability of the device to consistently perturb human gait was evaluated through a pilot study on three unimpaired subjects. The ETH Knee Perturbator is capable of identifying mass-spring systems within 15% accuracy, accounting for over 95% of the variance in the observed torque in 10 out of 16 cases. Five-degree extension and flexion perturbations were executed on human subjects with an onset timing precision of 2.52% of swing phase duration and a rise time of 36.5 ms. The ETH Knee Perturbator can deliver safe, precisely timed, and controlled perturbations, which is a prerequisite for the estimation of knee joint impedance during gait. Tools such as this can enhance models of neuromuscular control, which may improve rehabilitative outcomes following impairments affecting gait and advance the design and control of assistive devices.

Disentangling prenatal and inherited influences in humans with an experimental design.

PubMed

Rice, Frances; Harold, Gordon T; Boivin, Jacky; Hay, Dale F; van den Bree, Marianne; Thapar, Anita

2009-02-17

Exposure to adversity in utero at a sensitive period of development can bring about physiological, structural, and metabolic changes in the fetus that affect later development and behavior. However, the link between prenatal environment and offspring outcomes could also arise and confound because of the relation between maternal and offspring genomes. As human studies cannot randomly assign offspring to prenatal conditions, it is difficult to test whether in utero events have true causal effects on offspring outcomes. We used an unusual approach to overcome this difficulty whereby pregnant mothers are either biologically unrelated or related to their child as a result of in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this sample, prenatal smoking reduces offspring birth weight in both unrelated and related offspring, consistent with effects arising through prenatal mechanisms independent of the relation between the maternal and offspring genomes. In contrast, the association between prenatal smoking and offspring antisocial behavior depended on inherited factors because association was only present in related mothers and offspring. The results demonstrate that this unusual prenatal cross-fostering design is feasible and informative for disentangling inherited and prenatal effects on human health and behavior. Disentangling these different effects is invaluable for pinpointing markers of prenatal adversity that have a causal effect on offspring outcomes. The origins of behavior and many common complex disorders may begin in early life, therefore this experimental design could pave the way for identifying prenatal factors that affect behavior in future generations.

Design and analysis of an underactuated anthropomorphic finger for upper limb prosthetics.

PubMed

Omarkulov, Nurdos; Telegenov, Kuat; Zeinullin, Maralbek; Begalinova, Ainur; Shintemirov, Almas

2015-01-01

This paper presents the design of a linkage based finger mechanism ensuring extended range of anthropomorphic gripping motions. The finger design is done using a path-point generation method based on geometrical dimensions and motion of a typical index human finger. Following the design description, and its kinematics analysis, the experimental evaluation of the finger gripping performance is presented using the finger 3D printed prototype. The finger underactuation is achieved by utilizing mechanical linkage system, consisting of two crossed four-bar linkage mechanisms. It is shown that the proposed finger design can be used to design a five-fingered anthropomorphic hand and has the potential for upper limb prostheses development.

Integrated voice and visual systems research topics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Douglas H.; Simpson, Carol A.

1986-01-01

A series of studies was performed to investigate factors of helicopter speech and visual system design and measure the effects of these factors on human performance, both for pilots and non-pilots. The findings and conclusions of these studies were applied by the U.S. Army to the design of the Army's next generation threat warning system for helicopters and to the linguistic functional requirements for a joint Army/NASA flightworthy, experimental speech generation and recognition system.

Examining ecological validity in social interaction: problems of visual fidelity, gaze, and social potential.

PubMed

Reader, Arran T; Holmes, Nicholas P

2016-01-01

Social interaction is an essential part of the human experience, and much work has been done to study it. However, several common approaches to examining social interactions in psychological research may inadvertently either unnaturally constrain the observed behaviour by causing it to deviate from naturalistic performance, or introduce unwanted sources of variance. In particular, these sources are the differences between naturalistic and experimental behaviour that occur from changes in visual fidelity (quality of the observed stimuli), gaze (whether it is controlled for in the stimuli), and social potential (potential for the stimuli to provide actual interaction). We expand on these possible sources of extraneous variance and why they may be important. We review the ways in which experimenters have developed novel designs to remove these sources of extraneous variance. New experimental designs using a 'two-person' approach are argued to be one of the most effective ways to develop more ecologically valid measures of social interaction, and we suggest that future work on social interaction should use these designs wherever possible.

Ultrasound-assisted magnetic dispersive solid-phase microextraction: A novel approach for the rapid and efficient microextraction of naproxen and ibuprofen employing experimental design with high-performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Ghorbani, Mahdi; Chamsaz, Mahmoud; Rounaghi, Gholam Hossein

2016-03-01

A simple, rapid, and sensitive method for the determination of naproxen and ibuprofen in complex biological and water matrices (cow milk, human urine, river, and well water samples) has been developed using ultrasound-assisted magnetic dispersive solid-phase microextraction. Magnetic ethylendiamine-functionalized graphene oxide nanocomposite was synthesized and used as a novel adsorbent for the microextraction process and showed great adsorptive ability toward these analytes. Different parameters affecting the microextraction were optimized with the aid of the experimental design approach. A Plackett-Burman screening design was used to study the main variables affecting the microextraction process, and the Box-Behnken optimization design was used to optimize the previously selected variables for extraction of naproxen and ibuprofen. The optimized technique provides good repeatability (relative standard deviations of the intraday precision 3.1 and 3.3, interday precision of 5.6 and 6.1%), linearity (0.1-500 and 0.3-650 ng/mL), low limits of detection (0.03 and 0.1 ng/mL), and a high enrichment factor (168 and 146) for naproxen and ibuprofen, respectively. The proposed method can be successfully applied in routine analysis for determination of naproxen and ibuprofen in cow milk, human urine, and real water samples. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Human Location Detection System Using Micro-Electromechanical Sensor for Intelligent Fan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parnin, S.; Rahman, M. M.

2017-03-01

This paper presented the development of sensory system for detection of both the presence and the location of human in a room spaces using MEMS Thermal sensor. The system is able to detect the surface temperature of occupants by a non-contact detection at the maximum of 6 meters far. It can be integrated to any swing type of electrical appliances such as standing fan or a similar devices. Differentiating human from other moving and or static object by heat variable is nearly impossible since human, animals and electrical appliances produce heat. The uncontrollable heat properties which can change and transfer will add to the detection issue. Integrating the low cost MEMS based thermal sensor can solve the first of human sensing problem by its ability to detect human in stationary. Further discrimination and analysis must therefore be made to the measured temperature data to distinguish human from other objects. In this project, the fan is properly designed and program in such a way that it can adapt to different events starting from the human sensing stage to its dynamic and mechanical moving parts. Up to this stage initial testing to the Omron D6T microelectromechanical thermal sensor is currently under several experimental stages. Experimental result of the sensor tested on stationary and motion state of human are behaviorally differentiable and successfully locate the human position by detecting the maximum temperature of each sensor reading.

The origins of duality of patterning in artificial whistled languages

PubMed Central

Verhoef, Tessa

2012-01-01

In human speech, a finite set of basic sounds is combined into a (potentially) unlimited set of well-formed morphemes. Hockett (1960) placed this phenomenon under the term ‘duality of patterning’ and included it as one of the basic design features of human language. Of the thirteen basic design features Hockett proposed, duality of patterning is the least studied and it is still unclear how it evolved in language. Recent work shedding light on this is summarized in this paper and experimental data is presented. This data shows that combinatorial structure can emerge in an artificial whistled language through cultural transmission as an adaptation to human cognitive biases and learning. In this work the method of experimental iterated learning (Kirby et al. 2008) is used, in which a participant is trained on the reproductions of the utterances the previous participant learned. Participants learn and recall a system of sounds that are produced with a slide whistle. Transmission from participant to participant causes the whistle systems to change and become more learnable and more structured. These findings follow from qualitative observations, quantitative measures and a follow-up experiment that tests how well participants can learn the emerged whistled languages by generalizing from a few examples. PMID:23637710

A Cognitive Game Theoretic Analysis of Conflict Alerts in Air Traffic Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erev, Ido; Gopher, Daniel; Remington, Roger

1999-01-01

The current research was motivated by the recommendation made by a joint Government/Industry committee to introduce a new traffic control system, referred to as the Free Flight. This system is designed to use recent new technology to facilitate efficient and safe air transportation. We addressed one of the major difficulties that arise in the design of this and similar multi-agent systems: the adaptive (and slippery) nature of human agents. To facilitate a safe and efficient design of this multi-agent system, designers have to rely on assessments of the expected behavior of the different agents under various scenarios. Whereas the behavior of the computerized agents is predictable, the behavior of the human agents (including air traffic controllers and pilots) is not. Experimental and empirical observations suggest that human agents are likely to adjust their behavior to the design of the system. To see the difficulty that the adaptive nature of human agents creates assume that a good approximation of the way operators currently behave is available. Given this information an optimal design can be performed. The problem arises as the human operator will learn to adjust their behavior to the new system. Following this adjustment process the assumptions made by the designer concerning the operators behavior will no longer be accurate and the system might reach a suboptimal state. In extreme situations these potential suboptimal states might involve unnecessary risk. That is, the fact that operators learn in an adaptive fashion does not imply that the system will become safer as they gain experience. At least in the context of Safety dilemmas, experience can lead to a pareto deficient risk taking behavior.

Rumination, Age, and Years of Experience: A Predictive Study of Burnout

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDuffy, Moriel S.

2016-01-01

This study used a non-experimental design to examine whether job satisfaction, rumination, age and years of experience predict burnout among human service workers serving high-risk populations. The study also used a stepwise regression to assess whether job satisfaction, rumination, age, or years of experience predict burnout equally. Burnout was…

On Conflict: A Curriculum Unit with Comments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkland, Olin

This experimental eight week unit is designed to give students a more detailed understanding of the concepts and realities of conflict, violence, war, and international behavior than is usually done with the ordinary piecemeal textbook approach to human interaction. After trial classroom use, it was determined that the activity may be used in…

Computer Games Development and Appreciative Learning Approach in Enhancing Students' Creative Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eow, Yee Leng; Ali, Wan Zah bte Wan; Mahmud, Rosnaini bt.; Baki, Roselan

2010-01-01

Creativity is an important entity in developing human capital while computer games are the current generation's contemporary tool. This study focused on the teaching of computer games development in order to enhance the creative perception of secondary school children. The study applied randomised subjects, with control group experimental design,…

Construct and Concurrent Validity of a Prototype Questionnaire to Survey Public Attitudes toward Stuttering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Louis, Kenneth O.; Reichel, Isabella K.; Yaruss, J. Scott; Lubker, Bobbie Boyd

2009-01-01

Purpose: Construct validity and concurrent validity were investigated in a prototype survey instrument, the "Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Experimental Edition" (POSHA-E). The POSHA-E was designed to measure public attitudes toward stuttering within the context of eight other attributes, or "anchors," assumed to range from negative…

Effect of selenium treatment on biomass production and mineral content in common bean varieties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The mineral selenium is important to human health. The goal of the research was to evaluate common bean cultivars for their responses to and abilities to accumulate selenium. The experimental design was completely randomized and the treatments consisted of control (in modified Hoagland and Arnon's s...

The Emotional and Ethical Development of College Students with Acknowledgement to Piaget and Other Theorists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Vernon

The paper describes an experimental program for college freshmen which applies Piaget's theory of human development to students' academic and social experiences. The program, Accenting Development of Abstract Processes of Thought (ADAPT), was designed to facilitate movement of students from concrete operational thought patterns to more formal…

Attitudes in a Web-Supported Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acun, Ismail

2013-01-01

The aim of the study is to investigate the possible effect of web-supported teaching on students' attitudes on Human Rights, Democracy and Citizenship Education and technology (HRDCE). To examine weather web-supported instruction would make a difference in attitude levels of the subjects, a quasi-experimental design was employed. Subjects of the…

The "Tweeting Book" and the Question of "Non-Human Data"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knox, Jeremy

2015-01-01

This short article describes an experimental radio-frequency identification (RFID) system designed to playfully explore the possibilities of object agency, in the form of "tweeting books". The use of web-enabled sensors is discussed in the context of the emerging field of Learning Analytics. The analysis of the "tweeting books"…

Design and optimization of an experimental bioregenerative life support system with higher plants and silkworms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Enzhu; Bartsev, Sergey I.; Zhao, Ming; Liu, Professor Hong

The conceptual scheme of an experimental bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) for planetary exploration was designed, which consisted of four elements - human metabolism, higher plants, silkworms and waste treatment. 15 kinds of higher plants, such as wheat, rice, soybean, lettuce, mulberry, et al., were selected as regenerative component of BLSS providing the crew with air, water, and vegetable food. Silkworms, which producing animal nutrition for crews, were fed by mulberry-leaves during the first three instars, and lettuce leaves last two instars. The inedible biomass of higher plants, human wastes and silkworm feces were composted into soil like substrate, which can be reused by higher plants cultivation. Salt, sugar and some household material such as soap, shampoo would be provided from outside. To support the steady state of BLSS the same amount and elementary composition of dehydrated wastes were removed periodically. The balance of matter flows between BLSS components was described by the system of algebraic equations. The mass flows between the components were optimized by EXCEL spreadsheets and using Solver. The numerical method used in this study was Newton's method.

A Novel Soft Pneumatic Artificial Muscle with High-Contraction Ratio.

PubMed

Han, Kwanghyun; Kim, Nam-Ho; Shin, Dongjun

2018-06-20

There is a growing interest in soft actuators for human-friendly robotic applications. However, it is very challenging for conventional soft actuators to achieve both a large working distance and high force. To address this problem, we present a high-contraction ratio pneumatic artificial muscle (HCRPAM), which has a novel actuation concept. The HCRPAM can contract substantially while generating a large force suitable for a wide range of robotic applications. Our proposed prototyping method allows for an easy and quick fabrication, considering various design variables. We derived a mathematical model using a virtual work principle, and validated the model experimentally. We conducted simulations for the design optimization using this model. Our experimental results show that the HCRPAM has a 183.3% larger contraction ratio and 37.1% higher force output than the conventional pneumatic artificial muscle (McKibben muscle). Furthermore, the actuator has a compatible position tracking performance of 1.0 Hz and relatively low hysteresis error of 4.8%. Finally, we discussed the controllable bending characteristics of the HCRPAM, which uses heterogeneous materials and has an asymmetrical structure to make it comfortable for a human to wear.

An experimental analysis of ongoing verbal behavior: Reinforcement, verbal operants, and superstitious behavior

PubMed Central

Leigland, Sam

1996-01-01

Four adult humans were asked to asked to “find” and talk about a particular topic to a person in an adjoining room, and were instructed that they would hear a short beep (the only form of reply from the other person) when they were talking about the topic, or were “close” to the topic. In Session 1, the experimenter in the adjoining room presented the beeps in the manner of shaping, or the differential reinforcement of successive approximations, “toward” the designated topic. In Session 2, the same conditions were in effect but the experimenter was unable to hear the subject and the beeps were presented noncontingently in a way that roughly matched the frequency and distribution of presentations in Session 1. In Session 3, shaping conditions were again in effect but with a different topic than that designated for Session 1. Audio recordings were transcribed in a way that was designed to show the progress of shaping over time. These and additional forms of supporting data and accompanying rationale are presented and discussed in detail. Issues raised by the methodology and results of the experiment include the nature of the verbal operant, superstitious verbal behavior, and a variety of methodological issues relevant to the experimental analysis of ongoing or continuous verbal behavior. PMID:22477112

Device for Investigation of Mechanical Tension of Isolated Smooth Muscle Vessels and Airway Segments of Animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aleinik, A.; Karpovich, N.; Turgunova, N.; Nosarev, A.

2016-11-01

For the purpose of testing and the search for new drug compounds, designed to heal many human diseases, it is necessary to investigate the deformation of experimental tissue samples under influence of these drugs. For this task a precision force sensor for measuring the mechanical tension, produced by isolated ring segments of blood vessels and airways was created. The hardware and software systems for the study of changes in contractile responses of the airway smooth muscles and blood vessels of experimental animals was developed.

Studying technology use as social practice: the untapped potential of ethnography

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) in healthcare are often introduced with expectations of higher-quality, more efficient, and safer care. Many fail to meet these expectations. We argue here that the well-documented failures of ICTs in healthcare are partly attributable to the philosophical foundations of much health informatics research. Positivistic assumptions underpinning the design, implementation and evaluation of ICTs (in particular the notion that technology X has an impact which can be measured and reproduced in new settings), and the deterministic experimental and quasi-experimental study designs which follow from these assumptions, have inherent limitations when ICTs are part of complex social practices involving multiple human actors. We suggest that while experimental and quasi-experimental studies have an important place in health informatics research overall, ethnography is the preferred methodological approach for studying ICTs introduced into complex social systems. But for ethnographic approaches to be accepted and used to their full potential, many in the health informatics community will need to revisit their philosophical assumptions about what counts as research rigor. PMID:21521535

Expression and Regulation of the Retinoic Acid Receptor Beta Gene in Human Mammary Epithelial Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-09-01

Balb/c nu/nu female mice. We have obtained experimental design advice from Dr. Janet Price, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston...author(s) and should not be construed as an official Department of the Army position, policy or decision unless so designated by other documentation...identified eight genes regulated by retinoic acid in either breast cancer cell lines and/or normal HMECs. We have continued to evaluate the methodology to

Effect of Automatic Processing on Specification of Problem Solutions for Computer Programs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

Number 7 ± 2" item limitaion on human short-term memory capability (Miller, 1956) should be a guiding principle in program design. Yourdon and...input either a single example solution or multiple exam’- le solutions in sequence. If a participant’s P1 has a low value - near 0 - it may be concluded... Principles in Experimental Design, Winer ,1971). 55 Table 12 ANOVA Resultt, For Performance Measure 2 Sb DF MS F Source of Variation Between Subjects

Design of embedded intelligent monitoring system based on face recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Weidong; Ding, Yan; Zhao, Liangjin; Li, Jia; Hu, Xuemei

2017-01-01

In this paper, a new embedded intelligent monitoring system based on face recognition is proposed. The system uses Pi Raspberry as the central processor. A sensors group has been designed with Zigbee module in order to assist the system to work better and the two alarm modes have been proposed using the Internet and 3G modem. The experimental results show that the system can work under various light intensities to recognize human face and send alarm information in real time.

Design and Control of a New Biomimetic Transfemoral Knee Prosthesis Using an Echo-Control Scheme

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Passive knee prostheses require a significant amount of additional metabolic energy to carry out a gait cycle, therefore affecting the natural human walk performance. Current active knee prostheses are still limited because they do not reply with accuracy of the natural human knee movement, and the time response is relatively large. This paper presents the design and control of a new biomimetic-controlled transfemoral knee prosthesis based on a polycentric-type mechanism. The aim was to develop a knee prosthesis able to provide additional power and to mimic with accuracy of the natural human knee movement using a stable control strategy. The design of the knee mechanism was obtained from the body-guidance kinematics synthesis based on real human walking patterns obtained from computer vision and 3D reconstruction. A biomechanical evaluation of the synthesized prosthesis was then carried out. For the activation and control of the prosthesis, an echo-control strategy was proposed and developed. In this echo-control strategy, the sound side leg is sensed and synchronized with the activation of the knee prosthesis. An experimental prototype was built and evaluated in a test rig. The results revealed that the prosthetic knee is able to mimic the biomechanics of the human knee. PMID:29854368

Recent progress in econophysics: Chaos, leverage, and business cycles as revealed by agent-based modeling and human experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Chen; Huang, Ji-Ping

2017-12-01

Agent-based modeling and controlled human experiments serve as two fundamental research methods in the field of econophysics. Agent-based modeling has been in development for over 20 years, but how to design virtual agents with high levels of human-like "intelligence" remains a challenge. On the other hand, experimental econophysics is an emerging field; however, there is a lack of experience and paradigms related to the field. Here, we review some of the most recent research results obtained through the use of these two methods concerning financial problems such as chaos, leverage, and business cycles. We also review the principles behind assessments of agents' intelligence levels, and some relevant designs for human experiments. The main theme of this review is to show that by combining theory, agent-based modeling, and controlled human experiments, one can garner more reliable and credible results on account of a better verification of theory; accordingly, this way, a wider range of economic and financial problems and phenomena can be studied.

Design of a Virtual Player for Joint Improvisation with Humans in the Mirror Game

PubMed Central

Zhai, Chao; Alderisio, Francesco; Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira; di Bernardo, Mario

2016-01-01

Joint improvisation is often observed among humans performing joint action tasks. Exploring the underlying cognitive and neural mechanisms behind the emergence of joint improvisation is an open research challenge. This paper investigates jointly improvised movements between two participants in the mirror game, a paradigmatic joint task example. First, experiments involving movement coordination of different dyads of human players are performed in order to build a human benchmark. No designation of leader and follower is given beforehand. We find that joint improvisation is characterized by the lack of a leader and high levels of movement synchronization. Then, a theoretical model is proposed to capture some features of their interaction, and a set of experiments is carried out to test and validate the model ability to reproduce the experimental observations. Furthermore, the model is used to drive a computer avatar able to successfully improvise joint motion with a human participant in real time. Finally, a convergence analysis of the proposed model is carried out to confirm its ability to reproduce joint movements between the participants. PMID:27123927

Design of a Virtual Player for Joint Improvisation with Humans in the Mirror Game.

PubMed

Zhai, Chao; Alderisio, Francesco; Słowiński, Piotr; Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira; di Bernardo, Mario

2016-01-01

Joint improvisation is often observed among humans performing joint action tasks. Exploring the underlying cognitive and neural mechanisms behind the emergence of joint improvisation is an open research challenge. This paper investigates jointly improvised movements between two participants in the mirror game, a paradigmatic joint task example. First, experiments involving movement coordination of different dyads of human players are performed in order to build a human benchmark. No designation of leader and follower is given beforehand. We find that joint improvisation is characterized by the lack of a leader and high levels of movement synchronization. Then, a theoretical model is proposed to capture some features of their interaction, and a set of experiments is carried out to test and validate the model ability to reproduce the experimental observations. Furthermore, the model is used to drive a computer avatar able to successfully improvise joint motion with a human participant in real time. Finally, a convergence analysis of the proposed model is carried out to confirm its ability to reproduce joint movements between the participants.

Evolutionary foundations of human prosocial sentiments

PubMed Central

Silk, Joan B.; House, Bailey R.

2011-01-01

A growing body of evidence shows that humans are remarkably altruistic primates. Food sharing and division of labor play an important role in all human societies, and cooperation extends beyond the bounds of close kinship and networks of reciprocating partners. In humans, altruism is motivated at least in part by empathy and concern for the welfare of others. Although altruistic behavior is well-documented in other primates, the range of altruistic behaviors in other primate species, including the great apes, is much more limited than it is in humans. Moreover, when altruism does occur among other primates, it is typically limited to familiar group members—close kin, mates, and reciprocating partners. This suggests that there may be fundamental differences in the social preferences that motivate altruism across the primate order, and there is currently considerable interest in how we came to be such unusual apes. A body of experimental studies designed to examine the phylogenetic range of prosocial sentiments and behavior is beginning to shed some light on this issue. In experimental settings, chimpanzees and tamarins do not consistently take advantage of opportunities to deliver food rewards to others, although capuchins and marmosets do deliver food rewards to others in similar kinds of tasks. Although chimpanzees do not satisfy experimental criteria for prosociality in food delivery tasks, they help others complete tasks to obtain a goal. Differences in performance across species and differences in performance across tasks are not yet fully understood and raise new questions for further study. PMID:21690372

Development of a 3-D X-ray system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, James Paul Owain

The interpretation of standard two-dimensional x-ray images by humans is often very difficult. This is due to the lack of visual cues to depth in an image which has been produced by transmitted radiation. The solution put forward in this research is to introduce binocular parallax, a powerful physiological depth cue, into the resultant shadowgraph x-ray image. This has been achieved by developing a binocular stereoscopic x-ray imaging technique, which can be used for both visual inspection by human observers and also for the extraction of three-dimensional co-ordinate information. The technique is implemented in the design and development of two experimental x-ray systems and also the development of measurement algorithms. The first experimental machine is based on standard linear x-ray detector arrays and was designed as an optimum configuration for visual inspection by human observers. However, it was felt that a combination of the 3-D visual inspection capability together with a measurement facility would enhance the usefulness of the technique. Therefore, both a theoretical and an empirical analysis of the co-ordinate measurement capability of the machine has been carried out. The measurement is based on close-range photogrammetric techniques. The accuracy of the measurement has been found to be of the order of 4mm in x, 3mm in y and 6mm in z. A second experimental machine was developed and based on the same technique as that used for the first machine. However, a major departure has been the introduction of a dual energy linear x-ray detector array which will allow, in general, the discrimination between organic and inorganic substances. The second design is a compromise between ease of visual inspection for human observers and optimum three-dimensional co-ordinate measurement capability. The system is part of an on going research programme into the possibility of introducing psychological depth cues into the resultant x-ray images. The research presented in this thesis was initiated to enhance the visual interpretation of complex x-ray images, specifically in response to problems encountered in the routine screening of freight by HM. Customs and Excise. This phase of the work culminated in the development of the first experimental machine. During this work the security industry was starting to adopt a new type of x-ray detector, namely the dual energy x-ray sensor. The Department of Transport made available funding to the Police Scientific Development Branch (P.S.D.B.), part of The Home Office Science and Technology Group, to investigate the possibility of utilising the dual energy sensor in a 3-D x-ray screening system. This phase of the work culminated in the development of the second experimental machine.

A general unified framework to assess the sampling variance of heritability estimates using pedigree or marker-based relationships.

PubMed

Visscher, Peter M; Goddard, Michael E

2015-01-01

Heritability is a population parameter of importance in evolution, plant and animal breeding, and human medical genetics. It can be estimated using pedigree designs and, more recently, using relationships estimated from markers. We derive the sampling variance of the estimate of heritability for a wide range of experimental designs, assuming that estimation is by maximum likelihood and that the resemblance between relatives is solely due to additive genetic variation. We show that well-known results for balanced designs are special cases of a more general unified framework. For pedigree designs, the sampling variance is inversely proportional to the variance of relationship in the pedigree and it is proportional to 1/N, whereas for population samples it is approximately proportional to 1/N(2), where N is the sample size. Variation in relatedness is a key parameter in the quantification of the sampling variance of heritability. Consequently, the sampling variance is high for populations with large recent effective population size (e.g., humans) because this causes low variation in relationship. However, even using human population samples, low sampling variance is possible with high N. Copyright © 2015 by the Genetics Society of America.

Prosocial preferences do not explain human cooperation in public-goods games

PubMed Central

Burton-Chellew, Maxwell N.; West, Stuart A.

2013-01-01

It has become an accepted paradigm that humans have “prosocial preferences” that lead to higher levels of cooperation than those that would maximize their personal financial gain. However, the existence of prosocial preferences has been inferred post hoc from the results of economic games, rather than with direct experimental tests. Here, we test how behavior in a public-goods game is influenced by knowledge of the consequences of actions for other players. We found that (i) individuals cooperate at similar levels, even when they are not informed that their behavior benefits others; (ii) an increased awareness of how cooperation benefits others leads to a reduction, rather than an increase, in the level of cooperation; and (iii) cooperation can be either lower or higher than expected, depending on experimental design. Overall, these results contradict the suggested role of the prosocial preferences hypothesis and show how the complexity of human behavior can lead to misleading conclusions from controlled laboratory experiments. PMID:23248298

Prosocial preferences do not explain human cooperation in public-goods games.

PubMed

Burton-Chellew, Maxwell N; West, Stuart A

2013-01-02

It has become an accepted paradigm that humans have "prosocial preferences" that lead to higher levels of cooperation than those that would maximize their personal financial gain. However, the existence of prosocial preferences has been inferred post hoc from the results of economic games, rather than with direct experimental tests. Here, we test how behavior in a public-goods game is influenced by knowledge of the consequences of actions for other players. We found that (i) individuals cooperate at similar levels, even when they are not informed that their behavior benefits others; (ii) an increased awareness of how cooperation benefits others leads to a reduction, rather than an increase, in the level of cooperation; and (iii) cooperation can be either lower or higher than expected, depending on experimental design. Overall, these results contradict the suggested role of the prosocial preferences hypothesis and show how the complexity of human behavior can lead to misleading conclusions from controlled laboratory experiments.

Extravehicular activity welding experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, J. Kevin

1989-01-01

The In-Space Technology Experiments Program (INSTEP) provides an opportunity to explore the many critical questions which can only be answered by experimentation in space. The objective of the Extravehicular Activity Welding Experiment definition project was to define the requirements for a spaceflight experiment to evaluate the feasibility of performing manual welding tasks during EVA. Consideration was given to experiment design, work station design, welding hardware design, payload integration requirements, and human factors (including safety). The results of this effort are presented. Included are the specific objectives of the flight test, details of the tasks which will generate the required data, and a description of the equipment which will be needed to support the tasks. Work station requirements are addressed as are human factors, STS integration procedures and, most importantly, safety considerations. A preliminary estimate of the cost and the schedule for completion of the experiment through flight and postflight analysis are given.

Asymmetry in scientific method and limits to cross-disciplinary dialogue: toward a shared language and science policy in pharmacogenomics and human disease genetics.

PubMed

Ozdemir, Vural; Williams-Jones, Bryn; Graham, Janice E; Preskorn, Sheldon H; Gripeos, Dimitrios; Glatt, Stephen J; Friis, Robert H; Reist, Christopher; Szabo, Sandor; Lohr, James B; Someya, Toshiyuki

2007-04-01

Pharmacogenomics is a hybrid field of experimental science at the intersection of human disease genetics and clinical pharmacology sharing applications of the new genomic technologies. But this hybrid field is not yet stable or fully integrated, nor is science policy in pharmacogenomics fully equipped to resolve the challenges of this emerging hybrid field. The disciplines of human disease genetics and clinical pharmacology contain significant differences in their scientific practices. Whereas clinical pharmacology originates as an experimental science, human disease genetics is primarily observational in nature. The result is a significant asymmetry in scientific method that can differentially impact the degree to which gene-environment interactions are discerned and, by extension, the study sample size required in each discipline. Because the number of subjects enrolled in observational genetic studies of diseases is characteristically viewed as an important criterion of scientific validity and reliability, failure to recognize discipline-specific requirements for sample size may lead to inappropriate dismissal or silencing of meritorious, although smaller-scale, craft-based pharmacogenomic investigations using an experimental study design. Importantly, the recognition that pharmacogenomics is an experimental science creates an avenue for systematic policy response to the ethical imperative to prospectively pursue genetically customized therapies before regulatory approval of pharmaceuticals. To this end, we discuss the critical role of interdisciplinary engagement between medical sciences, policy, and social science. We emphasize the need for development of shared standards across scientific, methodologic, and socioethical epistemologic divides in the hybrid field of pharmacogenomics to best serve the interests of public health.

Energy and Human Affairs: The Power of Systematic Decision Making. Student Handbook. Experimental Edition, 1975.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Don E., Ed.

This module is designed to guide a class in analyzing and investigating energy attitudes and questions. It includes methods for establishing discussions and a classroom communication system. Sources and procedures for information gathering are suggested. Another section provides a broad overview of the energy situation with descriptions of present…

DEBLICOM: Deaf-Blind Communication and Control Systems. Interim Progress Report, August 1974-August 1975.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kafafian, Haig

Presented is a report on the work of Cybernetics Research Institute (CRI) investigators on the development of deaf-blind communication and control systems (DEBLICOM). Described in Part One is one embodiment of DEBLICOM designed and built by CRI engineers. Reported in Part Two are experimental procedures and human factors considerations of…

Methods for Improving Information from "Undesigned" Human Factors Experiments. Technical Report No. p75-287.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Charles W.

An "undesigned" experiment is one in which the predictor variables are correlated, either due to a failure to complete a design or because the investigator was unable to select or control relevant experimental conditions. The traditional method of analyzing this class of experiment--multiple regression analysis based on a least squares…

Cognitive Style Factors and Learning from Micro-Computer Based and Programmed Instructional Materials: A Preliminary Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canelos, James; And Others

This study examined the effects of two cognitive styles--field dependents-independents and reflectivity-impulsivity--on learning from microcomputer-based instruction. In the first of three experimental designs, a programmed instruction text on the human heart was used which contained both visual and verbal information in an instructional display,…

The Relationship of Diet to the Performance of the Combat Soldier. Minimal Calorie Intake during Combat Patrols in a Hot Humid Environment (Panama)

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-10-01

nutritional status. Human Biology 28:111, 1956. 17. WINER, B.J. Statistical Principles in Experimental Design (Second edition). New York: McGraw-Hill...Bliological Sciences Di)viuion Commander office of Naval Researh Naval Medical Research Institute Arlington, VA 22217 Nationial Naval Medical (:enter

A Multidisciplinary Investigation of Aquatic Pollution and How to Minimise It

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vergnoux, A.; Allari, E.; Sassi, M.; Thimonier, J.; Hammond, C.; Clouzot, L.

2011-01-01

The impact of humans on aquatic systems is covered in French high schools in the "Premiere" level (ages 16 to 17) by students studying economics and social sciences. We designed experiments to teach critical thinking about water pollution and how citizens can act to minimise it. The experimental session, which lasts three consecutive…

Importance of the brow in facial expressiveness during human communication.

PubMed

Neely, John Gail; Lisker, Paul; Drapekin, Jesse

2014-03-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate laterality and upper/lower face dominance of expressiveness during prescribed speech using a unique validated image subtraction system capable of sensitive and reliable measurement of facial surface deformation. Observations and experiments of central control of facial expressions during speech and social utterances in humans and animals suggest that the right mouth moves more than the left during nonemotional speech. However, proficient lip readers seem to attend to the whole face to interpret meaning from expressed facial cues, also implicating a horizontal (upper face-lower face) axis. Prospective experimental design. Experimental maneuver: recited speech. image-subtraction strength-duration curve amplitude. Thirty normal human adults were evaluated during memorized nonemotional recitation of 2 short sentences. Facial movements were assessed using a video-image subtractions system capable of simultaneously measuring upper and lower specific areas of each hemiface. The results demonstrate both axes influence facial expressiveness in human communication; however, the horizontal axis (upper versus lower face) would appear dominant, especially during what would appear to be spontaneous breakthrough unplanned expressiveness. These data are congruent with the concept that the left cerebral hemisphere has control over nonemotionally stimulated speech; however, the multisynaptic brainstem extrapyramidal pathways may override hemiface laterality and preferentially take control of the upper face. Additionally, these data demonstrate the importance of the often-ignored brow in facial expressiveness. Experimental study. EBM levels not applicable.

Comparison of Classification Methods for Detecting Emotion from Mandarin Speech

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pao, Tsang-Long; Chen, Yu-Te; Yeh, Jun-Heng

It is said that technology comes out from humanity. What is humanity? The very definition of humanity is emotion. Emotion is the basis for all human expression and the underlying theme behind everything that is done, said, thought or imagined. Making computers being able to perceive and respond to human emotion, the human-computer interaction will be more natural. Several classifiers are adopted for automatically assigning an emotion category, such as anger, happiness or sadness, to a speech utterance. These classifiers were designed independently and tested on various emotional speech corpora, making it difficult to compare and evaluate their performance. In this paper, we first compared several popular classification methods and evaluated their performance by applying them to a Mandarin speech corpus consisting of five basic emotions, including anger, happiness, boredom, sadness and neutral. The extracted feature streams contain MFCC, LPCC, and LPC. The experimental results show that the proposed WD-MKNN classifier achieves an accuracy of 81.4% for the 5-class emotion recognition and outperforms other classification techniques, including KNN, MKNN, DW-KNN, LDA, QDA, GMM, HMM, SVM, and BPNN. Then, to verify the advantage of the proposed method, we compared these classifiers by applying them to another Mandarin expressive speech corpus consisting of two emotions. The experimental results still show that the proposed WD-MKNN outperforms others.

Pilot interaction with cockpit automation 2: An experimental study of pilots' model and awareness of the Flight Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarter, Nadine B.; Woods, David D.

1994-01-01

Technological developments have made it possible to automate more and more functions on the commercial aviation flight deck and in other dynamic high-consequence domains. This increase in the degrees of freedom in design has shifted questions away from narrow technological feasibility. Many concerned groups, from designers and operators to regulators and researchers, have begun to ask questions about how we should use the possibilities afforded by technology skillfully to support and expand human performance. In this article, we report on an experimental study that addressed these questions by examining pilot interaction with the current generation of flight deck automation. Previous results on pilot-automation interaction derived from pilot surveys, incident reports, and training observations have produced a corpus of features and contexts in which human-machine coordination is likely to break down (e.g., automation surprises). We used these data to design a simulated flight scenario that contained a variety of probes designed to reveal pilots' mental model of one major component of flight deck automation: the Flight Management System (FMS). The events within the scenario were also designed to probe pilots' ability to apply their knowledge and understanding in specific flight contexts and to examine their ability to track the status and behavior of the automated system (mode awareness). Although pilots were able to 'make the system work' in standard situations, the results reveal a variety of latent problems in pilot-FMS interaction that can affect pilot performance in nonnormal time critical situations.

Evaluation and optimization of hepatocyte culture media factors by design of experiments (DoE) methodology

PubMed Central

Dong, Jia; Lübberstedt, Marc; Urbaniak, Thomas; Nüssler, Andreas K.N.; Knobeloch, Daniel; Gerlach, Jörg C.; Zeilinger, Katrin

2008-01-01

Optimization of cell culture media based on statistical experimental design methodology is a widely used approach for improving cultivation conditions. We applied this methodology to refine the composition of an established culture medium for growth of a human hepatoma cell line, C3A. A selection of growth factors and nutrient supplements were systematically screened according to standard design of experiments (DoE) procedures. The results of the screening indicated that the medium additives hepatocyte growth factor, oncostatin M, and fibroblast growth factor 4 significantly influenced the metabolic activities of the C3A cell line. Surface response methodology revealed that the optimum levels for these factors were 30 ng/ml for hepatocyte growth factor and 35 ng/ml for oncostatin M. Additional experiments on primary human hepatocyte cultures showed high variance in metabolic activities between cells from different individuals, making determination of optimal levels of factors more difficult. Still, it was possible to conclude that hepatocyte growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and oncostatin M had decisive effects on the metabolic functions of primary human hepatocytes. PMID:19003182

Evaluation and optimization of hepatocyte culture media factors by design of experiments (DoE) methodology.

PubMed

Dong, Jia; Mandenius, Carl-Fredrik; Lübberstedt, Marc; Urbaniak, Thomas; Nüssler, Andreas K N; Knobeloch, Daniel; Gerlach, Jörg C; Zeilinger, Katrin

2008-07-01

Optimization of cell culture media based on statistical experimental design methodology is a widely used approach for improving cultivation conditions. We applied this methodology to refine the composition of an established culture medium for growth of a human hepatoma cell line, C3A. A selection of growth factors and nutrient supplements were systematically screened according to standard design of experiments (DoE) procedures. The results of the screening indicated that the medium additives hepatocyte growth factor, oncostatin M, and fibroblast growth factor 4 significantly influenced the metabolic activities of the C3A cell line. Surface response methodology revealed that the optimum levels for these factors were 30 ng/ml for hepatocyte growth factor and 35 ng/ml for oncostatin M. Additional experiments on primary human hepatocyte cultures showed high variance in metabolic activities between cells from different individuals, making determination of optimal levels of factors more difficult. Still, it was possible to conclude that hepatocyte growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and oncostatin M had decisive effects on the metabolic functions of primary human hepatocytes.

In vitro assessment of a toothpaste range specifically designed for children.

PubMed

Churchley, David; Schemehorn, Bruce R

2013-12-01

To evaluate the ability of a range of low abrasivity experimental toothpastes designed for use by children at different stages of their development (typically ages 0-2 years, 3-5 years and 6+ years) to promote fluoride uptake and remineralisation of artificial caries lesions. pH cycling study: demineralised human permanent enamel specimens were subjected to a daily pH cycling regime consisting of four 1-minute treatments with toothpaste slurries, a 4-hour acid challenge and remineralisation in pooled whole human saliva. Surface microhardness (SMH) was measured at baseline, 10 days and 20 days, and the fluoride content determined at 20 days. Enamel Fluoride Uptake (EFU): these studies were based on Method #40 described in the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) testing procedures. Abrasivity: relative enamel abrasivity (REA) and relative dentine abrasivity (RDA) were measured using the Hefferren abrasivity test. Bioavailable fluoride: the bioavailable fluoride was determined for all experimental toothpastes from slurries of one part toothpaste plus 10 parts deionised water. Enamel remineralisation measured by changes in SMH correlated with enamel fluoride content. A statistically significant fluoride dose response was observed for all toothpastes tested across all age groups (P < 0.05). The fluoride content of specimens in the pH cycling model correlated with the EFU testing results. The enamel and dentine abrasivities were low and the level of bioavailable fluoride was high for all experimental toothpastes. A series of low abrasivity experimental toothpastes were developed which were effective at promoting fluoride uptake and remineralisation of artificial caries lesions. © 2013 FDI World Dental Federation.

Muecas: A Multi-Sensor Robotic Head for Affective Human Robot Interaction and Imitation

PubMed Central

Cid, Felipe; Moreno, Jose; Bustos, Pablo; Núñez, Pedro

2014-01-01

This paper presents a multi-sensor humanoid robotic head for human robot interaction. The design of the robotic head, Muecas, is based on ongoing research on the mechanisms of perception and imitation of human expressions and emotions. These mechanisms allow direct interaction between the robot and its human companion through the different natural language modalities: speech, body language and facial expressions. The robotic head has 12 degrees of freedom, in a human-like configuration, including eyes, eyebrows, mouth and neck, and has been designed and built entirely by IADeX (Engineering, Automation and Design of Extremadura) and RoboLab. A detailed description of its kinematics is provided along with the design of the most complex controllers. Muecas can be directly controlled by FACS (Facial Action Coding System), the de facto standard for facial expression recognition and synthesis. This feature facilitates its use by third party platforms and encourages the development of imitation and of goal-based systems. Imitation systems learn from the user, while goal-based ones use planning techniques to drive the user towards a final desired state. To show the flexibility and reliability of the robotic head, the paper presents a software architecture that is able to detect, recognize, classify and generate facial expressions in real time using FACS. This system has been implemented using the robotics framework, RoboComp, which provides hardware-independent access to the sensors in the head. Finally, the paper presents experimental results showing the real-time functioning of the whole system, including recognition and imitation of human facial expressions. PMID:24787636

An Intelligent Automation Platform for Rapid Bioprocess Design.

PubMed

Wu, Tianyi; Zhou, Yuhong

2014-08-01

Bioprocess development is very labor intensive, requiring many experiments to characterize each unit operation in the process sequence to achieve product safety and process efficiency. Recent advances in microscale biochemical engineering have led to automated experimentation. A process design workflow is implemented sequentially in which (1) a liquid-handling system performs high-throughput wet lab experiments, (2) standalone analysis devices detect the data, and (3) specific software is used for data analysis and experiment design given the user's inputs. We report an intelligent automation platform that integrates these three activities to enhance the efficiency of such a workflow. A multiagent intelligent architecture has been developed incorporating agent communication to perform the tasks automatically. The key contribution of this work is the automation of data analysis and experiment design and also the ability to generate scripts to run the experiments automatically, allowing the elimination of human involvement. A first-generation prototype has been established and demonstrated through lysozyme precipitation process design. All procedures in the case study have been fully automated through an intelligent automation platform. The realization of automated data analysis and experiment design, and automated script programming for experimental procedures has the potential to increase lab productivity. © 2013 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

An Intelligent Automation Platform for Rapid Bioprocess Design

PubMed Central

Wu, Tianyi

2014-01-01

Bioprocess development is very labor intensive, requiring many experiments to characterize each unit operation in the process sequence to achieve product safety and process efficiency. Recent advances in microscale biochemical engineering have led to automated experimentation. A process design workflow is implemented sequentially in which (1) a liquid-handling system performs high-throughput wet lab experiments, (2) standalone analysis devices detect the data, and (3) specific software is used for data analysis and experiment design given the user’s inputs. We report an intelligent automation platform that integrates these three activities to enhance the efficiency of such a workflow. A multiagent intelligent architecture has been developed incorporating agent communication to perform the tasks automatically. The key contribution of this work is the automation of data analysis and experiment design and also the ability to generate scripts to run the experiments automatically, allowing the elimination of human involvement. A first-generation prototype has been established and demonstrated through lysozyme precipitation process design. All procedures in the case study have been fully automated through an intelligent automation platform. The realization of automated data analysis and experiment design, and automated script programming for experimental procedures has the potential to increase lab productivity. PMID:24088579

Optimal control model predictions of system performance and attention allocation and their experimental validation in a display design study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johannsen, G.; Govindaraj, T.

1980-01-01

The influence of different types of predictor displays in a longitudinal vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) hover task is analyzed in a theoretical study. Several cases with differing amounts of predictive and rate information are compared. The optimal control model of the human operator is used to estimate human and system performance in terms of root-mean-square (rms) values and to compute optimized attention allocation. The only part of the model which is varied to predict these data is the observation matrix. Typical cases are selected for a subsequent experimental validation. The rms values as well as eye-movement data are recorded. The results agree favorably with those of the theoretical study in terms of relative differences. Better matching is achieved by revised model input data.

Automated UHPLC separation of 10 pharmaceutical compounds using software-modeling.

PubMed

Zöldhegyi, A; Rieger, H-J; Molnár, I; Fekhretdinova, L

2018-03-20

Human mistakes are still one of the main reasons of underlying regulatory affairs that in a compliance with FDA's Data Integrity and Analytical Quality by Design (AQbD) must be eliminated. To develop smooth, fast and robust methods that are free of human failures, a state-of-the-art automation was presented. For the scope of this study, a commercial software (DryLab) and a model mixture of 10 drugs were subjected to testing. Following AQbD-principles, the best available working point was selected and conformational experimental runs, i.e. the six worst cases of the conducted robustness calculation, were performed. Simulated results were found to be in excellent agreement with the experimental ones, proving the usefulness and effectiveness of an automated, software-assisted analytical method development. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Pressure Dynamic Characteristics of Pressure Controlled Ventilation System of a Lung Simulator

PubMed Central

Shi, Yan; Ren, Shuai; Cai, Maolin; Xu, Weiqing; Deng, Qiyou

2014-01-01

Mechanical ventilation is an important life support treatment of critically ill patients, and air pressure dynamics of human lung affect ventilation treatment effects. In this paper, in order to obtain the influences of seven key parameters of mechanical ventilation system on the pressure dynamics of human lung, firstly, mechanical ventilation system was considered as a pure pneumatic system, and then its mathematical model was set up. Furthermore, to verify the mathematical model, a prototype mechanical ventilation system of a lung simulator was proposed for experimental study. Last, simulation and experimental studies on the air flow dynamic of the mechanical ventilation system were done, and then the pressure dynamic characteristics of the mechanical system were obtained. The study can be referred to in the pulmonary diagnostics, treatment, and design of various medical devices or diagnostic systems. PMID:25197318

Social disappointment explains chimpanzees' behaviour in the inequity aversion task.

PubMed

Engelmann, Jan M; Clift, Jeremy B; Herrmann, Esther; Tomasello, Michael

2017-08-30

Chimpanzees' refusal of less-preferred food when an experimenter has previously provided preferred food to a conspecific has been taken as evidence for a sense of fairness. Here, we present a novel hypothesis-the social disappointment hypothesis-according to which food refusals express chimpanzees' disappointment in the human experimenter for not rewarding them as well as they could have. We tested this hypothesis using a two-by-two design in which food was either distributed by an experimenter or a machine and with a partner present or absent. We found that chimpanzees were more likely to reject food when it was distributed by an experimenter rather than by a machine and that they were not more likely to do so when a partner was present. These results suggest that chimpanzees' refusal of less-preferred food stems from social disappointment in the experimenter and not from a sense of fairness. © 2017 The Author(s).

Video-based convolutional neural networks for activity recognition from robot-centric videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryoo, M. S.; Matthies, Larry

2016-05-01

In this evaluation paper, we discuss convolutional neural network (CNN)-based approaches for human activity recognition. In particular, we investigate CNN architectures designed to capture temporal information in videos and their applications to the human activity recognition problem. There have been multiple previous works to use CNN-features for videos. These include CNNs using 3-D XYT convolutional filters, CNNs using pooling operations on top of per-frame image-based CNN descriptors, and recurrent neural networks to learn temporal changes in per-frame CNN descriptors. We experimentally compare some of these different representatives CNNs while using first-person human activity videos. We especially focus on videos from a robots viewpoint, captured during its operations and human-robot interactions.

Sutural growth restriction and modern human facial evolution: an experimental study in a pig model

PubMed Central

Holton, Nathan E; Franciscus, Robert G; Nieves, Mary Ann; Marshall, Steven D; Reimer, Steven B; Southard, Thomas E; Keller, John C; Maddux, Scott D

2010-01-01

Facial size reduction and facial retraction are key features that distinguish modern humans from archaic Homo. In order to more fully understand the emergence of modern human craniofacial form, it is necessary to understand the underlying evolutionary basis for these defining characteristics. Although it is well established that the cranial base exerts considerable influence on the evolutionary and ontogenetic development of facial form, less emphasis has been placed on developmental factors intrinsic to the facial skeleton proper. The present analysis was designed to assess anteroposterior facial reduction in a pig model and to examine the potential role that this dynamic has played in the evolution of modern human facial form. Ten female sibship cohorts, each consisting of three individuals, were allocated to one of three groups. In the experimental group (n = 10), microplates were affixed bilaterally across the zygomaticomaxillary and frontonasomaxillary sutures at 2 months of age. The sham group (n = 10) received only screw implantation and the controls (n = 10) underwent no surgery. Following 4 months of post-surgical growth, we assessed variation in facial form using linear measurements and principal components analysis of Procrustes scaled landmarks. There were no differences between the control and sham groups; however, the experimental group exhibited a highly significant reduction in facial projection and overall size. These changes were associated with significant differences in the infraorbital region of the experimental group including the presence of an infraorbital depression and an inferiorly and coronally oriented infraorbital plane in contrast to a flat, superiorly and sagittally infraorbital plane in the control and sham groups. These altered configurations are markedly similar to important additional facial features that differentiate modern humans from archaic Homo, and suggest that facial length restriction via rigid plate fixation is a potentially useful model to assess the developmental factors that underlie changing patterns in craniofacial form associated with the emergence of modern humans. PMID:19929910

Social Experiments in the Mesoscale: Humans Playing a Spatial Prisoner's Dilemma

PubMed Central

Grujić, Jelena; Fosco, Constanza; Araujo, Lourdes; Cuesta, José A.; Sánchez, Angel

2010-01-01

Background The evolutionary origin of cooperation among unrelated individuals remains a key unsolved issue across several disciplines. Prominent among the several mechanisms proposed to explain how cooperation can emerge is the existence of a population structure that determines the interactions among individuals. Many models have explored analytically and by simulation the effects of such a structure, particularly in the framework of the Prisoner's Dilemma, but the results of these models largely depend on details such as the type of spatial structure or the evolutionary dynamics. Therefore, experimental work suitably designed to address this question is needed to probe these issues. Methods and Findings We have designed an experiment to test the emergence of cooperation when humans play Prisoner's Dilemma on a network whose size is comparable to that of simulations. We find that the cooperation level declines to an asymptotic state with low but nonzero cooperation. Regarding players' behavior, we observe that the population is heterogeneous, consisting of a high percentage of defectors, a smaller one of cooperators, and a large group that shares features of the conditional cooperators of public goods games. We propose an agent-based model based on the coexistence of these different strategies that is in good agreement with all the experimental observations. Conclusions In our large experimental setup, cooperation was not promoted by the existence of a lattice beyond a residual level (around 20%) typical of public goods experiments. Our findings also indicate that both heterogeneity and a “moody” conditional cooperation strategy, in which the probability of cooperating also depends on the player's previous action, are required to understand the outcome of the experiment. These results could impact the way game theory on graphs is used to model human interactions in structured groups. PMID:21103058

Robots As Intentional Agents: Using Neuroscientific Methods to Make Robots Appear More Social.

PubMed

Wiese, Eva; Metta, Giorgio; Wykowska, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

Robots are increasingly envisaged as our future cohabitants. However, while considerable progress has been made in recent years in terms of their technological realization, the ability of robots to interact with humans in an intuitive and social way is still quite limited. An important challenge for social robotics is to determine how to design robots that can perceive the user's needs, feelings, and intentions, and adapt to users over a broad range of cognitive abilities. It is conceivable that if robots were able to adequately demonstrate these skills, humans would eventually accept them as social companions. We argue that the best way to achieve this is using a systematic experimental approach based on behavioral and physiological neuroscience methods such as motion/eye-tracking, electroencephalography, or functional near-infrared spectroscopy embedded in interactive human-robot paradigms. This approach requires understanding how humans interact with each other, how they perform tasks together and how they develop feelings of social connection over time, and using these insights to formulate design principles that make social robots attuned to the workings of the human brain. In this review, we put forward the argument that the likelihood of artificial agents being perceived as social companions can be increased by designing them in a way that they are perceived as intentional agents that activate areas in the human brain involved in social-cognitive processing. We first review literature related to social-cognitive processes and mechanisms involved in human-human interactions, and highlight the importance of perceiving others as intentional agents to activate these social brain areas. We then discuss how attribution of intentionality can positively affect human-robot interaction by (a) fostering feelings of social connection, empathy and prosociality, and by (b) enhancing performance on joint human-robot tasks. Lastly, we describe circumstances under which attribution of intentionality to robot agents might be disadvantageous, and discuss challenges associated with designing social robots that are inspired by neuroscientific principles.

Hardness map of human meta tarsals and phalanges of toes.

PubMed

Manarvi, Irfan

2016-08-01

Predicting location of fracture in human bones has been a keen area of research for the past few decades. A variety of tests for hardness, deformation and strain field measurement have been conducted in the past; but considered insufficient due to various limitations. Researchers therefore have proposed further studies due to inaccuracies in measurement methods, testing machines and experimental errors. Advancement and availability of hardware, measuring instrumentation and testing machines can now provide remedies to these limitations. Human foot is a critical part of body exposed to various forces throughout its life. A number of products are developed for using over it for protection and care. Which many times do not provide sufficient protection and may itself become a source of stress due to non-consideration of the delicacy of bones in the feet. A continuous strain or overloading on feet may occur resulting to discomfort and even fracture. Not knowing how the hardness is spread all over the Meta tarsals and phalanges is one of major contributory factor for unsatisfactory design of foot protection products. This paper provides a complete hardness distribution map developed by experimental testing of all the Meta tarsals and Phalanges of toes for a typical human foot. The bones were taken from two left feet of a 40 and 42 year old male cadaver. These were dehydrated prior to measurements of hardness using Leeb hardness testing method. Hardness was measured around the circumference of a bone as well as along its length. Hardness values can be related to tensile strength of the bones to predict possible values of stress that could be borne by these bones. Results may also be used for design and developing various accessories for human feet health care and comfort.

Finite element modeling for predicting the contact pressure between a foam mattress and the human body in a supine position.

PubMed

Lee, Wookjin; Won, Byeong Hee; Cho, Seong Wook

2017-01-01

In this paper, we generated finite element (FE) models to predict the contact pressure between a foam mattress and the human body in a supine position. Twenty-year-old males were used for three-dimensional scanning to produce the FE human models, which was composed of skin and muscle tissue. A linear elastic isotropic material model was used for the skin, and the Mooney-Rivlin model was used for the muscle tissue because it can effectively represent the nonlinear behavior of muscle. The contact pressure between the human model and the mattress was predicted by numerical simulation. The human models were validated by comparing the body pressure distribution obtained from the same human subject when he was lying on two different mattress types. The experimental results showed that the slope of the lower part of the mattress caused a decrease in the contact pressure at the heels, and the effect of bone structure was most pronounced in the scapula. After inserting a simple structure to function as the scapula, the contact pressure predicted by the FE human models was consistent with the experimental body pressure distribution for all body parts. These results suggest that the models proposed in this paper will be useful to researchers and designers of products related to the prevention of pressure ulcers.

Human factors and education: evolution and contributions.

PubMed

Stone, Nancy J

2008-06-01

The major contributions of human factors to education are highlighted. Over the past 50 years, the education of human factors specialists has evolved, as well as the application of human factors and ergonomic knowledge to education. Human factors and ergonomics professional documentation and literature were reviewed to identify major events relevant to human factors education or the application of human factors to education. Human factors education has evolved from training in experimental psychology to highly specialized accredited human factors programs and a number of undergraduate programs, leading to program accreditation and the certification of professionals. In addition, human factors specialists have applied their knowledge to human factors education and, more recently, to educational systems in general. The greatest focus has been on technology such as multimedia. Others have evaluated the design of the physical environment, focusing primarily on seating. The research also often targets undergraduate or graduate education. Therefore, it has been proposed that a greater focus is needed at the K-12 educational level, especially given the advancement and implementation of technology in the classroom. Human factors and ergonomic expertise can benefit the educational system. Yet, there is a need to constantly evaluate the benefits of new technology in the classroom as well as the environmental design aspects of the educational environment while considering learners of different age groups, ethnicities, and sexes. Better application of human factors and ergonomics to the learning environment could enhance the educational experience for all learners.

OFMTutor: An operator function model intelligent tutoring system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Patricia M.

1989-01-01

The design, implementation, and evaluation of an Operator Function Model intelligent tutoring system (OFMTutor) is presented. OFMTutor is intended to provide intelligent tutoring in the context of complex dynamic systems for which an operator function model (OFM) can be constructed. The human operator's role in such complex, dynamic, and highly automated systems is that of a supervisory controller whose primary responsibilities are routine monitoring and fine-tuning of system parameters and occasional compensation for system abnormalities. The automated systems must support the human operator. One potentially useful form of support is the use of intelligent tutoring systems to teach the operator about the system and how to function within that system. Previous research on intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) is considered. The proposed design for OFMTutor is presented, and an experimental evaluation is described.

Spacecraft crew procedures from paper to computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oneal, Michael; Manahan, Meera

1991-01-01

Described here is a research project that uses human factors and computer systems knowledge to explore and help guide the design and creation of an effective Human-Computer Interface (HCI) for spacecraft crew procedures. By having a computer system behind the user interface, it is possible to have increased procedure automation, related system monitoring, and personalized annotation and help facilities. The research project includes the development of computer-based procedure system HCI prototypes and a testbed for experiments that measure the effectiveness of HCI alternatives in order to make design recommendations. The testbed will include a system for procedure authoring, editing, training, and execution. Progress on developing HCI prototypes for a middeck experiment performed on Space Shuttle Mission STS-34 and for upcoming medical experiments are discussed. The status of the experimental testbed is also discussed.

A virtual experimenter to increase standardization for the investigation of placebo effects.

PubMed

Horing, Bjoern; Newsome, Nathan D; Enck, Paul; Babu, Sabarish V; Muth, Eric R

2016-07-18

Placebo effects are mediated by expectancy, which is highly influenced by psychosocial factors of a treatment context. These factors are difficult to standardize. Furthermore, dedicated placebo research often necessitates single-blind deceptive designs where biases are easily introduced. We propose a study protocol employing a virtual experimenter - a computer program designed to deliver treatment and instructions - for the purpose of standardization and reduction of biases when investigating placebo effects. To evaluate the virtual experimenter's efficacy in inducing placebo effects via expectancy manipulation, we suggest a partially blinded, deceptive design with a baseline/retest pain protocol (hand immersions in hot water bath). Between immersions, participants will receive an (actually inert) medication. Instructions pertaining to the medication will be delivered by one of three metaphors: The virtual experimenter, a human experimenter, and an audio/text presentation (predictor "Metaphor"). The second predictor includes falsely informing participants that the medication is an effective pain killer, or correctly informing them that it is, in fact, inert (predictor "Instruction"). Analysis will be performed with hierarchical linear modelling, with a sample size of N = 50. Results from two pilot studies are presented that indicate the viability of the pain protocol (N = 33), and of the virtual experimenter software and placebo manipulation (N = 48). It will be challenging to establish full comparability between all metaphors used for instruction delivery, and to account for participant differences in acceptance of their virtual interaction partner. Once established, the presence of placebo effects would suggest that the virtual experimenter exhibits sufficient cues to be perceived as a social agent. He could consequently provide a convenient platform to investigate effects of experimenter behavior, or other experimenter characteristics, e.g., sex, age, race/ethnicity or professional status. More general applications are possible, for example in psychological research such as bias research, or virtual reality research. Potential applications also exist for standardizing clinical research by documenting and communicating instructions used in clinical trials.

An experimental microcomputer controlled system for synchronized pulsating anti-gravity suit.

PubMed

Moore, T W; Foley, J; Reddy, B R; Kepics, F; Jaron, D

1987-07-01

An experimental system to deliver synchronized external pressure pulsations to the lower body is described in this technical note. The system is designed using a microcomputer with a real time interface and an electro-pneumatic subsystem capable of delivering pressure pulses to a modified anti-G suit at a fast rate. It is versatile, containing many options for synchronizing, phasing and sequencing of the pressure pulsations and controlling the pressure level in the suit bladders. Details of its software and hardware are described along with the results of initial testing in a Dynamic Flight Simulator on human volunteers.

Stanford/NASA-Ames Center of Excellence in model-based human performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wandell, Brian A.

1990-01-01

The human operator plays a critical role in many aeronautic and astronautic missions. The Stanford/NASA-Ames Center of Excellence in Model-Based Human Performance (COE) was initiated in 1985 to further our understanding of the performance capabilities and performance limits of the human component of aeronautic and astronautic projects. Support from the COE is devoted to those areas of experimental and theoretical work designed to summarize and explain human performance by developing computable performance models. The ultimate goal is to make these computable models available to other scientists for use in design and evaluation of aeronautic and astronautic instrumentation. Within vision science, two topics have received particular attention. First, researchers did extensive work analyzing the human ability to recognize object color relatively independent of the spectral power distribution of the ambient lighting (color constancy). The COE has supported a number of research papers in this area, as well as the development of a substantial data base of surface reflectance functions, ambient illumination functions, and an associated software package for rendering and analyzing image data with respect to these spectral functions. Second, the COE supported new empirical studies on the problem of selecting colors for visual display equipment to enhance human performance in discrimination and recognition tasks.

Experimental design and reporting standards for improving the internal validity of pre-clinical studies in the field of pain: Consensus of the IMI-Europain consortium.

PubMed

Knopp, K L; Stenfors, C; Baastrup, C; Bannon, A W; Calvo, M; Caspani, O; Currie, G; Finnerup, N B; Huang, W; Kennedy, J D; Lefevre, I; Machin, I; Macleod, M; Rees, H; Rice, A S C; Rutten, K; Segerdahl, M; Serra, J; Wodarski, R; Berge, O-G; Treedef, R-D

2017-12-29

Background and aims Pain is a subjective experience, and as such, pre-clinical models of human pain are highly simplified representations of clinical features. These models are nevertheless critical for the delivery of novel analgesics for human pain, providing pharmacodynamic measurements of activity and, where possible, on-target confirmation of that activity. It has, however, been suggested that at least 50% of all pre-clinical data, independent of discipline, cannot be replicated. Additionally, the paucity of "negative" data in the public domain indicates a publication bias, and significantly impacts the interpretation of failed attempts to replicate published findings. Evidence suggests that systematic biases in experimental design and conduct and insufficiencies in reporting play significant roles in poor reproducibility across pre-clinical studies. It then follows that recommendations on how to improve these factors are warranted. Methods Members of Europain, a pain research consortium funded by the European Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), developed internal recommendations on how to improve the reliability of pre-clinical studies between laboratories. This guidance is focused on two aspects: experimental design and conduct, and study reporting. Results Minimum requirements for experimental design and conduct were agreed upon across the dimensions of animal characteristics, sample size calculations, inclusion and exclusion criteria, random allocation to groups, allocation concealment, and blinded assessment of outcome. Building upon the Animals in Research: Reportingin vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines, reporting standards were developed for pre-clinical studies of pain. These include specific recommendations for reporting on ethical issues, experimental design and conduct, and data analysis and interpretation. Key principles such as sample size calculation, a priori definition of a primary efficacy measure, randomization, allocation concealments, and blinding are discussed. In addition, considerations of how stress and normal rodent physiology impact outcome of analgesic drug studies are considered. Flow diagrams are standard requirements in all clinical trials, and flow diagrams for preclinical trials, which describe number of animals included/excluded, and reasons for exclusion are proposed. Creation of a trial registry for pre-clinical studies focused on drug development in order to estimate possible publication bias is discussed. Conclusions More systematic research is needed to analyze how inadequate internal validity and/or experimental bias may impact reproducibility across pre-clinical pain studies. Addressing the potential threats to internal validity and the sources of experimental biases, as well as increasing the transparency in reporting, are likely to improve preclinical research broadly by ensuring relevant progress is made in advancing the knowledge of chronic pain pathophysiology and identifying novel analgesics. Implications We are now disseminating these Europain processes for discussion in the wider pain research community. Any benefit from these guidelines will be dependent on acceptance and disciplined implementation across pre-clinical laboratories, funding agencies and journal editors, but it is anticipated that these guidelines will be a first step towards improving scientific rigor across the field of pre-clinical pain research.

A Skyline Plugin for Pathway-Centric Data Browsing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Degan, Michael G.; Ryadinskiy, Lillian; Fujimoto, Grant M.

For targeted proteomics to be broadly adopted in biological laboratories as a routine experimental protocol, wet-bench biologists must be able to approach SRM assay design in the same way they approach biological experimental design. Most often, biological hypotheses are envisioned in a set of protein interactions, networks and pathways. We present a plugin for the popular Skyline tool that presents public mass spectrometry data in a pathway-centric view to assist users in browsing available data and determining how to design quantitative experiments. Selected proteins and their underlying mass spectra are imported to Skyline for further assay design (transition selection). Themore » same plugin can be used for hypothesis-drive DIA data analysis, again utilizing the pathway view to help narrow down the set of proteins which will be investigated. The plugin is backed by the PNNL Biodiversity Library, a corpus of 3 million peptides from >100 organisms, and the draft human proteome. Users can upload personal data to the plugin to use the pathway navigation prior to importing their own data into Skyline.« less

A Skyline Plugin for Pathway-Centric Data Browsing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degan, Michael G.; Ryadinskiy, Lillian; Fujimoto, Grant M.; Wilkins, Christopher S.; Lichti, Cheryl F.; Payne, Samuel H.

2016-11-01

For targeted proteomics to be broadly adopted in biological laboratories as a routine experimental protocol, wet-bench biologists must be able to approach selected reaction monitoring (SRM) and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) assay design in the same way they approach biological experimental design. Most often, biological hypotheses are envisioned in a set of protein interactions, networks, and pathways. We present a plugin for the popular Skyline tool that presents public mass spectrometry data in a pathway-centric view to assist users in browsing available data and determining how to design quantitative experiments. Selected proteins and their underlying mass spectra are imported to Skyline for further assay design (transition selection). The same plugin can be used for hypothesis-driven data-independent acquisition (DIA) data analysis, again utilizing the pathway view to help narrow down the set of proteins that will be investigated. The plugin is backed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Biodiversity Library, a corpus of 3 million peptides from >100 organisms, and the draft human proteome. Users can upload personal data to the plugin to use the pathway navigation prior to importing their own data into Skyline.

CamOptimus: a tool for exploiting complex adaptive evolution to optimize experiments and processes in biotechnology.

PubMed

Cankorur-Cetinkaya, Ayca; Dias, Joao M L; Kludas, Jana; Slater, Nigel K H; Rousu, Juho; Oliver, Stephen G; Dikicioglu, Duygu

2017-06-01

Multiple interacting factors affect the performance of engineered biological systems in synthetic biology projects. The complexity of these biological systems means that experimental design should often be treated as a multiparametric optimization problem. However, the available methodologies are either impractical, due to a combinatorial explosion in the number of experiments to be performed, or are inaccessible to most experimentalists due to the lack of publicly available, user-friendly software. Although evolutionary algorithms may be employed as alternative approaches to optimize experimental design, the lack of simple-to-use software again restricts their use to specialist practitioners. In addition, the lack of subsidiary approaches to further investigate critical factors and their interactions prevents the full analysis and exploitation of the biotechnological system. We have addressed these problems and, here, provide a simple-to-use and freely available graphical user interface to empower a broad range of experimental biologists to employ complex evolutionary algorithms to optimize their experimental designs. Our approach exploits a Genetic Algorithm to discover the subspace containing the optimal combination of parameters, and Symbolic Regression to construct a model to evaluate the sensitivity of the experiment to each parameter under investigation. We demonstrate the utility of this method using an example in which the culture conditions for the microbial production of a bioactive human protein are optimized. CamOptimus is available through: (https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.10257).

Maternal Opioid Treatment: Human Experimental Research (MOTHER) – Approach, Issues, and Lessons Learned

PubMed Central

Jones, Hendrée E.; Fischer, Gabriele; Heil, Sarah H.; Kaltenbach, Karol; Martin, Peter R.; Coyle, Mara G.; Selby, Peter; Stine, Susan M.; O’Grady, Kevin E.; Arria, Amelia M.

2015-01-01

Aims The Maternal Opioid Treatment: Human Experimental Research (MOTHER) project, an eight-site randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, flexible-dosing, parallel-group clinical trial is described. This study is the most current – and single most comprehensive – research effort to investigate the safety and efficacy of maternal and prenatal exposure to methadone and buprenorphine. Methods The MOTHER study design is outlined, and its basic features are presented. Conclusions At least seven important lessons have been learned from the MOTHER study: (1) an interdisciplinary focus improves the design and methods of a randomized clinical trial; (2) multiple sites in a clinical trial present continuing challenges to the investigative team due to variations in recruitment goals, patient populations, and hospital practices that in turn differentially impact recruitment rates, treatment compliance, and attrition; (3) study design and protocols must be flexible in order to meet the unforeseen demands of both research and clinical management; (4) staff turnover needs to be addressed with a proactive focus on both hiring and training; (5) the implementation of a protocol for the treatment of a particular disorder may identify important ancillary clinical issues worthy of investigation; (6) timely tracking of data in a multi-site trial is both demanding and unforgiving; and, (7) complex multi-site trials pose unanticipated challenges that complicate the choice of statistical methods, thereby placing added demands on investigators to effectively communicate their results. PMID:23106924

Estimation of the kinetic energy dissipation in fall-arrest system and manikin during fall impact.

PubMed

Wu, John Z; Powers, John R; Harris, James R; Pan, Christopher S

2011-04-01

Fall-arrest systems (FASs) have been widely applied to provide a safe stop during fall incidents for occupational activities. The mechanical interaction and kinetic energy exchange between the human body and the fall-arrest system during fall impact is one of the most important factors in FAS ergonomic design. In the current study, we developed a systematic approach to evaluate the energy dissipated in the energy absorbing lanyard (EAL) and in the harness/manikin during fall impact. The kinematics of the manikin and EAL during the impact were derived using the arrest-force time histories that were measured experimentally. We applied the proposed method to analyse the experimental data of drop tests at heights of 1.83 and 3.35 m. Our preliminary results indicate that approximately 84-92% of the kinetic energy is dissipated in the EAL system and the remainder is dissipated in the harness/manikin during fall impact. The proposed approach would be useful for the ergonomic design and performance evaluation of an FAS. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Mechanical interaction, especially kinetic energy exchange, between the human body and the fall-arrest system during fall impact is one of the most important factors in the ergonomic design of a fall-arrest system. In the current study, we propose an approach to quantify the kinetic energy dissipated in the energy absorbing lanyard and in the harness/body system during fall impact.

Using Text-to-Speech (TTS) for Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing (ACASI)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Couper, Mick P.; Berglund, Patricia; Kirgis, Nicole; Buageila, Sarrah

2016-01-01

We evaluate the use of text-to-speech (TTS) technology for audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI). We use a quasi-experimental design, comparing the use of recorded human voice in the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth with the use of TTS in the first year of the 2011-2013 survey, where the essential survey conditions are…

Biomedical and Human Factors Requirements for a Manned Earth-Orbiting Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reynolds, J. B.

1963-01-01

The study reported here has presented a measurement data pool for the determination of biomedical and behavioral effects of long-term exposure to weightlessness. This includes measures, techniques, equipment, and requirements in terms of weight, power, volume, time, crew activities, subsystem interfaces and experimental programs and designs, and confidence ratings for their effectiveness for determining weightlessness effects.

A Laboratory Course for Teaching Laboratory Techniques, Experimental Design, Statistical Analysis, and Peer Review Process to Undergraduate Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gliddon, C. M.; Rosengren, R. J.

2012-01-01

This article describes a 13-week laboratory course called Human Toxicology taught at the University of Otago, New Zealand. This course used a guided inquiry based laboratory coupled with formative assessment and collaborative learning to develop in undergraduate students the skills of problem solving/critical thinking, data interpretation and…

Experimental research on mathematical modelling and unconventional control of clinker kiln in cement plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusu-Anghel, S.

2017-01-01

Analytical modeling of the flow of manufacturing process of the cement is difficult because of their complexity and has not resulted in sufficiently precise mathematical models. In this paper, based on a statistical model of the process and using the knowledge of human experts, was designed a fuzzy system for automatic control of clinkering process.

Simple immunoglobulin G sensor based on thin core single-mode fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yingfang; Lang, Tingting; Shen, Tingting; Shen, Changyu

2018-03-01

In this paper, a simple fiber biosensor (FOB) for immunoglobulin G (IgG) detection is designed and experimentally verified. The FOB is constructed by a 20 mm long thin core single-mode fiber (TCSMF) sandwiched between two single-mode optical fibers (SMFs). First, the refractive index (RI) sensitivity of the fiber structures is calculated by the beam propagation method. The refractive index sensing experiment is performed using different concentrations of glycerol solutions, and the experimental results are mostly consistent with the simulation predictions. The experimental RI sensitivity increases with the surrounding RI and reaches 82.7 nm/RIU. Then the surface of the FOB is functionalized by APTES for covalent bonding. The human IgG and goat anti-human IgG are chosen as a bioconjugated pair to examine the bio-sensing effectiveness of this FOB. The sensitivity of IgG detection is determined to be 10.4 nm/(mg/ml). And the serum IgG concentration in normal adults lies within the range of 6-16 mg/ml (Worsfold et al., 1985), so the sensor is applicable to human IgG monitoring. The specificity of the FOB is also verified by a contrast experiment conducted using rabbit immunoglobulin G. The proposed FOB is simple, low loss, cost-effective, and can be used for various biological and chemical applications.

OMV man/system simulation integration: A preliminary analysis and recommendation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Jon G.

1988-01-01

The Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) presents a series of challenges to the human operator. Some are unique to the OMV system itself, and are largely due to remote control versus control from the cockpit. Other challenges are not necessarily unique to the OMV, but are characteristic of many man-machine space flight systems. All of these challenges affect the operator's ability to perform his portion of the mission, and could lead to human error which might jeopardize the vehicle, mission, or both. It is imperative to make every effort to design the control and displays to facilitate the operator's task. The experimental program should address the perceptual, mediational, and motor dimensions of operator performance. With this in mind, a literature review with relevant design considerations was initiated, and a comprehensive outline of control/display parameters were developed. Out of this, a series of questions not answered in the literature was derived which can be converted into experimental protocols for the simulation program. A major task of the aircraft pilot as well as the OMV operator is prediction. Certain display principles have proved to enhance the pilot's ability to predict. A brief examination of some of these principles in relationship to OMV may be useful.

Experimental effective shape control of a powered transfemoral prosthesis.

PubMed

Gregg, Robert D; Lenzi, Tommaso; Fey, Nicholas P; Hargrove, Levi J; Sensinger, Jonathon W

2013-06-01

This paper presents the design and experimental implementation of a novel feedback control strategy that regulates effective shape on a powered transfemoral prosthesis. The human effective shape is the effective geometry to which the biological leg conforms--through movement of ground reaction forces and leg joints--during the stance period of gait. Able-bodied humans regulate effective shapes to be invariant across conditions such as heel height, walking speed, and body weight, so this measure has proven to be a very useful tool for the alignment and design of passive prostheses. However, leg joints must be actively controlled to assume different effective shapes that are unique to tasks such as standing, walking, and stair climbing. Using our previous simulation studies as a starting point, we model and control the effective shape as a virtual kinematic constraint on the powered Vanderbilt prosthetic leg with a custom instrumented foot. An able-bodied subject used a by-pass adapter to walk on the controlled leg over ground and over a treadmill. These preliminary experiments demonstrate, for the first time, that effective shape (or virtual constraints in general) can be used to control a powered prosthetic leg.

Urban search mobile platform modeling in hindered access conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barankova, I. I.; Mikhailova, U. V.; Kalugina, O. B.; Barankov, V. V.

2018-05-01

The article explores the control system simulation and the design of the experimental model of the rescue robot mobile platform. The functional interface, a structural functional diagram of the mobile platform control unit, and a functional control scheme for the mobile platform of secure robot were modeled. The task of design a mobile platform for urban searching in hindered access conditions is realized through the use of a mechanical basis with a chassis and crawler drive, a warning device, human heat sensors and a microcontroller based on Arduino platforms.

Guidelines for experimental design protocol and validation procedure for the measurement of heat resistance of microorganisms in milk.

PubMed

Condron, Robin; Farrokh, Choreh; Jordan, Kieran; McClure, Peter; Ross, Tom; Cerf, Olivier

2015-01-02

Studies on the heat resistance of dairy pathogens are a vital part of assessing the safety of dairy products. However, harmonized methodology for the study of heat resistance of food pathogens is lacking, even though there is a need for such harmonized experimental design protocols and for harmonized validation procedures for heat treatment studies. Such an approach is of particular importance to allow international agreement on appropriate risk management of emerging potential hazards for human and animal health. This paper is working toward establishment of a harmonized protocol for the study of the heat resistance of pathogens, identifying critical issues for establishment of internationally agreed protocols, including a harmonized framework for reporting and interpretation of heat inactivation studies of potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of human plasma proteome dynamics using deuterium oxide

PubMed Central

Wang, Ding; Liem, David A; Lau, Edward; Ng, Dominic CM; Bleakley, Brian J; Cadeiras, Martin; Deng, Mario C; Lam, Maggie PY; Ping, Peipei

2016-01-01

Purpose High-throughput quantification of human protein turnover via in vivo administration of deuterium oxide (2H2O) is a powerful new approach to examine potential disease mechanisms. Its immediate clinical translation is contingent upon characterizations of the safety and hemodynamic effects of in vivo administration of 2H2O to human subjects. Experimental design We recruited 10 healthy human subjects with a broad demographic variety to evaluate the safety, feasibility, efficacy, and reproducibility of 2H2O intake for studying protein dynamics. We designed a protocol where each subject orally consumed weight-adjusted doses of 70% 2H2O daily for 14 days to enrich body water and proteins with deuterium. Plasma proteome dynamics was measured using a high-resolution MS method we recently developed. Results This protocol was successfully applied in 10 human subjects to characterize the endogenous turnover rates of 542 human plasma proteins, the largest such human dataset to-date. Throughout the study, we did not detect physiological effects or signs of discomfort from 2H2O consumption. Conclusions and clinical relevance Our investigation supports the utility of a 2H2O intake protocol that is safe, accessible, and effective for clinical investigations of large-scale human protein turnover dynamics. This workflow shows promising clinical translational value for examining plasma protein dynamics in human diseases. PMID:24946186

Myths, Artifacts, and Fatal Flaws: Identifying Limitations and Opportunities in Vitamin C Research

PubMed Central

Michels, Alexander J.; Frei, Balz

2013-01-01

Research progress to understand the role of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in human health has been slow in coming. This is predominantly the result of several flawed approaches to study design, often lacking a full appreciation of the redox chemistry and biology of ascorbic acid. In this review, we summarize our knowledge surrounding the limitations of common approaches used in vitamin C research. In human cell culture, the primary issues are the high oxygen environment, presence of redox-active transition metal ions in culture media, and the use of immortalized cell lines grown in the absence of supplemental ascorbic acid. Studies in animal models are also limited due to the presence of endogenous ascorbic acid synthesis. Despite the use of genetically altered rodent strains lacking synthesis capacity, there are additional concerns that these models do not adequately recapitulate the effects of vitamin C deprivation and supplementation observed in humans. Lastly, several flaws in study design endemic to randomized controlled trials and other human studies greatly limit their conclusions and impact. There also is anecdotal evidence of positive and negative health effects of vitamin C that are widely accepted but have not been substantiated. Only with careful attention to study design and experimental detail can we further our understanding of the possible roles of vitamin C in promoting human health and preventing or treating disease. PMID:24352093

Hemodynamic responses in amygdala and hippocampus distinguish between aversive and neutral cues during Pavlovian fear conditioning in behaving rats

PubMed Central

McHugh, Stephen B; Marques-Smith, Andre; Li, Jennifer; Rawlins, J N P; Lowry, John; Conway, Michael; Gilmour, Gary; Tricklebank, Mark; Bannerman, David M

2013-01-01

Lesion and electrophysiological studies in rodents have identified the amygdala and hippocampus (HPC) as key structures for Pavlovian fear conditioning, but human functional neuroimaging studies have not consistently found activation of these structures. This could be because hemodynamic responses cannot detect the sparse neuronal activity proposed to underlie conditioned fear. Alternatively, differences in experimental design or fear levels could account for the discrepant findings between rodents and humans. To help distinguish between these alternatives, we used tissue oxygen amperometry to record hemodynamic responses from the basolateral amygdala (BLA), dorsal HPC (dHPC) and ventral HPC (vHPC) in freely-moving rats during the acquisition and extinction of conditioned fear. To enable specific comparison with human studies we used a discriminative paradigm, with one auditory cue [conditioned stimulus (CS)+] that was always followed by footshock, and another auditory cue (CS−) that was never followed by footshock. BLA tissue oxygen signals were significantly higher during CS+ than CS− trials during training and early extinction. In contrast, they were lower during CS+ than CS− trials by the end of extinction. dHPC and vHPC tissue oxygen signals were significantly lower during CS+ than CS− trials throughout extinction. Thus, hemodynamic signals in the amygdala and HPC can detect the different patterns of neuronal activity evoked by threatening vs. neutral stimuli during fear conditioning. Discrepant neuroimaging findings may be due to differences in experimental design and/or fear levels evoked in participants. Our methodology offers a way to improve translation between rodent models and human neuroimaging. PMID:23173719

Postural control during quiet bipedal standing in rats

PubMed Central

Sato, Yota; Fujiki, Soichiro; Sato, Yamato; Aoi, Shinya; Tsuchiya, Kazuo; Yanagihara, Dai

2017-01-01

The control of bipedal posture in humans is subject to non-ideal conditions such as delayed sensation and heartbeat noise. However, the controller achieves a high level of functionality by utilizing body dynamics dexterously. In order to elucidate the neural mechanism responsible for postural control, the present study made use of an experimental setup involving rats because they have more accessible neural structures. The experimental design requires rats to stand bipedally in order to obtain a water reward placed in a water supplier above them. Their motions can be measured in detail using a motion capture system and a force plate. Rats have the ability to stand bipedally for long durations (over 200 s), allowing for the construction of an experimental environment in which the steady standing motion of rats could be measured. The characteristics of the measured motion were evaluated based on aspects of the rats’ intersegmental coordination and power spectrum density (PSD). These characteristics were compared with those of the human bipedal posture. The intersegmental coordination of the standing rats included two components that were similar to that of standing humans: center of mass and trunk motion. The rats’ PSD showed a peak at approximately 1.8 Hz and the pattern of the PSD under the peak frequency was similar to that of the human PSD. However, the frequencies were five times higher in rats than in humans. Based on the analysis of the rats’ bipedal standing motion, there were some common characteristics between rat and human standing motions. Thus, using standing rats is expected to be a powerful tool to reveal the neural basis of postural control. PMID:29244818

The application of heterogeneous cluster grouping to reflective writing for medical humanities literature study to enhance students' empathy, critical thinking, and reflective writing.

PubMed

Liao, Hung-Chang; Wang, Ya-Huei

2016-09-02

To facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and to make connections between patients' diseases and their social/cultural contexts, the study examined whether the use of heterogeneous cluster grouping in reflective writing for medical humanities literature acquisition could have positive effects on medical university students in terms of empathy, critical thinking, and reflective writing. A 15-week quasi-experimental design was conducted to investigate the learning outcomes. After conducting cluster algorithms, heterogeneous learning clusters (experimental group; n = 43) and non-heterogeneous learning clusters (control group; n = 43) were derived for a medical humanities literature study. Before and after the intervention, an Empathy Scale in Patient Care (ES-PC), a critical thinking disposition assessment (CTDA-R), and a reflective writing test were administered to both groups. The findings showed that on the empathy scale, significant differences in the "behavioral empathy," "affective empathy," and overall sections existed between the post-test mean scores of the experimental group and those of the control group, but such differences did not exist in "intelligent empathy." Regarding critical thinking, there were significant differences in "systematicity and analyticity," "skepticism and well-informed," "maturity and skepticism," and overall sections. As for reflective writing, significant differences existed in "ideas," "voice and point of view," "critical thinking and representation," "depth of reflection on personal growth," and overall sections, but not in "focus and context structure" and "language and conventions." This study outlined an alternative for using heterogeneous cluster grouping in reflective writing about medical humanities literature to facilitate interdisciplinary cooperation to provide more humanizing medical care.

Issues in Developing a Normative Descriptive Model for Dyadic Decision Making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Serfaty, D.; Kleinman, D. L.

1984-01-01

Most research in modelling human information processing and decision making has been devoted to the case of the single human operator. In the present effort, concepts from the fields of organizational behavior, engineering psychology, team theory and mathematical modelling are merged in an attempt to consider first the case of two cooperating decisionmakers (the Dyad) in a multi-task environment. Rooted in the well-known Dynamic Decision Model (DDM), the normative descriptive approach brings basic cognitive and psychophysical characteristics inherent to human behavior into a team theoretic analytic framework. An experimental paradigm, involving teams in dynamic decision making tasks, is designed to produce the data with which to build the theoretical model.

Mental workload prediction based on attentional resource allocation and information processing.

PubMed

Xiao, Xu; Wanyan, Xiaoru; Zhuang, Damin

2015-01-01

Mental workload is an important component in complex human-machine systems. The limited applicability of empirical workload measures produces the need for workload modeling and prediction methods. In the present study, a mental workload prediction model is built on the basis of attentional resource allocation and information processing to ensure pilots' accuracy and speed in understanding large amounts of flight information on the cockpit display interface. Validation with an empirical study of an abnormal attitude recovery task showed that this model's prediction of mental workload highly correlated with experimental results. This mental workload prediction model provides a new tool for optimizing human factors interface design and reducing human errors.

Theoretical analysis, design and development of a 27-MHz folded loop antenna as a potential applicator in hyperthermia treatment.

PubMed

Kouloulias, Vassilis; Karanasiou, Irene; Giamalaki, Melina; Matsopoulos, George; Kouvaris, John; Kelekis, Nikolaos; Uzunoglu, Nikolaos

2015-02-01

A hyperthermia system using a folded loop antenna applicator at 27 MHz for soft tissue treatment was investigated both theoretically and experimentally to evaluate its clinical value. The electromagnetic analysis of a 27-MHz folded loop antenna for use in human tissue was based on a customised software tool and led to the design and development of the proposed hyperthermia system. The system was experimentally validated using specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution estimations through temperature distribution measurements of a muscle tissue phantom after electromagnetic exposure. Various scenarios for optimal antenna positioning were also performed. Comparison of the theoretical and experimental analysis results shows satisfactory agreement. The SAR level of 50% reaches 8 cm depth in the tissue phantom. Thus, based on the maximum observed SAR values that were of the order of 100 W/kg, the antenna specified is suitable for deep tumour heating. Theoretical and experimental SAR distribution results as derived from this study are in agreement. The proposed folded loop antenna seems appropriate for use in hyperthermia treatment, achieving proper planning and local treatment of deeply seated affected areas and lesions.

Predicting phenotype from genotype: Improving accuracy through more robust experimental and computational modeling

PubMed Central

Gallion, Jonathan; Koire, Amanda; Katsonis, Panagiotis; Schoenegge, Anne‐Marie; Bouvier, Michel

2017-01-01

Abstract Computational prediction yields efficient and scalable initial assessments of how variants of unknown significance may affect human health. However, when discrepancies between these predictions and direct experimental measurements of functional impact arise, inaccurate computational predictions are frequently assumed as the source. Here, we present a methodological analysis indicating that shortcomings in both computational and biological data can contribute to these disagreements. We demonstrate that incomplete assaying of multifunctional proteins can affect the strength of correlations between prediction and experiments; a variant's full impact on function is better quantified by considering multiple assays that probe an ensemble of protein functions. Additionally, many variants predictions are sensitive to protein alignment construction and can be customized to maximize relevance of predictions to a specific experimental question. We conclude that inconsistencies between computation and experiment can often be attributed to the fact that they do not test identical hypotheses. Aligning the design of the computational input with the design of the experimental output will require cooperation between computational and biological scientists, but will also lead to improved estimations of computational prediction accuracy and a better understanding of the genotype–phenotype relationship. PMID:28230923

The equivalence of a human observer and an ideal observer in binary diagnostic tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Xin; Samuelson, Frank; Gallas, Brandon D.; Sahiner, Berkman; Myers, Kyle

2013-03-01

The Ideal Observer (IO) is "ideal" for given data populations. In the image perception process, as the raw images are degraded by factors such as display and eye optics, there is an equivalent IO (EIO). The EIO uses the statistical information that exits the perception/cognitive degradations as the data. We assume a human observer who received sufficient training, e.g., radiologists, and hypothesize that such a human observer can be modeled as if he is an EIO. To measure the likelihood ratio (LR) distributions of an EIO, we formalize experimental design principles that encourage rationality based on von Neumann and Morgenstern's (vNM) axioms. We present examples to show that many observer study design refinements, although motivated by empirical principles explicitly, implicitly encourage rationality. Our hypothesis is supported by a recent review paper on ROC curve convexity by Pesce, Metz, and Berbaum. We also provide additional evidence based on a collection of observer studies in medical imaging. EIO theory shows that the "sub-optimal" performance of a human observer can be mathematically formalized in the form of an IO, and measured through rationality encouragement.

Identification of human presequence protease (hPreP) agonists for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Vangavaragu, Jhansi Rani; Valasani, Koteswara Rao; Gan, Xueqi; Yan, Shirley ShiDu

2014-01-01

Amyloid-β (Aβ), a neurotoxic peptide, is linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Increased Aβ content within neuronal cell mitochondria is a pathological feature in both human and mouse models with AD. This accumulation of Aβ within the mitochondrial landscape perpetuates increased free radical production and activation of the apoptotic pathway. Human Presequence Protease (hPreP) is responsible for the degradation of mitochondrial amyloid-β peptide in human neuronal cells, and is thus an attractive target to increase the proteolysis of Aβ. Therefore, it offers a potential target for Alzheimer’s drug design, by identifying potential activators of hPreP. We applied structure-based drug design, combined with experimental methodologies to investigate the ability of various compounds to enhance hPreP proteolytic activity. Compounds 3c & 4c enhanced hPreP-mediated proteolysis of Aβ (1–42), pF1β (2–54) and fluorogenic-substrate V. These results suggest that activation of hPreP by small benzimidazole derivatives provide a promising avenue for AD treatment. PMID:24602793

A Skin-attachable Flexible Piezoelectric Pulse Wave Energy Harvester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Sunghyun; Cho, Young-Ho

2014-11-01

We present a flexible piezoelectric generator, capable to harvest energy from human arterial pulse wave on the human wrist. Special features and advantages of the flexible piezoelectric generator include the multi-layer device design with contact windows and the simple fabrication process for the higher flexibility with the better energy harvesting efficiency. We have demonstrated the design effectiveness and the process simplicity of our skin- attachable flexible piezoelectric pulse wave energy harvester, composed of the sensitive P(VDF-TrFE) piezoelectric layer on the flexible polyimide support layer with windows. We experimentally characterize and demonstrate the energy harvesting capability of 0.2~1.0μW in the Human heart rate range on the skin contact area of 3.71cm2. Additional physiological and/or vital signal monitoring devices can be fabricated and integrated on the skin attachable flexible generator, covered by an insulation layer; thus demonstrating the potentials and advantages of the present device for such applications to the flexible multi-functional selfpowered artificial skins, capable to detect physiological and/or vital signals on Human skin using the energy harvested from arterial pulse waves.

The usefulness of systematic reviews of animal experiments for the design of preclinical and clinical studies.

PubMed

de Vries, Rob B M; Wever, Kimberley E; Avey, Marc T; Stephens, Martin L; Sena, Emily S; Leenaars, Marlies

2014-01-01

The question of how animal studies should be designed, conducted, and analyzed remains underexposed in societal debates on animal experimentation. This is not only a scientific but also a moral question. After all, if animal experiments are not appropriately designed, conducted, and analyzed, the results produced are unlikely to be reliable and the animals have in effect been wasted. In this article, we focus on one particular method to address this moral question, namely systematic reviews of previously performed animal experiments. We discuss how the design, conduct, and analysis of future (animal and human) experiments may be optimized through such systematic reviews. In particular, we illustrate how these reviews can help improve the methodological quality of animal experiments, make the choice of an animal model and the translation of animal data to the clinic more evidence-based, and implement the 3Rs. Moreover, we discuss which measures are being taken and which need to be taken in the future to ensure that systematic reviews will actually contribute to optimizing experimental design and thereby to meeting a necessary condition for making the use of animals in these experiments justified. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

The Usefulness of Systematic Reviews of Animal Experiments for the Design of Preclinical and Clinical Studies

PubMed Central

de Vries, Rob B. M.; Wever, Kimberley E.; Avey, Marc T.; Stephens, Martin L.; Sena, Emily S.; Leenaars, Marlies

2014-01-01

The question of how animal studies should be designed, conducted, and analyzed remains underexposed in societal debates on animal experimentation. This is not only a scientific but also a moral question. After all, if animal experiments are not appropriately designed, conducted, and analyzed, the results produced are unlikely to be reliable and the animals have in effect been wasted. In this article, we focus on one particular method to address this moral question, namely systematic reviews of previously performed animal experiments. We discuss how the design, conduct, and analysis of future (animal and human) experiments may be optimized through such systematic reviews. In particular, we illustrate how these reviews can help improve the methodological quality of animal experiments, make the choice of an animal model and the translation of animal data to the clinic more evidence-based, and implement the 3Rs. Moreover, we discuss which measures are being taken and which need to be taken in the future to ensure that systematic reviews will actually contribute to optimizing experimental design and thereby to meeting a necessary condition for making the use of animals in these experiments justified. PMID:25541545

Darwin in Mind: New Opportunities for Evolutionary Psychology

PubMed Central

Bolhuis, Johan J.; Brown, Gillian R.; Richardson, Robert C.; Laland, Kevin N.

2011-01-01

Evolutionary Psychology (EP) views the human mind as organized into many modules, each underpinned by psychological adaptations designed to solve problems faced by our Pleistocene ancestors. We argue that the key tenets of the established EP paradigm require modification in the light of recent findings from a number of disciplines, including human genetics, evolutionary biology, cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, and paleoecology. For instance, many human genes have been subject to recent selective sweeps; humans play an active, constructive role in co-directing their own development and evolution; and experimental evidence often favours a general process, rather than a modular account, of cognition. A redefined EP could use the theoretical insights of modern evolutionary biology as a rich source of hypotheses concerning the human mind, and could exploit novel methods from a variety of adjacent research fields. PMID:21811401

Human problem solving performance in a fault diagnosis task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouse, W. B.

1978-01-01

It is proposed that humans in automated systems will be asked to assume the role of troubleshooter or problem solver and that the problems which they will be asked to solve in such systems will not be amenable to rote solution. The design of visual displays for problem solving in such situations is considered, and the results of two experimental investigations of human problem solving performance in the diagnosis of faults in graphically displayed network problems are discussed. The effects of problem size, forced-pacing, computer aiding, and training are considered. Results indicate that human performance deviates from optimality as problem size increases. Forced-pacing appears to cause the human to adopt fairly brute force strategies, as compared to those adopted in self-paced situations. Computer aiding substantially lessens the number of mistaken diagnoses by performing the bookkeeping portions of the task.

Modeling Molecular and Cellular Aspects of Human Disease using the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

PubMed Central

Silverman, Gary A.; Luke, Cliff J.; Bhatia, Sangeeta R.; Long, Olivia S.; Vetica, Anne C.; Perlmutter, David H.; Pak, Stephen C.

2009-01-01

As an experimental system, Caenorhabditis elegans, offers a unique opportunity to interrogate in vivo the genetic and molecular functions of human disease-related genes. For example, C. elegans has provided crucial insights into fundamental biological processes such as cell death and cell fate determinations, as well as pathological processes such as neurodegeneration and microbial susceptibility. The C. elegans model has several distinct advantages including a completely sequenced genome that shares extensive homology with that of mammals, ease of cultivation and storage, a relatively short lifespan and techniques for generating null and transgenic animals. However, the ability to conduct unbiased forward and reverse genetic screens in C. elegans remains one of the most powerful experimental paradigms for discovering the biochemical pathways underlying human disease phenotypes. The identification of these pathways leads to a better understanding of the molecular interactions that perturb cellular physiology, and forms the foundation for designing mechanism-based therapies. To this end, the ability to process large numbers of isogenic animals through automated work stations suggests that C. elegans, manifesting different aspects of human disease phenotypes, will become the platform of choice for in vivo drug discovery and target validation using high-throughput/content screening technologies. PMID:18852689

Anti-Ebola therapies based on monoclonal antibodies: Current state and challenges ahead

PubMed Central

González-González, E; Alvarez, MM; Márquez-Ipiña, AR; Santiago, G Trujillo-de; Rodríguez-Martínez, LM; Annabi, N; Khademhosseini, A

2017-01-01

The 2014 Ebola outbreak, the largest recorded, took us largely unprepared, with no available vaccine or specific treatment. In this context, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the humanitarian use of experimental therapies against Ebola Virus (EBOV) is ethical. In particular, an experimental treatment consisting of a cocktail of three monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) produced in tobacco plants and specifically directed to the Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP) was tested in humans, apparently with good results. Several mAbs with high affinity to the GP have been described. This review discusses our current knowledge on this topic. Particular emphasis is devoted to those mAbs that have been assayed in animal models or humans as possible therapies against Ebola. Engineering aspects and challenges for the production of anti-Ebola mAbs are also briefly discussed; current platforms for the design and production of full-length mAbs are cumbersome and costly. PMID:26611830

Methodological quality of quantitative lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender nursing research from 2000 to 2010.

PubMed

Johnson, Michael; Smyer, Tish; Yucha, Carolyn

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the methodological quality of quantitative lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender nursing research from 2000 to 2010. Using a key word search in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, 188 studies were identified and 40 met the criteria, which included descriptive, experimental, quasi-experimental, or observational (case control, cohort, and cross-sectional) design. The methodological quality of these studies was similar to that reported for medical and nursing educational research. The foci of these lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender studies were biased toward human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and sexually transmitted diseases, and 58.5% of the funded research was related to human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. To provide evidence-based health care to these populations, an understanding of the current state of research is crucial.

Heterogeneity of the gut microbiome in mice: guidelines for optimizing experimental design.

PubMed

Laukens, Debby; Brinkman, Brigitta M; Raes, Jeroen; De Vos, Martine; Vandenabeele, Peter

2016-01-01

Targeted manipulation of the gut flora is increasingly being recognized as a means to improve human health. Yet, the temporal dynamics and intra- and interindividual heterogeneity of the microbiome represent experimental limitations, especially in human cross-sectional studies. Therefore, rodent models represent an invaluable tool to study the host-microbiota interface. Progress in technical and computational tools to investigate the composition and function of the microbiome has opened a new era of research and we gradually begin to understand the parameters that influence variation of host-associated microbial communities. To isolate true effects from confounding factors, it is essential to include such parameters in model intervention studies. Also, explicit journal instructions to include essential information on animal experiments are mandatory. The purpose of this review is to summarize the factors that influence microbiota composition in mice and to provide guidelines to improve the reproducibility of animal experiments. © FEMS 2015.

Antitumor Efficacy Testing in Rodents

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

The preclinical research and human clinical trials necessary for developing anticancer therapeutics are costly. One contributor to these costs is preclinical rodent efficacy studies, which, in addition to the costs associated with conducting them, often guide the selection of agents for clinical development. If inappropriate or inaccurate recommendations are made on the basis of these preclinical studies, then additional costs are incurred. In this commentary, I discuss the issues associated with preclinical rodent efficacy studies. These include the identification of proper preclinical efficacy models, the selection of appropriate experimental endpoints, and the correct statistical evaluation of the resulting data. I also describe important experimental design considerations, such as selecting the drug vehicle, optimizing the therapeutic treatment plan, properly powering the experiment by defining appropriate numbers of replicates in each treatment arm, and proper randomization. Improved preclinical selection criteria can aid in reducing unnecessary human studies, thus reducing the overall costs of anticancer drug development. PMID:18957675

Anti-Ebola therapies based on monoclonal antibodies: current state and challenges ahead.

PubMed

González-González, Everardo; Alvarez, Mario Moisés; Márquez-Ipiña, Alan Roberto; Trujillo-de Santiago, Grissel; Rodríguez-Martínez, Luis Mario; Annabi, Nasim; Khademhosseini, Ali

2017-02-01

The 2014 Ebola outbreak, the largest recorded, took us largely unprepared, with no available vaccine or specific treatment. In this context, the World Health Organization declared that the humanitarian use of experimental therapies against Ebola Virus (EBOV) is ethical. In particular, an experimental treatment consisting of a cocktail of three monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) produced in tobacco plants and specifically directed to the EBOV glycoprotein (GP) was tested in humans, apparently with good results. Several mAbs with high affinity to the GP have been described. This review discusses our current knowledge on this topic. Particular emphasis is devoted to those mAbs that have been assayed in animal models or humans as possible therapies against Ebola. Engineering aspects and challenges for the production of anti-Ebola mAbs are also briefly discussed; current platforms for the design and production of full-length mAbs are cumbersome and costly.

Heterogeneity of the gut microbiome in mice: guidelines for optimizing experimental design

PubMed Central

Laukens, Debby; Brinkman, Brigitta M.; Raes, Jeroen; De Vos, Martine; Vandenabeele, Peter

2015-01-01

Targeted manipulation of the gut flora is increasingly being recognized as a means to improve human health. Yet, the temporal dynamics and intra- and interindividual heterogeneity of the microbiome represent experimental limitations, especially in human cross-sectional studies. Therefore, rodent models represent an invaluable tool to study the host–microbiota interface. Progress in technical and computational tools to investigate the composition and function of the microbiome has opened a new era of research and we gradually begin to understand the parameters that influence variation of host-associated microbial communities. To isolate true effects from confounding factors, it is essential to include such parameters in model intervention studies. Also, explicit journal instructions to include essential information on animal experiments are mandatory. The purpose of this review is to summarize the factors that influence microbiota composition in mice and to provide guidelines to improve the reproducibility of animal experiments. PMID:26323480

Systematic survey of the design, statistical analysis, and reporting of studies published in the 2008 volume of the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism.

PubMed

Vesterinen, Hanna M; Vesterinen, Hanna V; Egan, Kieren; Deister, Amelie; Schlattmann, Peter; Macleod, Malcolm R; Dirnagl, Ulrich

2011-04-01

Translating experimental findings into clinically effective therapies is one of the major bottlenecks of modern medicine. As this has been particularly true for cerebrovascular research, attention has turned to the quality and validity of experimental cerebrovascular studies. We set out to assess the study design, statistical analyses, and reporting of cerebrovascular research. We assessed all original articles published in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism during the year 2008 against a checklist designed to capture the key attributes relating to study design, statistical analyses, and reporting. A total of 156 original publications were included (animal, in vitro, human). Few studies reported a primary research hypothesis, statement of purpose, or measures to safeguard internal validity (such as randomization, blinding, exclusion or inclusion criteria). Many studies lacked sufficient information regarding methods and results to form a reasonable judgment about their validity. In nearly 20% of studies, statistical tests were either not appropriate or information to allow assessment of appropriateness was lacking. This study identifies a number of factors that should be addressed if the quality of research in basic and translational biomedicine is to be improved. We support the widespread implementation of the ARRIVE (Animal Research Reporting In Vivo Experiments) statement for the reporting of experimental studies in biomedicine, for improving training in proper study design and analysis, and that reviewers and editors adopt a more constructively critical approach in the assessment of manuscripts for publication.

Systematic survey of the design, statistical analysis, and reporting of studies published in the 2008 volume of the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism

PubMed Central

Vesterinen, Hanna V; Egan, Kieren; Deister, Amelie; Schlattmann, Peter; Macleod, Malcolm R; Dirnagl, Ulrich

2011-01-01

Translating experimental findings into clinically effective therapies is one of the major bottlenecks of modern medicine. As this has been particularly true for cerebrovascular research, attention has turned to the quality and validity of experimental cerebrovascular studies. We set out to assess the study design, statistical analyses, and reporting of cerebrovascular research. We assessed all original articles published in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism during the year 2008 against a checklist designed to capture the key attributes relating to study design, statistical analyses, and reporting. A total of 156 original publications were included (animal, in vitro, human). Few studies reported a primary research hypothesis, statement of purpose, or measures to safeguard internal validity (such as randomization, blinding, exclusion or inclusion criteria). Many studies lacked sufficient information regarding methods and results to form a reasonable judgment about their validity. In nearly 20% of studies, statistical tests were either not appropriate or information to allow assessment of appropriateness was lacking. This study identifies a number of factors that should be addressed if the quality of research in basic and translational biomedicine is to be improved. We support the widespread implementation of the ARRIVE (Animal Research Reporting In Vivo Experiments) statement for the reporting of experimental studies in biomedicine, for improving training in proper study design and analysis, and that reviewers and editors adopt a more constructively critical approach in the assessment of manuscripts for publication. PMID:21157472

Using clinical simulation centers to test design interventions: a pilot study of lighting and color modifications.

PubMed

Gray, Whitney Austin; Kesten, Karen S; Hurst, Stephen; Day, Tama Duffy; Anderko, Laura

2012-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to test design interventions such as lighting, color, and spatial color patterning on nurses' stress, alertness, and satisfaction, and to provide an example of how clinical simulation centers can be used to conduct research. The application of evidence-based design research in healthcare settings requires a transdisciplinary approach. Integrating approaches from multiple fields in real-life settings often proves time consuming and experimentally difficult. However, forums for collaboration such as clinical simulation centers may offer a solution. In these settings, identical operating and patient rooms are used to deliver simulated patient care scenarios using automated mannequins. Two identical rooms were modified in the clinical simulation center. Nurses spent 30 minutes in each room performing simulated cardiac resuscitation. Subjective measures of nurses' stress, alertness, and satisfaction were collected and compared between settings and across time using matched-pair t-test analysis. Nurses reported feeling less stressed after exposure to the experimental room than nurses who were exposed to the control room (2.22, p = .03). Scores post-session indicated a significant reduction in stress and an increase in alertness after exposure to the experimental room as compared to the control room, with significance levels below .10. (Change in stress scores: 3.44, p = .069); (change in alertness scores: 3.6, p = .071). This study reinforces the use of validated survey tools to measure stress, alertness, and satisfaction. Results support human-centered design approaches by evaluating the effect on nurses in an experimental setting.

Evaluating the quality of a cell counting measurement process via a dilution series experimental design.

PubMed

Sarkar, Sumona; Lund, Steven P; Vyzasatya, Ravi; Vanguri, Padmavathy; Elliott, John T; Plant, Anne L; Lin-Gibson, Sheng

2017-12-01

Cell counting measurements are critical in the research, development and manufacturing of cell-based products, yet determining cell quantity with accuracy and precision remains a challenge. Validating and evaluating a cell counting measurement process can be difficult because of the lack of appropriate reference material. Here we describe an experimental design and statistical analysis approach to evaluate the quality of a cell counting measurement process in the absence of appropriate reference materials or reference methods. The experimental design is based on a dilution series study with replicate samples and observations as well as measurement process controls. The statistical analysis evaluates the precision and proportionality of the cell counting measurement process and can be used to compare the quality of two or more counting methods. As an illustration of this approach, cell counting measurement processes (automated and manual methods) were compared for a human mesenchymal stromal cell (hMSC) preparation. For the hMSC preparation investigated, results indicated that the automated method performed better than the manual counting methods in terms of precision and proportionality. By conducting well controlled dilution series experimental designs coupled with appropriate statistical analysis, quantitative indicators of repeatability and proportionality can be calculated to provide an assessment of cell counting measurement quality. This approach does not rely on the use of a reference material or comparison to "gold standard" methods known to have limited assurance of accuracy and precision. The approach presented here may help the selection, optimization, and/or validation of a cell counting measurement process. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Optimization of microwave-assisted extraction of analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs from human plasma and urine using response surface experimental designs.

PubMed

Fernández, Purificación; Fernández, Ana M; Bermejo, Ana M; Lorenzo, Rosa A; Carro, Antonia M

2013-04-01

The performance of microwave-assisted extraction and HPLC with photodiode array detection method for determination of six analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs from plasma and urine, is described, optimized, and validated. Several parameters affecting the extraction technique were optimized using experimental designs. A four-factor (temperature, phosphate buffer pH 4.0 volume, extraction solvent volume, and time) hybrid experimental design was used for extraction optimization in plasma, and three-factor (temperature, extraction solvent volume, and time) Doehlert design was chosen to extraction optimization in urine. The use of desirability functions revealed the optimal extraction conditions as follows: 67°C, 4 mL phosphate buffer pH 4.0, 12 mL of ethyl acetate and 9 min, for plasma and the same volume of buffer and ethyl acetate, 115°C and 4 min for urine. Limits of detection ranged from 4 to 45 ng/mL in plasma and from 8 to 85 ng/mL in urine. The reproducibility evaluated at two concentration levels was less than 6.5% for both specimens. The recoveries were from 89 to 99% for plasma and from 83 to 99% for urine. The proposed method was successfully applied in plasma and urine samples obtained from analgesic users. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

QuantifyMe: An Open-Source Automated Single-Case Experimental Design Platform.

PubMed

Taylor, Sara; Sano, Akane; Ferguson, Craig; Mohan, Akshay; Picard, Rosalind W

2018-04-05

Smartphones and wearable sensors have enabled unprecedented data collection, with many products now providing feedback to users about recommended step counts or sleep durations. However, these recommendations do not provide personalized insights that have been shown to be best suited for a specific individual. A scientific way to find individualized recommendations and causal links is to conduct experiments using single-case experimental design; however, properly designed single-case experiments are not easy to conduct on oneself. We designed, developed, and evaluated a novel platform, QuantifyMe, for novice self-experimenters to conduct proper-methodology single-case self-experiments in an automated and scientific manner using their smartphones. We provide software for the platform that we used (available for free on GitHub), which provides the methodological elements to run many kinds of customized studies. In this work, we evaluate its use with four different kinds of personalized investigations, examining how variables such as sleep duration and regularity, activity, and leisure time affect personal happiness, stress, productivity, and sleep efficiency. We conducted a six-week pilot study ( N = 13) to evaluate QuantifyMe. We describe the lessons learned developing the platform and recommendations for its improvement, as well as its potential for enabling personalized insights to be scientifically evaluated in many individuals, reducing the high administrative cost for advancing human health and wellbeing.

QuantifyMe: An Open-Source Automated Single-Case Experimental Design Platform †

PubMed Central

Sano, Akane; Ferguson, Craig; Mohan, Akshay; Picard, Rosalind W.

2018-01-01

Smartphones and wearable sensors have enabled unprecedented data collection, with many products now providing feedback to users about recommended step counts or sleep durations. However, these recommendations do not provide personalized insights that have been shown to be best suited for a specific individual. A scientific way to find individualized recommendations and causal links is to conduct experiments using single-case experimental design; however, properly designed single-case experiments are not easy to conduct on oneself. We designed, developed, and evaluated a novel platform, QuantifyMe, for novice self-experimenters to conduct proper-methodology single-case self-experiments in an automated and scientific manner using their smartphones. We provide software for the platform that we used (available for free on GitHub), which provides the methodological elements to run many kinds of customized studies. In this work, we evaluate its use with four different kinds of personalized investigations, examining how variables such as sleep duration and regularity, activity, and leisure time affect personal happiness, stress, productivity, and sleep efficiency. We conducted a six-week pilot study (N = 13) to evaluate QuantifyMe. We describe the lessons learned developing the platform and recommendations for its improvement, as well as its potential for enabling personalized insights to be scientifically evaluated in many individuals, reducing the high administrative cost for advancing human health and wellbeing. PMID:29621133

The flaws and human harms of animal experimentation.

PubMed

Akhtar, Aysha

2015-10-01

Nonhuman animal ("animal") experimentation is typically defended by arguments that it is reliable, that animals provide sufficiently good models of human biology and diseases to yield relevant information, and that, consequently, its use provides major human health benefits. I demonstrate that a growing body of scientific literature critically assessing the validity of animal experimentation generally (and animal modeling specifically) raises important concerns about its reliability and predictive value for human outcomes and for understanding human physiology. The unreliability of animal experimentation across a wide range of areas undermines scientific arguments in favor of the practice. Additionally, I show how animal experimentation often significantly harms humans through misleading safety studies, potential abandonment of effective therapeutics, and direction of resources away from more effective testing methods. The resulting evidence suggests that the collective harms and costs to humans from animal experimentation outweigh potential benefits and that resources would be better invested in developing human-based testing methods.

True and Quasi-Experimental Designs. ERIC/AE Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gribbons, Barry; Herman, Joan

Among the different types of experimental design are two general categories: true experimental designs and quasi- experimental designs. True experimental designs include more than one purposively created group, common measured outcomes, and random assignment. Quasi-experimental designs are commonly used when random assignment is not practical or…

Constraining free riding in public goods games: designated solitary punishers can sustain human cooperation

PubMed Central

O'Gorman, Rick; Henrich, Joseph; Van Vugt, Mark

2008-01-01

Much of human cooperation remains an evolutionary riddle. Unlike other animals, people frequently cooperate with non-relatives in large groups. Evolutionary models of large-scale cooperation require not just incentives for cooperation, but also a credible disincentive for free riding. Various theoretical solutions have been proposed and experimentally explored, including reputation monitoring and diffuse punishment. Here, we empirically examine an alternative theoretical proposal: responsibility for punishment can be borne by one specific individual. This experiment shows that allowing a single individual to punish increases cooperation to the same level as allowing each group member to punish and results in greater group profits. These results suggest a potential key function of leadership in human groups and provides further evidence supporting that humans will readily and knowingly behave altruistically. PMID:18812292

[Effects of prevention education on Human Papillomavirus linked to cervix cancer for unmarried female university students].

PubMed

Kim, Hae Won

2009-08-01

This study was done to identify the effects of a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) linked to cervix cancer prevention education program for unmarried university female students. A new model in the cervix cancer prevention is provided. The research design was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Participants were 63 female students in one of two university in an experimental group (29 students) and control group (34 students). After 4 weeks education, the differences between the two groups in the measurement variables were compared. Twelve weeks later, a follow-up test was done for experimental group only. After the education, experimental group showed significantly higher scores in all variables, the intention for Pap test (Z=-3.73, p<.001), intention for HPV vaccination (Z=-3.14, p=.002), general cancer prevention behavior (Z=-2.20, p=.028), attitudes to Pap (Z=-3.23, p=.001), benefits of cancer prevention behavior (Z=-3.97, p<.001), and HPV linked to cervix cancer knowledge (Z=-5.40, p<.001). In the follow-up study, the experimental group showed intermediate effects in intention for Pap test, intention of HPV vaccination and HPV linked to cervix cancer knowledge as well as short term effects in general cancer prevention behavior, attitudes to Pap and benefits of cancer prevention behavior. The program developed for this study on prevention education of HPV linked to cervix cancer was effective for unmarried university students in the short term and intermediate duration. Other educational approaches should be developed and short term effects and longitudinal changes of the education should be assessed. This education program should also be replicated for other female groups including unmarried working women or female adolescents.

Kinship and altruism: a cross-cultural experimental study.

PubMed

Madsen, Elainie A; Tunney, Richard J; Fieldman, George; Plotkin, Henry C; Dunbar, Robin I M; Richardson, Jean-Marie; McFarland, David

2007-05-01

Humans are characterized by an unusual level of prosociality. Despite this, considerable indirect evidence suggests that biological kinship plays an important role in altruistic behaviour. All previous reports of the influence of kin selection on human altruism have, however, used correlational (rather than experimental) designs, or imposed only a hypothetical or negligible time cost on participants. Since these research designs fail either to control for confounding variables or to meet the criteria required as a test of Hamilton's rule for kin selection (that the altruist pays a true cost), they fail to establish unequivocally whether kin selection plays a role. We show that individuals from two different cultures behave in accordance with Hamilton's rule by acting more altruistically (imposing a higher physical cost upon themselves) towards more closely related individuals. Three possible sources of confound were ruled out: generational effects, sexual attraction and reciprocity. Performance on the task however did not exhibit a perfect linear relationship with relatedness, which might reflect either the intrusion of other variables (e.g. cultural differences in the way kinship is costed) or that our behavioural measure is insufficiently sensitive to fine-tuned differences in the way individuals view their social world. These findings provide the first unequivocal experimental evidence that kinship plays a role in moderating altruistic behaviour. Kinship thus represents a baseline against which individuals pitch other criteria (including reciprocity, prosociality, obligation and a moral sense) when deciding how to behave towards others.

Human perception testing methodology for evaluating EO/IR imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graybeal, John J.; Monfort, Samuel S.; Du Bosq, Todd W.; Familoni, Babajide O.

2018-04-01

The U.S. Army's RDECOM CERDEC Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) Perception Lab is tasked with supporting the development of sensor systems for the U.S. Army by evaluating human performance of emerging technologies. Typical research questions involve detection, recognition and identification as a function of range, blur, noise, spectral band, image processing techniques, image characteristics, and human factors. NVESD's Perception Lab provides an essential bridge between the physics of the imaging systems and the performance of the human operator. In addition to quantifying sensor performance, perception test results can also be used to generate models of human performance and to drive future sensor requirements. The Perception Lab seeks to develop and employ scientifically valid and efficient perception testing procedures within the practical constraints of Army research, including rapid development timelines for critical technologies, unique guidelines for ethical testing of Army personnel, and limited resources. The purpose of this paper is to describe NVESD Perception Lab capabilities, recent methodological improvements designed to align our methodology more closely with scientific best practice, and to discuss goals for future improvements and expanded capabilities. Specifically, we discuss modifying our methodology to improve training, to account for human fatigue, to improve assessments of human performance, and to increase experimental design consultation provided by research psychologists. Ultimately, this paper outlines a template for assessing human perception and overall system performance related to EO/IR imaging systems.

16 CFR 1702.10 - Human experimental data involving the testing of human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Human experimental data involving the testing of human subjects. 1702.10 Section 1702.10 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION... PACKAGING ACT REQUIREMENTS; PETITION PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS § 1702.10 Human experimental data involving...

16 CFR 1702.10 - Human experimental data involving the testing of human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Human experimental data involving the testing of human subjects. 1702.10 Section 1702.10 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION... PACKAGING ACT REQUIREMENTS; PETITION PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS § 1702.10 Human experimental data involving...

16 CFR 1702.10 - Human experimental data involving the testing of human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Human experimental data involving the testing of human subjects. 1702.10 Section 1702.10 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION... PACKAGING ACT REQUIREMENTS; PETITION PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS § 1702.10 Human experimental data involving...

16 CFR 1702.10 - Human experimental data involving the testing of human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Human experimental data involving the testing of human subjects. 1702.10 Section 1702.10 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION... PACKAGING ACT REQUIREMENTS; PETITION PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS § 1702.10 Human experimental data involving...

Remotely controlling of mobile robots using gesture captured by the Kinect and recognized by machine learning method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Roy CHaoming; Jian, Jhih-Wei; Lin, Chih-Chuan; Lai, Chien-Hung; Liu, Cheng-Ting

2013-01-01

The main purpose of this paper is to use machine learning method and Kinect and its body sensation technology to design a simple, convenient, yet effective robot remote control system. In this study, a Kinect sensor is used to capture the human body skeleton with depth information, and a gesture training and identification method is designed using the back propagation neural network to remotely command a mobile robot for certain actions via the Bluetooth. The experimental results show that the designed mobile robots remote control system can achieve, on an average, more than 96% of accurate identification of 7 types of gestures and can effectively control a real e-puck robot for the designed commands.

Biomedical and Human Factors Requirements for a Manned Earth Orbiting Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helvey, W.; Martell, C.; Peters, J.; Rosenthal, G.; Benjamin, F.; Albright, G.

1964-01-01

The primary objective of this study is to determine which biomedical and human factors measurements must be made aboard a space station to assure adequate evaluation of the astronaut's health and performance during prolonged space flights. The study has employed, where possible, a medical and engineering systems analysis to define the pertinent life sciences and space station design parameters and their influence on a measurement program. The major areas requiring evaluation in meeting the study objectives include a definition of the space environment, man's response to the environment, selection of measurement and data management techniques, experimental program, space station design requirements, and a trade-off analysis with final recommendations. The space environment factors that are believed to have a significant effect on man were evaluated. This includes those factors characteristic of the space environment (e. g. weightlessness, radiation) as well as those created within the space station (e. g. toxic contaminants, capsule atmosphere). After establishing the general features of the environment, an appraisal was made of the anticipated response of the astronaut to each of these factors. For thoroughness, the major organ systems and functions of the body were delineated, and a determination was made of their anticipated response to each of the environmental categories. A judgment was then made on the medical significance or importance of each response, which enabled a determination of which physiological and psychological effects should be monitored. Concurrently, an extensive list of measurement techniques and methods of data management was evaluated for applicability to the space station program. The various space station configurations and design parameters were defined in terms of the biomedical and human factors requirements to provide the measurements program. Research design of experimental programs for various station configurations, mission durations, and crew sizes were prepared, and, finally, a trade-off analysis of the critical variables in the station planning was completed with recommendations to enhance the confidence in the measurement program.

Promoting students' conceptual understanding using STEM-based e-book

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komarudin, U.; Rustaman, N. Y.; Hasanah, L.

2017-05-01

This study aims to examine the effect of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) based e-book in promoting students'conceptual understanding on lever system in human body. The E-book used was the e-book published by National Ministry of Science Education. The research was conducted by a quasi experimental with pretest and posttest design. The subjects consist of two classes of 8th grade junior high school in Pangkalpinang, Indonesia, which were devided into experimental group (n=34) and control group (n=32). The students in experimental group was taught by STEM-based e-book, while the control group learned by non STEM-based e-book. The data was collected by an instrument pretest and postest. Pretest and posttest scored, thenanalyzed using descriptive statistics and independent t-test. The result of independent sample t-test shows that no significant differenceson students' pretest score between control and experimental group. However, there were significant differences on students posttest score and N-gain score between control and experimental group with sig = 0.000(p<0.005). N-gain analysis showsthe higher performance of students who were participated in experimental group (mean = 66.03) higher compared to control group (mean = 47.66) in answering conceptual understanding questions. Based on the results, it can be concluded that STEM-based e-book has positiveimpact in promoting students' understanding on lever system in human body. Therefore this learning approach is potential to be used as an alternative to triger the enhancement of students' understanding in science.

Comparison of probiotic lactobacilli and bifidobacteria effects, immune responses and rotavirus vaccines and infection in different host species

PubMed Central

Vlasova, Anastasia N.; Kandasamy, Sukumar; Chattha, Kuldeep S.; Rajashekara, Gireesh; Saif, Linda J.

2016-01-01

Different probiotic strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genera possess significant and widely acknowledged health-promoting and immunomodulatory properties. They also provide an affordable means for prevention and treatment of various infectious, allergic and inflammatory conditions as demonstrated in numerous human and animal studies. Despite the ample evidence of protective effects of these probiotics against rotavirus (RV) infection and disease, the precise immune mechanisms of this protection remain largely undefined, because of limited mechanistic research possible in humans and investigated in the majority of animal models. Additionally, while most human clinical probiotic trials are well-standardized using the same strains, uniform dosages, regimens of the probiotic treatments and similar host age, animal studies often lack standardization, have variable experimental designs, and non-uniform and sometime limited selection of experimental variables or observational parameters. This review presents selected data on different probiotic strains of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria and summarizes the knowledge of their immunomodulatory properties and the associated protection against RV disease in diverse host species including neonates. PMID:26809484

Maternal hypothyroidism: An overview of current experimental models.

PubMed

Ghanbari, Mahboubeh; Ghasemi, Asghar

2017-10-15

Maternal hypothyroidism (MH) is the most common cause of transient congenital hypothyroidism. Different animal models are used for assessing developmental effects of MH in offspring. The severity and status of hypothyroidism in animal models must be a reflection of the actual conditions in humans. To obtain comparable results with different clinical conditions, which lead to MH in humans, several factors have been suggested for researchers to consider before designing the experimental models. Regarding development of fetal body systems during pregnancy, interference at different times provides different results and the appropriate time for induction of hypothyroidism should be selected based on accurate time of development of the system under assessment. Other factors that should be taken into consideration include, physiological and biochemical differences between humans and other species, thyroid hormone-independent effects of anti-thyroid drugs, circadian rhythms in TSH secretion, sex differences, physical and psychological stress. This review addresses essential guidelines for selecting and managing the optimal animal model for MH as well as discussing the pros and cons of currently used models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scavenging energy from the motion of human lower limbs via a piezoelectric energy harvester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Kangqi; Yu, Bo; Zhu, Yingmin; Liu, Zhaohui; Wang, Liansong

2017-03-01

Scavenging energy from human motion through piezoelectric transduction has been considered as a feasible alternative to batteries for powering portable devices and realizing self-sustained devices. To date, most piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) developed can only collect energy from the uni-directional mechanical vibration. This deficiency severely limits their applicability to human motion energy harvesting because the human motion involves diverse mechanical motions. In this paper, a novel PEH is proposed to harvest energy from the motion of human lower limbs. This PEH is composed of two piezoelectric cantilever beams, a sleeve and a ferromagnetic ball. The two beams are designed to sense the vibration along the tibial axis and conduct piezoelectric conversion. The ball senses the leg swing and actuates the two beams to vibrate via magnetic coupling. Theoretical and experimental studies indicate that the proposed PEH can scavenge energy from both the vibration and the swing. During each stride, the PEH can produce multiple peaks in voltage output, which is attributed to the superposition of different excitations. Moreover, the root-mean-square (RMS) voltage output of the PEH increases when the walking speed ranges from 2 to 8 km/h. In addition, the ultra-low frequencies of human motion are also up-converted by the proposed design.

Conformational stability as a design target to control protein aggregation.

PubMed

Costanzo, Joseph A; O'Brien, Christopher J; Tiller, Kathryn; Tamargo, Erin; Robinson, Anne Skaja; Roberts, Christopher J; Fernandez, Erik J

2014-05-01

Non-native protein aggregation is a prevalent problem occurring in many biotechnological manufacturing processes and can compromise the biological activity of the target molecule or induce an undesired immune response. Additionally, some non-native aggregation mechanisms lead to amyloid fibril formation, which can be associated with debilitating diseases. For natively folded proteins, partial or complete unfolding is often required to populate aggregation-prone conformational states, and therefore one proposed strategy to mitigate aggregation is to increase the free energy for unfolding (ΔGunf) prior to aggregation. A computational design approach was tested using human γD crystallin (γD-crys) as a model multi-domain protein. Two mutational strategies were tested for their ability to reduce/increase aggregation rates by increasing/decreasing ΔGunf: stabilizing the less stable domain and stabilizing the domain-domain interface. The computational protein design algorithm, RosettaDesign, was implemented to identify point variants. The results showed that although the predicted free energies were only weakly correlated with the experimental ΔGunf values, increased/decreased aggregation rates for γD-crys correlated reasonably well with decreases/increases in experimental ΔGunf, illustrating improved conformational stability as a possible design target to mitigate aggregation. However, the results also illustrate that conformational stability is not the sole design factor controlling aggregation rates of natively folded proteins.

Concentration dependence of the cell membrane permeability to cryoprotectant and water and implications for design of methods for post-thaw washing of human erythrocytes.

PubMed

Lahmann, John M; Benson, James D; Higgins, Adam Z

2018-02-01

For more than fifty years the human red blood cell (RBC) has been a widely studied model for transmembrane mass transport. Existing literature spans myriad experimental designs with varying results and physiologic interpretations. In this review, we examine the kinetics and mechanisms of membrane transport in the context of RBC cryopreservation. We include a discussion of the pathways for water and glycerol permeation through the cell membrane and the implications for mathematical modeling of the membrane transport process. In particular, we examine the concentration dependence of water and glycerol transport and provide equations for estimating permeability parameters as a function of concentration based on a synthesis of literature data. This concentration-dependent transport model may allow for design of improved methods for post-thaw removal of glycerol from cryopreserved blood. More broadly, the consideration of the concentration dependence of membrane permeability parameters may be important for other cell types as well, especially for design of methods for equilibration with the highly concentrated solutions used for vitrification. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and fabrication of a freeform phase plate for high-order ocular aberration correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Allen Y.; Raasch, Thomas W.

2005-11-01

In recent years it has become possible to measure and in some instances to correct the high-order aberrations of human eyes. We have investigated the correction of wavefront error of human eyes by using phase plates designed to compensate for that error. The wavefront aberrations of the four eyes of two subjects were experimentally determined, and compensating phase plates were machined with an ultraprecision diamond-turning machine equipped with four independent axes. A slow-tool servo freeform trajectory was developed for the machine tool path. The machined phase-correction plates were measured and compared with the original design values to validate the process. The position of the phase-plate relative to the pupil is discussed. The practical utility of this mode of aberration correction was investigated with visual acuity testing. The results are consistent with the potential benefit of aberration correction but also underscore the critical positioning requirements of this mode of aberration correction. This process is described in detail from optical measurements, through machining process design and development, to final results.

Different Types of Sounds and Their Relationship With the Electrocardiographic Signals and the Cardiovascular System – Review

PubMed Central

Idrobo-Ávila, Ennio H.; Loaiza-Correa, Humberto; van Noorden, Leon; Muñoz-Bolaños, Flavio G.; Vargas-Cañas, Rubiel

2018-01-01

Background: For some time now, the effects of sound, noise, and music on the human body have been studied. However, despite research done through time, it is still not completely clear what influence, interaction, and effects sounds have on human body. That is why it is necessary to conduct new research on this topic. Thus, in this paper, a systematic review is undertaken in order to integrate research related to several types of sound, both pleasant and unpleasant, specifically noise and music. In addition, it includes as much research as possible to give stakeholders a more general vision about relevant elements regarding methodologies, study subjects, stimulus, analysis, and experimental designs in general. This study has been conducted in order to make a genuine contribution to this area and to perhaps to raise the quality of future research about sound and its effects over ECG signals. Methods: This review was carried out by independent researchers, through three search equations, in four different databases, including: engineering, medicine, and psychology. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied and studies published between 1999 and 2017 were considered. The selected documents were read and analyzed independently by each group of researchers and subsequently conclusions were established between all of them. Results: Despite the differences between the outcomes of selected studies, some common factors were found among them. Thus, in noise studies where both BP and HR increased or tended to increase, it was noted that HRV (HF and LF/HF) changes with both sound and noise stimuli, whereas GSR changes with sound and musical stimuli. Furthermore, LF also showed changes with exposure to noise. Conclusion: In many cases, samples displayed a limitation in experimental design, and in diverse studies, there was a lack of a control group. There was a lot of variability in the presented stimuli providing a wide overview of the effects they could produce in humans. In the listening sessions, there were numerous examples of good practice in experimental design, such as the use of headphones and comfortable positions for study subjects, while the listening sessions lasted 20 min in most of the studies. PMID:29872400

Different Types of Sounds and Their Relationship With the Electrocardiographic Signals and the Cardiovascular System - Review.

PubMed

Idrobo-Ávila, Ennio H; Loaiza-Correa, Humberto; van Noorden, Leon; Muñoz-Bolaños, Flavio G; Vargas-Cañas, Rubiel

2018-01-01

Background: For some time now, the effects of sound, noise, and music on the human body have been studied. However, despite research done through time, it is still not completely clear what influence, interaction, and effects sounds have on human body. That is why it is necessary to conduct new research on this topic. Thus, in this paper, a systematic review is undertaken in order to integrate research related to several types of sound, both pleasant and unpleasant, specifically noise and music. In addition, it includes as much research as possible to give stakeholders a more general vision about relevant elements regarding methodologies, study subjects, stimulus, analysis, and experimental designs in general. This study has been conducted in order to make a genuine contribution to this area and to perhaps to raise the quality of future research about sound and its effects over ECG signals. Methods: This review was carried out by independent researchers, through three search equations, in four different databases, including: engineering, medicine, and psychology. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied and studies published between 1999 and 2017 were considered. The selected documents were read and analyzed independently by each group of researchers and subsequently conclusions were established between all of them. Results: Despite the differences between the outcomes of selected studies, some common factors were found among them. Thus, in noise studies where both BP and HR increased or tended to increase, it was noted that HRV (HF and LF/HF) changes with both sound and noise stimuli, whereas GSR changes with sound and musical stimuli. Furthermore, LF also showed changes with exposure to noise. Conclusion: In many cases, samples displayed a limitation in experimental design, and in diverse studies, there was a lack of a control group. There was a lot of variability in the presented stimuli providing a wide overview of the effects they could produce in humans. In the listening sessions, there were numerous examples of good practice in experimental design, such as the use of headphones and comfortable positions for study subjects, while the listening sessions lasted 20 min in most of the studies.

Optimization of alcohol-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction by experimental design for the rapid determination of fluoxetine in biological samples.

PubMed

Hamedi, Raheleh; Hadjmohammadi, Mohammad Reza

2016-12-01

A sensitive and rapid method based on alcohol-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of fluoxetine in human plasma and urine samples was developed. The effects of six parameters on the extraction recovery were investigated and optimized utilizing Plackett-Burman design and Box-Benken design, respectively. According to the Plackett-Burman design results, the volume of disperser solvent, extraction time, and stirring speed had no effect on the recovery of fluoxetine. The optimized conditions included a mixture of 172 μL of 1-octanol as extraction solvent and 400 μL of methanol as disperser solvent, pH of 11.3 and 0% w/v of salt in the sample solution. Replicating the experiment in optimized condition for five times, gave the average extraction recoveries equal to 90.15%. The detection limit of fluoxetine in human plasma was obtained 3 ng/mL, and the linearity was in the range of 10-1200 ng/mL. The corresponding values for human urine were 4.2 ng/mL with the linearity range from 10 to 2000 ng/mL. Relative standard deviations for intra and inter day extraction of fluoxetine were less than 7% in five measurements. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of fluoxetine in human plasma and urine samples. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Skeletal Muscle Differentiation on a Chip Shows Human Donor Mesoangioblasts' Efficiency in Restoring Dystrophin in a Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Model.

PubMed

Serena, Elena; Zatti, Susi; Zoso, Alice; Lo Verso, Francesca; Tedesco, F Saverio; Cossu, Giulio; Elvassore, Nicola

2016-12-01

: Restoration of the protein dystrophin on muscle membrane is the goal of many research lines aimed at curing Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Results of ongoing preclinical and clinical trials suggest that partial restoration of dystrophin might be sufficient to significantly reduce muscle damage. Different myogenic progenitors are candidates for cell therapy of muscular dystrophies, but only satellite cells and pericytes have already entered clinical experimentation. This study aimed to provide in vitro quantitative evidence of the ability of mesoangioblasts to restore dystrophin, in terms of protein accumulation and distribution, within myotubes derived from DMD patients, using a microengineered model. We designed an ad hoc experimental strategy to miniaturize on a chip the standard process of muscle regeneration independent of variables such as inflammation and fibrosis. It is based on the coculture, at different ratios, of human dystrophin-positive myogenic progenitors and dystrophin-negative myoblasts in a substrate with muscle-like physiological stiffness and cell micropatterns. Results showed that both healthy myoblasts and mesoangioblasts restored dystrophin expression in DMD myotubes. However, mesoangioblasts showed unexpected efficiency with respect to myoblasts in dystrophin production in terms of the amount of protein produced (40% vs. 15%) and length of the dystrophin membrane domain (210-240 µm vs. 40-70 µm). These results show that our microscaled in vitro model of human DMD skeletal muscle validated previous in vivo preclinical work and may be used to predict efficacy of new methods aimed at enhancing dystrophin accumulation and distribution before they are tested in vivo, reducing time, costs, and variability of clinical experimentation. This study aimed to provide in vitro quantitative evidence of the ability of human mesoangioblasts to restore dystrophin, in terms of protein accumulation and distribution, within myotubes derived from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), using a microengineered model. An ad hoc experimental strategy was designed to miniaturize on a chip the standard process of muscle regeneration independent of variables such as inflammation and fibrosis. This microscaled in vitro model, which validated previous in vivo preclinical work, revealed that mesoangioblasts showed unexpected efficiency as compared with myoblasts in dystrophin production. Consequently, this model may be used to predict efficacy of new drugs or therapies aimed at enhancing dystrophin accumulation and distribution before they are tested in vivo. ©AlphaMed Press.

Human discomfort response to noise combined with vertical vibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leatherwood, J. D.

1979-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted (1) to determine the effects of combined environmental noise and vertical vibration upon human subjective discomfort response, (2) to develop a model for the prediction of passenger discomfort response to the combined environment, and (3) to develop a set of noise-vibration curves for use as criteria in ride quality design. Subjects were exposed to parametric combinations of noise and vibrations through the use of a realistic laboratory simulator. Results indicated that accurate prediction of passenger ride comfort requires knowledge of both the level and frequency content of the noise and vibration components of a ride environment as well as knowledge of the interactive effects of combined noise and vibration. A design tool in the form of an empirical model of passenger discomfort response to combined noise and vertical vibration was developed and illustrated by several computational examples. Finally, a set of noise-vibration criteria curves were generated to illustrate the fundamental design trade-off possible between passenger discomfort and the noise-vibration levels that produce the discomfort.

Operator-coached machine vision for space telerobotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bon, Bruce; Wilcox, Brian; Litwin, Todd; Gennery, Donald B.

1991-01-01

A prototype system for interactive object modeling has been developed and tested. The goal of this effort has been to create a system which would demonstrate the feasibility of high interactive operator-coached machine vision in a realistic task environment, and to provide a testbed for experimentation with various modes of operator interaction. The purpose for such a system is to use human perception where machine vision is difficult, i.e., to segment the scene into objects and to designate their features, and to use machine vision to overcome limitations of human perception, i.e., for accurate measurement of object geometry. The system captures and displays video images from a number of cameras, allows the operator to designate a polyhedral object one edge at a time by moving a 3-D cursor within these images, performs a least-squares fit of the designated edges to edge data detected with a modified Sobel operator, and combines the edges thus detected to form a wire-frame object model that matches the Sobel data.

An Extended Case Study Methoology for Investigating Influence of Cultural, Organizational, and Automation Factors on Human-Automation Trust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koltai, Kolina Sun; Ho, Nhut; Masequesmay, Gina; Niedober, David; Skoog, Mark; Johnson, Walter; Cacanindin, Artemio

2014-01-01

This paper discusses a case study that examined the influence of cultural, organizational and automation capability upon human trust in, and reliance on, automation. In particular, this paper focuses on the design and application of an extended case study methodology, and on the foundational lessons revealed by it. Experimental test pilots involved in the research and development of the US Air Forces newly developed Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System served as the context for this examination. An eclectic, multi-pronged approach was designed to conduct this case study, and proved effective in addressing the challenges associated with the cases politically sensitive and military environment. Key results indicate that the system design was in alignment with pilot culture and organizational mission, indicating the potential for appropriate trust development in operational pilots. These include the low-vulnerabilityhigh risk nature of the pilot profession, automation transparency and suspicion, system reputation, and the setup of and communications among organizations involved in the system development.

A computationally designed inhibitor of an Epstein-Barr viral Bcl-2 protein induces apoptosis in infected cells

PubMed Central

Shen, Betty W.; Song, Yifan; Frayo, Shani; Convertine, Anthony J.; Margineantu, Daciana; Booth, Garrett; Correia, Bruno E.; Cheng, Yuanhua; Schief, William R.; Hockenbery, David M.; Press, Oliver W.; Stoddard, Barry L.; Stayton, Patrick S.; Baker, David

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Since apoptosis of infected cells can limit virus production and spread, some viruses have co-opted prosurvival genes from the host. This includes the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) gene BHRF1, a homologue of human Bcl-2 proteins that block apoptosis and are associated with cancer. Computational design and experimental optimization were used to generate a novel protein called BINDI that binds BHRF1 with picomolar affinity. BINDI recognizes the hydrophobic cleft of BHRF1 in a manner similar to other Bcl-2 protein interactions, but makes many additional contacts to achieve exceptional affinity and specificity. BINDI induces apoptosis in EBV-infected cancer lines, and when delivered with an antibody-targeted intracellular delivery carrier, BINDI suppressed tumor growth and extended survival in a xenograft disease model of EBV-positive human lymphoma. High specificity designed proteins that selectively kill target cells may provide an advantage over the toxic compounds used in current generation antibody-drug conjugates. PMID:24949974

16 CFR § 1702.10 - Human experimental data involving the testing of human subjects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Human experimental data involving the testing of human subjects. § 1702.10 Section § 1702.10 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY... PREVENTION PACKAGING ACT REQUIREMENTS; PETITION PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS § 1702.10 Human experimental data...

Human Health Effects of Biphenyl: Key Findings and Scientific Issues.

PubMed

Li, Zheng; Hogan, Karen A; Cai, Christine; Rieth, Susan

2016-06-01

In support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated the human health hazards of biphenyl exposure. We review key findings and scientific issues regarding expected human health effects of biphenyl. Scientific literature from 1926 through September 2012 was critically evaluated to identify potential human health hazards associated with biphenyl exposure. Key issues related to the carcinogenicity and noncancer health hazards of biphenyl were examined based on evidence from experimental animal bioassays and mechanistic studies. Systematic consideration of experimental animal studies of oral biphenyl exposure took into account the variety of study designs (e.g., study sizes, exposure levels, and exposure durations) to reconcile differing reported results. The available mechanistic and toxicokinetic evidence supports the hypothesis that male rat urinary bladder tumors arise through urinary bladder calculi formation but is insufficient to hypothesize a mode of action for liver tumors in female mice. Biphenyl and its metabolites may induce genetic damage, but a role for genotoxicity in biphenyl-induced carcinogenicity has not been established. The available health effects data for biphenyl provides suggestive evidence for carcinogenicity in humans, based on increased incidences of male rat urinary bladder tumors at high exposure levels and on female mouse liver tumors. Kidney toxicity is also a potential human health hazard of biphenyl exposure. Li Z, Hogan KA, Cai C, Rieth S. 2016. Human health effects of biphenyl: key findings and scientific issues. Environ Health Perspect 124:703-712; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509730.

Guidelines for pre-clinical assessment of the acetylcholine receptor-specific passive transfer myasthenia gravis model - recommendations for methods and experimental designs

PubMed Central

Kusner, Linda L.; Losen, Mario; Vincent, Angela; Lindstrom, Jon; Tzartos, Socrates; Lazaridis, Konstantinos; Martinez-Martinez, Pilar

2015-01-01

Antibodies against the muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) are the most common cause of myasthenia gravis (MG). Passive transfer of AChR antibodies from MG patients into animals reproduces key features of human disease, including antigenic modulation of the AChR, complement-mediated damage of the neuromuscular junction, and muscle weakness. Similarly, AChR antibodies generated by active immunization in experimental autoimmune MG models can subsequently be passively transferred to other animals and induce weakness. The passive transfer model is useful to test therapeutic strategies aimed at the effector mechanism of the autoantibodies. Here we summarize published and unpublished experience using the AChR passive transfer MG model in mice, rats and rhesus monkeys, and give recommendations for the design of preclinical studies in order to facilitate translation of positive and negative results to improve MG therapies. PMID:25743217

The Neuroprotective Effects of Thymoquinone: A Review

PubMed Central

Farkhondeh, Tahereh; Samarghandian, Saeed; Samini, Fariborz

2018-01-01

Thymoquinone (TQ), one of the main components active of Nigella sativa, exhibited very useful biomedical effects such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, anticancer, hypoglycemic, antihypertensive, and antiasthmatic effects. There are several studies about pharmacological activities of TQ but its neuroprotection effects are not fully described. The literature search has indicated many studies pertaining to the effects of TQ in neurological problems such as epilepsy, parkinsonism, anxiety, and improvement of learning and memory, and so on. In addition, TQ protected brain cells from various injuries due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and apoptotic effects in cell line and experimental animal models. The present study has been designed to review the scientific literature about the pharmacological activities of TQ to the neurological diseases. This study purposed that although experimental studies indicated the beneficial effects of TQ against nervous system problems, better designed clinical trials in humans are needed to confirm these effects. PMID:29662431

Optimizing Associative Experimental Design for Protein Crystallization Screening

PubMed Central

Dinç, Imren; Pusey, Marc L.; Aygün, Ramazan S.

2016-01-01

The goal of protein crystallization screening is the determination of the main factors of importance to crystallizing the protein under investigation. One of the major issues about determining these factors is that screening is often expanded to many hundreds or thousands of conditions to maximize combinatorial chemical space coverage for maximizing the chances of a successful (crystalline) outcome. In this paper, we propose an experimental design method called “Associative Experimental Design (AED)” and an optimization method includes eliminating prohibited combinations and prioritizing reagents based on AED analysis of results from protein crystallization experiments. AED generates candidate cocktails based on these initial screening results. These results are analyzed to determine those screening factors in chemical space that are most likely to lead to higher scoring outcomes, crystals. We have tested AED on three proteins derived from the hyperthermophile Thermococcus thioreducens, and we applied an optimization method to these proteins. Our AED method generated novel cocktails (count provided in parentheses) leading to crystals for three proteins as follows: Nucleoside diphosphate kinase (4), HAD superfamily hydrolase (2), Nucleoside kinase (1). After getting promising results, we have tested our optimization method on four different proteins. The AED method with optimization yielded 4, 3, and 20 crystalline conditions for holo Human Transferrin, archaeal exosome protein, and Nucleoside diphosphate kinase, respectively. PMID:26955046

Space Station Human Factors: Designing a Human-Robot Interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rochlis, Jennifer L.; Clarke, John Paul; Goza, S. Michael

2001-01-01

The experiments described in this paper are part of a larger joint MIT/NASA research effort and focus on the development of a methodology for designing and evaluating integrated interfaces for highly dexterous and multifunctional telerobot. Specifically, a telerobotic workstation is being designed for an Extravehicular Activity (EVA) anthropomorphic space station telerobot called Robonaut. Previous researchers have designed telerobotic workstations based upon performance of discrete subsets of tasks (for example, peg-in-hole, tracking, etc.) without regard for transitions that operators go through between tasks performed sequentially in the context of larger integrated tasks. The experiments presented here took an integrated approach to describing teleoperator performance and assessed how subjects operating a full-immersion telerobot perform during fine position and gross position tasks. In addition, a Robonaut simulation was also developed as part of this research effort, and experimentally tested against Robonaut itself to determine its utility. Results show that subject performance of teleoperated tasks using both Robonaut and the simulation are virtually identical, with no significant difference between the two. These results indicate that the simulation can be utilized as both a Robonaut training tool, and as a powerful design platform for telepresence displays and aids.

Numerically based design of an orifice plate flowmetering system for human respiratory flow monitoring.

PubMed

Fortuna, A O; Gurd, J R

1999-01-01

During certain medical procedures, it is important to continuously measure the respiratory flow of a patient, as lack of proper ventilation can cause brain damage and ultimately death. The monitoring of the ventilatory condition of a patient is usually performed with the aid of flowmeters. However, water and other secretions present in the expired air can build up and ultimately block a traditional, restriction-based flowmeter; by using an orifice plate flowmeter, such blockages are minimized. This paper describes the design of an orifice plate flowmetering system including, especially, a description of the numerical and computational techniques adopted in order to simulate human respiratory and sinusoidal air flow across various possible designs for the orifice plate flowmeter device. Parallel computation and multigrid techniques were employed in order to reduce execution time. The simulated orifice plate was later built and tested under unsteady sinusoidal flows. Experimental tests show reasonable agreement with the numerical simulation, thereby reinforcing the general hypothesis that computational exploration of the design space is sufficiently accurate to allow designers of such systems to use this in preference to the more traditional, mechanical prototyping techniques.

Experimental animal studies of radon and cigarette smoke

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cross, F.T.; Dagle, G.E.; Gies, R.A.

Cigarette-smoking is a dominant cause of lung cancer and confounds risk assessment of exposure to radon decay products. Evidence in humans on the interaction between cigarette-smoking and exposure to radon decay products, although limited, indicates a possible synergy. Experimental animal data, in addition to showing synergy, also show a decrease or no change in risk with added cigarette-smoke exposures. This article reviews previous animal data developed at Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires and Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) on mixed exposures to radon and cigarette smoke, and highlights new initiation-promotion-initiation (IPI) studies at PNL that were designed within the framework ofmore » a two-mutation carcinogenesis model. Also presented are the PNL exposure system, experimental protocols, dosimetry, and biological data observed to date in IPI animals.« less

Design of experimental studies of human performance under influences of simulated artificial gravity. [effects of rotation on psychomotor tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piland, W. M.; Hausch, H. G.; Maraman, G. V.; Green, J. A.

1973-01-01

A ground based research program is now being undertaken to provide data concerning the effects of a rotating environment on man's ability to adequately perform gross and fine psychomotor tasks. Emphasis is being placed on establishing the levels of artificial gravity and rates and radii of rotation required in future space systems for preservation of crew performance and comfort. An experimental study utilizing a rotational facility to investigate crew mobility, cargo transfer and handling, and fine motor coordination at radii up to 24 meters and at rotational rates up to 5 rpm is reported.

Engineering and simulation of life science Spacelab experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bush, B.; Rummel, J.; Johnston, R. S.

1977-01-01

Approaches to the planning and realization of Spacelab life sciences experiments, which may involve as many as 16 Space Shuttle missions and 100 tests, are discussed. In particular, a Spacelab simulation program, designed to evaluate problems associated with the use of live animal specimens, the constraints imposed by zero gravity on equipment operation, training of investigators and data management, is described. The simulated facility approximates the hardware and support systems of a current European Space Agency Spacelab model. Preparations necessary for the experimental program, such as crew activity plans, payload documentation and inflight experimental procedures are developed; health problems of the crew, including human/animal microbial contamination, are also assessed.

A conceptual design study of the reusable reentry satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swenson, Byron L.; Mascy, Alfred C.; Carter, Bruce; Cartledge, Alan; Corridan, Robert E.; Edsinger, Larry E.; Jackson, Robert W.; Keller, Robert; Murbach, Marcus S.; Wercinski, Paul F.

1988-01-01

Experimentation leading to an understanding of life processes under reduced and extremely low gravitational forces will profoundly contribute to the success of future space missions involving humans. In addition to research on gravitational biology, research on the effects of cosmic radiation and the interruption and change of circadian rhythms on life systems is also of prime importance. Research in space, however, is currently viewed by biological scientists as an arena that is essential, yet largely inaccessible to them for their experimentation. To fulfill this need, a project and spacecraft system described as the Reusuable Reentry Satellite or Lifesat has been proposed by NASA.

Assessing the Penetrating Abilities of Experimental Preparation with Dental Infiltrant Features Using Optical Microscope: Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Skucha-Nowak, Małgorzata; Machorowska-Pieniążek, Agnieszka; Tanasiewicz, Marta

2016-01-01

The aim of the infiltration technique is to penetrate demineralized enamel with a low viscosity resin. Icon® (DMG) is the first ever and so far the only dental infiltrant. Bacteriostaticity is one of the properties that should be inherent in dental infiltrants, but Icon lacks this feature. The aim of the preliminary study was to properly choose a dye which would allow us to assess the penetrating abilities of our own, experimental preparation with features of a dental infiltrant with bacteriostatic properties and to compare using an optical microscope the depth of infiltration of the designed experimental preparation with the infiltrant available on the market. The preparation is supposed to infiltrate decalcified human enamel and be assessed with an optical microscope. Eosin, neutral fuchsine and methylene blue were added to experimental preparation with dental infiltrant features and to Icon® (DMG) in order to assess the depth of penetration of the experimental solution into the decalcified layers of enamel. The experimental solution mixes well with eosin, neutral fuchsine, and methylene blue. During the preliminary study, the authors concluded that the experimental solution mixes well with methylene blue, neutral fuchsine, and eosin. An addition of eosin to a preparation which infiltrates inner, demineralized enamel layers, facilitates the assessment of such a preparation with an optical microscope. A designed experimental solution with the main ingredients, i.e., 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) with a ratio of 75% to 25% penetrates the demineralized (decalcified) inner parts of the enamel and polymerizes when exposed to light. In order to assess the infiltration of the experimental solution into the demineralized enamel layers, it is required to improve the measurement techniques that utilize optical microscopy.

Collective movements of pedestrians: How we can learn from simple experiments with non-human (ant) crowds

PubMed Central

Sarvi, Majid

2017-01-01

Introduction Understanding collective behavior of moving organisms and how interactions between individuals govern their collective motion has triggered a growing number of studies. Similarities have been observed between the scale-free behavioral aspects of various systems (i.e. groups of fish, ants, and mammals). Investigation of such connections between the collective motion of non-human organisms and that of humans however, has been relatively scarce. The problem demands for particular attention in the context of emergency escape motion for which innovative experimentation with panicking ants has been recently employed as a relatively inexpensive and non-invasive approach. However, little empirical evidence has been provided as to the relevance and reliability of this approach as a model of human behaviour. Methods This study explores pioneer experiments of emergency escape to tackle this question and to connect two forms of experimental observations that investigate the collective movement at macroscopic level. A large number of experiments with human and panicking ants are conducted representing the escape behavior of these systems in crowded spaces. The experiments share similar architectural structures in which two streams of crowd flow merge with one another. Measures such as discharge flow rates and the probability distribution of passage headways are extracted and compared between the two systems. Findings Our findings displayed an unexpected degree of similarity between the collective patterns emerged from both observation types, particularly based on aggregate measures. Experiments with ants and humans commonly indicated how significantly the efficiency of motion and the rate of discharge depend on the architectural design of the movement environment. Practical applications Our findings contribute to the accumulation of evidence needed to identify the boarders of applicability of experimentation with crowds of non-human entities as models of human collective motion as well as the level of measurements (i.e. macroscopic or microscopic) and the type of contexts at which reliable inferences can be drawn. This particularly has implications in the context of experimenting evacuation behaviour for which recruiting human subjects may face ethical restrictions. The findings, at minimum, offer promise as to the potential benefit of piloting such experiments with non-human crowds, thereby forming better-informed hypotheses. PMID:28854221

Collective movements of pedestrians: How we can learn from simple experiments with non-human (ant) crowds.

PubMed

Shahhoseini, Zahra; Sarvi, Majid

2017-01-01

Understanding collective behavior of moving organisms and how interactions between individuals govern their collective motion has triggered a growing number of studies. Similarities have been observed between the scale-free behavioral aspects of various systems (i.e. groups of fish, ants, and mammals). Investigation of such connections between the collective motion of non-human organisms and that of humans however, has been relatively scarce. The problem demands for particular attention in the context of emergency escape motion for which innovative experimentation with panicking ants has been recently employed as a relatively inexpensive and non-invasive approach. However, little empirical evidence has been provided as to the relevance and reliability of this approach as a model of human behaviour. This study explores pioneer experiments of emergency escape to tackle this question and to connect two forms of experimental observations that investigate the collective movement at macroscopic level. A large number of experiments with human and panicking ants are conducted representing the escape behavior of these systems in crowded spaces. The experiments share similar architectural structures in which two streams of crowd flow merge with one another. Measures such as discharge flow rates and the probability distribution of passage headways are extracted and compared between the two systems. Our findings displayed an unexpected degree of similarity between the collective patterns emerged from both observation types, particularly based on aggregate measures. Experiments with ants and humans commonly indicated how significantly the efficiency of motion and the rate of discharge depend on the architectural design of the movement environment. Our findings contribute to the accumulation of evidence needed to identify the boarders of applicability of experimentation with crowds of non-human entities as models of human collective motion as well as the level of measurements (i.e. macroscopic or microscopic) and the type of contexts at which reliable inferences can be drawn. This particularly has implications in the context of experimenting evacuation behaviour for which recruiting human subjects may face ethical restrictions. The findings, at minimum, offer promise as to the potential benefit of piloting such experiments with non-human crowds, thereby forming better-informed hypotheses.

A perinatal signature of light on chronobiology? If so, numerous questions arise and experimental animal research must provide more information.

PubMed

Erren, Thomas C; Reiter, Russel J; Meyer-Rochow, V Benno

2012-01-01

That light and melatonin rhythms provide both clock and calendar information in humans and numerous other species is beyond dispute; this holds true for all stages of life, including the very early ones. Experimental evidence elucidates that exposure to light and melatonin titres are keys for the very development of circadian and seasonal rhythms. As evinced by a 2011 publication in Nature Neuroscience such awareness could impact considerably on the design and conduct of experimental studies as well as their subsequent analyses, interpretations and comparisons. Therefore "when and how experimental animals were bred, developed and raised" may be critical when experimenting with animals generally, and not just rodents. As long as the suggested imprinting of circadian system stability via light cues is not falsified, the perinatal season or perinatal experimental light:dark [L:D] conditions that an animal was kept under should be routinely recorded, published and considered in analysing and interpreting study data.

How to design and fly your humanly space object in space?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balint, Tibor; Hall, Ashley

2016-06-01

Today's space exploration, both robotic- and human-exploration driven, is dominated by objects and artifacts which are mostly conceived, designed and built through technology and engineering approaches. They are functional, reliable, safe, and expensive. Building on considerations and concepts established in an earlier paper, we can state that the current approach leaves very little room for art and design based objects, as organizations-typically led by engineers, project and business managers-see the inclusion of these disciplines and artifacts as nice to have instead of a genuine need, let alone requirement. In this paper we will offer initial discussions about where design and engineering practices are different or similar and how to bridge them and highlight the benefits that domains such as design or art can offer to space exploration. Some of the design considerations and approaches will be demonstrated through the double diamond of divergence-convergence cycles of design, leading to an experimental piece called a ;cybernetic astronaut chair;, which was designed as a form of abstraction and discussion point to highlight a subset of concepts and ideas that designers may consider when designing objects for space use, with attention to human-centered or humanly interactions. Although there are few suggested functional needs for chairs in space, they can provide reassuring emotional experiences from home, while being far away from home. In zero gravity, back-to-back seats provide affordances-or add variety in a cybernetic sense-to accommodate two astronauts simultaneously, while implying the circularity of cybernetics in a rather symbolic way. The cybernetic astronaut chair allows us to refine the three-actor model proposed in a previous paper, defining the circular interactions between the artist or designer; object or process; and user or observer. We will also dedicate a brief discussion to the process of navigating through the complex regulations of space agencies, from solicitations through development and testing, to space flight. The provided insights to designers and artists, related to agency-driven processes and requirements, may help to deconvolute the steps and may lead to flying their objects or artifacts in space.

Optimized Assistive Human-Robot Interaction Using Reinforcement Learning.

PubMed

Modares, Hamidreza; Ranatunga, Isura; Lewis, Frank L; Popa, Dan O

2016-03-01

An intelligent human-robot interaction (HRI) system with adjustable robot behavior is presented. The proposed HRI system assists the human operator to perform a given task with minimum workload demands and optimizes the overall human-robot system performance. Motivated by human factor studies, the presented control structure consists of two control loops. First, a robot-specific neuro-adaptive controller is designed in the inner loop to make the unknown nonlinear robot behave like a prescribed robot impedance model as perceived by a human operator. In contrast to existing neural network and adaptive impedance-based control methods, no information of the task performance or the prescribed robot impedance model parameters is required in the inner loop. Then, a task-specific outer-loop controller is designed to find the optimal parameters of the prescribed robot impedance model to adjust the robot's dynamics to the operator skills and minimize the tracking error. The outer loop includes the human operator, the robot, and the task performance details. The problem of finding the optimal parameters of the prescribed robot impedance model is transformed into a linear quadratic regulator (LQR) problem which minimizes the human effort and optimizes the closed-loop behavior of the HRI system for a given task. To obviate the requirement of the knowledge of the human model, integral reinforcement learning is used to solve the given LQR problem. Simulation results on an x - y table and a robot arm, and experimental implementation results on a PR2 robot confirm the suitability of the proposed method.

CamOptimus: a tool for exploiting complex adaptive evolution to optimize experiments and processes in biotechnology

PubMed Central

Cankorur-Cetinkaya, Ayca; Dias, Joao M. L.; Kludas, Jana; Slater, Nigel K. H.; Rousu, Juho; Dikicioglu, Duygu

2017-01-01

Multiple interacting factors affect the performance of engineered biological systems in synthetic biology projects. The complexity of these biological systems means that experimental design should often be treated as a multiparametric optimization problem. However, the available methodologies are either impractical, due to a combinatorial explosion in the number of experiments to be performed, or are inaccessible to most experimentalists due to the lack of publicly available, user-friendly software. Although evolutionary algorithms may be employed as alternative approaches to optimize experimental design, the lack of simple-to-use software again restricts their use to specialist practitioners. In addition, the lack of subsidiary approaches to further investigate critical factors and their interactions prevents the full analysis and exploitation of the biotechnological system. We have addressed these problems and, here, provide a simple‐to‐use and freely available graphical user interface to empower a broad range of experimental biologists to employ complex evolutionary algorithms to optimize their experimental designs. Our approach exploits a Genetic Algorithm to discover the subspace containing the optimal combination of parameters, and Symbolic Regression to construct a model to evaluate the sensitivity of the experiment to each parameter under investigation. We demonstrate the utility of this method using an example in which the culture conditions for the microbial production of a bioactive human protein are optimized. CamOptimus is available through: (https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.10257). PMID:28635591

Group attributional training as an effective approach to human resource development under team work systems.

PubMed

Wang, Z M

1994-07-01

An experimental programme of group attributional training under team work system was conducted as part of human resource development in Chinese industrial enterprises. One hundred and ten shopfloor employees participated in the study. Among them, 58 employees took part in the factorial-designed experiment to find out the effects of attributions on performance, and 52 employees of ten work groups participated in the group attributional training programme twice a week for two months. The results showed that the group attributional training was effective in modifying employees' attributional patterns and enhancing group performance and satisfaction. On the basis of the results, an attributional model of work motivation is proposed, and its theoretical and practical implications for human resource management discussed.

Clearance Prediction Methodology Needs Fundamental Improvement: Trends Common to Rat and Human Hepatocytes/Microsomes and Implications for Experimental Methodology.

PubMed

Wood, F L; Houston, J B; Hallifax, D

2017-11-01

Although prediction of clearance using hepatocytes and liver microsomes has long played a decisive role in drug discovery, it is widely acknowledged that reliably accurate prediction is not yet achievable despite the predominance of hepatically cleared drugs. Physiologically mechanistic methodology tends to underpredict clearance by several fold, and empirical correction of this bias is confounded by imprecision across drugs. Understanding the causes of prediction uncertainty has been slow, possibly reflecting poor resolution of variables associated with donor source and experimental methods, particularly for the human situation. It has been reported that among published human hepatocyte predictions there was a tendency for underprediction to increase with increasing in vivo intrinsic clearance, suggesting an inherent limitation using this particular system. This implied an artifactual rate limitation in vitro, although preparative effects on cell stability and performance were not yet resolved from assay design limitations. Here, to resolve these issues further, we present an up-to-date and comprehensive examination of predictions from published rat as well as human studies (where n = 128 and 101 hepatocytes and n = 71 and 83 microsomes, respectively) to assess system performance more independently. We report a clear trend of increasing underprediction with increasing in vivo intrinsic clearance, which is similar both between species and between in vitro systems. Hence, prior concerns arising specifically from human in vitro systems may be unfounded and the focus of investigation in the future should be to minimize the potential in vitro assay limitations common to whole cells and subcellular fractions. Copyright © 2017 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Development and investigation of MOEMS type displacement-pressure sensor for biological information monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostasevicius, Vytautas; Malinauskas, Karolis; Janusas, Giedrius; Palevicius, Arvydas; Cekas, Elingas

2016-04-01

The aim of this paper is to develop and investigate MOEMS displacement-pressure sensor for biological information monitoring. Developing computational periodical microstructure models using COMSOL Multiphysics modeling software for modal and shape analysis and implementation of these results for design MOEMS displacement-pressure sensor for biological information monitoring was performed. The micro manufacturing technology of periodical microstructure having good diffraction efficiency was proposed. Experimental setup for characterisation of optical properties of periodical microstructure used for design of displacement-pressure sensor was created. Pulsating human artery dynamic characteristics in this paper were analysed.

Development of a Dynamic Biomechanical Model for Load Carriage: Phase 4, Part C2: Assessment of Pressure Measurement Systems on Curved Surfaces for the Dynamic Biomechanical Model of Human Load Carriage

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-01

excellente justesse comparativement au F-Scan® pendant les essais sur le modèle de hanche. Les deux systèmes présentaient un certain degré de variation...in appendix C. The experimental design consisted of three steps (See Figure 1). Two were undertaken using a physical model for the shoulder in order...increase in accuracy error compared to Table 1 suggests that the current software for the XSENSOR® system is not designed to compensate for errors

Evaluation and Design of Genome-Wide CRISPR/SpCas9 Knockout Screens

PubMed Central

Hart, Traver; Tong, Amy Hin Yan; Chan, Katie; Van Leeuwen, Jolanda; Seetharaman, Ashwin; Aregger, Michael; Chandrashekhar, Megha; Hustedt, Nicole; Seth, Sahil; Noonan, Avery; Habsid, Andrea; Sizova, Olga; Nedyalkova, Lyudmila; Climie, Ryan; Tworzyanski, Leanne; Lawson, Keith; Sartori, Maria Augusta; Alibeh, Sabriyeh; Tieu, David; Masud, Sanna; Mero, Patricia; Weiss, Alexander; Brown, Kevin R.; Usaj, Matej; Billmann, Maximilian; Rahman, Mahfuzur; Costanzo, Michael; Myers, Chad L.; Andrews, Brenda J.; Boone, Charles; Durocher, Daniel; Moffat, Jason

2017-01-01

The adaptation of CRISPR/SpCas9 technology to mammalian cell lines is transforming the study of human functional genomics. Pooled libraries of CRISPR guide RNAs (gRNAs) targeting human protein-coding genes and encoded in viral vectors have been used to systematically create gene knockouts in a variety of human cancer and immortalized cell lines, in an effort to identify whether these knockouts cause cellular fitness defects. Previous work has shown that CRISPR screens are more sensitive and specific than pooled-library shRNA screens in similar assays, but currently there exists significant variability across CRISPR library designs and experimental protocols. In this study, we reanalyze 17 genome-scale knockout screens in human cell lines from three research groups, using three different genome-scale gRNA libraries. Using the Bayesian Analysis of Gene Essentiality algorithm to identify essential genes, we refine and expand our previously defined set of human core essential genes from 360 to 684 genes. We use this expanded set of reference core essential genes, CEG2, plus empirical data from six CRISPR knockout screens to guide the design of a sequence-optimized gRNA library, the Toronto KnockOut version 3.0 (TKOv3) library. We then demonstrate the high effectiveness of the library relative to reference sets of essential and nonessential genes, as well as other screens using similar approaches. The optimized TKOv3 library, combined with the CEG2 reference set, provide an efficient, highly optimized platform for performing and assessing gene knockout screens in human cell lines. PMID:28655737

Simulating Ideal Assistive Devices to Reduce the Metabolic Cost of Running

PubMed Central

Uchida, Thomas K.; Seth, Ajay; Pouya, Soha; Dembia, Christopher L.; Hicks, Jennifer L.; Delp, Scott L.

2016-01-01

Tools have been used for millions of years to augment the capabilities of the human body, allowing us to accomplish tasks that would otherwise be difficult or impossible. Powered exoskeletons and other assistive devices are sophisticated modern tools that have restored bipedal locomotion in individuals with paraplegia and have endowed unimpaired individuals with superhuman strength. Despite these successes, designing assistive devices that reduce energy consumption during running remains a substantial challenge, in part because these devices disrupt the dynamics of a complex, finely tuned biological system. Furthermore, designers have hitherto relied primarily on experiments, which cannot report muscle-level energy consumption and are fraught with practical challenges. In this study, we use OpenSim to generate muscle-driven simulations of 10 human subjects running at 2 and 5 m/s. We then add ideal, massless assistive devices to our simulations and examine the predicted changes in muscle recruitment patterns and metabolic power consumption. Our simulations suggest that an assistive device should not necessarily apply the net joint moment generated by muscles during unassisted running, and an assistive device can reduce the activity of muscles that do not cross the assisted joint. Our results corroborate and suggest biomechanical explanations for similar effects observed by experimentalists, and can be used to form hypotheses for future experimental studies. The models, simulations, and software used in this study are freely available at simtk.org and can provide insight into assistive device design that complements experimental approaches. PMID:27656901

Rational design and synthesis of altered peptide ligands based on human myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35-55 epitope: inhibition of chronic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice.

PubMed

Tselios, Theodore; Aggelidakis, Mihalis; Tapeinou, Anthi; Tseveleki, Vivian; Kanistras, Ioannis; Gatos, Dimitrios; Matsoukas, John

2014-11-04

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system and is an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Although the etiology of MS remains unclear, there is evidence T-cell recognition of immunodominant epitopes of myelin proteins, such as the 35-55 epitope of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), plays a pathogenic role in the induction of chronic EAE. Cyclization of peptides is of great interest since the limited stability of linear peptides restricts their potential use as therapeutic agents. Herein, we have designed and synthesized a number of linear and cyclic peptides by mutating crucial T cell receptor (TCR) contact residues of the human MOG35-55 epitope. In particular, we have designed and synthesized cyclic altered peptide ligands (APLs) by mutating Arg41 with Ala or Arg41 and Arg46 with Ala. The peptides were synthesized in solid phase on 2-chlorotrityl chloride resin (CLTR-Cl) using the Fmoc/t-Bu methodology. The purity of final products was verified by RP-HPLC and their identification was achieved by ESI-MS. It was found that the substitutions of Arg at positions 41 and 46 with Ala results in peptide analogues that reduce the severity of MOG-induced EAE clinical symptoms in C57BL/6 mice when co-administered with mouse MOG35-55 peptide at the time of immunization.

Predicting Human Cooperation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nay, John J.; Vorobeychik, Yevgeniy; Xia, Cheng -Yi

The Prisoner’s Dilemma has been a subject of extensive research due to its importance in understanding the ever-present tension between individual self-interest and social benefit. A strictly dominant strategy in a Prisoner’s Dilemma (defection), when played by both players, is mutually harmful. Repetition of the Prisoner’s Dilemma can give rise to cooperation as an equilibrium, but defection is as well, and this ambiguity is difficult to resolve. The numerous behavioral experiments investigating the Prisoner’s Dilemma highlight that players often cooperate, but the level of cooperation varies significantly with the specifics of the experimental predicament. We present the first computational modelmore » of human behavior in repeated Prisoner’s Dilemma games that unifies the diversity of experimental observations in a systematic and quantitatively reliable manner. Our model relies on data we integrated from many experiments, comprising 168,386 individual decisions. The model is composed of two pieces: the first predicts the first-period action using solely the structural game parameters, while the second predicts dynamic actions using both game parameters and history of play. Our model is successful not merely at fitting the data, but in predicting behavior at multiple scales in experimental designs not used for calibration, using only information about the game structure. As a result, we demonstrate the power of our approach through a simulation analysis revealing how to best promote human cooperation.« less

Predicting Human Cooperation

DOE PAGES

Nay, John J.; Vorobeychik, Yevgeniy; Xia, Cheng -Yi

2016-05-12

The Prisoner’s Dilemma has been a subject of extensive research due to its importance in understanding the ever-present tension between individual self-interest and social benefit. A strictly dominant strategy in a Prisoner’s Dilemma (defection), when played by both players, is mutually harmful. Repetition of the Prisoner’s Dilemma can give rise to cooperation as an equilibrium, but defection is as well, and this ambiguity is difficult to resolve. The numerous behavioral experiments investigating the Prisoner’s Dilemma highlight that players often cooperate, but the level of cooperation varies significantly with the specifics of the experimental predicament. We present the first computational modelmore » of human behavior in repeated Prisoner’s Dilemma games that unifies the diversity of experimental observations in a systematic and quantitatively reliable manner. Our model relies on data we integrated from many experiments, comprising 168,386 individual decisions. The model is composed of two pieces: the first predicts the first-period action using solely the structural game parameters, while the second predicts dynamic actions using both game parameters and history of play. Our model is successful not merely at fitting the data, but in predicting behavior at multiple scales in experimental designs not used for calibration, using only information about the game structure. As a result, we demonstrate the power of our approach through a simulation analysis revealing how to best promote human cooperation.« less

Predicting Human Cooperation

PubMed Central

Nay, John J.; Vorobeychik, Yevgeniy

2016-01-01

The Prisoner’s Dilemma has been a subject of extensive research due to its importance in understanding the ever-present tension between individual self-interest and social benefit. A strictly dominant strategy in a Prisoner’s Dilemma (defection), when played by both players, is mutually harmful. Repetition of the Prisoner’s Dilemma can give rise to cooperation as an equilibrium, but defection is as well, and this ambiguity is difficult to resolve. The numerous behavioral experiments investigating the Prisoner’s Dilemma highlight that players often cooperate, but the level of cooperation varies significantly with the specifics of the experimental predicament. We present the first computational model of human behavior in repeated Prisoner’s Dilemma games that unifies the diversity of experimental observations in a systematic and quantitatively reliable manner. Our model relies on data we integrated from many experiments, comprising 168,386 individual decisions. The model is composed of two pieces: the first predicts the first-period action using solely the structural game parameters, while the second predicts dynamic actions using both game parameters and history of play. Our model is successful not merely at fitting the data, but in predicting behavior at multiple scales in experimental designs not used for calibration, using only information about the game structure. We demonstrate the power of our approach through a simulation analysis revealing how to best promote human cooperation. PMID:27171417

A common 'aggregation-prone' interface possibly participates in the self-assembly of human zona pellucida proteins.

PubMed

Louros, Nikolaos N; Chrysina, Evangelia D; Baltatzis, Georgios E; Patsouris, Efstratios S; Hamodrakas, Stavros J; Iconomidou, Vassiliki A

2016-03-01

Human zona pellucida (ZP) is composed of four glycoproteins, namely ZP1, ZP2, ZP3 and ZP4. ZP proteins form heterodimers, which are incorporated into filaments through a common bipartite polymerizing component, designated as the ZP domain. The latter is composed of two individually folded subdomains, named ZP-N and ZP-C. Here, we have synthesized six 'aggregation-prone' peptides, corresponding to a common interface of human ZP2, ZP3 and ZP4. Experimental results utilizing electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, ATR FT-IR spectroscopy and polarizing microscopy indicate that these peptides self-assemble forming fibrils with distinct amyloid-like features. Finally, by performing detailed modeling and docking, we attempt to shed some light in the self-assembly mechanism of human ZP proteins. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-09-15

Virtual Reality (VR) can provide cost effective methods to design and evaluate components and systems for maintenance and refurbishment operations. Marshall SPace Flight Center (MSFC) is begirning to utilize VR for design analysis in the X-34 experimental reusable space vehicle. Analysts at MSFC's Computer Applications and Virtual Environments (CAVE) used Head Mounted Displays (HMD) (pictured), spatial trackers and gesture inputs as a means to animate or inhabit a properly sized virtual human model. These models are used in a VR scenario as a way to determine functionality of space and maintenance requirements for the virtual X-34. The primary functions of the virtual X-34 mockup is to support operations development and design analysis for engine removal, the engine compartment and the aft fuselage. This capability provides general visualization support to engineers and designers at MSFC and to the System Design Freeze Review at Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC).

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-12-15

Virtual Reality (VR) can provide cost effective methods to design and evaluate components and systems for maintenance and refurbishment operations. Marshall Spce Flight Center (MSFC) is begirning to utilize VR for design analysis in the X-34 experimental reusable space vehicle. Analysts at MSFC's Computer Applications and Virtual Environments (CAVE) used Head Mounted Displays (HMD) (pictured), spatial trackers and gesture inputs as a means to animate or inhabit a properly sized virtual human model. These models are used in a VR scenario as a way to determine functionality of space and maintenance requirements for the virtual X-34. The primary functions of the virtual X-34 mockup is to support operations development and design analysis for engine removal, the engine compartment and the aft fuselage. This capability provides general visualization support to engineers and designers at MSFC and to the System Design Freeze Review at Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC).

Visual and Auditory Sensitivities and Discriminations

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-03

Experimental Psychology : Human Perception and Performance, 26, 1721-1723. The data have also been reported to ECVP at the Trieste meeting, and to the Edinburgh...design to measure the disparity required to just detect the cyclopean test bars (Macmillan & Creelman , 1991). Each trial consisted of a single...conventionally (Macmillan & Creelman , 1991). Results Grating detection threshold (d =1.0) for observer 1 was estimated as 0.18 arc min peak-to-trough

National Reconnaissance Almanac

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

Germany. 1945 Mar. 19: The German V-2 program was abandoned, leaving rocket technology for capture by Allied forces. 1946 Apr. 16: The U.S. Army...first launched captured German V-2 rocket at White Sands, New Mexico during missile testing. May 2: RAND report, “Preliminary Design of Experimental...first human in space. May 5: LCDR Alan Shepard became first American in space during a brief sub-orbital flight. Aug. 30: USAF launched Corona

Diazepam and Its Effects on Psychophysiological Measures of Performance.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-01

effects and outlines recent research using diazepam to induce performance decrements. Results of the experiment showed no generalized substan- tive effect...or aspect of the evoked response at a time. To change, for example, from studying the evoked response to patterned stimuli to an experiment designed...tions in terms of the clinical assessment of neurological integrity and diagnosis. In experimental /human engineering settings, it is possible to

Computer-Aided Design of an Epitope-Based Vaccine against Epstein-Barr Virus

PubMed Central

Alonso-Padilla, Julio

2017-01-01

Epstein-Barr virus is a very common human virus that infects 90% of human adults. EBV replicates in epithelial and B cells and causes infectious mononucleosis. EBV infection is also linked to various cancers, including Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinomas, and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Currently, there are no effective drugs or vaccines to treat or prevent EBV infection. Herein, we applied a computer-aided strategy to design a prophylactic epitope vaccine ensemble from experimentally defined T and B cell epitopes. Such strategy relies on identifying conserved epitopes in conjunction with predictions of HLA presentation for T cell epitope selection and calculations of accessibility and flexibility for B cell epitope selection. The T cell component includes 14 CD8 T cell epitopes from early antigens and 4 CD4 T cell epitopes, targeted during the course of a natural infection and providing a population protection coverage of over 95% and 81.8%, respectively. The B cell component consists of 3 experimentally defined B cell epitopes from gp350 plus 4 predicted B cell epitopes from other EBV envelope glycoproteins, all mapping in flexible and solvent accessible regions. We discuss the rationale for the formulation and possible deployment of this epitope vaccine ensemble. PMID:29119120

Experimental characterization of the imaging properties of multifocal intraocular lenses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gobbi, Pier Giorgio; Fasce, Francesco; Bozza, Stefano; Brancato, Rosario

2003-07-01

Many different types of intraocular lenses (IOL) are currently available for implantation, both as crystalline lens replacements and as phakic refractive elements. Their optical design is increasingly sophisticated, including aspherical surface profiles and multi-zone multifocal structures, however a quantitative and comparative characterization of their imaging properties is lacking. Also a qualitative visualization of their properties would be very useful for patients in the lens choice process. To this end an experimental eye model has been developed to allow for simulated in-vivo testing of IOLs. The model cornea is made of PMMA with a dioptric power of 43 D, and it has an aspherical profile designed to minimize spherical aberration across the visible spectrum. The eye model has a variable iris and a mechanical support to accomodate IOLs, immersed in physiological solution. The eye length is variable and the retina is replaced by a glass plate. The image formed on this "retina" is optically conjugated to a CCD camera, with a suitable magnification in order to mimic the human fovea resolution, and displayed onto a monitor. With such an opto-mechanical eye model, two types of images have been used to characterize IOLs: letter charts and variable contrast gratings, in order to directly simulate human visual acuity and contrast sensitivity.

Social learning solves the problem of narrow-peaked search landscapes: experimental evidence in humans.

PubMed

Acerbi, Alberto; Tennie, Claudio; Mesoudi, Alex

2016-09-01

The extensive use of social learning is considered a major reason for the ecological success of humans. Theoretical considerations, models and experiments have explored the evolutionary basis of social learning, showing the conditions under which learning from others is more adaptive than individual learning. Here we present an extension of a previous experimental set-up, in which individuals go on simulated 'hunts' and their success depends on the features of a 'virtual arrowhead' they design. Individuals can modify their arrowhead either by individual trial and error or by copying others. We study how, in a multimodal adaptive landscape, the smoothness of the peaks influences learning. We compare narrow peaks, in which solutions close to optima do not provide useful feedback to individuals, to wide peaks, where smooth landscapes allow an effective hill-climbing individual learning strategy. We show that individual learning is more difficult in narrow-peaked landscapes, but that social learners perform almost equally well in both narrow- and wide-peaked search spaces. There was a weak trend for more copying in the narrow than wide condition, although as in previous experiments social information was generally underutilized. Our results highlight the importance of tasks' design space when studying the adaptiveness of high-fidelity social learning.

Modeling of leishmaniasis infection dynamics: novel application to the design of effective therapies

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The WHO considers leishmaniasis as one of the six most important tropical diseases worldwide. It is caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania that are passed on to humans and animals by the phlebotomine sandfly. Despite all of the research, there is still a lack of understanding on the metabolism of the parasite and the progression of the disease. In this study, a mathematical model of disease progression was developed based on experimental data of clinical symptoms, immunological responses, and parasite load for Leishmania amazonensis in BALB/c mice. Results Four biologically significant variables were chosen to develop a differential equation model based on the GMA power-law formalism. Parameters were determined to minimize error in the model dynamics and time series experimental data. Subsequently, the model robustness was tested and the model predictions were verified by comparing them with experimental observations made in different experimental conditions. The model obtained helps to quantify relationships between the selected variables, leads to a better understanding of disease progression, and aids in the identification of crucial points for introducing therapeutic methods. Conclusions Our model can be used to identify the biological factors that must be changed to minimize parasite load in the host body, and contributes to the design of effective therapies. PMID:22222070

Application of Plackett-Burman and Doehlert designs for optimization of selenium analysis in plasma with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.

PubMed

El Ati-Hellal, Myriam; Hellal, Fayçal; Hedhili, Abderrazek

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was the optimization of selenium determination in plasma samples with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using experimental design methodology. 11 variables being able to influence selenium analysis in human blood plasma by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) were evaluated with Plackett-Burman experimental design. These factors were selected from sample preparation, furnace program and chemical modification steps. Both absorbance and background signals were chosen as responses in the screening approach. Doehlert design was used for method optimization. Results showed that only ashing temperature has a statistically significant effect on the selected responses. Optimization with Doehlert design allowed the development of a reliable method for selenium analysis with ETAAS. Samples were diluted 1/10 with 0.05% (v/v) TritonX-100+2.5% (v/v) HNO3 solution. Optimized ashing and atomization temperatures for nickel modifier were 1070°C and 2270°C, respectively. A detection limit of 2.1μgL(-1) Se was obtained. Accuracy of the method was checked by the analysis of selenium in Seronorm™ Trace element quality control serum level 1. The developed procedure was applied for the analysis of total selenium in fifteen plasma samples with standard addition method. Concentrations ranged between 24.4 and 64.6μgL(-1), with a mean of 42.6±4.9μgL(-1). The use of experimental designs allowed the development of a cheap and accurate method for selenium analysis in plasma that could be applied routinely in clinical laboratories. Copyright © 2014 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Evidence for Human System Risk Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, S. L.; Van Baalen, M.; Rossi, M.; Riccio, G.; Romero, E.; Francisco, D.

2016-01-01

Understanding the kinds of evidence available and using the best evidence to answer a question is critical to evidenced-based decision-making, and it requires synthesis of evidence from a variety of sources. Categorization of human system risks in spaceflight, in particular, focuses on how well the integration and interpretation of all available evidence informs the risk statement that describes the relationship between spaceflight hazards and an outcome of interest. A mature understanding and categorization of these risks requires: 1) sufficient characterization of risk, 2) sufficient knowledge to determine an acceptable level of risk (i.e., a standard), 3) development of mitigations to meet the acceptable level of risk, and 4) identification of factors affecting generalizability of the evidence to different design reference missions. In the medical research community, evidence is often ranked by increasing confidence in findings gleaned from observational and experimental research (e.g., "levels of evidence"). However, an approach based solely on aspects of experimental design is problematic in assessing human system risks for spaceflight. For spaceflight, the unique challenges and opportunities include: (1) The independent variables in most evidence are the hazards of spaceflight, such as space radiation or low gravity, which cannot be entirely duplicated in terrestrial (Earth-based) analogs, (2) Evidence is drawn from multiple sources including medical and mission operations, Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH), spaceflight research (LSDA), and relevant environmental & terrestrial databases, (3) Risk metrics based primarily on LSAH data are typically derived from available prevalence or incidence data, which may limit rigorous interpretation, (4) The timeframe for obtaining adequate spaceflight sample size (n) is very long, given the small population, (5) Randomized controlled trials are unattainable in spaceflight, (6) Collection of personal and environmental data on the astronaut population may create opportunities for advanced analytics and human-environment modeling that goes beyond that achieved in isolated experimental designs; and (7) Translation of relevant research to operations is a complex, transdisciplinary enterprise in which the approach must apply across the physical, biological, behavioral, and social sciences. The approach to synthesizing evidence must address both source and fidelity of data, and reflect the most general attributes of quality of evidence in science and engineering: reliability and validity. The authors are developing a two-factor approach which includes the various kinds of evidence required to understand risks and for the integrated interpretation of all evidence that is essential to develop standards and countermeasures. A unified framework for aggregating and assessing different kinds of evidence provides a consistent, traceable, evidence-based decision-making process to translate research to operations in an environment where engineers, scientists, physicians, and managers all engage in analyzing the trade space of vehicle design, standards, requirements and solutions for spaceflight.

Guidance from an NIH Workshop on Designing, Implementing, and Reporting Clinical Studies of Soy Interventions1–4

PubMed Central

Klein, Marguerite A.; Nahin, Richard L.; Messina, Mark J.; Rader, Jeanne I.; Thompson, Lilian U.; Badger, Thomas M.; Dwyer, Johanna T.; Kim, Young S.; Pontzer, Carol H.; Starke-Reed, Pamela E.; Weaver, Connie M.

2010-01-01

The NIH sponsored a scientific workshop, “Soy Protein/Isoflavone Research: Challenges in Designing and Evaluating Intervention Studies,” July 28–29, 2009. The workshop goal was to provide guidance for the next generation of soy protein/isoflavone human research. Session topics included population exposure to soy; the variability of the human response to soy; product composition; methods, tools, and resources available to estimate exposure and protocol adherence; and analytical methods to assess soy in foods and supplements and analytes in biologic fluids and other tissues. The intent of the workshop was to address the quality of soy studies, not the efficacy or safety of soy. Prior NIH workshops and an evidence-based review questioned the quality of data from human soy studies. If clinical studies are pursued, investigators need to ensure that the experimental designs are optimal and the studies properly executed. The workshop participants identified methodological issues that may confound study results and interpretation. Scientifically sound and useful options for dealing with these issues were discussed. The resulting guidance is presented in this document with a brief rationale. The guidance is specific to soy clinical research and does not address nonsoy-related factors that should also be considered in designing and reporting clinical studies. This guidance may be used by investigators, journal editors, study sponsors, and protocol reviewers for a variety of purposes, including designing and implementing trials, reporting results, and interpreting published epidemiological and clinical studies. PMID:20392880

Graphical Models for Quasi-Experimental Designs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Yongnam; Steiner, Peter M.; Hall, Courtney E.; Su, Dan

2016-01-01

Experimental and quasi-experimental designs play a central role in estimating cause-effect relationships in education, psychology, and many other fields of the social and behavioral sciences. This paper presents and discusses the causal graphs of experimental and quasi-experimental designs. For quasi-experimental designs the authors demonstrate…

Computational and experimental models of the human torso for non-penetrating ballistic impact.

PubMed

Roberts, J C; Merkle, A C; Biermann, P J; Ward, E E; Carkhuff, B G; Cain, R P; O'Connor, J V

2007-01-01

Both computational finite element and experimental models of the human torso have been developed for ballistic impact testing. The human torso finite element model (HTFEM), including the thoracic skeletal structure and organs, was created in the finite element code LS-DYNA. The skeletal structure was assumed to be linear-elastic while all internal organs were modeled as viscoelastic. A physical human surrogate torso model (HSTM) was developed using biosimulant materials and the same anthropometry as the HTFEM. The HSTM response to impact was recorded with piezoresistive pressure sensors molded into the heart, liver and stomach and an accelerometer attached to the sternum. For experimentation, the HSTM was outfitted with National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Level I, IIa, II and IIIa soft armor vests. Twenty-six ballistic tests targeting the HSTM heart and liver were conducted with 22 caliber ammunition at a velocity of 329 m/s and 9 mm ammunition at velocities of 332, 358 and 430 m/s. The HSTM pressure response repeatability was found to vary by less than 10% for similar impact conditions. A comparison of the HSTM and HTFEM response showed similar pressure profiles and less than 35% peak pressure difference for organs near the ballistic impact point. Furthermore, the peak sternum accelerations of the HSTM and HTFEM varied by less than 10% for impacts over the sternum. These models provide comparative tools for determining the thoracic response to ballistic impact and could be used to evaluate soft body armor design and efficacy, determine thoracic injury mechanisms and assist with injury prevention.

Helping Survivors of Human Trafficking: A Systematic Review of Exit and Postexit Interventions.

PubMed

Dell, Nathaniel A; Maynard, Brandy R; Born, Kara R; Wagner, Elizabeth; Atkins, Bonnie; House, Whitney

2017-01-01

Human trafficking is a global problem and results in deleterious psychological, social, and physical effects on the lives of those who are trafficked; however, it is not clear how to best intervene with survivors. The purpose of this review was to synthesize the evidence of exit and postexit intervention programs for survivors of human trafficking to inform practice and research. Systematic review methods were used to search, select, and extract data from published and unpublished experimental, quasi-experimental, and preexperimental studies that assessed the effects of any exit or postexit interventions for victims of human trafficking. The authors searched eight databases, reviewed bibliographies, and conducted forward citation searches from relevant reports and prior reviews to find studies authored between 2005 and 2015. The search yielded six eligible studies that included 155 female and 6 male survivors from four countries. Interventions were diverse, with three using a trauma-informed approach. Authors measured a myriad of outcomes, including mental health, social network, community reintegration, and employment; however, the quality of most studies was poor. Evidence of effects of exit and postexit interventions is sparse, and much of the research is poorly designed and executed; however, the needs of trafficking survivors are complex and effective interventions are desperately needed. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

The sensing of poorly deformable red blood cells by the human spleen can be mimicked in vitro

PubMed Central

Deplaine, Guillaume; Safeukui, Innocent; Jeddi, Fakhri; Lacoste, François; Brousse, Valentine; Perrot, Sylvie; Biligui, Sylvestre; Guillotte, Micheline; Guitton, Corinne; Dokmak, Safi; Aussilhou, Béatrice; Sauvanet, Alain; Cazals Hatem, Dominique; Paye, François; Thellier, Marc; Mazier, Dominique; Milon, Geneviève; Mohandas, Narla; Mercereau-Puijalon, Odile; David, Peter H.

2011-01-01

Retention of poorly deformable red blood cells (RBCs) by the human spleen has been recognized as a critical determinant of pathogenesis in hereditary spherocytosis, malaria, and other RBC disorders. Using an ex vivo perfusion system, we had previously shown that retention of Plasmodium falciparum–infected RBCs (Pf-RBCs) occur in the splenic red pulp, upstream from the sinus wall. To experimentally replicate the mechanical sensing of RBCs by the splenic microcirculation, we designed a sorting device where a mixture of 5- to 25-μm-diameter microbeads mimics the geometry of narrow and short interendothelial splenic slits. Heated RBCs, Pf-RBCs, and RBCs from patients with hereditary spherocytosis were retained in the microbead layer, without hemolysis. The retention rates of Pf-RBCs were similar in microbeads and in isolated perfused human spleens. These in vitro results directly confirm the importance of the mechanical sensing of RBCs by the human spleen. In addition, rigid and deformable RBC subpopulations could be separated and characterized at the molecular level, and the device was used to deplete a stored RBC population from its subpopulation of rigid RBCs. This experimental approach may contribute to a better understanding of the role of the spleen in the pathogenesis of inherited and acquired RBC disorders. PMID:21163923

An integrated ball projection technology for the study of dynamic interceptive actions.

PubMed

Stone, J A; Panchuk, D; Davids, K; North, J S; Fairweather, I; Maynard, I W

2014-12-01

Dynamic interceptive actions, such as catching or hitting a ball, are important task vehicles for investigating the complex relationship between cognition, perception, and action in performance environments. Representative experimental designs have become more important recently, highlighting the need for research methods to ensure that the coupling of information and movement is faithfully maintained. However, retaining representative design while ensuring systematic control of experimental variables is challenging, due to the traditional tendency to employ methods that typically involve use of reductionist motor responses such as buttonpressing or micromovements. Here, we outline the methodology behind a custom-built, integrated ball projection technology that allows images of advanced visual information to be synchronized with ball projection. This integrated technology supports the controlled presentation of visual information to participants while they perform dynamic interceptive actions. We discuss theoretical ideas behind the integration of hardware and software, along with practical issues resolved in technological design, and emphasize how the system can be integrated with emerging developments such as mixed reality environments. We conclude by considering future developments and applications of the integrated projection technology for research in human movement behaviors.

Use of Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Models ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA announced the availability of the final report, Use of Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Models to Quantify the Impact of Human Age and Interindividual Differences in Physiology and Biochemistry Pertinent to Risk Final Report for Cooperative Agreement. This report describes and demonstrates techniques necessary to extrapolate and incorporate in vitro derived metabolic rate constants in PBPK models. It also includes two case study examples designed to demonstrate the applicability of such data for health risk assessment and addresses the quantification, extrapolation and interpretation of advanced biochemical information on human interindividual variability of chemical metabolism for risk assessment application. It comprises five chapters; topics and results covered in the first four chapters have been published in the peer reviewed scientific literature. Topics covered include: Data Quality ObjectivesExperimental FrameworkRequired DataTwo example case studies that develop and incorporate in vitro metabolic rate constants in PBPK models designed to quantify human interindividual variability to better direct the choice of uncertainty factors for health risk assessment. This report is intended to serve as a reference document for risk assors to use when quantifying, extrapolating, and interpretating advanced biochemical information about human interindividual variability of chemical metabolism.

Modeling the human body/seat system in a vibration environment.

PubMed

Rosen, Jacob; Arcan, Mircea

2003-04-01

The vibration environment is a common man-made artificial surrounding with which humans have a limited tolerance to cope due to their body dynamics. This research studied the dynamic characteristics of a seated human body/seat system in a vibration environment. The main result is a multi degrees of freedom lumped parameter model that synthesizes two basic dynamics: (i) global human dynamics, the apparent mass phenomenon, including a systematic set of the model parameters for simulating various conditions like body posture, backrest, footrest, muscle tension, and vibration directions, and (ii) the local human dynamics, represented by the human pelvis/vibrating seat contact, using a cushioning interface. The model and its selected parameters successfully described the main effects of the apparent mass phenomenon compared to experimental data documented in the literature. The model provided an analytical tool for human body dynamics research. It also enabled a primary tool for seat and cushioning design. The model was further used to develop design guidelines for a composite cushion using the principle of quasi-uniform body/seat contact force distribution. In terms of evenly distributing the contact forces, the best result for the different materials and cushion geometries simulated in the current study was achieved using a two layer shaped geometry cushion built from three materials. Combining the geometry and the mechanical characteristics of a structure under large deformation into a lumped parameter model enables successful analysis of the human/seat interface system and provides practical results for body protection in dynamic environment.

Contrasting Views on the Role of Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells in Tumour Growth: A Systematic Review of Experimental Design.

PubMed

Oloyo, Ahmed Kolade; Ambele, Melvin Anyasi; Pepper, Michael Sean

2017-11-15

The effect of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) on tumour growth remains controversial. Experimental evidence supports both an inhibitory and a stimulatory effect. We have assessed factors responsible for the contrasting effects of MSCs on tumour growth by doing a meta-analysis of existing literature between 2000 and May 2017. We assessed 183 original research articles comprising 338 experiments. We considered (a) in vivo and in vitro experiments, (b) whether in vivo studies were syngeneic or xenogeneic, and (c) if animals were immune competent or deficient. Furthermore, the sources and types of cancer cells and MSCs were considered together with modes of cancer induction and MSC administration. 56% of all 338 experiments reported that MSCs promote tumour growth. 78% and 79% of all experiments sourced human MSCs and cancer cells, respectively. MSCs were used in their naïve and engineered form in 86% and 14% of experiments, respectively, the latter to produce factors that could alter either their activity or that of the tumour. 53% of all experiments were conducted in vitro with 60% exposing cancer cells to MSCs via coculture. Of all in vivo experiments, 79% were xenogeneic and 63% were conducted in immune-competent animals. Tumour growth was inhibited in 80% of experiments that used umbilical cord-derived MSCs, whereas tumour growth was promoted in 64% and 57% of experiments that used bone marrow- and adipose tissue-derived MSCs, respectively. This contrasting effect of MSCs on tumour growth observed under different experimental conditions may reflect differences in experimental design. This analysis calls for careful consideration of experimental design given the large number of MSC clinical trials currently underway.

A framework for self-experimentation in personalized health.

PubMed

Karkar, Ravi; Zia, Jasmine; Vilardaga, Roger; Mishra, Sonali R; Fogarty, James; Munson, Sean A; Kientz, Julie A

2016-05-01

To describe an interdisciplinary and methodological framework for applying single case study designs to self-experimentation in personalized health. The authors examine the framework's applicability to various health conditions and present an initial case study with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). An in-depth literature review was performed to develop the framework and to identify absolute and desired health condition requirements for the application of this framework. The authors developed mobile application prototypes, storyboards, and process flows of the framework using IBS as the case study. The authors conducted three focus groups and an online survey using a human-centered design approach for assessing the framework's feasibility. All 6 focus group participants had a positive view about our framework and volunteered to participate in future studies. Most stated they would trust the results because it was their own data being analyzed. They were most concerned about confounds, nonmeaningful measures, and erroneous assumptions on the timing of trigger effects. Survey respondents (N = 60) were more likely to be adherent to an 8- vs 12-day study length even if it meant lower confidence results. Implementation of the self-experimentation framework in a mobile application appears to be feasible for people with IBS. This framework can likely be applied to other health conditions. Considerations include the learning curve for teaching self-experimentation to non-experts and the challenges involved in operationalizing and customizing study designs. Using mobile technology to guide people through self-experimentation to investigate health questions is a feasible and promising approach to advancing personalized health. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A passive exoskeleton with artificial tendons: design and experimental evaluation.

PubMed

van Dijk, Wietse; van der Kooij, Herman; Hekman, Edsko

2011-01-01

We developed a passive exoskeleton that was designed to minimize joint work during walking. The exoskeleton makes use of passive structures, called artificial tendons, acting in parallel with the leg. Artificial tendons are elastic elements that are able to store and redistribute energy over the human leg joints. The elastic characteristics of the tendons have been optimized to minimize the mechanical work of the human leg joints. In simulation the maximal reduction was 40 percent. The performance of the exoskeleton was evaluated in an experiment in which nine subjects participated. Energy expenditure and muscle activation were measured during three conditions: Normal walking, walking with the exoskeleton without artificial tendons, and walking with the exoskeleton with the artificial tendons. Normal walking was the most energy efficient. While walking with the exoskeleton, the artificial tendons only resulted in a negligibly small decrease in energy expenditure. © 2011 IEEE

Separation of Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide for Mars ISRU

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walton, Krista S.; LeVan, M. Douglas

2004-01-01

The atmosphere of Mars has many resources that can be processed to produce things such as oxygen, fuel, buffer gas, and water for support of human exploration missions. Successful manipulation of these resources is crucial for safe, cost-effective, and self-sufficient long-term human exploration of Mars. In our research, we are developing enabling technologies that require fundamental knowledge of adsorptive gas storage and separation processes. In particular, we are designing and constructing an innovative, low mass, low power separation device to recover carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide for Mars ISRU (in-situ resource utilization). The technology has broad implications for gas storage and separations for gas-solid systems that are ideally suited for reduced gravitational environments. This paper describes our separation process design and experimental procedures and reports results for the separation of CO2 and CO by a four-step adsorption cycle.

Preventing the return of smallpox: molecular modeling studies on thymidylate kinase from Variola virus.

PubMed

Guimarães, Ana Paula; Ramalho, Teodorico Castro; França, Tanos Celmar Costa

2014-01-01

Smallpox was one of the most devastating diseases in the human history and still represents a serious menace today due to its potential use by bioterrorists. Considering this threat and the non-existence of effective chemotherapy, we propose the enzyme thymidylate kinase from Variola virus (VarTMPK) as a potential target to the drug design against smallpox. We first built a homology model for VarTMPK and performed molecular docking studies on it in order to investigate the interactions with inhibitors of Vaccinia virus TMPK (VacTMPK). Subsequently, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of these compounds inside VarTMPK and human TMPK (HssTMPK) were carried out in order to select the most promising and selective compounds as leads for the design of potential VarTMPK inhibitors. Results of the docking and MD simulations corroborated to each other, suggesting selectivity towards VarTMPK and, also, a good correlation with the experimental data.

Constructive Engineering of Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, Daniel R.; Barsness, Brendan

2011-01-01

Joint experimentation that investigates sensor optimization, re-tasking and management has far reaching implications for Department of Defense, Interagency and multinational partners. An adaption of traditional human in the loop (HITL) Modeling and Simulation (M&S) was one approach used to generate the findings necessary to derive and support these implications. Here an entity-based simulation was re-engineered to run on USJFCOM's High Performance Computer (HPC). The HPC was used to support the vast number of constructive runs necessary to produce statistically significant data in a timely manner. Then from the resulting sensitivity analysis, event designers blended the necessary visualization and decision making components into a synthetic environment for the HITL simulations trials. These trials focused on areas where human decision making had the greatest impact on the sensor investigations. Thus, this paper discusses how re-engineering existing M&S for constructive applications can positively influence the design of an associated HITL experiment.

Teaching Electric Fences: The Physics Behind the Brainiac Video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollmer, Michael

2016-11-01

In many states, electric fences are used to prevent animals from leaving a designated area, for example for grazing. They are quite well known by most students and can therefore serve as daily-life examples of electric circuits. Besides helping to grasp the ideas of Kirchhoff's laws for voltages and currents in circuits according to loop and junction rules, they can also serve as introduction to the topic of conduction of electricity by humans and respective effects (in contrast to electric fences, the latter can also be studied experimentally in the classroom). Here we provide background information on the circuit diagrams of electrical fences that also explains the so-called Brainiac YouTube videos on the topic. While electric fences are designed not to be dangerous to humans or animals due to the short duration of the electrical pulses, students and teachers are strongly discouraged from attempting to replicate the scenes enacted in the video.

Optimization and performance improvement of an electromagnetic-type energy harvester with consideration of human walking vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Jongho; Kim, Jin-Su; Jeong, Un-Chang; Kim, Yong-Dae; Kim, Young-Cheol; Lee, Hanmin; Oh, Jae-Eung

2016-02-01

In this study, we derived an equation of motion for an electromechanical system in view of the components and working mechanism of an electromagnetic-type energy harvester (ETEH). An electromechanical transduction factor (ETF) was calculated using a finite-element analysis (FEA) based on Maxwell's theory. The experimental ETF of the ETEH measured by means of sine wave excitation was compared with and FEA data. Design parameters for the stationary part of the energy harvester were optimized in terms of the power performance by using a response surface method (RSM). With optimized design parameters, the ETEH showed an improvement in performance. We experimented with the optimized ETEH (OETEH) with respect to changes in the external excitation frequency and the load resistance by taking human body vibration in to account. The OETEH achieved a performance improvement of about 30% compared to the initial model.

HERMIES-3: A step toward autonomous mobility, manipulation, and perception

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisbin, C. R.; Burks, B. L.; Einstein, J. R.; Feezell, R. R.; Manges, W. W.; Thompson, D. H.

1989-01-01

HERMIES-III is an autonomous robot comprised of a seven degree-of-freedom (DOF) manipulator designed for human scale tasks, a laser range finder, a sonar array, an omni-directional wheel-driven chassis, multiple cameras, and a dual computer system containing a 16-node hypercube expandable to 128 nodes. The current experimental program involves performance of human-scale tasks (e.g., valve manipulation, use of tools), integration of a dexterous manipulator and platform motion in geometrically complex environments, and effective use of multiple cooperating robots (HERMIES-IIB and HERMIES-III). The environment in which the robots operate has been designed to include multiple valves, pipes, meters, obstacles on the floor, valves occluded from view, and multiple paths of differing navigation complexity. The ongoing research program supports the development of autonomous capability for HERMIES-IIB and III to perform complex navigation and manipulation under time constraints, while dealing with imprecise sensory information.

[Some notes on the history of the experimental surgery laboratory. Reflections on its relevance in education and surgical research].

PubMed

de la Garza-Rodea, Anabel Sofía; Padilla-Sánchez, Luis; de la Garza-Aguilar, Javier; Neri-Vela, Rolando

2007-01-01

The progress of medicine has largely been due to research, and for surgery, in particular, the experimental surgical laboratory has been considered fundamental to the surgeon's education. In this study, a general view of experimental surgery is given in animal models based on bioethical norms as well as to design, create and apply different surgical procedures before performing in humans. Experimental surgery also facilitates surgical teaching and promotes the surgeon's scientific reasoning. Methods. This is a retrospective and descriptive study. Data were collected from direct and indirect sources of available publications on the historical, bioethical and educational aspects of medicine, focusing on surgery. The important facts corresponding to the field of experimental surgery and applicable in Mexico were selected. Concepts of experimental surgical models and of the experimental surgery laboratory were described. Bioethical considerations are emphasized for care of experimental animals. Finally, this work focuses on the importance of surgical experimentation in current and future development of the surgical researcher. Conclusions. Experimentation with animal models in a surgical laboratory is essential for surgical teaching and promotes development of the scientific thought in the surgeon. It is necessary for surgical research and is fundamental for making progress in surgery, treatment and medicine as science.

Design of a tissue oxygenation monitor and verification on human skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hongyuan; Kohl-Bareis, Matthias; Huang, Xiabing

2011-07-01

We report the design of a tissue oxygen and temperature monitor. The non-invasive, fibre based device monitors tissue haemoglobin (Hb) and oxygen saturation (SO2) and is based on white-light reflectance spectroscopy.Visible light with wavelengths in the 500 - 650nm range is utilized. The spectroscopic algorithm takes into account the tissue scattering and melanin absorption for the calculation of tissue haemoglobin concentration and oxygen saturation. The monitor can probe superficial layers of tissue with a high spatial resolution (mm3) and a high temporal resolution (40 Hz). It provides an accurate measurement with the accuracy of SO2 at 2 % and high reliability with less than 2 % variation of continuous SO2 measurement over 12 hours. It can also form a modular system when used in conjunction with a laser Doppler monitor, enabling simultaneous measurements of Hb, SO2 and blood flow. We found experimentally that the influence of the source-detector separation on the haemoglobin parameters is small. This finding is discussed by Monte Carlo simulations for the depth sensitivity profile. The influence of probe pressure and the skin pigmentation on the measurement parameters are assessed before in vivo experimental data is presented. The combination with laser Doppler flowmetry demonstrates the importance of a measurement of both the haemoglobin and the blood flow parameters for a full description of blood tissue perfusion. This is discussed in experimental data on human skin during cuff occlusion and after hyperemisation by a pharmacological cream. Strong correlation is observed between tissue oxygen (Hb and SO2) and blood flow measurements.

C4MIP - The Coupled Climate-Carbon Cycle Model Intercomparison Project: experimental protocol for CMIP6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Chris D.; Arora, Vivek; Friedlingstein, Pierre; Bopp, Laurent; Brovkin, Victor; Dunne, John; Graven, Heather; Hoffman, Forrest; Ilyina, Tatiana; John, Jasmin G.; Jung, Martin; Kawamiya, Michio; Koven, Charlie; Pongratz, Julia; Raddatz, Thomas; Randerson, James T.; Zaehle, Sönke

2016-08-01

Coordinated experimental design and implementation has become a cornerstone of global climate modelling. Model Intercomparison Projects (MIPs) enable systematic and robust analysis of results across many models, by reducing the influence of ad hoc differences in model set-up or experimental boundary conditions. As it enters its 6th phase, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) has grown significantly in scope with the design and documentation of individual simulations delegated to individual climate science communities. The Coupled Climate-Carbon Cycle Model Intercomparison Project (C4MIP) takes responsibility for design, documentation, and analysis of carbon cycle feedbacks and interactions in climate simulations. These feedbacks are potentially large and play a leading-order contribution in determining the atmospheric composition in response to human emissions of CO2 and in the setting of emissions targets to stabilize climate or avoid dangerous climate change. For over a decade, C4MIP has coordinated coupled climate-carbon cycle simulations, and in this paper we describe the C4MIP simulations that will be formally part of CMIP6. While the climate-carbon cycle community has created this experimental design, the simulations also fit within the wider CMIP activity, conform to some common standards including documentation and diagnostic requests, and are designed to complement the CMIP core experiments known as the Diagnostic, Evaluation and Characterization of Klima (DECK). C4MIP has three key strands of scientific motivation and the requested simulations are designed to satisfy their needs: (1) pre-industrial and historical simulations (formally part of the common set of CMIP6 experiments) to enable model evaluation, (2) idealized coupled and partially coupled simulations with 1 % per year increases in CO2 to enable diagnosis of feedback strength and its components, (3) future scenario simulations to project how the Earth system will respond to anthropogenic activity over the 21st century and beyond. This paper documents in detail these simulations, explains their rationale and planned analysis, and describes how to set up and run the simulations. Particular attention is paid to boundary conditions, input data, and requested output diagnostics. It is important that modelling groups participating in C4MIP adhere as closely as possible to this experimental design.

C4MIP – The Coupled Climate–Carbon Cycle Model Intercomparison Project: Experimental protocol for CMIP6

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, Chris D.; Arora, Vivek; Friedlingstein, Pierre

Coordinated experimental design and implementation has become a cornerstone of global climate modelling. Model Intercomparison Projects (MIPs) enable systematic and robust analysis of results across many models, by reducing the influence of ad hoc differences in model set-up or experimental boundary conditions. As it enters its 6th phase, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) has grown significantly in scope with the design and documentation of individual simulations delegated to individual climate science communities. The Coupled Climate–Carbon Cycle Model Intercomparison Project (C4MIP) takes responsibility for design, documentation, and analysis of carbon cycle feedbacks and interactions in climate simulations. These feedbacks aremore » potentially large and play a leading-order contribution in determining the atmospheric composition in response to human emissions of CO 2 and in the setting of emissions targets to stabilize climate or avoid dangerous climate change. For over a decade, C4MIP has coordinated coupled climate–carbon cycle simulations, and in this paper we describe the C4MIP simulations that will be formally part of CMIP6. While the climate–carbon cycle community has created this experimental design, the simulations also fit within the wider CMIP activity, conform to some common standards including documentation and diagnostic requests, and are designed to complement the CMIP core experiments known as the Diagnostic, Evaluation and Characterization of Klima (DECK). C4MIP has three key strands of scientific motivation and the requested simulations are designed to satisfy their needs: (1) pre-industrial and historical simulations (formally part of the common set of CMIP6 experiments) to enable model evaluation, (2) idealized coupled and partially coupled simulations with 1 % per year increases in CO 2 to enable diagnosis of feedback strength and its components, (3) future scenario simulations to project how the Earth system will respond to anthropogenic activity over the 21st century and beyond. This study documents in detail these simulations, explains their rationale and planned analysis, and describes how to set up and run the simulations. Particular attention is paid to boundary conditions, input data, and requested output diagnostics. It is important that modelling groups participating in C4MIP adhere as closely as possible to this experimental design.« less

C4MIP – The Coupled Climate–Carbon Cycle Model Intercomparison Project: Experimental protocol for CMIP6

DOE PAGES

Jones, Chris D.; Arora, Vivek; Friedlingstein, Pierre; ...

2016-08-25

Coordinated experimental design and implementation has become a cornerstone of global climate modelling. Model Intercomparison Projects (MIPs) enable systematic and robust analysis of results across many models, by reducing the influence of ad hoc differences in model set-up or experimental boundary conditions. As it enters its 6th phase, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) has grown significantly in scope with the design and documentation of individual simulations delegated to individual climate science communities. The Coupled Climate–Carbon Cycle Model Intercomparison Project (C4MIP) takes responsibility for design, documentation, and analysis of carbon cycle feedbacks and interactions in climate simulations. These feedbacks aremore » potentially large and play a leading-order contribution in determining the atmospheric composition in response to human emissions of CO 2 and in the setting of emissions targets to stabilize climate or avoid dangerous climate change. For over a decade, C4MIP has coordinated coupled climate–carbon cycle simulations, and in this paper we describe the C4MIP simulations that will be formally part of CMIP6. While the climate–carbon cycle community has created this experimental design, the simulations also fit within the wider CMIP activity, conform to some common standards including documentation and diagnostic requests, and are designed to complement the CMIP core experiments known as the Diagnostic, Evaluation and Characterization of Klima (DECK). C4MIP has three key strands of scientific motivation and the requested simulations are designed to satisfy their needs: (1) pre-industrial and historical simulations (formally part of the common set of CMIP6 experiments) to enable model evaluation, (2) idealized coupled and partially coupled simulations with 1 % per year increases in CO 2 to enable diagnosis of feedback strength and its components, (3) future scenario simulations to project how the Earth system will respond to anthropogenic activity over the 21st century and beyond. This study documents in detail these simulations, explains their rationale and planned analysis, and describes how to set up and run the simulations. Particular attention is paid to boundary conditions, input data, and requested output diagnostics. It is important that modelling groups participating in C4MIP adhere as closely as possible to this experimental design.« less

Strength of titanium intramedullary implant versus miniplate fixation of mandibular condyle fractures.

PubMed

Frake, Paul C; Howell, Rebecca J; Joshi, Arjun S

2012-07-01

To test the strength of internal fixation of mandibular condyle fractures repaired with titanium miniplates versus titanium intramedullary implants. Prospective laboratory experimentation in urethane mandible models and human cadaveric mandibles. Materials testing laboratory at an academic medical center. Osteotomies of the mandibular condyle were created in 40 urethane hemimandible models and 24 human cadaveric specimens. Half of the samples in each group were repaired with traditional miniplates, and the other half were repaired with intramedullary titanium implants. Anteroposterior and mediolateral loads were applied to the samples, and the displacement was measured with reference to the applied force. Titanium intramedullary implants demonstrated statistically significant improved strength and stiffness versus miniplates in the urethane model experimental groups. Despite frequent plastic deformation and mechanical failures of the miniplates, a 1.6-mm-diameter titanium intramedullary pin did not mechanically fail in any of the cases. Intramedullary implantation failures were due to secondary fracture of the adjacent cortical bone or experimental design limitations including rotation of the smooth pin implant. Mechanical implant failures that were encountered with miniplate fixation were not seen with titanium intramedullary implants. These intramedullary implants provide stronger and more rigid fixation of mandibular condyle fractures than miniplates in this in vitro model.

An optimized adaptive optics experimental setup for in vivo retinal imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balderas-Mata, S. E.; Valdivieso González, L. G.; Ramírez Zavaleta, G.; López Olazagasti, E.; Tepichin Rodriguez, E.

2012-10-01

The use of Adaptive Optics (AO) in ophthalmologic instruments to image human retinas has been probed to improve the imaging lateral resolution, by correcting both static and dynamic aberrations inherent in human eyes. Typically, the configuration of the AO arm uses an infrared beam from a superluminescent diode (SLD), which is focused on the retina, acting as a point source. The back reflected light emerges through the eye optical system bringing with it the aberrations of the cornea. The aberrated wavefront is measured with a Shack - Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWFS). However, the aberrations in the optical imaging system can reduced the performance of the wave front correction. The aim of this work is to present an optimized first stage AO experimental setup for in vivo retinal imaging. In our proposal, the imaging optical system has been designed in order to reduce spherical aberrations due to the lenses. The ANSI Standard is followed assuring the safety power levels. The performance of the system will be compared with a commercial aberrometer. This system will be used as the AO arm of a flood-illuminated fundus camera system for retinal imaging. We present preliminary experimental results showing the enhancement.

Emotional Intelligence and Job Satisfaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseinian, Simin; Yazdi, Seyedeh-Monavar; Zahraie, Shaghayegh; Fathi-Ashtiani, Ali

This study aims to investigate the effect of training some aspects of Emotional Intelligence (EI) on job satisfaction and productivity of employees. The results can help organizations to realize human capabilities and the way to improve them by paying more attention to psychological issues. We used a quasi-experimental method using a pre-test and a post-test designed with control group and a four-month follow-up. Study population consists of employees of Marine Installations and Construction Company. Considering variables like age, education and job rank, we selected 28 employees who earned the lowest score for EI. They were then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Each employee got job satisfaction and productivity questionnaires and their managers were given employee evaluation questionnaire. Then some aspects of EI were taught to the experimental group once a week for 10 sessions. Four months later, both groups were evaluated by managers. The results show that education did not increase employees` job satisfaction nor did it improve managers` evaluation. However, employees` productivity score after training sessions and managers` evaluation improved in the long run. The results reveal that training EI by further controlling the above-mentioned variables is effective and essential to improve human resources.

Respiratory effort energy estimation using Doppler radar.

PubMed

Shahhaidar, Ehsaneh; Yavari, Ehsan; Young, Jared; Boric-Lubecke, Olga; Stickley, Cris

2012-01-01

Human respiratory effort can be harvested to power wearable biosensors and mobile electronic devices. The very first step toward designing a harvester is to estimate available energy and power. This paper describes an estimation of the available power and energy due to the movements of the torso during breathing, using Doppler radar by detecting breathing rate, torso displacement, torso movement velocity and acceleration along the sagittal movement of the torso. The accuracy of the detected variables is verified by two reference methods. The experimental result obtained from a healthy female human subject shows that the available power from circumferential movement can be higher than the power from the sagittal movement.

Man-Made Closed Ecological Systems as Model of Natural Ecosystems and as Means to Provide High Quality of Human Life in Adverse Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gitelson, I. I.; Harper, Lynn (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

For its more than thirty year long history, the experimental creation of closed ecological systems has from its very sources been distinctly and strongly motivated by the development of human life-support systems for space. As the trend developed its fundamental significance and broad opportunities of terrestrial applications of the technologies under development were coming to the foreground. Nowadays, it can be argued that development of closed ecosystems is experimental foundation of a new branch of ecology biospherics, the goal of which is to comprehend the regularities of existence of the biosphere as a unique in the Universe (in that part of it that we know, at least) closed ecosystem. Closed technologies can be implemented in life-support systems under adverse conditions of life on the Earth - in Arctic and Antarctic latitudes, deserts, high mountains or deep in the ocean, as well as under the conditions of polluted water and air. In space where the environment is hostile for life all around the cell of life should be sealed and the life-support system as close to the ideally closed cyclic turnover of the matter as possible. Under terrestrial conditions designers should strive for maximum closure of the limiting factor: water - in deserts, oxygen - in high mountains, energy - in polar latitudes, etc. Essential closure of a life-support systems withstands also pollution of the environment by the wastes of human vital activity. This is of particular importance for the quarantine of visited planets, and on the Earth under the conditions of deficient heat in high latitudes and water in and areas. The report describes experimental ecosystem 'BIOS' and exohabitats being designed on its basis, which are adapted to various conditions, described capacities of the Center for Closed Ecosystems in Drasnoyarsk for international collaboration in research and education in this field.

Towards a characterization of information automation systems on the flight deck

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudley, Rachel Feddersen

This thesis summarizes research to investigate the characteristics that define information automation systems used on aircraft flight decks and the significant impacts that these characteristics have on pilot performance. Major accomplishments of the work include the development of a set of characteristics that describe information automation systems on the flight deck and an experiment designed to study a subset of these characteristics. Information automation systems on the flight deck are responsible for the collection, processing, analysis, and presentation of data to the flightcrew. These systems pose human factors issues and challenges that must be considered by designers of these systems. Based on a previously developed formal definition of information automation for aircraft flight deck systems, an analysis process was developed and conducted to reach a refined set of information automation characteristics. In this work, characteristics are defined as a set of properties or attributes that describe an information automation system's operation or behavior, which can be used to identify and assess potential human factors issues. Hypotheses were formed for a subset of the characteristics: Automation Visibility, Information Quality, and Display Complexity. An experimental investigation was developed to measure performance impacts related to these characteristics, which showed mixed results of expected and surprising findings, with many interactions. A set of recommendations were then developed based on the experimental observations. Ensuring that the right information is presented to pilots at the right time and in the appropriate manner is the job of flight deck system designers. This work provides a foundation for developing recommendations and guidelines specific to information automation on the flight deck with the goal of improving the design and evaluation of information automation systems before they are implemented.

Hydraulic manipulator design, analysis, and control at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kress, R.L.; Jansen, J.F.; Love, L.J.

1996-09-01

To meet the increased payload capacities demanded by present-day tasks, manipulator designers have turned to hydraulics as a means of actuation. Hydraulics have always been the actuator of choice when designing heavy-life construction and mining equipment such as bulldozers, backhoes, and tunneling devices. In order to successfully design, build, and deploy a new hydraulic manipulator (or subsystem) sophisticated modeling, analysis, and control experiments are usually needed. To support the development and deployment of new hydraulic manipulators Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has outfitted a significant experimental laboratory and has developed the software capability for research into hydraulic manipulators, hydraulic actuators,more » hydraulic systems, modeling of hydraulic systems, and hydraulic controls. The hydraulics laboratory at ORNL has three different manipulators. First is a 6-Degree-of-Freedom (6-DoF), multi-planer, teleoperated, flexible controls test bed used for the development of waste tank clean-up manipulator controls, thermal studies, system characterization, and manipulator tracking. Finally, is a human amplifier test bed used for the development of an entire new class of teleoperated systems. To compliment the hardware in the hydraulics laboratory, ORNL has developed a hydraulics simulation capability including a custom package to model the hydraulic systems and manipulators for performance studies and control development. This paper outlines the history of hydraulic manipulator developments at ORNL, describes the hydraulics laboratory, discusses the use of the equipment within the laboratory, and presents some of the initial results from experiments and modeling associated with these hydraulic manipulators. Included are some of the results from the development of the human amplifier/de-amplifier concepts, the characterization of the thermal sensitivity of hydraulic systems, and end-point tracking accuracy studies. Experimental and analytical results are included.« less

Lateral specialization in unilateral spatial neglect: a cognitive robotics model.

PubMed

Conti, Daniela; Di Nuovo, Santo; Cangelosi, Angelo; Di Nuovo, Alessandro

2016-08-01

In this paper, we present the experimental results of an embodied cognitive robotic approach for modelling the human cognitive deficit known as unilateral spatial neglect (USN). To this end, we introduce an artificial neural network architecture designed and trained to control the spatial attentional focus of the iCub robotic platform. Like the human brain, the architecture is divided into two hemispheres and it incorporates bio-inspired plasticity mechanisms, which allow the development of the phenomenon of the specialization of the right hemisphere for spatial attention. In this study, we validate the model by replicating a previous experiment with human patients affected by the USN and numerical results show that the robot mimics the behaviours previously exhibited by humans. We also simulated recovery after the damage to compare the performance of each of the two hemispheres as additional validation of the model. Finally, we highlight some possible advantages of modelling cognitive dysfunctions of the human brain by means of robotic platforms, which can supplement traditional approaches for studying spatial impairments in humans.

Human Health Effects of Biphenyl: Key Findings and Scientific Issues

PubMed Central

Li, Zheng; Hogan, Karen A.; Cai, Christine; Rieth, Susan

2015-01-01

Background: In support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated the human health hazards of biphenyl exposure. Objectives: We review key findings and scientific issues regarding expected human health effects of biphenyl. Methods: Scientific literature from 1926 through September 2012 was critically evaluated to identify potential human health hazards associated with biphenyl exposure. Key issues related to the carcinogenicity and noncancer health hazards of biphenyl were examined based on evidence from experimental animal bioassays and mechanistic studies. Discussion: Systematic consideration of experimental animal studies of oral biphenyl exposure took into account the variety of study designs (e.g., study sizes, exposure levels, and exposure durations) to reconcile differing reported results. The available mechanistic and toxicokinetic evidence supports the hypothesis that male rat urinary bladder tumors arise through urinary bladder calculi formation but is insufficient to hypothesize a mode of action for liver tumors in female mice. Biphenyl and its metabolites may induce genetic damage, but a role for genotoxicity in biphenyl-induced carcinogenicity has not been established. Conclusions: The available health effects data for biphenyl provides suggestive evidence for carcinogenicity in humans, based on increased incidences of male rat urinary bladder tumors at high exposure levels and on female mouse liver tumors. Kidney toxicity is also a potential human health hazard of biphenyl exposure. Citation: Li Z, Hogan KA, Cai C, Rieth S. 2016. Human health effects of biphenyl: key findings and scientific issues. Environ Health Perspect 124:703–712; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509730 PMID:26529796

Virtual reality robotic telesurgery simulations using MEMICA haptic system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Mavroidis, Constantinos; Bouzit, Mourad; Dolgin, Benjamin; Harm, Deborah L.; Kopchok, George E.; White, Rodney

2001-01-01

The authors conceived a haptic mechanism called MEMICA (Remote Mechanical Mirroring using Controlled stiffness and Actuators) that can enable the design of high dexterity, rapid response, and large workspace haptic system. The development of a novel MEMICA gloves and virtual reality models are being explored to allow simulation of telesurgery and other applications. The MEMICA gloves are being designed to provide intuitive mirroring of the conditions at a virtual site where a robot simulates the presence of a human operator. The key components of MEMICA are miniature electrically controlled stiffness (ECS) elements and electrically controlled force and stiffness (ECFS) actuators that are based on the use of Electro-Rheological Fluids (ERF. In this paper the design of the MEMICA system and initial experimental results are presented.

The design of mobile robot control system for the aged and the disabled

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiang, Wang; Lei, Shi; Xiang, Gao; Jin, Zhang

2017-01-01

This paper designs a control system of mobile robot for the aged and the disabled, which consists of two main parts: human-computer interaction and drive control module. The data of the two parts is transferred via universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter. In the former part, the speed and direction information of the mobile robot is obtained by hall joystick. In the latter part, the electronic differential algorithm is developed to implement the robot mobile function by driving two-wheel motors. In order to improve the comfort of the robot when speed or direction is changed, the least squares algorithm is used to optimize the speed characteristic curves of the two motors. Experimental results have verified the effectiveness of the designed system.

Design of "Eye Closure" system for the stealth of photo-electric equipments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.; Hua, W. S.; Li, G.

2012-10-01

Based on the optical activity of liquid crystal, a new approach for the stealth of "cat's eye" targets is proposed in this paper. It imitates the physiological close reaction of human eyes when strong light irradiates eyes. With this approach, the "cat's eye" effect will vanish, which is applied in restricting photo-electric equipments being detected and located by active laser detection system. The structure and working principle of the design are presented. The drive circuit is given to control the optical switch automatically. Feasibility of this design is demonstrated by experimental method. The measured data illustrate that the proposed approach is effective to eliminate the "cat's eye" effect, so as to enhancing the viability of photo-electric equipments on the battlefield.

Design and evaluation of a trilateral shared-control architecture for teleoperated training robots.

PubMed

Shamaei, Kamran; Kim, Lawrence H; Okamura, Allison M

2015-08-01

Multilateral teleoperated robots can be used to train humans to perform complex tasks that require collaborative interaction and expert supervision, such as laparoscopic surgical procedures. In this paper, we explain the design and performance evaluation of a shared-control architecture that can be used in trilateral teleoperated training robots. The architecture includes dominance and observation factors inspired by the determinants of motor learning in humans, including observational practice, focus of attention, feedback and augmented feedback, and self-controlled practice. Toward the validation of such an architecture, we (1) verify the stability of a trilateral system by applying Llewellyn's criterion on a two-port equivalent architecture, and (2) demonstrate that system transparency remains generally invariant across relevant observation factors and movement frequencies. In a preliminary experimental study, a dyad of two human users (one novice, one expert) collaborated on the control of a robot to follow a trajectory. The experiment showed that the framework can be used to modulate the efforts of the users and adjust the source and level of haptic feedback to the novice user.

Magnetostrictive energy generator for harvesting the rotation of human knee joint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Baiping; Zhang, Chengming; Li, Liyi

2018-05-01

This paper presents the design and fabrication of a rotary-impact magnetostrictive energy generator, used to harvest the rotation of human knee joint. The harvester consists of twelve movable Terfenol-D rods, surrounded by the picked up coils respectively, and alternate permanent magnet (PM) array sandwiched in each part of the shell. Rotational electromagnetic power generating effect and impacted magnetostrictive power generating effect are designed in the harvester. Modeling and simulation are used to validate the concept. Then, magnetic field and leakage of the harvester are analyzed, electromagnetic force in the harvester is simulated. A prototype of harvester is fabricated, and subjected to the experimental characterization. It can be concluded that huge induced voltage generated in the short-time impact situation and that induced voltage in the harvester can reach up to 60-80 volts at 0.91Hz low frequency rotation. Also, the presented harvester has good harvesting effects at low frequency human walking and periodic swing crus situation, which are suitable to be used for future researches of wearable knee joint applications.

Monitoring activities of daily living based on wearable wireless body sensor network.

PubMed

Kańtoch, E; Augustyniak, P; Markiewicz, M; Prusak, D

2014-01-01

With recent advances in microprocessor chip technology, wireless communication, and biomedical engineering it is possible to develop miniaturized ubiquitous health monitoring devices that are capable of recording physiological and movement signals during daily life activities. The aim of the research is to implement and test the prototype of health monitoring system. The system consists of the body central unit with Bluetooth module and wearable sensors: the custom-designed ECG sensor, the temperature sensor, the skin humidity sensor and accelerometers placed on the human body or integrated with clothes and a network gateway to forward data to a remote medical server. The system includes custom-designed transmission protocol and remote web-based graphical user interface for remote real time data analysis. Experimental results for a group of humans who performed various activities (eg. working, running, etc.) showed maximum 5% absolute error compared to certified medical devices. The results are promising and indicate that developed wireless wearable monitoring system faces challenges of multi-sensor human health monitoring during performing daily activities and opens new opportunities in developing novel healthcare services.

A web-based resource for designing therapeutics against Ebola Virus.

PubMed

Dhanda, Sandeep Kumar; Chaudhary, Kumardeep; Gupta, Sudheer; Brahmachari, Samir Kumar; Raghava, Gajendra P S

2016-04-26

In this study, we describe a web-based resource, developed for assisting the scientific community in designing an effective therapeutics against the Ebola virus. Firstly, we predicted and identified experimentally validated epitopes in each of the antigens/proteins of the five known ebolaviruses. Secondly, we generated all the possible overlapping 9mer peptides from the proteins of ebolaviruses. Thirdly, conserved peptides across all the five ebolaviruses (four human pathogenic species) with no identical sequence in the human proteome, based on 1000 Genomes project, were identified. Finally, we identified peptide or epitope-based vaccine candidates that could activate both the B- and T-cell arms of the immune system. In addition, we also identified efficacious siRNAs against the mRNA transcriptome (absent in human transcriptome) of all the five ebolaviruses. It was observed that three species can potentially be targeted by a single siRNA (19mer) and 75 siRNAs can potentially target at least two species. A web server, EbolaVCR, has been developed that incorporates all the above information and useful computational tools (http://crdd.osdd.net/oscadd/ebola/).

A web-based resource for designing therapeutics against Ebola Virus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhanda, Sandeep Kumar; Chaudhary, Kumardeep; Gupta, Sudheer; Brahmachari, Samir Kumar; Raghava, Gajendra P. S.

2016-04-01

In this study, we describe a web-based resource, developed for assisting the scientific community in designing an effective therapeutics against the Ebola virus. Firstly, we predicted and identified experimentally validated epitopes in each of the antigens/proteins of the five known ebolaviruses. Secondly, we generated all the possible overlapping 9mer peptides from the proteins of ebolaviruses. Thirdly, conserved peptides across all the five ebolaviruses (four human pathogenic species) with no identical sequence in the human proteome, based on 1000 Genomes project, were identified. Finally, we identified peptide or epitope-based vaccine candidates that could activate both the B- and T-cell arms of the immune system. In addition, we also identified efficacious siRNAs against the mRNA transcriptome (absent in human transcriptome) of all the five ebolaviruses. It was observed that three species can potentially be targeted by a single siRNA (19mer) and 75 siRNAs can potentially target at least two species. A web server, EbolaVCR, has been developed that incorporates all the above information and useful computational tools (http://crdd.osdd.net/oscadd/ebola/).

An autonomous, automated and mobile device to concurrently assess several cognitive functions in group-living non-human primates.

PubMed

Fizet, Jonas; Rimele, Adam; Pebayle, Thierry; Cassel, Jean-Christophe; Kelche, Christian; Meunier, Hélène

2017-11-01

Research methods in cognitive neuroscience using non-human primates have undergone notable changes over the last decades. Recently, several research groups have described freely accessible devices equipped with a touchscreen interface. Two characteristics of such systems are of particular interest: some apparatuses include automated identification of subjects, while others are mobile. Here, we designed, tested and validated an experimental system that, for the first time, combine automatization and mobility. Moreover, our system allows autonomous learning and testing of cognitive performance in group-living subjects, including follow-up assessments. The mobile apparatus is designed to be available 24h a day, 7days a week, in a typical confined primate breeding and housing facility. Here we present as proof of concept, the results of two pilot studies. We report that rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) learned the tasks rapidly and achieved high-level of stable performance. Approaches of this kind should be developed for future pharmacological and biomedical studies in non-human primates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computer-assisted design and synthesis of a highly selective smart adsorbent for extraction of clonazepam from human serum.

PubMed

Aqababa, Heydar; Tabandeh, Mehrdad; Tabatabaei, Meisam; Hasheminejad, Meisam; Emadi, Masoomeh

2013-01-01

A computational approach was applied to screen functional monomers and polymerization solvents for rational design of molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) as smart adsorbents for solid-phase extraction of clonazepam (CLO) form human serum. The comparison of the computed binding energies of the complexes formed between the template and functional monomers was conducted. The primary computational results were corrected by taking into calculation both the basis set superposition error (BSSE) and the effect of the polymerization solvent using the counterpoise (CP) correction and the polarizable continuum model, respectively. Based on the theoretical calculations, trifluoromethyl acrylic acid (TFMAA) and acrylonitrile (ACN) were found as the best and the worst functional monomers, correspondingly. To test the accuracy of the computational results, three MIPs were synthesized by different functional monomers and their Langmuir-Freundlich (LF) isotherms were studied. The experimental results obtained confirmed the computational results and indicated that the MIP synthesized using TFMAA had the highest affinity for CLO in human serum despite the presence of a vast spectrum of ions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prototype design of a wearable metal hydride actuator using a soft bellows for motor rehabilitation.

PubMed

Ino, Shuichi; Sato, Mitsuru; Hosono, Minako; Nakajima, Sawako; Yamashita, Kazuhiko; Tanaka, Toshiaki; Izumi, Takashi

2008-01-01

A bedside and home rehabilitation system for people with motor disabilities due to stroke or the aging process requires a human-compatible actuator with softness, low noise and a high power-to-weight ratio. To achieve these types of joint motor rehabilitation systems, we designed a wearable metal hydride (MH) actuator using a soft bellows. The purpose of the current study is the development the soft and light bellows made of a polymer laminate film for the MH actuator. As a result of experimental tests, this soft bellows weighs 20 times less and stretches 30 times longer than the metal bellows used in a conventional MH actuator, and it has hydrogen impermeability, flex durability and adequate compliance for human joints. The MH actuator using the soft bellows can drive at a slow and safe enough speed for motor rehabilitation of patients' limbs. These preliminary findings support the efficacy of an MH actuator with a soft bellows for the purpose of developing a system for motor rehabilitation or human power assist.

Time-of-flight-assisted Kinect camera-based people detection for intuitive human robot cooperation in the surgical operating room.

PubMed

Beyl, Tim; Nicolai, Philip; Comparetti, Mirko D; Raczkowsky, Jörg; De Momi, Elena; Wörn, Heinz

2016-07-01

Scene supervision is a major tool to make medical robots safer and more intuitive. The paper shows an approach to efficiently use 3D cameras within the surgical operating room to enable for safe human robot interaction and action perception. Additionally the presented approach aims to make 3D camera-based scene supervision more reliable and accurate. A camera system composed of multiple Kinect and time-of-flight cameras has been designed, implemented and calibrated. Calibration and object detection as well as people tracking methods have been designed and evaluated. The camera system shows a good registration accuracy of 0.05 m. The tracking of humans is reliable and accurate and has been evaluated in an experimental setup using operating clothing. The robot detection shows an error of around 0.04 m. The robustness and accuracy of the approach allow for an integration into modern operating room. The data output can be used directly for situation and workflow detection as well as collision avoidance.

Running an ethical trial 60 years after the Nuremberg Code.

PubMed

Markman, Jonathan R; Markman, Maurie

2007-12-01

The Nuremberg Code has served as a foundation for ethical clinical research since its publication 60 years ago. This landmark document, developed in response to the horrors of human experimentation done by Nazi physicians and investigators, focused crucial attention on the fundamental rights of research participants and on the responsibilities of investigators. Although the Nuremberg Code has provided an important framework for discussions on the requirements of ethical clinical research, and has resulted in the development of other initiatives-eg, the Declaration of Helsinki and the Belmont Report-designed to ensure the rights and safety of human beings taking part in medical research, knowledge of both past events and the current complexity of research suggests further improvements are necessary in the existing approaches to human clinical research.

Canis familiaris As a Model for Non-Invasive Comparative Neuroscience.

PubMed

Bunford, Nóra; Andics, Attila; Kis, Anna; Miklósi, Ádám; Gácsi, Márta

2017-07-01

There is an ongoing need to improve animal models for investigating human behavior and its biological underpinnings. The domestic dog (Canis familiaris) is a promising model in cognitive neuroscience. However, before it can contribute to advances in this field in a comparative, reliable, and valid manner, several methodological issues warrant attention. We review recent non-invasive canine neuroscience studies, primarily focusing on (i) variability among dogs and between dogs and humans in cranial characteristics, and (ii) generalizability across dog and dog-human studies. We argue not for methodological uniformity but for functional comparability between methods, experimental designs, and neural responses. We conclude that the dog may become an innovative and unique model in comparative neuroscience, complementing more traditional models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retrospective studies of operating problems in air transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billings, C. E.; Lauber, J. K.; Cooper, G. E.; Ruffell-Smith, H. P.

1976-01-01

An epidemiological model for the study of human errors in aviation is presented. In this approach, retrospective data are used as the basis for formulation of hypotheses as to system factors which may have contributed to such errors. Prospective experimental studies of aviation operations are also required in order to prove or disprove the hypotheses, and to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention techniques designed to solve operational problems in the aviation system.

Stretchable Capacitors that Electrically Luminesce, Sense, and Actuate for Biomimetic Coloration

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-31

designated by other documentation. 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS (ES) U.S. Army Research Office P.O. Box 12211 Research Triangle...they choose to implement them has recently been explained, true understanding of how to control and use dynamic camouflage in a human context will...at 500% strain due to experimental limitations. (Fig. 1-3). o We reported the first color changing soft robot that is electrically controlled

The environment and male reproduction: The effect of cadmium exposure on reproductive function and its implication in fertility.

PubMed

de Angelis, Cristina; Galdiero, Mariano; Pivonello, Claudia; Salzano, Ciro; Gianfrilli, Daniele; Piscitelli, Prisco; Lenzi, Andrea; Colao, Annamaria; Pivonello, Rosario

2017-10-01

Cadmium is an environmental pollutant known as endocrine disruptor. Testis is particularly susceptible to cadmium, and testis injury occurs at high but even low levels of exposure. Cadmium reproductive toxicity is mediated by multiple mechanisms, including structural damage to testis vasculature and blood-testis barrier, inflammation, cytotoxicity on Sertoli and Leydig cells, oxidative stress mainly by means of mimicry and interference with essential ions, apoptosis, interference with selected signaling pathways and epigenetic regulation of genes involved in the regulation of reproductive function, and disturbance of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. The current review outlines epidemiological observational findings from environmental and occupational exposure in humans, and reports experimental studies in humans and animals. Lastly, a focus on the pathogenetic mechanisms of cadmium toxicity and on the specific mechanisms of cadmium sensitivity and resistance, particularly assessed in animal models, is included. Despite convincing experimental findings in animals and supporting evidences in humans identifying cadmium as reproductive toxicant, observational findings are controversial, suffering from heterogeneity of study design and pattern of exposure, and from co-exposure to multiple pollutants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study on the interaction of antiviral drug 'Tenofovir' with human serum albumin by spectral and molecular modeling methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahabadi, Nahid; Hadidi, Saba; Feizi, Foroozan

2015-03-01

This study was designed to examine the interaction of Tenofovir (Ten) with human serum albumin (HSA) under physiological conditions. The binding of drugs with human serum albumin is a crucial factor influencing the distribution and bioactivity of drugs in the body. To understand the action mechanisms between Ten and HSA, the binding of Ten with HSA was investigated by a combined experimental and computational approach. UV-vis results confirmed that Ten interacted with HSA to form a ground-state complex and values of the Stern-Volmer quenching constant indicate the presence of a static component in the quenching mechanism. As indicated by the thermodynamic parameters (positive ΔH and ΔS values), hydrophobic interaction plays a major role in the Ten-HSA complex. Through the site marker competitive experiment, Ten was confirmed to be located in site I of HSA. Furthermore, UV-vis absorption spectra, synchronous fluorescence spectrum and CD data were used to investigate the structural change of HSA molecules with addition of Ten, the results indicate that the secondary structure of HSA molecules was changed in the presence of Ten. The experimental results were in agreement with the results obtained via molecular docking study.

Intelligent Agent Transparency in Human-Agent Teaming for Multi-UxV Management.

PubMed

Mercado, Joseph E; Rupp, Michael A; Chen, Jessie Y C; Barnes, Michael J; Barber, Daniel; Procci, Katelyn

2016-05-01

We investigated the effects of level of agent transparency on operator performance, trust, and workload in a context of human-agent teaming for multirobot management. Participants played the role of a heterogeneous unmanned vehicle (UxV) operator and were instructed to complete various missions by giving orders to UxVs through a computer interface. An intelligent agent (IA) assisted the participant by recommending two plans-a top recommendation and a secondary recommendation-for every mission. A within-subjects design with three levels of agent transparency was employed in the present experiment. There were eight missions in each of three experimental blocks, grouped by level of transparency. During each experimental block, the IA was incorrect three out of eight times due to external information (e.g., commander's intent and intelligence). Operator performance, trust, workload, and usability data were collected. Results indicate that operator performance, trust, and perceived usability increased as a function of transparency level. Subjective and objective workload data indicate that participants' workload did not increase as a function of transparency. Furthermore, response time did not increase as a function of transparency. Unlike previous research, which showed that increased transparency resulted in increased performance and trust calibration at the cost of greater workload and longer response time, our results support the benefits of transparency for performance effectiveness without additional costs. The current results will facilitate the implementation of IAs in military settings and will provide useful data to the design of heterogeneous UxV teams. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

A system utilizing radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to monitor individual rodent behavior in complex social settings.

PubMed

Howerton, Christopher L; Garner, Joseph P; Mench, Joy A

2012-07-30

Pre-clinical investigation of human CNS disorders relies heavily on mouse models. However these show low predictive validity for translational success to humans, partly due to the extensive use of rapid, high-throughput behavioral assays. Improved assays to monitor rodent behavior over longer time scales in a variety of contexts while still maintaining the efficiency of data collection associated with high-throughput assays are needed. We developed an apparatus that uses radio frequency identification device (RFID) technology to facilitate long-term automated monitoring of the behavior of mice in socially or structurally complex cage environments. Mice that were individually marked and implanted with transponders were placed in pairs in the apparatus, and their locations continuously tracked for 24 h. Video observation was used to validate the RFID readings. The apparatus and its associated software accurately tracked the locations of all mice, yielding information about each mouse's location over time, its diel activity patterns, and the amount of time it was in the same location as the other mouse in the pair. The information that can be efficiently collected in this apparatus has a variety of applications for pre-clinical research on human CNS disorders, for example major depressive disorder and autism spectrum disorder, in that it can be used to quantify validated endophenotypes or biomarkers of these disorders using rodent models. While the specific configuration of the apparatus described here was designed to answer particular experimental questions, it can be modified in various ways to accommodate different experimental designs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Initiation of oncogenic transformation in human mammary epithelial cells by charged particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, T. C.; Georgy, K. A.; Craise, L. M.; Durante, M.

1997-01-01

Experimental studies have shown that high linear-energy transfer (LET) charged particles can be more effective than x-rays and gamma-rays in inducing oncogenic transformation in cultured cells and tumors in animals. Based on these results, experiments were designed and performed with an immortal human mammary epithelial cell line (H184B5), and several clones transformed by heavy ions were obtained. Cell fusion experiments were subsequently done, and results indicate that the transforming gene(s) is recessive. Chromosome analysis with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques also showed additional translocations in transformed human mammary epithelial cells. In addition, studies with these cell lines indicate that heavy ions can effectively induce deletion, break, and dicentrics. Deletion of tumor suppressor gene(s) and/or formation of translocation through DNA double strand breaks is a likely mechanism for the initiation of oncogenic transformation in human mammary epithelial cells.

Tribulus terrestris Extract Improves Human Sperm Parameters In Vitro

PubMed Central

Khaleghi, Sara; Bakhtiari, Mitra; Asadmobini, Atefeh; Esmaeili, Farzane

2016-01-01

Objective. The object of present study was to investigate the effects of direct addition of Tribulus terrestris extract on human sperm parameters. Design. Semen specimens from 40 healthy men volunteers were divided into 4 groups: one group received no treatment (control group) while the others were incubated with 20, 40, and 50 µg/mL of T terrestris extract (experimental groups). Motility, viability, and DNA fragmentation were assessed in all groups. Results. The incubation of human semen with 40 and 50 μg/mL of T terrestris extract significantly enhanced total sperm motility, number of progressive motile spermatozoa, and curvilinear velocity over 60 to 120 minutes’ holding time (P < .05 or P < < .01). Furthermore, viability was significantly enhanced by using T terrestris extract (P < .01). Conclusions. In vitro addition of the T terrestris extract to human sperm could affect male fertility capacity. PMID:27694560

Optimal frequency range for medical radar measurements of human heartbeats using body-contact radar.

PubMed

Brovoll, Sverre; Aardal, Øyvind; Paichard, Yoann; Berger, Tor; Lande, Tor Sverre; Hamran, Svein-Erik

2013-01-01

In this paper the optimal frequency range for heartbeat measurements using body-contact radar is experimentally evaluated. A Body-contact radar senses electromagnetic waves that have penetrated the human body, but the range of frequencies that can be used are limited by the electric properties of the human tissue. The optimal frequency range is an important property needed for the design of body-contact radar systems for heartbeat measurements. In this study heartbeats are measured using three different antennas at discrete frequencies from 0.1 - 10 GHz, and the strength of the received heartbeat signal is calculated. To characterize the antennas, when in contact with the body, two port S-parameters(†) are measured for the antennas using a pork rib as a phantom for the human body. The results shows that frequencies up to 2.5 GHz can be used for heartbeat measurements with body-contact radar.

Toward Personalized Control of Human Gut Bacterial Communities.

PubMed

David, Lawrence A

2018-01-01

A key challenge in microbiology will be developing tools for manipulating human gut bacterial communities. Our ability to predict and control the dynamics of these communities is now in its infancy. To manage human gut microbiota, I am developing methods in three research domains. First, I am refining in vitro tools to experimentally study gut microbes at high throughput and in controlled settings. Second, I am adapting "big data" techniques to overcome statistical challenges confronting microbiota modeling. Third, I am testing study designs that can streamline human testing of microbiota manipulations. Assembling these methods creates new challenges, including training scientists who can work across disciplines such as engineering, ecology, and medicine. Nevertheless, I envision that overcoming these obstacles will enable my group to construct platforms that can personalize microbiota treatments, particularly ones based on diet. More broadly, I anticipate that such platforms will have applications across fields such as agriculture, biotechnology, and environmental management.

Real-time 2D spatially selective MRI experiments: Comparative analysis of optimal control design methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maximov, Ivan I.; Vinding, Mads S.; Tse, Desmond H. Y.; Nielsen, Niels Chr.; Shah, N. Jon

2015-05-01

There is an increasing need for development of advanced radio-frequency (RF) pulse techniques in modern magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems driven by recent advancements in ultra-high magnetic field systems, new parallel transmit/receive coil designs, and accessible powerful computational facilities. 2D spatially selective RF pulses are an example of advanced pulses that have many applications of clinical relevance, e.g., reduced field of view imaging, and MR spectroscopy. The 2D spatially selective RF pulses are mostly generated and optimised with numerical methods that can handle vast controls and multiple constraints. With this study we aim at demonstrating that numerical, optimal control (OC) algorithms are efficient for the design of 2D spatially selective MRI experiments, when robustness towards e.g. field inhomogeneity is in focus. We have chosen three popular OC algorithms; two which are gradient-based, concurrent methods using first- and second-order derivatives, respectively; and a third that belongs to the sequential, monotonically convergent family. We used two experimental models: a water phantom, and an in vivo human head. Taking into consideration the challenging experimental setup, our analysis suggests the use of the sequential, monotonic approach and the second-order gradient-based approach as computational speed, experimental robustness, and image quality is key. All algorithms used in this work were implemented in the MATLAB environment and are freely available to the MRI community.

Development of a Model for Measuring Scientific Processing Skills Based on Brain-Imaging Technology: Focused on the Experimental Design Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Il-Sun; Byeon, Jung-Ho; Kim, Young-shin; Kwon, Yong-Ju

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a model for measuring experimental design ability based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during biological inquiry. More specifically, the researchers developed an experimental design task that measures experimental design ability. Using the developed experimental design task, they measured…

Synthetic torpor: A method for safely and practically transporting experimental animals aboard spaceflight missions to deep space.

PubMed

Griko, Yuri; Regan, Matthew D

2018-02-01

Animal research aboard the Space Shuttle and International Space Station has provided vital information on the physiological, cellular, and molecular effects of spaceflight. The relevance of this information to human spaceflight is enhanced when it is coupled with information gleaned from human-based research. As NASA and other space agencies initiate plans for human exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO), incorporating animal research into these missions is vitally important to understanding the biological impacts of deep space. However, new technologies will be required to integrate experimental animals into spacecraft design and transport them beyond LEO in a safe and practical way. In this communication, we propose the use of metabolic control technologies to reversibly depress the metabolic rates of experimental animals while in transit aboard the spacecraft. Compared to holding experimental animals in active metabolic states, the advantages of artificially inducing regulated, depressed metabolic states (called synthetic torpor) include significantly reduced mass, volume, and power requirements within the spacecraft owing to reduced life support requirements, and mitigated radiation- and microgravity-induced negative health effects on the animals owing to intrinsic physiological properties of torpor. In addition to directly benefitting animal research, synthetic torpor-inducing systems will also serve as test beds for systems that may eventually hold human crewmembers in similar metabolic states on long-duration missions. The technologies for inducing synthetic torpor, which we discuss, are at relatively early stages of development, but there is ample evidence to show that this is a viable idea and one with very real benefits to spaceflight programs. The increasingly ambitious goals of world's many spaceflight programs will be most quickly and safely achieved with the help of animal research systems transported beyond LEO; synthetic torpor may enable this to be done as practically and inexpensively as possible. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Synthetic torpor: A method for safely and practically transporting experimental animals aboard spaceflight missions to deep space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griko, Yuri; Regan, Matthew D.

2018-02-01

Animal research aboard the Space Shuttle and International Space Station has provided vital information on the physiological, cellular, and molecular effects of spaceflight. The relevance of this information to human spaceflight is enhanced when it is coupled with information gleaned from human-based research. As NASA and other space agencies initiate plans for human exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO), incorporating animal research into these missions is vitally important to understanding the biological impacts of deep space. However, new technologies will be required to integrate experimental animals into spacecraft design and transport them beyond LEO in a safe and practical way. In this communication, we propose the use of metabolic control technologies to reversibly depress the metabolic rates of experimental animals while in transit aboard the spacecraft. Compared to holding experimental animals in active metabolic states, the advantages of artificially inducing regulated, depressed metabolic states (called synthetic torpor) include significantly reduced mass, volume, and power requirements within the spacecraft owing to reduced life support requirements, and mitigated radiation- and microgravity-induced negative health effects on the animals owing to intrinsic physiological properties of torpor. In addition to directly benefitting animal research, synthetic torpor-inducing systems will also serve as test beds for systems that may eventually hold human crewmembers in similar metabolic states on long-duration missions. The technologies for inducing synthetic torpor, which we discuss, are at relatively early stages of development, but there is ample evidence to show that this is a viable idea and one with very real benefits to spaceflight programs. The increasingly ambitious goals of world's many spaceflight programs will be most quickly and safely achieved with the help of animal research systems transported beyond LEO; synthetic torpor may enable this to be done as practically and inexpensively as possible.

Robots As Intentional Agents: Using Neuroscientific Methods to Make Robots Appear More Social

PubMed Central

Wiese, Eva; Metta, Giorgio; Wykowska, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

Robots are increasingly envisaged as our future cohabitants. However, while considerable progress has been made in recent years in terms of their technological realization, the ability of robots to interact with humans in an intuitive and social way is still quite limited. An important challenge for social robotics is to determine how to design robots that can perceive the user’s needs, feelings, and intentions, and adapt to users over a broad range of cognitive abilities. It is conceivable that if robots were able to adequately demonstrate these skills, humans would eventually accept them as social companions. We argue that the best way to achieve this is using a systematic experimental approach based on behavioral and physiological neuroscience methods such as motion/eye-tracking, electroencephalography, or functional near-infrared spectroscopy embedded in interactive human–robot paradigms. This approach requires understanding how humans interact with each other, how they perform tasks together and how they develop feelings of social connection over time, and using these insights to formulate design principles that make social robots attuned to the workings of the human brain. In this review, we put forward the argument that the likelihood of artificial agents being perceived as social companions can be increased by designing them in a way that they are perceived as intentional agents that activate areas in the human brain involved in social-cognitive processing. We first review literature related to social-cognitive processes and mechanisms involved in human–human interactions, and highlight the importance of perceiving others as intentional agents to activate these social brain areas. We then discuss how attribution of intentionality can positively affect human–robot interaction by (a) fostering feelings of social connection, empathy and prosociality, and by (b) enhancing performance on joint human–robot tasks. Lastly, we describe circumstances under which attribution of intentionality to robot agents might be disadvantageous, and discuss challenges associated with designing social robots that are inspired by neuroscientific principles. PMID:29046651

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-09-15

Virtual Reality (VR) can provide cost effective methods to design and evaluate components and systems for maintenance and refurbishment operations. The Marshall Space Flight Centerr (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama began to utilize VR for design analysis in the X-34 experimental reusable space vehicle. Analysts at MSFC's Computer Applications and Virtual Environments (CAVE) used Head Mounted Displays (HMD) (pictured), spatial trackers and gesture inputs as a means to animate or inhabit a properly sized virtual human model. These models were used in a VR scenario as a way to determine functionality of space and maintenance requirements for the virtual X-34. The primary functions of the virtual X-34 mockup was to support operations development and design analysis for engine removal, the engine compartment and the aft fuselage. This capability provided general visualization support to engineers and designers at MSFC and to the System Design Freeze Review at Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). The X-34 program was cancelled in 2001.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-09-15

Virtual Reality (VR) can provide cost effective methods to design and evaluate components and systems for maintenance and refurbishment operations. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama began to utilize VR for design analysis in the X-34 experimental reusable space vehicle. Analysts at MSFC's Computer Applications and Virtual Environments (CAVE) used Head Mounted Displays (HMD) (pictured), spatial trackers and gesture inputs as a means to animate or inhabit a properly sized virtual human model. These models were used in a VR scenario as a way to determine functionality of space and maintenance requirements for the virtual X-34. The primary functions of the virtual X-34 mockup was to support operations development and design analysis for engine removal, the engine compartment and the aft fuselage. This capability providedgeneral visualization support to engineers and designers at MSFC and to the System Design Freeze Review at Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). The X-34 program was cancelled in 2001.

Marshall Engineers Use Virtual Reality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Virtual Reality (VR) can provide cost effective methods to design and evaluate components and systems for maintenance and refurbishment operations. Marshall Spce Flight Center (MSFC) is begirning to utilize VR for design analysis in the X-34 experimental reusable space vehicle. Analysts at MSFC's Computer Applications and Virtual Environments (CAVE) used Head Mounted Displays (HMD) (pictured), spatial trackers and gesture inputs as a means to animate or inhabit a properly sized virtual human model. These models are used in a VR scenario as a way to determine functionality of space and maintenance requirements for the virtual X-34. The primary functions of the virtual X-34 mockup is to support operations development and design analysis for engine removal, the engine compartment and the aft fuselage. This capability provides general visualization support to engineers and designers at MSFC and to the System Design Freeze Review at Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC).

Computer Applications and Virtual Environments (CAVE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Virtual Reality (VR) can provide cost effective methods to design and evaluate components and systems for maintenance and refurbishment operations. Marshall SPace Flight Center (MSFC) is begirning to utilize VR for design analysis in the X-34 experimental reusable space vehicle. Analysts at MSFC's Computer Applications and Virtual Environments (CAVE) used Head Mounted Displays (HMD) (pictured), spatial trackers and gesture inputs as a means to animate or inhabit a properly sized virtual human model. These models are used in a VR scenario as a way to determine functionality of space and maintenance requirements for the virtual X-34. The primary functions of the virtual X-34 mockup is to support operations development and design analysis for engine removal, the engine compartment and the aft fuselage. This capability provides general visualization support to engineers and designers at MSFC and to the System Design Freeze Review at Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC).

ComputerApplications and Virtual Environments (CAVE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Virtual Reality (VR) can provide cost effective methods to design and evaluate components and systems for maintenance and refurbishment operations. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama began to utilize VR for design analysis in the X-34 experimental reusable space vehicle. Analysts at MSFC's Computer Applications and Virtual Environments (CAVE) used Head Mounted Displays (HMD) (pictured), spatial trackers and gesture inputs as a means to animate or inhabit a properly sized virtual human model. These models were used in a VR scenario as a way to determine functionality of space and maintenance requirements for the virtual X-34. The primary functions of the virtual X-34 mockup was to support operations development and design analysis for engine removal, the engine compartment and the aft fuselage. This capability providedgeneral visualization support to engineers and designers at MSFC and to the System Design Freeze Review at Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). The X-34 program was cancelled in 2001.

ComputerApplications and Virtual Environments (CAVE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Virtual Reality (VR) can provide cost effective methods to design and evaluate components and systems for maintenance and refurbishment operations. The Marshall Space Flight Centerr (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama began to utilize VR for design analysis in the X-34 experimental reusable space vehicle. Analysts at MSFC's Computer Applications and Virtual Environments (CAVE) used Head Mounted Displays (HMD) (pictured), spatial trackers and gesture inputs as a means to animate or inhabit a properly sized virtual human model. These models were used in a VR scenario as a way to determine functionality of space and maintenance requirements for the virtual X-34. The primary functions of the virtual X-34 mockup was to support operations development and design analysis for engine removal, the engine compartment and the aft fuselage. This capability provided general visualization support to engineers and designers at MSFC and to the System Design Freeze Review at Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). The X-34 program was cancelled in 2001.

Designing Experiments to Discriminate Families of Logic Models.

PubMed

Videla, Santiago; Konokotina, Irina; Alexopoulos, Leonidas G; Saez-Rodriguez, Julio; Schaub, Torsten; Siegel, Anne; Guziolowski, Carito

2015-01-01

Logic models of signaling pathways are a promising way of building effective in silico functional models of a cell, in particular of signaling pathways. The automated learning of Boolean logic models describing signaling pathways can be achieved by training to phosphoproteomics data, which is particularly useful if it is measured upon different combinations of perturbations in a high-throughput fashion. However, in practice, the number and type of allowed perturbations are not exhaustive. Moreover, experimental data are unavoidably subjected to noise. As a result, the learning process results in a family of feasible logical networks rather than in a single model. This family is composed of logic models implementing different internal wirings for the system and therefore the predictions of experiments from this family may present a significant level of variability, and hence uncertainty. In this paper, we introduce a method based on Answer Set Programming to propose an optimal experimental design that aims to narrow down the variability (in terms of input-output behaviors) within families of logical models learned from experimental data. We study how the fitness with respect to the data can be improved after an optimal selection of signaling perturbations and how we learn optimal logic models with minimal number of experiments. The methods are applied on signaling pathways in human liver cells and phosphoproteomics experimental data. Using 25% of the experiments, we obtained logical models with fitness scores (mean square error) 15% close to the ones obtained using all experiments, illustrating the impact that our approach can have on the design of experiments for efficient model calibration.

Association between red meat consumption and colon cancer: A systematic review of experimental results.

PubMed

Turner, Nancy D; Lloyd, Shannon K

2017-04-01

A role for red and processed meat in the development of colorectal cancer has been proposed based largely on evidence from observational studies in humans, especially in those populations consuming a westernized diet. Determination of causation specifically by red or processed meat is contingent upon identification of plausible mechanisms that lead to colorectal cancer. We conducted a systematic review of the available evidence to determine the availability of plausible mechanistic data linking red and processed meat consumption to colorectal cancer risk. Forty studies using animal models or cell cultures met specified inclusion criteria, most of which were designed to examine the role of heme iron or heterocyclic amines in relation to colon carcinogenesis. Most studies used levels of meat or meat components well in excess of those found in human diets. Although many of the experiments used semi-purified diets designed to mimic the nutrient loads in current westernized diets, most did not include potential biologically active protective compounds present in whole foods. Because of these limitations in the existing literature, there is currently insufficient evidence to confirm a mechanistic link between the intake of red meat as part of a healthy dietary pattern and colorectal cancer risk. Impact statement Current recommendations to reduce colon cancer include the reduction or elimination of red or processed meats. These recommendations are based on data from epidemiological studies conducted among cultures where meat consumption is elevated and consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are reduced. This review evaluated experimental data exploring the putative mechanisms whereby red or processed meats may contribute to colon cancer. Most studies used levels of meat or meat-derived compounds that were in excess of those in human diets, even in cultures where meat intake is elevated. Experiments where protective dietary compounds were used to mitigate the extreme levels of meat and meat-derived compounds showed protection against colon cancer, with some essentially negating the impact of meat in the diet. It is essential that better-designed studies be conducted that use relevant concentrations of meat or meat-derived compounds in complex diets representative of the foods consumed by humans.

Association between red meat consumption and colon cancer: A systematic review of experimental results

PubMed Central

Lloyd, Shannon K

2017-01-01

A role for red and processed meat in the development of colorectal cancer has been proposed based largely on evidence from observational studies in humans, especially in those populations consuming a westernized diet. Determination of causation specifically by red or processed meat is contingent upon identification of plausible mechanisms that lead to colorectal cancer. We conducted a systematic review of the available evidence to determine the availability of plausible mechanistic data linking red and processed meat consumption to colorectal cancer risk. Forty studies using animal models or cell cultures met specified inclusion criteria, most of which were designed to examine the role of heme iron or heterocyclic amines in relation to colon carcinogenesis. Most studies used levels of meat or meat components well in excess of those found in human diets. Although many of the experiments used semi-purified diets designed to mimic the nutrient loads in current westernized diets, most did not include potential biologically active protective compounds present in whole foods. Because of these limitations in the existing literature, there is currently insufficient evidence to confirm a mechanistic link between the intake of red meat as part of a healthy dietary pattern and colorectal cancer risk. Impact statement Current recommendations to reduce colon cancer include the reduction or elimination of red or processed meats. These recommendations are based on data from epidemiological studies conducted among cultures where meat consumption is elevated and consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are reduced. This review evaluated experimental data exploring the putative mechanisms whereby red or processed meats may contribute to colon cancer. Most studies used levels of meat or meat-derived compounds that were in excess of those in human diets, even in cultures where meat intake is elevated. Experiments where protective dietary compounds were used to mitigate the extreme levels of meat and meat-derived compounds showed protection against colon cancer, with some essentially negating the impact of meat in the diet. It is essential that better-designed studies be conducted that use relevant concentrations of meat or meat-derived compounds in complex diets representative of the foods consumed by humans. PMID:28205448

Doehlert experimental design applied to optimization of light emitting textile structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oguz, Yesim; Cochrane, Cedric; Koncar, Vladan; Mordon, Serge R.

2016-07-01

A light emitting fabric (LEF) has been developed for photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of dermatologic diseases such as Actinic Keratosis (AK). A successful PDT requires homogenous and reproducible light with controlled power and wavelength on the treated skin area. Due to the shape of the human body, traditional PDT with external light sources is unable to deliver homogenous light everywhere on the skin (head vertex, hand, etc.). For better light delivery homogeneity, plastic optical fibers (POFs) have been woven in textile in order to emit laterally the injected light. The previous studies confirmed that the light power could be locally controlled by modifying the radius of POF macro-bendings within the textile structure. The objective of this study is to optimize the distribution of macro-bendings over the LEF surface in order to increase the light intensity (mW/cm2), and to guarantee the best possible light deliver homogeneity over the LEF which are often contradictory. Fifteen experiments have been carried out with Doehlert experimental design involving Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The proposed models are fitted to the experimental data to enable the optimal set up of the warp yarns tensions.

A force-controllable macro-micro manipulator and its application to medical robots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marzwell, Neville I.; Uecker, Darrin R.; Wang, Yulun

1994-01-01

This paper describes an 8-degrees-of-freedom macro-micro robot. This robot is capable of performing tasks that require accurate force control, such as polishing, finishing, grinding, deburring, and cleaning. The design of the macro-micro mechanism, the control algorithms, and the hardware/software implementation of the algorithms are described in this paper. Initial experimental results are reported. In addition, this paper includes a discussion of medical surgery and the role that force control may play. We introduce a new class of robotic systems collectively called Robotic Enhancement Technology (RET). RET systems introduce the combination of robotic manipulation with human control to perform manipulation tasks beyond the individual capability of either human or machine. The RET class of robotic systems offers new challenges in mechanism design, control-law development, and man/machine interface design. We believe force-controllable mechanisms such as the macro-micro structure we have developed are a necessary part of RET. Work in progress in the area of RET systems and their application to minimally invasive surgery is presented, along with future research directions.

Considerations for Experimental Animal Models of Concussion, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy—These Matters Matter

PubMed Central

Wojnarowicz, Mark W.; Fisher, Andrew M.; Minaeva, Olga; Goldstein, Lee E.

2017-01-01

Animal models of concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) are widely available and routinely deployed in laboratories around the world. Effective animal modeling requires careful consideration of four basic principles. First, animal model use must be guided by clarity of definitions regarding the human disease or condition being modeled. Concussion, TBI, and CTE represent distinct clinical entities that require clear differentiation: concussion is a neurological syndrome, TBI is a neurological event, and CTE is a neurological disease. While these conditions are all associated with head injury, the pathophysiology, clinical course, and medical management of each are distinct. Investigators who use animal models of these conditions must take into account these clinical distinctions to avoid misinterpretation of results and category mistakes. Second, model selection must be grounded by clarity of purpose with respect to experimental questions and frame of reference of the investigation. Distinguishing injury context (“inputs”) from injury consequences (“outputs”) may be helpful during animal model selection, experimental design and execution, and interpretation of results. Vigilance is required to rout out, or rigorously control for, model artifacts with potential to interfere with primary endpoints. The widespread use of anesthetics in many animal models illustrates the many ways that model artifacts can confound preclinical results. Third, concordance between key features of the animal model and the human disease or condition being modeled is required to confirm model biofidelity. Fourth, experimental results observed in animals must be confirmed in human subjects for model validation. Adherence to these principles serves as a bulwark against flawed interpretation of results, study replication failure, and confusion in the field. Implementing these principles will advance basic science discovery and accelerate clinical translation to benefit people affected by concussion, TBI, and CTE. PMID:28620350

Automatic design and manufacture of robotic lifeforms.

PubMed

Lipson, H; Pollack, J B

2000-08-31

Biological life is in control of its own means of reproduction, which generally involves complex, autocatalysing chemical reactions. But this autonomy of design and manufacture has not yet been realized artificially. Robots are still laboriously designed and constructed by teams of human engineers, usually at considerable expense. Few robots are available because these costs must be absorbed through mass production, which is justified only for toys, weapons and industrial systems such as automatic teller machines. Here we report the results of a combined computational and experimental approach in which simple electromechanical systems are evolved through simulations from basic building blocks (bars, actuators and artificial neurons); the 'fittest' machines (defined by their locomotive ability) are then fabricated robotically using rapid manufacturing technology. We thus achieve autonomy of design and construction using evolution in a 'limited universe' physical simulation coupled to automatic fabrication.

Alcohol and Sexuality Research in the AIDS Era: Trends in Publication Activity, Target Populations and Research Design

PubMed Central

George, William H.

2009-01-01

Research addressing relationships between alcohol and human sexuality has proliferated, due in part to efforts to characterize alcohol's role in HIV risk behavior. This study provides a descriptive review of the alcohol–sexuality literature, using abstracts from 264 identified studies to estimate changes in publication activity, target populations, and the prevalence of HIV-related studies over time. We also examine methodological trends by estimating the prevalence of experimental vs. non-experimental studies. Findings show considerable increases in research activity and diversity of populations studied since the mid-1980's and highlight the emergence of HIV-related studies as a focal point of alcohol–sexuality research efforts. Results also demonstrate a substantial decline in the proportion of studies utilizing experimental methods, in part because of frequent use of non-experimental approaches in studies of alcohol and HIV risk behavior. We discuss implications and review the role of experiments in evaluating causal relationships between alcohol and sexual risk behavior. PMID:16897352

Alcohol and sexuality research in the AIDS era: trends in publication activity, target populations and research design.

PubMed

Hendershot, Christian S; George, William H

2007-03-01

Research addressing relationships between alcohol and human sexuality has proliferated, due in part to efforts to characterize alcohol's role in HIV risk behavior. This study provides a descriptive review of the alcohol-sexuality literature, using abstracts from 264 identified studies to estimate changes in publication activity, target populations, and the prevalence of HIV-related studies over time. We also examine methodological trends by estimating the prevalence of experimental vs. non-experimental studies. Findings show considerable increases in research activity and diversity of populations studied since the mid-1980's and highlight the emergence of HIV-related studies as a focal point of alcohol-sexuality research efforts. Results also demonstrate a substantial decline in the proportion of studies utilizing experimental methods, in part because of frequent use of non-experimental approaches in studies of alcohol and HIV risk behavior. We discuss implications and review the role of experiments in evaluating causal relationships between alcohol and sexual risk behavior.

Electrospun biocompatible Chitosan/MIL-101 (Fe) composite nanofibers for solid-phase extraction of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in whole blood samples using Box-Behnken experimental design.

PubMed

Asiabi, Mina; Mehdinia, Ali; Jabbari, Ali

2017-01-06

The nanofibers of biocompatible Chitosan/MIL-101 (Fe) composite were synthesized by a simple, cheap and accessible electrospining method and applied for mat-based extraction of trace amount of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from human whole blood sample following its combination by high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection. The composite nanofibres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and N 2 adsorption-desorption experiments. The volume of eluting solvent, sorbent amount, pH and% NaCl (w/v) influencing on the responses were investigated using factorial experimental design. The optimum point was achieved by analysis of the results according to design expert (DX) software. The volume of eluting solvent, sorbent amount and pH were significant variables, and 150μL, 7mg and 7.0 were respectively chosen for obtaining the best extraction response. Under the optimum conditions, the method was exhibited a linear range of 0.1-100μgL -1 (R 2 =0.9943) for THC with a detection limit of 0.04μgL -1 . Acceptable values for intra-day (3.2%) and inter-day (4.8%) relative standard deviations were obtained. The high preconcentration factor (970) and satisfactory recoveries (88.2%-92.4%) in whole blood samples were achieved which proved the capability of the method for trace determination of THC in the human whole blood samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quasi-Experimental Designs for Causal Inference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Yongnam; Steiner, Peter

2016-01-01

When randomized experiments are infeasible, quasi-experimental designs can be exploited to evaluate causal treatment effects. The strongest quasi-experimental designs for causal inference are regression discontinuity designs, instrumental variable designs, matching and propensity score designs, and comparative interrupted time series designs. This…

Design of a high-throughput human neural crest cell migration assay to indicate potential developmental toxicants.

PubMed

Nyffeler, Johanna; Karreman, Christiaan; Leisner, Heidrun; Kim, Yong Jun; Lee, Gabsang; Waldmann, Tanja; Leist, Marcel

2017-01-01

Migration of neural crest cells (NCCs) is one of the pivotal processes of human fetal development. Malformations arise if NCC migration and differentiation are impaired genetically or by toxicants. In the currently available test systems for migration inhibition of NCC (MINC), the manual generation of a cell-free space results in extreme operator dependencies, and limits throughput. Here a new test format was established. The assay avoids scratching by plating cells around a commercially available circular stopper. Removal of the stopper barrier after cell attachment initiates migration. This microwell-based circular migration zone NCC function assay (cMINC) was further optimized for toxicological testing of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived NCCs. The challenge of obtaining data on viability and migration by automated image processing was addressed by developing a freeware. Data on cell proliferation were obtained by labelling replicating cells, and by careful assessment of cell viability for each experimental sample. The role of cell proliferation as an experimental confounder was tested experimentally by performing the cMINC in the presence of the proliferation-inhibiting drug cytosine arabinoside (AraC), and by a careful evaluation of mitotic events over time. Data from these studies led to an adaptation of the test protocol, so that toxicant exposure was limited to 24 h. Under these conditions, a prediction model was developed that allows classification of toxicants as either inactive, leading to unspecific cytotoxicity, or specifically inhibiting NC migration at non-cytotoxic concentrations.

40 CFR 158.250 - Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure. 158.250 Section 158.250 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure. No data for applicator exposure and post...

40 CFR 158.250 - Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure. 158.250 Section 158.250 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure. No data for applicator exposure and post...

40 CFR 158.250 - Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure. 158.250 Section 158.250 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure. No data for applicator exposure and post...

40 CFR 158.250 - Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure. 158.250 Section 158.250 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Experimental use permit data requirements for human exposure. No data for applicator exposure and post...

The Emergency Department Safety Assessment and Follow-up Evaluation (ED-SAFE): method and design considerations.

PubMed

Boudreaux, Edwin D; Miller, Ivan; Goldstein, Amy B; Sullivan, Ashley F; Allen, Michael H; Manton, Anne P; Arias, Sarah A; Camargo, Carlos A

2013-09-01

Due to the concentration of individuals at-risk for suicide, an emergency department visit represents an opportune time for suicide risk screening and intervention. The Emergency Department Safety Assessment and Follow-up Evaluation (ED-SAFE) uses a quasi-experimental, interrupted time series design to evaluate whether (1) a practical approach to universally screening ED patients for suicide risk leads to improved detection of suicide risk and (2) a multi-component intervention delivered during and after the ED visit improves suicide-related outcomes. This paper summarizes the ED-SAFE's study design and methods within the context of considerations relevant to effectiveness research in suicide prevention and pertinent human participants concerns. 1440 suicidal individuals, from 8 general ED's nationally will be enrolled during three sequential phases of data collection (480 individuals/phase): (1) Treatment as Usual; (2) Universal Screening; and (3) Intervention. Data from the three phases will inform two separate evaluations: Screening Outcome (Phases 1 and 2) and Intervention (Phases 2 and 3). Individuals will be followed for 12 months. The primary study outcome is a composite reflecting completed suicide, attempted suicide, aborted or interrupted attempts, and implementation of rescue procedures during an outcome assessment. While 'classic' randomized control trials (RCT) are typically selected over quasi-experimental designs, ethical and methodological issues may make an RCT a poor fit for complex interventions in an applied setting, such as the ED. ED-SAFE represents an innovative approach to examining the complex public health issue of suicide prevention through a multi-phase, quasi-experimental design embedded in 'real world' clinical settings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Robotic lower limb prosthesis design through simultaneous computer optimizations of human and prosthesis costs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handford, Matthew L.; Srinivasan, Manoj

2016-02-01

Robotic lower limb prostheses can improve the quality of life for amputees. Development of such devices, currently dominated by long prototyping periods, could be sped up by predictive simulations. In contrast to some amputee simulations which track experimentally determined non-amputee walking kinematics, here, we explicitly model the human-prosthesis interaction to produce a prediction of the user’s walking kinematics. We obtain simulations of an amputee using an ankle-foot prosthesis by simultaneously optimizing human movements and prosthesis actuation, minimizing a weighted sum of human metabolic and prosthesis costs. The resulting Pareto optimal solutions predict that increasing prosthesis energy cost, decreasing prosthesis mass, and allowing asymmetric gaits all decrease human metabolic rate for a given speed and alter human kinematics. The metabolic rates increase monotonically with speed. Remarkably, by performing an analogous optimization for a non-amputee human, we predict that an amputee walking with an appropriately optimized robotic prosthesis can have a lower metabolic cost - even lower than assuming that the non-amputee’s ankle torques are cost-free.

Monitoring the extent of vertical and lateral movement of human decomposition products through sediment using cholesterol as a biomarker.

PubMed

Luong, Susan; Forbes, Shari L; Wallman, James F; Roberts, Richard G

2018-04-01

Due to the lack of human decomposition research facilities available in different geographical regions, the extent of movement of human decomposition products from a cadaver into various sedimentary environments, in different climates, has not been able to be studied in detail. In our study, a human cadaver was placed on the surface of a designated plot at the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER), the only human decomposition facility in Australia, where the natural process of decomposition was allowed to progress over 14days in the Australian summer. Sediment columns (approximately 1m deep) were collected at lateral distances of 0.25m, 0.5m, 1.0m and 2.5m in each of four directions from the centre of the torso. Plot elevation and weather data were also collected. Each sediment column was subdivided, dried and homogenised. A sample was isolated from each sediment subdivision, extracted with hexane, and the hexane extract cleaned with citrate buffer (pH 3), filtered and spiked with cholesterol-D 7 internal standard. After derivatisation with BSTFA+1% TMCS, cholesterol was monitored in the samples using targeted gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis. A positive result for decomposition products was given if the cholesterol abundance in the test sample was higher than that detected in the 'control' samples of a similar substrate type collected prior to cadaver placement. Within the confines of the experimental design and the measured parameters, lateral leaching was observed over distances of up to 2.5m from the centre of the torso, which was the maximum distance tested in the study. Vertical leaching was detected to depths of up to 49cm below the ground surface. Such data can aid the development of policies related to plot sizing and sediment renewal and regeneration at other human decomposition facilities and at cemeteries. The density and distribution of cholesterol surrounding the cadaver in this study can also help forensic investigators interpret cases involving remains that have been moved or scavenged. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An integrated approach to rotorcraft human factors research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hart, Sandra G.; Hartzell, E. James; Voorhees, James W.; Bucher, Nancy M.; Shively, R. Jay

1988-01-01

As the potential of civil and military helicopters has increased, more complex and demanding missions in increasingly hostile environments have been required. Users, designers, and manufacturers have an urgent need for information about human behavior and function to create systems that take advantage of human capabilities, without overloading them. Because there is a large gap between what is known about human behavior and the information needed to predict pilot workload and performance in the complex missions projected for pilots of advanced helicopters, Army and NASA scientists are actively engaged in Human Factors Research at Ames. The research ranges from laboratory experiments to computational modeling, simulation evaluation, and inflight testing. Information obtained in highly controlled but simpler environments generates predictions which can be tested in more realistic situations. These results are used, in turn, to refine theoretical models, provide the focus for subsequent research, and ensure operational relevance, while maintaining predictive advantages. The advantages and disadvantages of each type of research are described along with examples of experimental results.

Novel Design of a Soft Lightweight Pneumatic Continuum Robot Arm with Decoupled Variable Stiffness and Positioning.

PubMed

Giannaccini, Maria Elena; Xiang, Chaoqun; Atyabi, Adham; Theodoridis, Theo; Nefti-Meziani, Samia; Davis, Steve

2018-02-01

Soft robot arms possess unique capabilities when it comes to adaptability, flexibility, and dexterity. In addition, soft systems that are pneumatically actuated can claim high power-to-weight ratio. One of the main drawbacks of pneumatically actuated soft arms is that their stiffness cannot be varied independently from their end-effector position in space. The novel robot arm physical design presented in this article successfully decouples its end-effector positioning from its stiffness. An experimental characterization of this ability is coupled with a mathematical analysis. The arm combines the light weight, high payload to weight ratio and robustness of pneumatic actuation with the adaptability and versatility of variable stiffness. Light weight is a vital component of the inherent safety approach to physical human-robot interaction. To characterize the arm, a neural network analysis of the curvature of the arm for different input pressures is performed. The curvature-pressure relationship is also characterized experimentally.

Focus and perspective adaptive digital surgical microscope: optomechanical design and experimental implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claus, Daniel; Reichert, Carsten; Herkommer, Alois

2017-05-01

This paper relates to the improvement of conventional surgical stereo microscopy via the application of digital recording devices and adaptive optics. The research is aimed at improving the working conditions of the surgeon during the operation, such that free head movement is possible. The depth clues known from conventional stereo microscopy in interaction with the human eye's functionality, such as convergence, disparity, angular elevation, parallax, and accommodation, are implemented in a digital recording system via adaptive optomechanical components. Two laterally moving pupil apertures have been used mimicking the digital implementation of the eye's vergence and head motion. The natural eye's accommodation is mimicked via the application of a tunable lens. Additionally, another system has been built, which enables tracking the surgeon's eye pupil through a digital displaying stereoscopic microscope to supply the necessary information for steering the recording system. The optomechanical design and experimental results for both systems, digital recording stereoscopic microscope and pupil tracking system, are shown.

Comparative Analysis of CNV Calling Algorithms: Literature Survey and a Case Study Using Bovine High-Density SNP Data.

PubMed

Xu, Lingyang; Hou, Yali; Bickhart, Derek M; Song, Jiuzhou; Liu, George E

2013-06-25

Copy number variations (CNVs) are gains and losses of genomic sequence between two individuals of a species when compared to a reference genome. The data from single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarrays are now routinely used for genotyping, but they also can be utilized for copy number detection. Substantial progress has been made in array design and CNV calling algorithms and at least 10 comparison studies in humans have been published to assess them. In this review, we first survey the literature on existing microarray platforms and CNV calling algorithms. We then examine a number of CNV calling tools to evaluate their impacts using bovine high-density SNP data. Large incongruities in the results from different CNV calling tools highlight the need for standardizing array data collection, quality assessment and experimental validation. Only after careful experimental design and rigorous data filtering can the impacts of CNVs on both normal phenotypic variability and disease susceptibility be fully revealed.

Guidelines for pre-clinical assessment of the acetylcholine receptor--specific passive transfer myasthenia gravis model-Recommendations for methods and experimental designs.

PubMed

Kusner, Linda L; Losen, Mario; Vincent, Angela; Lindstrom, Jon; Tzartos, Socrates; Lazaridis, Konstantinos; Martinez-Martinez, Pilar

2015-08-01

Antibodies against the muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) are the most common cause of myasthenia gravis (MG). Passive transfer of AChR antibodies from MG patients into animals reproduces key features of human disease, including antigenic modulation of the AChR, complement-mediated damage of the neuromuscular junction, and muscle weakness. Similarly, AChR antibodies generated by active immunization in experimental autoimmune MG models can subsequently be passively transferred to other animals and induce weakness. The passive transfer model is useful to test therapeutic strategies aimed at the effector mechanism of the autoantibodies. Here we summarize published and unpublished experience using the AChR passive transfer MG model in mice, rats and rhesus monkeys, and give recommendations for the design of preclinical studies in order to facilitate translation of positive and negative results to improve MG therapies. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel Design of a Soft Lightweight Pneumatic Continuum Robot Arm with Decoupled Variable Stiffness and Positioning

PubMed Central

Xiang, Chaoqun; Atyabi, Adham; Theodoridis, Theo; Nefti-Meziani, Samia; Davis, Steve

2018-01-01

Abstract Soft robot arms possess unique capabilities when it comes to adaptability, flexibility, and dexterity. In addition, soft systems that are pneumatically actuated can claim high power-to-weight ratio. One of the main drawbacks of pneumatically actuated soft arms is that their stiffness cannot be varied independently from their end-effector position in space. The novel robot arm physical design presented in this article successfully decouples its end-effector positioning from its stiffness. An experimental characterization of this ability is coupled with a mathematical analysis. The arm combines the light weight, high payload to weight ratio and robustness of pneumatic actuation with the adaptability and versatility of variable stiffness. Light weight is a vital component of the inherent safety approach to physical human-robot interaction. To characterize the arm, a neural network analysis of the curvature of the arm for different input pressures is performed. The curvature-pressure relationship is also characterized experimentally. PMID:29412080

A More Rigorous Quasi-Experimental Alternative to the One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Craig W.

1986-01-01

A simple quasi-experimental design is described which may have utility in a variety of applied and laboratory research settings where ordinarily the one-group pretest-posttest pre-experimental design might otherwise be the procedure of choice. The design approaches the internal validity of true experimental designs while optimizing external…

Assessing the scientific research productivity of a leading toxicology journal: A case study of Human & Experimental Toxicology from 2003 to 2012.

PubMed

Zyoud, Sa'ed H; Al-Jabi, Samah W; Sweileh, Waleed M; Awang, Rahmat

2014-01-01

Bibliometric studies are increasingly being used for research assessments. Bibliometric indicators involve the application of statistical methods to scientific publications to obtain the bibliographics for each journal. The main objective of this study was to conduct a bibliometric evaluation of Human & Experimental Toxicology retrieved from the Scopus database. This study obtained data from Scopus published from 1 January 2003 till 31 December 2012. The keywords entered in Scopus to accomplish the objective of this study were 'Human', 'Experimental' and 'Toxicology' as 'Source Title'. Research productivity was evaluated based on a methodology developed and used in other bibliometric studies by analysing (a) total and trends in Human & Experimental Toxicology contributions in research between 2003 and 2012; (b) Human & Experimental Toxicology authorship patterns and productivity; (c) collaboration patterns; and (d) the citations received by the publications. There were 1229 research articles published in Human & Experimental Toxicology. Of the articles included, 947 (77.1%) were original articles and 104 (8.5%) were review articles. The Hirsch-index of the retrieved documents was 35. The largest number of publications in Human & Experimental Toxicology was from the United States (19.6%), followed by India (12.8%) and Turkey (10.9%). The total number of citations was 9119, with a median (interquartile range) of 3 (1-9) in 6797 documents. The highest median (interquartile range) number of citations was 8 (2.7-12.7) for France, followed by 7.5 (2-22.5) for Iran and 6 (3-13.5) for the United Kingdom. The country most often citing articles that were published in Human & Experimental Toxicology was the United States, which made citations in 1508 documents, followed by India with citations in 792 documents. The documents in Human & Experimental Toxicology focus principally on original data, with very few review articles. Review articles tend to have higher citation rates than original articles, and hence, the editors and authors of Human & Experimental Toxicology might usefully promote the submission of reviews in the future to improve the impact of the journal.

A comparative analysis of speed profile models for wrist pointing movements.

PubMed

Vaisman, Lev; Dipietro, Laura; Krebs, Hermano Igo

2013-09-01

Following two decades of design and clinical research on robot-mediated therapy for the shoulder and elbow, therapeutic robotic devices for other joints are being proposed: several research groups including ours have designed robots for the wrist, either to be used as stand-alone devices or in conjunction with shoulder and elbow devices. However, in contrast with robots for the shoulder and elbow which were able to take advantage of descriptive kinematic models developed in neuroscience for the past 30 years, design of wrist robots controllers cannot rely on similar prior art: wrist movement kinematics has been largely unexplored. This study aimed at examining speed profiles of fast, visually evoked, visually guided, target-directed human wrist pointing movements. One thousand three-hundred ninety-eight (1398) trials were recorded from seven unimpaired subjects who performed center-out flexion/extension and abduction/adduction wrist movements and fitted with 19 models previously proposed for describing reaching speed profiles. A nonlinear, least squares optimization procedure extracted parameters' sets that minimized error between experimental and reconstructed data. Models' performances were compared based on their ability to reconstruct experimental data. Results suggest that the support-bounded lognormal is the best model for speed profiles of fast, wrist pointing movements. Applications include design of control algorithms for therapeutic wrist robots and quantitative metrics of motor recovery.

Design, analysis and verification of a knee joint oncological prosthesis finite element model.

PubMed

Zach, Lukáš; Kunčická, Lenka; Růžička, Pavel; Kocich, Radim

2014-11-01

The aim of this paper was to design a finite element model for a hinged PROSPON oncological knee endoprosthesis and to verify the model by comparison with ankle flexion angle using knee-bending experimental data obtained previously. Visible Human Project CT scans were used to create a general lower extremity bones model and to compose a 3D CAD knee joint model to which muscles and ligaments were added. Into the assembly the designed finite element PROSPON prosthesis model was integrated and an analysis focused on the PEEK-OPTIMA hinge pin bushing stress state was carried out. To confirm the stress state analysis results, contact pressure was investigated. The analysis was performed in the knee-bending position within 15.4-69.4° hip joint flexion range. The results showed that the maximum stress achieved during the analysis (46.6 MPa) did not exceed the yield strength of the material (90 MPa); the condition of plastic stability was therefore met. The stress state analysis results were confirmed by the distribution of contact pressure during knee-bending. The applicability of our designed finite element model for the real implant behaviour prediction was proven on the basis of good correlation of the analytical and experimental ankle flexion angle data. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

VICTORIA Class Submarine Human-in-the-Loop Experimentation Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

1472G. VICTORIA Class Submarine Human-in-the-Loop Experimentation Plan and Preliminary Results © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of...19 th International Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium Title: VICTORIA Class Submarine Human-in-the-Loop...TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2014 to 00-00-2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE VICTORIA Class Submarine Human-in-the-Loop Experimentation Plan 5a. CONTRACT

Identification of human-generated forces on wheelchairs during total-body extensor thrusts.

PubMed

Hong, Seong-Wook; Patrangenaru, Vlad; Singhose, William; Sprigle, Stephen

2006-10-01

Involuntary extensor thrust experienced by wheelchair users with neurological disorders may cause injuries via impact with the wheelchair, lead to the occupant sliding out of the seat, and also damage the wheelchair. The concept of a dynamic seat, which allows movement of a seat with respect to the wheelchair frame, has been suggested as a potential solution to provide greater freedom and safety. Knowledge of the human-generated motion and forces during unconstrained extensor thrust events is of great importance in developing more comfortable and effective dynamic seats. The objective of this study was to develop a method to identify human-generated motions and forces during extensor thrust events. This information can be used to design the triggering system for a dynamic seat. An experimental system was developed to automatically track the motions of the wheelchair user using a video camera and also measure the forces at the footrest. An inverse dynamic approach was employed along with a three-link human body model and the experimental data to predict the human-generated forces. Two kinds of experiments were performed: the first experiment validated the proposed model and the second experiment showed the effects of the extensor thrust speed, the footrest angle, and the seatback angle. The proposed method was tested using a sensitivity analysis, from which a performance index was deduced to help indicate the robust region of the force identification. A system to determine human-generated motions and forces during unconstrained extensor thrusts was developed. Through experiments and simulations, the effectiveness and reliability of the developed system was established.

Comparative psychology and the grand challenge of drug discovery in psychiatry and neurodegeneration.

PubMed

Brunner, Dani; Balcı, Fuat; Ludvig, Elliot A

2012-02-01

Drug discovery for brain disorders is undergoing a period of upheaval. Faced with an empty drug pipeline and numerous failures of potential new drugs in clinical trials, many large pharmaceutical companies have been shrinking or even closing down their research divisions that focus on central nervous system (CNS) disorders. In this paper, we argue that many of the difficulties facing CNS drug discovery stem from a lack of robustness in pre-clinical (i.e., non-human animal) testing. There are two main sources for this lack of robustness. First, there is the lack of replicability of many results from the pre-clinical stage, which we argue is driven by a combination of publication bias and inappropriate selection of statistical and experimental designs. Second, there is the frequent failure to translate results in non-human animals to parallel results in humans in the clinic. This limitation can only be overcome by developing new behavioral tests for non-human animals that have predictive, construct, and etiological validity. Here, we present these translational difficulties as a "grand challenge" to researchers from comparative cognition, who are well positioned to provide new methods for testing behavior and cognition in non-human animals. These new experimental protocols will need to be both statistically robust and target behavioral and cognitive processes that allow for better connection with human CNS disorders. Our hope is that this downturn in industrial research may represent an opportunity to develop new protocols that will re-kindle the search for more effective and safer drugs for CNS disorders. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Habituation of the metabolic and ventilatory responses to cold-water immersion in humans.

PubMed

Tipton, Michael J; Wakabayashi, Hitoshi; Barwood, Martin J; Eglin, Clare M; Mekjavic, Igor B; Taylor, Nigel A S

2013-01-01

An experiment was undertaken to answer long-standing questions concerning the nature of metabolic habituation in repeatedly cooled humans. It was hypothesised that repeated skin and deep-body cooling would produce such a habituation that would be specific to the magnitude of the cooling experienced, and that skin cooling alone would dampen the cold-shock but not the metabolic response to cold-water immersion. Twenty-one male participants were divided into three groups, each of which completed two experimental immersions in 12°C water, lasting until either rectal temperature fell to 35°C or 90min had elapsed. Between these two immersions, the control group avoided cold exposures, whilst two experimental groups completed five additional immersions (12°C). One experimental group repeatedly immersed for 45min in average, resulting in deep-body (1.18°C) and skin temperature reductions. The immersions in the second experimental group were designed to result only in skin temperature reductions, and lasted only 5min. Only the deep-body cooling group displayed a significantly blunted metabolic response during the second experimental immersion until rectal temperature decreased by 1.18°C, but no habituation was observed when they were cooled further. The skin cooling group showed a significant habituation in the ventilatory response during the initial 5min of the second experimental immersion, but no alteration in the metabolic response. It is concluded that repeated falls of skin and deep-body temperature can habituate the metabolic response, which shows tissue temperature specificity. However, skin temperature cooling only will lower the cold-shock response, but appears not to elicit an alteration in the metabolic response. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flexible energy harvesting from hard piezoelectric beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delnavaz, Aidin; Voix, Jérémie

2016-11-01

This paper presents design, multiphysics finite element modeling and experimental validation of a new miniaturized PZT generator that integrates a bulk piezoelectric ceramic onto a flexible platform for energy harvesting from the human body pressing force. In spite of its flexibility, the mechanical structure of the proposed device is simple to fabricate and efficient for the energy conversion. The finite element model involves both mechanical and piezoelectric parts of the device coupled with the electrical circuit model. The energy harvester prototype was fabricated and tested under the low frequency periodic pressing force during 10 seconds. The experimental results show that several nano joules of electrical energy is stored in a capacitor that is quite significant given the size of the device. The finite element model is validated by observing a good agreement between experimental and simulation results. the validated model could be used for optimizing the device for energy harvesting from earcanal deformations.

Budding yeast for budding geneticists: a primer on the Saccharomyces cerevisiae model system.

PubMed

Duina, Andrea A; Miller, Mary E; Keeney, Jill B

2014-05-01

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a powerful model organism for studying fundamental aspects of eukaryotic cell biology. This Primer article presents a brief historical perspective on the emergence of this organism as a premier experimental system over the course of the past century. An overview of the central features of the S. cerevisiae genome, including the nature of its genetic elements and general organization, is also provided. Some of the most common experimental tools and resources available to yeast geneticists are presented in a way designed to engage and challenge undergraduate and graduate students eager to learn more about the experimental amenability of budding yeast. Finally, a discussion of several major discoveries derived from yeast studies highlights the far-reaching impact that the yeast system has had and will continue to have on our understanding of a variety of cellular processes relevant to all eukaryotes, including humans.

Budding Yeast for Budding Geneticists: A Primer on the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Model System

PubMed Central

Duina, Andrea A.; Miller, Mary E.; Keeney, Jill B.

2014-01-01

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a powerful model organism for studying fundamental aspects of eukaryotic cell biology. This Primer article presents a brief historical perspective on the emergence of this organism as a premier experimental system over the course of the past century. An overview of the central features of the S. cerevisiae genome, including the nature of its genetic elements and general organization, is also provided. Some of the most common experimental tools and resources available to yeast geneticists are presented in a way designed to engage and challenge undergraduate and graduate students eager to learn more about the experimental amenability of budding yeast. Finally, a discussion of several major discoveries derived from yeast studies highlights the far-reaching impact that the yeast system has had and will continue to have on our understanding of a variety of cellular processes relevant to all eukaryotes, including humans. PMID:24807111

An experimental investigation of the effects of alarm processing and display on operator performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O`Hara, J.; Brown, W.; Hallbert, B.

1998-03-01

This paper describes a research program sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to address the human factors engineering (HFE) aspects of nuclear power plant alarm systems. The overall objective of the program is to develop HFE review guidance for advanced alarm systems. As part of this program, guidance has been developed based on a broad base of technical and research literature. In the course of guidance development, aspects of alarm system design for which the technical basis was insufficient to support complete guidance development were identified. The primary purpose of the research reported in this paper was to evaluatemore » the effects of three of these alarm system design characteristics on operator performance in order to contribute to the understanding of potential safety issues and to provide data to support the development of design review guidance in these areas. Three alarm system design characteristics studied were (1) alarm processing (degree of alarm reduction), (2) alarm availability (dynamic prioritization and suppression), and (3) alarm display (a dedicated tile format, a mixed tile and message list format, and a format in which alarm information is integrated into the process displays). A secondary purpose was to provide confirmatory evidence of selected alarm system guidance developed in an earlier phase of the project. The alarm characteristics were combined into eight separate experimental conditions. Six, two-person crews of professional nuclear power plant operators participated in the study. Following training, each crew completed 16 test trials which consisted of two trials in each of the eight experimental conditions (one with a low-complexity scenario and one with a high-complexity scenario). Measures of process performance, operator task performance, situation awareness, and workload were obtained. In addition, operator opinions and evaluations of the alarm processing and display conditions were collected. No deficient performance was observed in any of the experimental conditions, providing confirmatory support for many design review guidelines. The operators identified numerous strengths and weaknesses associated with individual alarm design characteristics.« less

CVT/GPL phase 3 integrated testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shurney, R. E.; Cantrell, E.; Maybee, G.; Schmitt, S.

1975-01-01

The hardware for 20 candidate shuttle program life sciences experiments was installed in the GPL and experiments were conducted during a 5-day simulated mission. The experiments involved humans, primates, rats, chickens, and marigold plants. All experiments were completed to the satisfaction of the experimenters. In addition to the scientific data gathered for each experiment, information was obtained concerning experiment hardware design and integration, experiment procedures, GPL support systems, and test operations. The results of the integrated tests are presented.

Diazepam and its Effects on Psychophysiological and Behavioral Measures of Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

evoked response to patterned stimuli to an experiment designed to analyze the P300 response to a memory task requires disconnecting equipment...diagnosis. In experimental or human engineering settings, it is possible to conceive of the battery being 8 used as a standardized measure of fatigue...20mg dosage with significant effects centering pri- marily in the 15-20mg range. Since, in the current experiment , we intended to measure several of the

Multi-model approach to characterize human handwriting motion.

PubMed

Chihi, I; Abdelkrim, A; Benrejeb, M

2016-02-01

This paper deals with characterization and modelling of human handwriting motion from two forearm muscle activity signals, called electromyography signals (EMG). In this work, an experimental approach was used to record the coordinates of a pen tip moving on the (x, y) plane and EMG signals during the handwriting act. The main purpose is to design a new mathematical model which characterizes this biological process. Based on a multi-model approach, this system was originally developed to generate letters and geometric forms written by different writers. A Recursive Least Squares algorithm is used to estimate the parameters of each sub-model of the multi-model basis. Simulations show good agreement between predicted results and the recorded data.

Cultural context in medical ethics: lessons from Japan.

PubMed

Powell, Tia

2006-04-03

This paper examines two topics in Japanese medical ethics: non-disclosure of medical information by Japanese physicians, and the history of human rights abuses by Japanese physicians during World War II. These contrasting issues show how culture shapes our view of ethically appropriate behavior in medicine. An understanding of cultural context reveals that certain practices, such as withholding diagnostic information from patients, may represent ethical behavior in that context. In contrast, nonconsensual human experimentation designed to harm the patient is inherently unethical irrespective of cultural context. Attempts to define moral consensus in bioethics, and to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable variation across different cultural contexts, remain central challenges in articulating international, culturally sensitive norms in medical ethics.

Gut microbiota and the role of probiotics in therapy.

PubMed

Quigley, Eamonn M M

2011-12-01

Thanks to rapid progress in the development and application of molecular techniques to the assessment of the human gut microbiome, the true nature, diversity and metabolic potential of this 'hidden organ' are being revealed. Simultaneously, the complex physiological, immunological and metabolic interactions between host and microbiome are being untangled. By contrast, the probiotic concept has been with us for decades and, while supported more by fad and folklore in the past, is now gaining support, not only from experimental work in animal models, but also by well-designed studies in human diseases, most notably infectious diarrheas, inflammatory bowel disease and the irritable bowel syndrome. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cultural context in medical ethics: lessons from Japan

PubMed Central

Powell, Tia

2006-01-01

This paper examines two topics in Japanese medical ethics: non-disclosure of medical information by Japanese physicians, and the history of human rights abuses by Japanese physicians during World War II. These contrasting issues show how culture shapes our view of ethically appropriate behavior in medicine. An understanding of cultural context reveals that certain practices, such as withholding diagnostic information from patients, may represent ethical behavior in that context. In contrast, nonconsensual human experimentation designed to harm the patient is inherently unethical irrespective of cultural context. Attempts to define moral consensus in bioethics, and to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable variation across different cultural contexts, remain central challenges in articulating international, culturally sensitive norms in medical ethics. PMID:16759415

The use of miniature supersonic nozzles for microparticle acceleration: a numerical study.

PubMed

Liu, Y

2007-10-01

By means of a high-speed gas flow generated by a miniature supersonic nozzle, we proposed a unique biolistic method to accelerate microparticle formulation of drugs to sufficient momentum, to penetrate the outer layer of human skin or mucosal tissue for the treatment of a range of diseases. One of the main concerns for designing and evaluating this system is ensuring microparticles delivery into human skin with a controllable velocity range and spatial distribution. The initial experimental work suggested that the performance of the transdermal delivery strongly depends on aerodynamics of the supersonic nozzles employed. In this paper, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is utilized to characterize existing prototype biolistic delivery systems, the device with a converging-diverging supersonic nozzle (CDSN) and the device based on the contoured-shock-tube (CST) design, with the aim at investigating the transient gas and particle dynamics in the supersonic nozzles. Whenever possible, predicted pressure and Mach number histories, 2-D flow structures, and particle velocity distributions are made to compare with the corresponding experimental measurements to validate the implemented numerical approach. The gas-particle interaction and performance of two biolistic devices are interrogated and distinguished. Subsequently, the particle impact conditions are presented and discussed. It is demonstrated that the CST can deliver microparticles with a narrow and more controllable velocity range and spatial distribution.

Physical human-robot interaction of an active pelvis orthosis: toward ergonomic assessment of wearable robots.

PubMed

d'Elia, Nicolò; Vanetti, Federica; Cempini, Marco; Pasquini, Guido; Parri, Andrea; Rabuffetti, Marco; Ferrarin, Maurizio; Molino Lova, Raffaele; Vitiello, Nicola

2017-04-14

In human-centered robotics, exoskeletons are becoming relevant for addressing needs in the healthcare and industrial domains. Owing to their close interaction with the user, the safety and ergonomics of these systems are critical design features that require systematic evaluation methodologies. Proper transfer of mechanical power requires optimal tuning of the kinematic coupling between the robotic and anatomical joint rotation axes. We present the methods and results of an experimental evaluation of the physical interaction with an active pelvis orthosis (APO). This device was designed to effectively assist in hip flexion-extension during locomotion with a minimum impact on the physiological human kinematics, owing to a set of passive degrees of freedom for self-alignment of the human and robotic hip flexion-extension axes. Five healthy volunteers walked on a treadmill at different speeds without and with the APO under different levels of assistance. The user-APO physical interaction was evaluated in terms of: (i) the deviation of human lower-limb joint kinematics when wearing the APO with respect to the physiological behavior (i.e., without the APO); (ii) relative displacements between the APO orthotic shells and the corresponding body segments; and (iii) the discrepancy between the kinematics of the APO and the wearer's hip joints. The results show: (i) negligible interference of the APO in human kinematics under all the experimented conditions; (ii) small (i.e., < 1 cm) relative displacements between the APO cuffs and the corresponding body segments (called stability); and (iii) significant increment in the human-robot kinematics discrepancy at the hip flexion-extension joint associated with speed and assistance level increase. APO mechanics and actuation have negligible interference in human locomotion. Human kinematics was not affected by the APO under all tested conditions. In addition, under all tested conditions, there was no relevant relative displacement between the orthotic cuffs and the corresponding anatomical segments. Hence, the physical human-robot coupling is reliable. These facts prove that the adopted mechanical design of passive degrees of freedom allows an effective human-robot kinematic coupling. We believe that this analysis may be useful for the definition of evaluation metrics for the ergonomics assessment of wearable robots.

Radiation Beamline Testbeds for the Simulation of Planetary and Spacecraft Environments for Human and Robotic Mission Risk Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkins, Richard

2010-01-01

The Center for Radiation Engineering and Science for Space Exploration (CRESSE) at Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas, USA, is establishing an integrated, multi-disciplinary research program on the scientific and engineering challenges faced by NASA and the international space community caused by space radiation. CRESSE focuses on space radiation research directly applicable to astronaut health and safety during future long term, deep space missions, including Martian, lunar, and other planetary body missions beyond low earth orbit. The research approach will consist of experimental and theoretical radiation modeling studies utilizing particle accelerator facilities including: 1. NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory; 2. Proton Synchrotron at Loma Linda University Medical Center; and 3. Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Specifically, CRESSE investigators are designing, developing, and building experimental test beds that simulate the lunar and Martian radiation environments for experiments focused on risk assessment for astronauts and instrumentation. The testbeds have been designated the Bioastronautics Experimental Research Testbeds for Environmental Radiation Nostrum Investigations and Education (BERT and ERNIE). The designs of BERT and ERNIE will allow for a high degree of flexibility and adaptability to modify experimental configurations to simulate planetary surface environments, planetary habitats, and spacecraft interiors. In the nominal configuration, BERT and ERIE will consist of a set of experimental zones that will simulate the planetary atmosphere (Solid CO2 in the case of the Martian surface.), the planetary surface, and sub-surface regions. These experimental zones can be used for dosimetry, shielding, biological, and electronic effects radiation studies in support of space exploration missions. BERT and ERNIE are designed to be compatible with the experimental areas associated with the above facilities. CRESSE has broad expertise in space radiation in the areas of space radiation environment modeling, Monte-Carlo radiation transport modeling, space radiation instrumentation and dosimetry, radiation effects on electronics, and multi-functional composite shielding materials. The BERT and ERNIE testbeds will be utilized in individual and collaborative research incorporating this expertise. The research goal is to maximize the technical readiness level (TRL) of radiation instrumentation for human and robotic missions, optimizing the return value of CRESSE for NASA exploration and international co-operative missions. Outcomes and knowledge from research utilizing BERT and ERNIE will be applied to a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines vital for safe and reliable execution of future space exploration missions, which can be negatively impacted by the space radiation environment. The testbeds will be central to a variety of university educational activities and educational goals of NASA. Specifically, BERT and ERNIE will enhance educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines for engineering and science students at PVAMU, a historically black college/university. Preliminary data on prototype testbed configurations, including simulated lunar regolith (JSC-1A stimulant based on Apollo 11 samples), regolith/polyethylene composites, and dry ice, will be presented to demonstrate the usefulness of BERT and ERNIE in radiation beam line experiments.

Radiation beamline testbeds for the simulation of planetary and spacecraft environments for human and robotic mission risk assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkins, Richard

The Center for Radiation Engineering and Science for Space Exploration (CRESSE) at Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, Texas, USA, is establishing an integrated, multi-disciplinary research program on the scientific and engineering challenges faced by NASA and the inter-national space community caused by space radiation. CRESSE focuses on space radiation research directly applicable to astronaut health and safety during future long term, deep space missions, including Martian, lunar, and other planetary body missions beyond low earth orbit. The research approach will consist of experimental and theoretical radiation modeling studies utilizing particle accelerator facilities including: 1. NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory; 2. Proton Synchrotron at Loma Linda University Med-ical Center; and 3. Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Specifically, CRESSE investigators are designing, developing, and building experimental test beds that simulate the lunar and Martian radiation environments for experiments focused on risk assessment for astronauts and instrumentation. The testbeds have been designated the Bioastronautics Experimental Research Testbeds for Environmental Radiation Nostrum Investigations and Education (BERT and ERNIE). The designs of BERT and ERNIE will allow for a high degree of flexibility and adaptability to modify experimental configurations to simulate planetary surface environments, planetary habitats, and spacecraft interiors. In the nominal configuration, BERT and ERIE will consist of a set of experimental zones that will simulate the planetary atmosphere (Solid CO2 in the case of the Martian surface.), the planetary surface, and sub-surface regions. These experimental zones can be used for dosimetry, shielding, biological, and electronic effects radiation studies in support of space exploration missions. BERT and ERNIE are designed to be compatible with the experimental areas associated with the above facilities. CRESSE has broad expertise in space radiation in the areas of space radiation environment modeling, Monte-Carlo radiation transport modeling, space radiation instrumentation and dosimetry, radiation effects on electronics, and multi-functional composite shielding materi-als. The BERT and ERNIE testbeds will be utilized in individual and collaborative research incorporating this expertise. The research goal is to maximize the technical readiness level (TRL) of radiation instrumentation for human and robotic missions, optimizing the return value of CRESSE for NASA exploration and international co-operative missions. Outcomes and knowledge from research utilizing BERT and ERNIE will be applied to a variety of scien-tific and engineering disciplines vital for safe and reliable execution of future space exploration missions, which can be negatively impacted by the space radiation environment. The testbeds will be central to a variety of university educational activities and educational goals of NASA. Specifically, BERT and ERNIE will enhance educational opportunities in science, technol-ogy, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines for engineering and science students at PVAMU, a historically black college/university. Preliminary data on prototype testbed configurations, including simulated lunar regolith (JSC-1A stimulant based on Apollo 11 samples), regolith/polyethylene composites, and dry ice, will be presented to demonstrate the usefulness of BERT and ERNIE in radiation beam line experiments.

Establishment of a novel human medulloblastoma cell line characterized by highly aggressive stem-like cells.

PubMed

Silva, Patrícia Benites Gonçalves da; Rodini, Carolina Oliveira; Kaid, Carolini; Nakahata, Adriana Miti; Pereira, Márcia Cristina Leite; Matushita, Hamilton; Costa, Silvia Souza da; Okamoto, Oswaldo Keith

2016-08-01

Medulloblastoma is a highly aggressive brain tumor and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality related to childhood cancer. These tumors display differential ability to metastasize and respond to treatment, which reflects their high degree of heterogeneity at the genetic and molecular levels. Such heterogeneity of medulloblastoma brings an additional challenge to the understanding of its physiopathology and impacts the development of new therapeutic strategies. This translational effort has been the focus of most pre-clinical studies which invariably employ experimental models using human tumor cell lines. Nonetheless, compared to other cancers, relatively few cell lines of human medulloblastoma are available in central repositories, partly due to the rarity of these tumors and to the intrinsic difficulties in establishing continuous cell lines from pediatric brain tumors. Here, we report the establishment of a new human medulloblastoma cell line which, in comparison with the commonly used and well-established cell line Daoy, is characterized by enhanced proliferation and invasion capabilities, stem cell properties, increased chemoresistance, tumorigenicity in an orthotopic metastatic model, replication of original medulloblastoma behavior in vivo, strong chromosome structural instability and deregulation of genes involved in neural development. These features are advantageous for designing biologically relevant experimental models in clinically oriented studies, making this novel cell line, named USP-13-Med, instrumental for the study of medulloblastoma biology and treatment.

Applicability of computational systems biology in toxicology.

PubMed

Kongsbak, Kristine; Hadrup, Niels; Audouze, Karine; Vinggaard, Anne Marie

2014-07-01

Systems biology as a research field has emerged within the last few decades. Systems biology, often defined as the antithesis of the reductionist approach, integrates information about individual components of a biological system. In integrative systems biology, large data sets from various sources and databases are used to model and predict effects of chemicals on, for instance, human health. In toxicology, computational systems biology enables identification of important pathways and molecules from large data sets; tasks that can be extremely laborious when performed by a classical literature search. However, computational systems biology offers more advantages than providing a high-throughput literature search; it may form the basis for establishment of hypotheses on potential links between environmental chemicals and human diseases, which would be very difficult to establish experimentally. This is possible due to the existence of comprehensive databases containing information on networks of human protein-protein interactions and protein-disease associations. Experimentally determined targets of the specific chemical of interest can be fed into these networks to obtain additional information that can be used to establish hypotheses on links between the chemical and human diseases. Such information can also be applied for designing more intelligent animal/cell experiments that can test the established hypotheses. Here, we describe how and why to apply an integrative systems biology method in the hypothesis-generating phase of toxicological research. © 2014 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society).

Medical imaging informatics based solutions for human performance analytics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Sneha; McNitt-Gray, Jill; Liu, Brent J.

2018-03-01

For human performance analysis, extensive experimental trials are often conducted to identify the underlying cause or long-term consequences of certain pathologies and to improve motor functions by examining the movement patterns of affected individuals. Data collected for human performance analysis includes high-speed video, surveys, spreadsheets, force data recordings from instrumented surfaces etc. These datasets are recorded from various standalone sources and therefore captured in different folder structures as well as in varying formats depending on the hardware configurations. Therefore, data integration and synchronization present a huge challenge while handling these multimedia datasets specifically for large datasets. Another challenge faced by researchers is querying large quantity of unstructured data and to design feedbacks/reporting tools for users who need to use datasets at various levels. In the past, database server storage solutions have been introduced to securely store these datasets. However, to automate the process of uploading raw files, various file manipulation steps are required. In the current workflow, this file manipulation and structuring is done manually and is not feasible for large amounts of data. However, by attaching metadata files and data dictionaries with these raw datasets, they can provide information and structure needed for automated server upload. We introduce one such system for metadata creation for unstructured multimedia data based on the DICOM data model design. We will discuss design and implementation of this system and evaluate this system with data set collected for movement analysis study. The broader aim of this paper is to present a solutions space achievable based on medical imaging informatics design and methods for improvement in workflow for human performance analysis in a biomechanics research lab.

A contaminant-free assessment of Endogenous Retroviral RNA in human plasma

PubMed Central

Karamitros, Timokratis; Paraskevis, Dimitrios; Hatzakis, Angelos; Psichogiou, Mina; Elefsiniotis, Ioannis; Hurst, Tara; Geretti, Anna-Maria; Beloukas, Apostolos; Frater, John; Klenerman, Paul; Katzourakis, Aris; Magiorkinis, Gkikas

2016-01-01

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) comprise 6–8% of the human genome. HERVs are silenced in most normal tissues, up-regulated in stem cells and in placenta but also in cancer and HIV-1 infection. Crucially, there are conflicting reports on detecting HERV RNA in non-cellular clinical samples such as plasma that suggest the study of HERV RNA can be daunting. Indeed, we find that the use of real-time PCR in a quality assured clinical laboratory setting can be sensitive to low-level proviral contamination. We developed a mathematical model for low-level contamination that allowed us to design a laboratory protocol and standard operating procedures for robust measurement of HERV RNA. We focus on one family, HERV-K HML-2 (HK2) that has been most recently active even though they invaded our ancestral genomes almost 30 millions ago. We extensively validated our experimental design on a model cell culture system showing high sensitivity and specificity, totally eliminating the proviral contamination. We then tested 236 plasma samples from patients infected with HIV-1, HCV or HBV and found them to be negative. The study of HERV RNA for human translational studies should be performed with extensively validated protocols and standard operating procedures to control the widespread low-level human DNA contamination. PMID:27640347

Small Molecules Targeting the miRNA-Binding Domain of Argonaute 2: From Computer-Aided Molecular Design to RNA Immunoprecipitation.

PubMed

Bellissimo, Teresa; Masciarelli, Silvia; Poser, Elena; Genovese, Ilaria; Del Rio, Alberto; Colotti, Gianni; Fazi, Francesco

2017-01-01

The development of small-molecule-based target therapy design for human disease and cancer is object of growing attention. Recently, specific microRNA (miRNA) mimicking compounds able to bind the miRNA-binding domain of Argonaute 2 protein (AGO2) to inhibit miRNA loading and its functional activity were described. Computer-aided molecular design techniques and RNA immunoprecipitation represent suitable approaches to identify and experimentally determine if a compound is able to impair the loading of miRNAs on AGO2 protein. Here, we describe these two methodologies that we recently used to select a specific compound able to interfere with the AGO2 functional activity and able to improve the retinoic acid-dependent myeloid differentiation of leukemic cells.

Experimental design and analysis of JND test on coded image/video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Joe Yuchieh; Jin, Lina; Hu, Sudeng; Katsavounidis, Ioannis; Li, Zhi; Aaron, Anne; Kuo, C.-C. Jay

2015-09-01

The visual Just-Noticeable-Difference (JND) metric is characterized by the detectable minimum amount of two visual stimuli. Conducting the subjective JND test is a labor-intensive task. In this work, we present a novel interactive method in performing the visual JND test on compressed image/video. JND has been used to enhance perceptual visual quality in the context of image/video compression. Given a set of coding parameters, a JND test is designed to determine the distinguishable quality level against a reference image/video, which is called the anchor. The JND metric can be used to save coding bitrates by exploiting the special characteristics of the human visual system. The proposed JND test is conducted using a binary-forced choice, which is often adopted to discriminate the difference in perception in a psychophysical experiment. The assessors are asked to compare coded image/video pairs and determine whether they are of the same quality or not. A bisection procedure is designed to find the JND locations so as to reduce the required number of comparisons over a wide range of bitrates. We will demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed JND test, report experimental results on the image and video JND tests.