The Effect of Crosswind and Turbulence in Mental Workload and Pilot Tracking Performance

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of crosswind and turbulence on mental workload and pilot tracking performance. Based on previous research, it was believed that as the amount of crosswind and turbulence is increased, mental workload would increase and tracking performance would decrease. The objective was to estimate the impact that crosswind and turbulence, of varying degrees, had on performance and workload. Fifteen full time college student volunteers served as experimental participants in a simulated horizontal and vertical tracking task. Each participant flew twelve instrument approaches, experiencing a different crosswind and turbulence combination during each approach. Flight performance and workload were measured using time within standard (TWS) and NASA Task Load Index (TLX) scores, respectively. The most detrimental effect on tracking performance was expected when participants were exposed to both crosswind and turbulence as the pilot had to divert attention between maintaining control of the airplane, establishing and maintaining a crab angle, and correcting for the aircraft being displaced off course in a continuous basis. The results of this study suggest that the impact of crosswind on tracking performance is small and probably not of practical concern. Similarly, the results did not find that crosswind statistically increased mental workload. However, as the turbulence level was increased, observed tracking performance decreased and workload scores increased. The results of the study failed to find a statistically significant interaction between the crosswind and turbulence factors for either the performance or workload data

Two-stage inference in experimental design using dea : an application to intercropping and evidence from randomization theory

Neste artigo é proposto o uso de medidas de eficiência DEA, com retornos constantes à escala e input unitário, na análise de respostas multidimensionais não negativas de ensaios experimentais. A abordagem proposta concorda com a Análise de Variância (Covariância) clássica para respostas unidimensionais e simplifica a análise estatística para o caso multidimensional. Os melhores tratamentos indicados pela análise otimizam um output combinado, definido por preços sombra, que são as soluções dos problemas lineares de DEA. A abordagem é particularmente útil na análise de experimentos consorciados (plantio simultâneo de mais de uma cultura agrícola). São aqui discutidos dois exemplos. Os resultados são validados via Teoria de Aleatorização, de modo a estudar apropriadamente as questões de correlação e não-normalidade das medidas DEA nas diferentes parcelas experimentais. ________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTIn this article we propose the use of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) measures of efficiency, under constant returns to scale and input equal to unity, in the analysis of multidimensional nonnegative responses in the design of experiments. The approach agrees with the standard Analysis of Variance (Covariance) for univariate responses and simplifies the statistical analysis in the multivariate case. The best treatments provided by the analysis optimize a combined output defined by shadow prices, which are the solutions of the DEA problem. The approach is particularly useful for the analysis of intercropping (crop mixtures) experiments. In this context we discuss two examples. To properly address the issue of correlation and non-normality of DEA measurements in different experimental plots we validate the results via Randomization Theory

<b><i>Topoisomerase 1</i></b> Promoter Variants and Benefit from Irinotecan in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients

Objective: Topoisomerase 1 (topo-1) is an important target for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the correlation between topo-1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and clinical outcome in metastatic CRC (mCRC) patients. Methods: With the use of specific software (PROMO 3.0), we performed an in silico analysis of topo-1 promoter SNPs; the rs6072249 and rs34282819 SNPs were included in the study. DNA was extracted from 105 mCRC patients treated with FOLFIRI ± bevacizumab in the first line. SNP genotyping was performed by real-time PCR. Genotypes were correlated with clinical parameters (objective response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival). Results: No single genotype was significantly associated with clinical variables. The G allelic variant of rs6072249 topo-1 SNP is responsible for GC factor and X-box-binding protein transcription factor binding. The same allelic variant showed a nonsignificant trend toward a shorter progression-free survival (GG, 7.5 months; other genotypes, 9.3 months; HR 1.823, 95% CI 0.8904-3.734; p = 0.1). Conclusion: Further analyses are needed to confirm that the topo-1 SNP rs6072249 and transcription factor interaction could be a part of tools to predict clinical outcome in mCRC patients treated with irinotecan-based regimens

Leg ulcer and osteomyelitis due to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus infection after fracture repair treatment: a case highlighting the potential role of prostaglandin E₁ vasodilator

Prostaglandins appear to reduce biofilm formation and chronicization of infections, and stimulate a rapid and effective clearance of infecting micro-organisms. We report a case of recovery from methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) osteomyelitis after multidisciplinary management with antibiotics, anti-thrombotics and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) vasodilator, in a patient with tibial plateau fracture repaired with internal fixation devices. A 47-year-old HIV-negative male with chronic ulcer on the proximal third of the left leg was admitted to the Orthopaedic Unit of the Orestano Clinic in Palermo, Italy, for suspected osteomyelitis. A biopsy of the skin ulcer and blood cultures were performed and resulted positive for MSSA. Labelled leukocyte scintigraphy confirmed osteomyelitis. No clinical improvement was observed after combined antibiotic treatment with rifampicin plus trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The patient underwent a 4-day therapeutic cycle: PGE1 (alprostadil 60 mg/day IV) combined with nadroparin calcium plus gentamicin, followed by treatment with aminaftone plus sulodexide plus levofloxacin. At discharge, the patient's painful symptoms had completely resolved and the ulcer had cicatrized; recovery from osteomyelitis was confirmed by scintigraphy. This treatment protocol including PGE1 may result in a significant improvement in quality of life and functional status of patients with a reduction in direct and indirect costs and economic benefit for the National Health Service

169pselective induction of pd l1 expression in plasma derived exosomes by gemcitabine nab paclitaxel vs folfirinox in pancreas cancer

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Ergodicity criteria for non-expanding transformations of 2-adic spheres

In the paper, we obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for ergodicity (with respect to the normalized Haar measure) of discrete dynamical systems $$ on 2-adic spheres $\mathbf S_{2^{-r}}(a)$ of radius $2^{-r}$, $r\ge 1$, centered at some point $a$ from the ultrametric space of 2-adic integers $\mathbb Z_2$. The map $f\colon\mathbb Z_2\to\mathbb Z_2$ is assumed to be non-expanding and measure-preserving; that is, $f$ satisfies a Lipschitz condition with a constant 1 with respect to the 2-adic metric, and $f$ preserves a natural probability measure on $\mathbb Z_2$, the Haar measure $\mu_2$ on $\mathbb Z_2$ which is normalized so that $\mu_2(\mathbb Z_2)=1$

Morphometric analysis of a fresh simple crater on the Moon

In this research we are proposing an innovative method to determine and quantify the morphology of a simple fresh impact crater. Linné is a well preserved impact crater of 2.2 km in diameter, located at 27.7oN 11.8oE, near the western edge of Mare Serenitatis on the Moon. The crater was photographed by the Lunar Orbiter and the Apollo space missions. Its particular morphology may place Linné as the most striking example of small fresh simple crater. Morphometric analysis, conducted on recent high resolution DTM from LROC (NASA), quantitatively confirmed the pristine morphology of the crater, revealing a clear inner layering which highlight a sequence of lava emplacement events