Do absorption and realistic distraction influence performance of component task surgical procedure?

Background. Surgeons perform complex tasks while exposed to multiple distracting sources that may increase stress in the operating room (e.g., music, conversation, and unadapted use of sophisticated technologies). This study aimed to examine whether such realistic social and technological distracting conditions may influence surgical performance. Methods. Twelve medical interns performed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy task with the Xitact LC 3.0 virtual reality simulator under distracting conditions (exposure to music, conversation, and nonoptimal handling of the laparoscope) versus nondistracting conditions (control condition) as part of a 2 x 2 within-subject experimental design. Results. Under distracting conditions, the medical interns showed a significant decline in task performance (overall task score, task errors, and operating time) and significantly increased levels of irritation toward both the assistant handling the laparoscope in a nonoptimal way and the sources of social distraction. Furthermore, individual differences in cognitive style (i.e., cognitive absorption and need for cognition) significantly influenced the levels of irritation experienced by the medical interns. Conclusion. The results suggest careful evaluation of the social and technological sources of distraction in the operation room to reduce irritation for the surgeon and provision of proper preclinical laparoscope navigation training to increase security for the patient.Industrial DesignIndustrial Design Engineerin

In vitro anti-HIV activity of some Indian medicinal plant extracts

Background Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) persists to be a significant public health issue worldwide. The current strategy for the treatment of HIV infection, Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), has reduced deaths from AIDS related disease, but it can be an expensive regime for the underdeveloped and developing countries where the supply of drugs is scarce and often not well tolerated, especially in persons undergoing long term treatment. The present therapy also has limitations of development of multidrug resistance, thus there is a need for the discovery of novel anti-HIV compounds from plants as a potential alternative in combating HIV disease. Methods Ten Indian medicinal plants were tested for entry and replication inhibition against laboratory adapted strains HIV-1IIIB, HIV-1Ada5 and primary isolates HIV-1UG070, HIV-1VB59 in TZM-bl cell lines and primary isolates HIV-1UG070, HIV-1VB59 in PM1 cell lines. The plant extracts were further evaluated for toxicity in HEC-1A epithelial cell lines by transwell epithelial model. Results The methanolic extracts of Achyranthes aspera, Rosa centifolia and aqueous extract of Ficus benghalensis inhibited laboratory adapted HIV-1 strains (IC80 3.6–118 μg/ml) and primary isolates (IC80 4.8–156 μg/ml) in TZM-bl cells. Methanolic extract of Strychnos potatorum, aqueous extract of Ficus infectoria and hydroalcoholic extract of Annona squamosa inhibited laboratory adapted HIV-1 strains (IC80 4.24–125 μg/ml) and primary isolates (IC80 18–156 μg/ml) in TZM-bl cells. Methanolic extracts of Achyranthes aspera and Rosa centifolia, (IC801-9 μg/ml) further significantly inhibited HIV-1 primary isolates in PM1cells. Methanolic extracts of Tridax procumbens, Mallotus philippinensis, Annona reticulate, aqueous extract of Ficus benghalensis and hydroalcoholic extract of Albizzia lebbeck did not exhibit anti-HIV activity in all the tested strains. Methanolic extract of Rosa centifolia also demonstrated to be non-toxic to HEC-1A epithelial cells and maintained epithelial integrity (at 500 μg/ml) when tested in transwell dual-chamber. Conclusion These active methanolic extracts of Achyranthes aspera and Rosa centifolia, could be further subjected to chemical analysis to investigate the active moiety responsible for the anti-HIV activity. Methanolic extract of Rosa centifolia was found to be well tolerated maintaining the epithelial integrity of HEC-1A cells in vitro and thus has potential for investigating it further as candidate microbicide

Spatial and temporal heterogeneity in aerosol properties and radiative forcing over Bay of Bengal: Sources and role of aerosol transport

The Bay of Bengal (BoB) region is a small oceanic region surrounded by landmasses with distinct natural and anthropogenic aerosol sources. Despite this and the significant influence of BoB on the Indian monsoon and weather, information on aerosols and its spatial and temporal heterogeneity is sparse. The observations onboard several cruises and on an island location have been used in this paper along with satellite (MODIS onboard TERRA satellite) data (2000–2004) to study the spatial and temporal heterogeneity in aerosol properties. Our studies show that seasonal variation in aerosol optical depths over northern BoB are similar to that of east coast of India and west China, whereas variations over the southern BoB region are similar to that of Arabian Sea. The aerosol optical depths (AODs) and black carbon (BC) mass fraction (MF) over northern BoB reach their maximum value during April/May $(AOD ~0.48 {\pm} 0.06; BCMF ~6$ and minimum during October/November $(AOD ~0.19 {\pm} 0.02; BCMF ∼3$ in contrast to the seasonal pattern reported over Arabian Sea by earlier investigations. Over equatorial Indian Ocean south of BoB, AODs were low $(∼0.11 {\pm} 0.03)$ and seasonal variations were not very significant. The whole-sky (including clouds) aerosol surface radiative forcing (0.2 to 40 ${\mu}$ m)4 over northern BoB was in the range of −9 to −30 $W m^{-2}$, whereas that over southern BoB was in the range of −3 to −12 $W m^{-2}$. The corresponding atmospheric forcing was in the range of +6 to +20 $W m^{-2}$ and +1 to +6 $W m^{-2}$. The atmospheric absorption translates to a heating rate of 0.5 to 1.0 K/day

Contribution of sea-salt to aerosol optical depth over the Arabian Sea derived from MODIS observations

Making use of aerosol optical depths (AOD) derived from MODIS (onboard TERRA satellite) and winds from NCEP, and the fact that sea-salt optical depth over ocean is determined primarily by sea-surface wind speed, we examine the contribution of sea-salt to the composite aerosol optical depth ( AOD) over Arabian Sea ( AS), by developing empirical models for characterizing wind-speed dependence of sea-salt optical depth. We show that at high wind speeds, sea-salt contributes 81% to the coarse mode and 42% to the composite AOD in the southern AS. In contrast to this, over the northern AS, share of sea-salt to coarse mode and composite optical depth is only 35% and 16% respectively. Comparison of the sea-salt optical depth and coarse mode optical depth ( MODIS) showed excellent agreement. The sea-salt optical depth over AS at moderate to high wind speed is comparable to the anthropogenic AOD reported for this region during winter

Decreasing Trend in Black Carbon Aerosols Over the Indian Region

We examine long-term trends in the near-surface black carbon mass concentration, using multiyear primary data obtained from a dense network (ARFINET) of observatories over the Indian region. We report for the first time the statistically significant decreasing trend in black carbon mass concentration, based on primary data from this region, at an average rate of ~242 ± 53 ng · m �3  · year �1 during the period 2007�2016. This finding contrasts with the generally increasing trend in the columnar aerosol optical depth, reported earlier, and the steadily increasing trend in anthropogenic activities over this region. The roles of different possible mechanisms, including possible changes in the vertical redistribution of aerosols, are discussed. Over the period 2007�2015, a significant though weak, increasing trend is seen in the contribution from aerosols above 1 km to the columnar aerosol optical depth. These observations imply possible long-term climate consequences. ©2019. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved

Radiative forcing by aerosols over the Bay of Bengal region derived from shipborne, island-based, and satellite (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) observations

Measurements of spectral aerosol optical depths (AODs) were made over the Bay of Bengal region (adjacent to the Indian landmass) on board the oceanographic research vessel Sagar Kanya during February 2003. Simultaneous measurements of spectral AODs and mass concentrations of the composite aerosols and aerosol black carbon (BC) were made at an island location, Port Blair (11.63degreesN, 92.71degreesE), also in the Bay of Bengal. At the cruise locations the AODs were in the range of similar to0.3-0.6 at 500 nm (with a mean value of 0.41 +/- 0.14) and Angstrom wavelength exponent of similar to1.1 +/- 0.1; while at Port Blair the AODs were in the range of 0.11-0.48 at 500 nm and Angstrom wavelength exponent of 0.98 +/- 0.07. Aerosol BC constituted 5.8 +/- 0.6% of the composite aerosol mass concentration with a single-scattering albedo of similar to0.88, indicating the presence of a significant amount of submicron absorbing aerosols. Comparisons of AODs measured at Port Blair during cruise 188 and an earlier cruise (cruise 161B) during March 2001 (over the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean) with those derived from Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (on board the TERRA platform) showed excellent agreement with a mean difference of similar to0.01 and a root-mean-square difference of similar to0.03. Regionally averaged aerosol (net) forcing over the Bay of Bengal was in the range -15 to -24 W m(-2) at the surface and -2 to -4 W m(-2) at the top of the atmosphere in February 2003; these values were smaller in magnitude than those observed over this region during March 2001 and larger than that observed over the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The resulting atmospheric heating due to aerosol absorption was similar to0.5degreesK/d

Doppler Lidar observations over a high altitude mountainous site Manora Peak in the central Himalayan region

The RAWEX-GVAX field campaign has been carried out from June 2011 to March 2012 over a high altitude site Manora Peak, Nainital (29.4 degrees N; 79.2 degrees E; 1958 m amsl) in the central Himalayas to assess the impacts of absorbing aerosols on atmospheric thermodynamics and clouds. This paper presents the preliminary results of the observations and data analysis of the Doppler Lidar, installed at Nainital. Strong updrafts with vertical winds in the range of similar to 2-4 ms(-1) occurred during the daytime and throughout the season indicating thermally driven convection. On the other hand during nighttime, weak downdrafts persisted during stable conditions. Plan Position Indicator scan of Doppler Lidar showed north-northwesterly winds in the boundary layer. The mixing layer height, derived from the vertical velocity variance, showed diurnal variations, in the range similar to 0.7-1 km above ground level during daytime and very shallow during nighttime