Towards a method for the objective assessment of cognitive workload: A pilot study in vessel traffic service (VTS) of maritime domain

The complexity of traffic control systems, as well as the growing volume of traffic, interconnected missions types and mission demands on the operators, indicates that critical attention should still be paid to the problem of operator's cognitive workload (WL). On the other hand, the development of traffic control towards on-line measurement of cooperative aspects between humans and machines, is part of the more general need to measure the human agents “situation awareness” in industrial environment. The University of Modena and Reggio Emilia was partner of the European Artemis project “Designing Dynamic Distributed Cooperative Human-Machine Systems” (D3CoS 2011–2014) [1] to define affordable methods, techniques and tools addressing the specification, development and evaluation of cooperative systems where human and machine agents are in charge of common tasks, assigned to the system as a whole. One of the basic keys to reach an optimal human-machine cooperation is the measure of the human operator workload. In order to setup a possible method for the objective evaluation of cognitive workload we had to investigate aspects of the functional status of human operators interacting with a simulator in maritime domains. We recorded objective psycho-physiological measures: eye blinks, respiration rate and amplitude, electrodermal activity, heart rate variability, and blood pressure. They were analyzed and correlated with subjective self-assessed responses from two questionnaires: NASA-TLX and Rating Scale Mental Effort (RSME), with the aim to realize a mathematical model for classifying the operators' mental workload. The purpose of this paper is to present the methods, applied on a pilot study, that we carried out to discriminate the WL intensity, based on psycho-physiological signals alone

Advanced learning and ICT: new teaching experiences in university setting

The digital board is thought of as a tool that has limited use, primary or secondary school or in a situation of learning for the handicapped. This case study aims to show how these new tools can be used in for higher learning, in scientific and technical universities. The current software available on the market and its use with these tools foresees originality in the approach to teaching in the future. The article explores the use of advanced innovative technology in the lecture hall for effective teaching and learning. The digital whiteboard tool is a flexible and powerful didactic instrument that can greatly enrich the experience of both the learner and the lecturer. This article will explore a completed case study, a case study still in progress and future possibilities

Testina di perfusione per un sistema di microapplicazione

Una forma di attuazione della presente invenzione rende disponibile una testina di perfusione per un sistema di microapplicazione, la quale comprende una pluralità di raccordi cilindrici ricavati in corpo monolitico e singolarmente atti ad accoppiarsi con un rispettivo tubo di convogliamento di un fluido da applicare, ed altrettanti condotti di erogazione ricavati all’interno di detto corpo monolitico e singolarmente atti a porre in comunicazione un 10 rispettivo raccordo cilindrico con una rispettiva luce di uscita. [fig. 3

Dispositivo termoregolatore per un sistema di microperfusione

Una forma di attuazione della presente invenzione riguarda un dispositivo termoregolatore (225) per un sistema di microperfusione (100), il quale comprende almeno un elemento Peltier (235) ed una piastra di supporto (255) in materiale termicamente conduttore, la quale è posta in relazione di scambio termico con l’elemento Peltier (235) e presenta un alloggiamento (270, 275, 280) per un tubo di convogliamento (265) di un fluido da erogare

A multi-sensor approach for volcanic ash cloud retrieval and eruption characterization: the 23 November 2013 Etna lava fountain

Volcanic activity is observed worldwide with a variety of ground and space-based remote sensing instruments, each with advantages and drawbacks. No single system can give a comprehensive description of eruptive activity, and so, a multi-sensor approach is required. This work integrates infrared and microwave volcanic ash retrievals obtained from the geostationary Meteosat Second Generation (MSG)-Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI), the polar-orbiting Aqua-MODIS and ground-based weather radar. The expected outcomes are improvements in satellite volcanic ash cloud retrieval (altitude, mass, aerosol optical depth and effective radius), the generation of new satellite products (ash concentration and particle number density in the thermal infrared) and better characterization of volcanic eruptions (plume altitude, total ash mass erupted and particle number density from thermal infrared to microwave). This approach is the core of the multi-platform volcanic ash cloud estimation procedure being developed within the European FP7-APhoRISM project. The Mt. Etna (Sicily, Italy) volcano lava fountaining event of 23 November 2013 was considered as a test case. The results of the integration show the presence of two volcanic cloud layers at different altitudes. The improvement of the volcanic ash cloud altitude leads to a mean difference between the SEVIRI ash mass estimations, before and after the integration, of about the 30%. Moreover, the percentage of the airborne “fine” ash retrieved from the satellite is estimated to be about 1%–2% of the total ash emitted during the eruption. Finally, all of the estimated parameters (volcanic ash cloud altitude, thickness and total mass) were also validated with ground-based visible camera measurements, HYSPLIT forward trajectories, Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) satellite data and tephra deposits

Circulating miRNA panel for prediction of acute graft-versus-host disease in lymphoma patients undergoing matched unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) results in significant morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Noninvasive diagnostic and prognostic tests for aGVHD are currently lacking, but would be beneficial in predicting aGVHD and improving the safety of allo-HSCT. Circulating microRNAs exhibit marked stability and may serve as biomarkers in several clinical settings. Here, we evaluated the use of circulating microRNAs as predictive biomarkers of aGVHD in lymphoma patients after allo-HSCT from matched unrelated donors (MUDs). After receiving informed consent, we prospectively collected plasma samples from 24 lymphoma patients before and after unmanipulated MUD allo-HSCT; microRNAs were then isolated. Fourteen patients developed aGVHD symptoms at a median of 48 days (range: 32–90) post-transplantation. Two patients developed intestinal GVHD, eight cutaneous GVHD, and four multiorgan GVHD. The microRNA expression profile was examined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). MicroRNAs 194 and 518f were significantly upregulated in aGVHD samples compared with samples taken from non-aGVHD patients. Remarkably, these upregulated microRNAs could be detected before the onset of aGVHD. Pathway prediction analysis indicated that these microRNAs may regulate critical pathways involved in aGVHD pathogenesis. Considering the noninvasive characteristics of plasma sampling and the feasibility of detecting miRNAs after allo-HSCT using real-time polymerase chain reaction, our results indicate that circulating microRNAs have the potential to enable an earlier aGVHD diagnosis and might assist in individualizing therapeutic strategies after MUD allo-HSCT. Nevertheless, standardization of blood sampling and analysis protocols is mandatory for the introduction of miRNA profiling into routine clinical use

Asbestos exposure as an additional risk factor for small duct intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a pilot study

: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a rare malignancy, recently classified in small duct and large duct morphological subtypes. Growing evidence suggests asbestos as a putative risk factor for iCCA, albeit no correlation between asbestos and iCCA morphology has been investigated so far. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between asbestos exposure and iCCA morphological subtype. Forty patients with surgically removed iCCA were prospectively enrolled: asbestos exposure was assessed according to the Italian National Mesothelioma Register questionnaire. From the surgical iCCA specimens the main histopathological variables were collected, including the small duct (sd-iCCA, 32 patients) and large duct subtypes (ld-iCCA, 8 patients). Five sd-iCCA cases had a definite/probable occupational exposure to asbestos, while no cases of ld-iCCA were classified as being occupationally exposed (definite/probable). Other kind of asbestos exposure (i.e. possible occupational, familial, environmental) were recorded in 16 sd-iCCA and 3 ld-iCCA. Cases with unlikely exposure to asbestos were 11 sd-iCCA (35.5%) and 5 ld-iCCA (62.5%). In conclusion, these findings seem to indicate that sd-iCCA might be more frequently associated to asbestos exposure rather than ld-iCCA, suggesting that asbestos fibres might represent a parenchymal, rather than a ductal risk factor for iCCA. This pilot study must be confirmed by further case-control studies or large independent cohorts

Endoplasmic reticulum localization of phosphoinositide specific phospholipase C enzymes in U73122 cultured human osteoblasts

Different signal transduction pathways contribute to the differentiation and metabolic activities of osteoblasts, with special regard to the calcium-related pathway of phosphoinositide specific phospholipase C (PLC) enzyme family. PLC enzymes were demonstrated to be involved in the differentiation of osteoblasts and differently localize in the nucleus, cytoplasm or both depending on the isoform. The amino-steroid molecule U-73122 inhibits the enzymes belonging to the PLC family. In addition to the temporary block of the enzymatic activity, U-73122 promotes off-target effects, including modulation of the expression of selected PLC genes and different localization of PLC enzymes, depending on the cell line, in different cell lines. In order to evaluate possible off-target effects of the molecule in human osteoblasts, we investigated the expression of PLC genes and the localization of PLC enzymes in cultured human osteoblasts (hOBs) in the presence of low dose U-73122. Our results confirm that all PLC genes are transcribed in hOBs, that probably splicing variants of selected PLC genes are expressed and that all PLC enzymes are present in hOBs, except for PLC δ3 in quiescent hOBs at seeding. Our results confirm literature data excluding toxicity of U-73122 on cell survival. Our results indicate that U-73122 did not significantly affect the transcription of PLC genes. It acts upon the localization of PLC enzymes, as PLC enzymes are detected in cell protrusions or pseudopodia-like structures, at the nuclear or the plasma membrane, in membrane ruffles and/or in the endoplasmic reticulum