Some Challenges in the Design of Human-Automation Interaction for Safety-Critical Systems

Increasing amounts of automation are being introduced to safety-critical domains. While the introduction of automation has led to an overall increase in reliability and improved safety, it has also introduced a class of failure modes, and new challenges in risk assessment for the new systems, particularly in the assessment of rare events resulting from complex inter-related factors. Designing successful human-automation systems is challenging, and the challenges go beyond good interface development (e.g., Roth, Malin, & Schreckenghost 1997; Christoffersen & Woods, 2002). Human-automation design is particularly challenging when the underlying automation technology generates behavior that is difficult for the user to anticipate or understand. These challenges have been recognized in several safety-critical domains, and have resulted in increased efforts to develop training, procedures, regulations and guidance material (CAST, 2008, IAEA, 2001, FAA, 2013, ICAO, 2012). This paper points to the continuing need for new methods to describe and characterize the operational environment within which new automation concepts are being presented. We will describe challenges to the successful development and evaluation of human-automation systems in safety-critical domains, and describe some approaches that could be used to address these challenges. We will draw from experience with the aviation, spaceflight and nuclear power domains

Expertise in Law Enforcement

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Venous thromboembolic events in glioblastoma patients: An epidemiological study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) are a major complication in cancer patients, and therefore, also in brain cancer patients, anticoagulants are considered appropriate in the treatment of VTEs. METHODS Frequency, risk factors, and treatment of VTEs, as well as associated complications, were assessed in a population-based cohort of glioblastoma patients in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Correlations between clinical data and survival were retrospectively analyzed using the log-rank test and Cox regression models. RESULTS Four hundred fourteen glioblastoma patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type status were identified. VTEs were documented in 65 patients (15.7%). Median time from tumor diagnosis to the occurrence of a VTE was 1.8 months, and 27 patients were diagnosed with VTEs postoperatively (within 35 days; 42.2%). History of a prior VTE was more common in patients who developed VTEs than in those who did not (p = 0.004). Bevacizumab treatment at any time during the disease course was not associated with occurrence of VTEs (p = 0.593). Most patients with VTEs (n = 61, 93.8%) were treated with therapeutic anticoagulation. Complications occurred in 14 patients (23.0%), mainly intracranial hemorrhages (n = 7, 11.5%). Overall survival did not differ between patients diagnosed with VTEs and those who had no VTE (p = 0.139). Tumor progression was the major cause of death (n = 283, 90.7%), and only three patients (1.0%) died in association with acute VTEs. CONCLUSIONS Venous thromboembolic events occurred early in the disease course, suggesting that the implementation of primary venous thromboembolism prophylaxis during first-line chemoradiotherapy could be explored in a randomized setting

Survey among FELASA members about rehoming of animals used for scientific and educational purposes

Rehoming is an important fate, which should be considered for animals used for scientific and educational purposes, and which is highlighted in the European Directive 2010/63 EU. In 2018, the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA) convened a working group to review current literature and identify existing practices with the aim of issuing general recommendations on the rehoming of research animals. In order to understand the number and species of animals being rehomed and which species and information to include in the recommendations, the working group launched a survey that was distributed among FELASA members, yielding 97 valid records for analysis. Most respondents of the survey considered the rehoming of cats, dogs, mice, rats, rabbits, pigs and minipigs. The most important issues reported by the respondents were related to availability/suitability of animals, availability of adopters and legal issues. Based on the data and information collected in this survey, the working group decided on the format and content of the future recommendations: a first section containing a general protocol for rehoming, addressing the issues raised by the respondents, and a second section containing species-specific information and advice about cats, dogs, small prey mammals, equines, primates, camelids and minipigs

Antidepressant drug use in glioblastoma patients: an epidemiological view.

Background: Antidepressant drugs have shown antitumor activity in preclinical glioblastoma studies. Antidepressant drug use, as well as its association with survival, in glioblastoma patients has not been well characterized on a population level. Methods: Patient characteristics, including the frequency of antidepressant drug use, were assessed in a glioblastoma cohort diagnosed in a 10-year time frame between 2005 and 2014 in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied for multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to estimate overall survival (OS) data and the log-rank test was performed for comparisons. Results: A total of 404 patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type glioblastoma were included in this study. Sixty-five patients (16.1%) took antidepressant drugs at some point during the disease course. Patients were most commonly prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors at any time (N = 46, 70.8%). Nineteen patients (29.2%) were on antidepressant drugs at the time of their tumor diagnosis. No differences were observed in OS between those patients who had taken antidepressants at some point in their disease course and those who had not (P = .356). These data were confirmed in a multivariate analysis including age, Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS), sex, extent of resection, O$^{6}$-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status, and first-line treatment as cofounders (P = .315). Also, there was no association of use of drugs modulating voltage-dependent potassium channels (citalopram; escitalopram) with survival (P = .639). Conclusions: This signal-seeking study does not support the hypothesis that antidepressants have antitumor efficacy in glioblastoma on a population level

FELASA recommendations for the rehoming of animals used for scientific and educational purposes

Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and the Council of 22 September 2010 states that at the end of a procedure, the most appropriate decision on the future of an animal previously used or intended for use in scientific procedures should be taken on the basis of animal welfare and potential risks to the environment. Member States may allow animals to be rehomed provided the health of the animal allows it, there is no danger to public health, animal health or the environment and if appropriate measures have been taken to safeguard the wellbeing of the animal. In countries where rehoming is permitted, it is the responsibility of the Animal Welfare Body to advise on a rehoming scheme which must include appropriate socialization in order to help facilitate successful rehoming, avoid unnecessary distress to the animals and guarantee public safety. This paper reviews the EU legislation, existing guidance, current literature and best practice to define rehoming, sets out general considerations for rehoming laboratory animals including socialization and provides practical advice on the steps required in a rehoming scheme. For those species most frequently rehomed, more detailed species-specific sections are included

Prognostic assessment in patients operated for brain metastasis from systemic tumors

Background: Established models for prognostic assessment in patients with brain metastasis do not stratify for prior surgery. Here we tested the prognostic accuracy of the Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA) score model in patients operated for BM and explored further prognostic factors. Methods: We included 285 patients operated for brain metastasis at the University Hospital Zurich in the analysis. Information on patient characteristics, imaging, staging, peri- and postoperative complications and survival were extracted from the files and integrated into a multivariate Cox hazard model. Results: The GPA score showed an association with outcome. We further identified residual tumor after surgery (p = 0.007, hazard ratio (HR) 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-2.3) steroid use (p = 0.021, HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.6) and number of extracranial metastasis sites (p = 0.009, HR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.6) at the time of surgery as independent prognostic factors. A trend was observed for postoperative infection of the subarachnoid space (p = 0.102, HR 3.5, 95% CI 0.8-15.7). Conclusions: We confirm the prognostic capacity of the GPA score in a cohort of operated patients with brain metastasis. However, extent of resection and steroid use provide additional aid for the prognostic assessment in these patients