Measuring situation awareness in complex systems: Comparison of measures study

Situation Awareness (SA) is a distinct critical commodity for teams working in complex industrial systems and its measurement is a key provision in system, procedural and training design efforts. This article describes a study that was undertaken in order to compare three different SA measures (a freeze probe recall approach, a post trial subjective rating approach and a critical incident interview technique) when used to assess participant SA during a military planning task. The results indicate that only the freeze probe recall method produced a statistically significant correlation with performance on the planning task and also that there was no significant correlation between the three methods, which suggests that they were effectively measuring different things during the trials. In conclusion, the findings, whilst raising doubts over the validity of post trial subjective rating and interview-based approaches, offer validation evidence for the use of freeze probe recall approaches to measure SA. The findings are subsequently discussed with regard to their implications for the future measurement of SA in complex collaborative systems

(E)-N′-{7-Meth­oxy­spiro­[chromeno[4,3-d]thia­zole-4,1′-cyclo­hexa­n]-2-yl}-N,N-dimethyl­acetimidamide

In the chromenothia­zole ring system of the title mol­ecule, C20H25N3O2S, the pyran ring is in a half-chair conformation. The dihedral angle between the thia­zole and benzene rings is 14.78 (6)°. The cyclo­hexane ring is in a chair conformation. The crystal structure is stabilized by weak inter­molecular C—H⋯N and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds

Determinants of the urinary and serum metabolome in children from six European populations

Background Environment and diet in early life can affect development and health throughout the life course. Metabolic phenotyping of urine and serum represents a complementary systems-wide approach to elucidate environment–health interactions. However, large-scale metabolome studies in children combining analyses of these biological fluids are lacking. Here, we sought to characterise the major determinants of the child metabolome and to define metabolite associations with age, sex, BMI and dietary habits in European children, by exploiting a unique biobank established as part of the Human Early-Life Exposome project (http://www.projecthelix.eu). Methods Metabolic phenotypes of matched urine and serum samples from 1192 children (aged 6–11) recruited from birth cohorts in six European countries were measured using high-throughput 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and a targeted LC-MS/MS metabolomic assay (Biocrates AbsoluteIDQ p180 kit). Results We identified both urinary and serum creatinine to be positively associated with age. Metabolic associations to BMI z-score included a novel association with urinary 4-deoxyerythronic acid in addition to valine, serum carnitine, short-chain acylcarnitines (C3, C5), glutamate, BCAAs, lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPC a C14:0, lysoPC a C16:1, lysoPC a C18:1, lysoPC a C18:2) and sphingolipids (SM C16:0, SM C16:1, SM C18:1). Dietary-metabolite associations included urinary creatine and serum phosphatidylcholines (4) with meat intake, serum phosphatidylcholines (12) with fish, urinary hippurate with vegetables, and urinary proline betaine and hippurate with fruit intake. Population-specific variance (age, sex, BMI, ethnicity, dietary and country of origin) was better captured in the serum than in the urine profile; these factors explained a median of 9.0% variance amongst serum metabolites versus a median of 5.1% amongst urinary metabolites. Metabolic pathway correlations were identified, and concentrations of corresponding metabolites were significantly correlated (r > 0.18) between urine and serum. Conclusions We have established a pan-European reference metabolome for urine and serum of healthy children and gathered critical resources not previously available for future investigations into the influence of the metabolome on child health. The six European cohort populations studied share common metabolic associations with age, sex, BMI z-score and main dietary habits. Furthermore, we have identified a novel metabolic association between threonine catabolism and BMI of children

Experimental studies in a reconfigurable C4 test-bed for network enabled capability

This paper reports on the development of a command and control environment that enables experimental studies to be conducted into Network Enabled Capability (NEC). The command and control environment comprises a reconfigurable Command Wall, and wireless local area network and reconfigurable wearable computers. The two studies reported in this paper explore communication media (study one) and data source/decay (study two). Study one showed the advantages and disadvantages of the electronic medium for passing data between the field and command room. Study two explored data push versus data pull and the effects of data decay on some aspects of command performance. As an experimental environment the reconfigurable C4 test-bed is now beginning to show some utility. Further studies are being planned and scenarios are being develope

Development and validation of a stability indicating method for the enantioselective estimation of omeprazole enantiomers in the enteric-coated formulations by high-performance liquid chromatography

Omeprazole is widely prescribed in the form of enteric-coated formulations, due to the rapid degradation of the drug in the acidic condition of the stomach. In the current article, we are reporting the development and complete validation of a stability indicating chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the enantioselective analysis of omeprazole in the enteric-coated formulations. A precise and sensitive enantiomeric separation of omeprazole was obtained on Chiralcel OD-H analytical column (250mm × 4.6 mm, 5μm particle size) using normal phase chromatography. The analysis was performed under UV detection at 301nm wavelength. During method development, the addition of methanol to the mobile phase helped in getting the sharp peaks. The developed method showed linear response over a wide concentration range of 0.39-800μg/ml and the regression coefficients value (r2) was obtained more than 0.999 for (S)- and (R)-omeprazole. The lower limit of detection (LLOD) and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) for (R)-omeprazole were found to be 0.39 and 0.78 μg/ml, respectively for 5 μl injection volume. The percentage recovery of (R)-omeprazole ranged from 93.5 to 104 in spiked formulation samples and omeprazole sample solution and mobile phase were found to be stable for at least 24 h at room temperature. The proposed method was found to be suitable and accurate for the quantitative determination of undesired enantiomer in the enteric-coated omeprazole formulations

Marker based standardization of polyherbal formulation (SJT-DI-02) by high performance thin layer chromatography method

Background: Preparation of highly standardized herbal products with respect to chemical composition and biological activity is considered to be a valuable approach in this field. SJT-DI-02 polyherbal formulation was successfully developed at our institute and filed for patent at Mumbai patent office. Objective: The present work was marker based standardization of patented, novel and efficacious polyherbal formulation namely SJT-DI-02 for the treatment of diabetes. The SJT-DI-02 was comprised of dried extracts of rhizomes of Acorus calamus, leaves of Aegle marmelose, fruits of Benincasa hispida, roots of Chlorophytum arendinaceum, seeds of Eugenia jambolana, leaves of Ocimum sanctum, pericarp of Punica granatum, seeds of Tamarindus indica. Selected plants were collected, dried and extracted with suitable solvents. The formulation was prepared by mixing different fractions of extracts. Materials and Methods: For successful and best standardization, first of all selection and procurement was carried out. Selection is done on the basis of therapeutic efficacy and amount of the marker present in the particular plant part. At the time of procurement side by side phytochemical screening and estimation of phytoconstituents was carried out. After completion of preliminary screening using characterized markers, we tried to develop best TLC systems using selected solvent composition. Finally well-developed TLC systems were applied in HPTLC. In the present study polyherbal formulation was standardized by using different four markers. TLC Densitometric methods were developed using HPTLC for the quantification of these marker compounds. Solvent systems were optimized to achieve best resolution of the marker compounds from other components of the sample extract. The identity of the bands in the sample extracts were confirmed by comparing the Rf and the absorption spectra by overlaying their UV absorption spectra with those of their respective standards. The purity of the bands due to marker compounds in the sample extracts were confirmed by overlaying the absorption spectra recorded at start, middle and end position of the band in the sample tracks. After conforming all these things fingerprints were developed for all three formulations which will be act as authentification and quality control tool. Results: % w/w of asarones is 3.61, % w/w of marmelosin is 4.60, % w/w of gallic acid is 10.80 and % w/w of lupeol is 4.13.The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, repeatability, limit of detection, limit of quantification and accuracy. In well-developed mobile phase system linearity was found to be in the range of 0.983-0.995, % recovery was found to be in the range of 97.48-99.63, % RSD for intraday and interday was found to be 0.13- 0.70 and 0.32 -1.41 and LOD and LOQ was found to be in the range of 0.15- 0.61 and 0.45 -1.83 microgram per ml. Conclusion: Thus High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) methods were developed and validated in terms of linearity, precision, repeatability, limit of detection, limit of quantification and accuracy. The methods were rapid, sensitive, reproducible and economical. It does not suffer any positive or negative interference due to common other component present in the formulation and would also serve as a tool for authentication of herbal products containing marmelosin, gallic acid, lupeol and asarones. Thus this work provides standardized and therapeutically active polyherbal formulations for the different ailments

Facile synthesis of highly functionalized novel pyrazolopyridones using oxoketene dithioacetal and their anti-HIV activity

<p>A series of novel 3-amino-4,5-dihydro-6-methyl-4-oxo-<i>N</i>-aryl-1<i>H</i>-pyrazolo[4,3-c]pyridine-7-carboxamide have been synthesized starting from various oxoketene dithioacetals. The cyclocondensation reaction of 2-(bis(methylthio)methylene)-3-oxo-<i>N</i>-arylbutanamide <b>2a–w</b> with cyanoacetamide using NaO<i>i</i>Pr as base under reflux condition afforded novel highly functionalized pyridone <b>3a–w</b> derivatives. Further, [3 + 2] cyclocondensation reaction of pyridones with hydrazine in the presence of alcohol was yielded pyrazolopyridones (23 nos) <b>4a–w</b> with excellent yields. All newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for <i>in vitro</i> anti-HIV activity using MTT method. Most of these compounds have showed moderate to potent activity against HIV-1 (III_B) and HIV-2 (ROD) strains with an IC₅₀ ranging from >18 IC₅₀[µg/ml] to <100 IC₅₀[µg/ml]. Among them, compounds <b>4j</b> and <b>4v</b> were identified as the most promising compound for both types of HIV strains. (IC₅₀ = 18 µg/ml). Three compounds <b>4l, 4m</b>, and <b>4p</b> have been found potent anti-HIV 1 and 2 activity against MT-4 cells.</p