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Background The near-death experiences (NDE) in dialysis patients of our country have not been previously studied. The objective of this study is to investigate the characteristics of NDEs in patients on dialysis. Materials and Methods We performed a cross sectional study of the adult patients of chronic kidney disease stage 5 without dialysis and on dialysis who survived cardiac arrest by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as per ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) guidelines and who sustained pulseless ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation and received CPR and/or direct cardioversion. We used two scales, Greyson’s NDE scale and Ring’s Weighted Core Experience Index (WCEI). Results We performed the study between 2016 and 2018. A total of 29 patients were included. The data based on Greyson’s NDE scale and Ring’s Weighted Core Experience Index (WCEI)were collected. Conclusions Our study brings a perspective of NDE in CKD and dialysis patients. A similar study of NDE in dialysis patients should be considered by other nephrologists.

Objective: This study compared sex differences in disability and depressive symptoms using reports from hip fracture patients and their proxies. Method: Hip fracture patients (49 men, 183 women) aged ≥65 years and proxies were interviewed 1 year postfracture. Outcomes were Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) and number of dependencies in performing activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. Results: Mean ADL sex differences (men minus women) were 0.40 ( p = .37) using proxy reports and 0.70 ( p = .08) using patient self-reports. Mean CES-D sex differences were −3.60 ( p = .02) using proxy reports and −1.26 ( p = .38) using patient self-reports. Discrepancies between patients and proxies were smallest for proxies who have lived with the patient ≥ 1 year. Discussion: Patients and proxies produced conflicting conclusions about sex differences. Results suggest that ideal proxies to recruit are those who have been cohabitating with the patients for an extended length of time.

The period immediately after roundabout construction is the most critical in terms of safety because of relatively higher levels of driver confusion, especially when new roundabouts are constructed in cities where none existed before. Drivers may have limited or no knowledge of correct roundabout negotiation. Although public information and educational efforts before and after roundabout opening can reduce driver confusion, no information is available in the literature on the characteristics of drivers that pose a higher potential for confusion at roundabouts. Drivers’ knowledge of correct roundabout negotiation was assessed and related to their characteristics to identify groups for targeted or prioritized dissemination of roundabout negotiation information. A survey was conducted soliciting information from drivers in five Nebraska cities. The conclusion was that there are identifiable groups of drivers that differ in their knowledge of correct roundabout negotiation. Those with relatively higher levels of knowledge were drivers (a) who were familiar with roundabouts; (b) who drove specialty vehicles such as police, bus, fire truck, or the like; (c) who were younger; and (d) who were male. Drivers who admitted not wearing seatbelts when driving showed a greater potential for incorrectly negotiating roundabouts. As to targeted or prioritized dissemination of information, efforts toward increasing roundabout awareness among nonspecialty vehicle drivers and older drivers should be undertaken.

Besides recognizing the importance of incorporating usability evaluation techniques in the design and development phase of any user interface (UI), it is also very important that designers recognize the benefits and limitations of the different usability inspection methods. This is because the quality of the usability evaluation is dependent on the method used. Two of the more popular usability evaluation techniques are user testing and heuristic analysis. The main objective of this study was to compare the efficiency and effectiveness between user testing and heuristic analysis in evaluating four different commercial websites. Comparing the proportion of usability problems and the type of problems addressed by these two methods both in the early and later stage of the design process does this. The results showed that both user testing and heuristic analysis addressed very different usability problems and with the exception compatibility and security and privacy problems, where heuristic analysis outperforms user testing, both methods are equally efficient and effective in addressing different categories of usability problems.

Designing interaction interfaces for web sites is very much like designing any other user interface (UI), with the same principles and processes being applied. Well-designed sites are easy to use, and provide a rewarding experience for the user, and a profitable interaction for the organization that owns the site. The main objective of this study was to demonstrate the utility of usability evaluation as a important part of the design process, with redesign being based not just on changing business requirements, but also on the findings of a structured user experience evaluation carried out prior to the redesign. This study evaluated a preliminary version of a commercial website that provided information, reviews and rating to its members on various consumer products. The evaluators recommended design changes, and helped implement the revised version of the site, and re-evaluated the new site using a consistent evaluation methodology. The evaluation procedure consisted of representative subjects performing a usability evaluation on the existing version of the site, using typical use scenarios developed in collaboration with the design team and client team, After the redesign, these test scenarios were tested in a follow-up study on the new site. The results showed a significant reduction in the problems, both in the severity level and in number of occurrences between initial version and final version. There was a significant reduction in performance time as well. This study conclusively demonstrates that the use of usability evaluation as a design improvement tool, results in significantly improved design.

Whether comfort and discomfort are part of the same continuum or separate continua has been disputed for a long time. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that mediate comfort and discomfort. Fifty-eight University of Nebraska - Lincoln students (40 females, 18 males) volunteered to participate in the study. Participants took part in anthropometric measurements, sorting tasks, and attribute ratings in either the Comfort or Discomfort condition. Anthropometric measures revealed males and females were relatively equivalent and therefore were not separated in further analyses. MDS supported the use of a four-dimensional solution to depict the similarities and differences among the sixteen gloves for both comfort and discomfort conditions. Further analyses of the regression weights revealed that for some dimensions participants used different criteria for comfort and discomfort judgments. While dimensional analyses and stimuli positions indicated comfort and discomfort are part of the same continuum, attribute analyses provided conflicting evidence that “same continuum” descriptions of comfort and discomfort are too simplistic.

As web users become more sophisticated, online businesses are forced to find innovative ways to interact with their customers in order to capture and retain their interest long enough to actually complete an online sale. Savvy buyers have to be wooed with more than price comparisons, online rebates and to-your-door shipping. Visual Telepresence is becoming increasingly popular as a means of capturing and retaining audience interest by providing customers with a sense of “being there.” In the offline world of bricks and mortar, both specialty shops and large retail chains have invested millions of dollars in the appearance and “feel” of the store, product displays, and product placement. By creating Visual Telepresence—a way to view products and retail spaces in real time—merchants can provide a sense of interactivity not previously possible in online shopping. The experience of purchasing anything or visiting tourist locations online, etc., becomes more “real,” as web-based visual telepresence gives users a sense of being connected. Newly developed applications enable users to take control of their viewing experience by zooming in on and around a product to examine it closely with real time pictures. By providing online shopping enhanced by Visual Telepresence, merchants create a compelling user experience and increase the chance of completing an online sale. These technological developments provide a rich field of study for the human factors professional, as there is very little empirical research available to validate the effectiveness of telepresence in online Ecommerce.

Contemporary manufacturing organizations have adopted just-in-time production philosophy for the last two decades in order to have the benefits of lean inventory at all levels. However, bulk of finished goods end up in warehouses before shipment to its final destination. This is especially true for commodities that require large distribution networks, or for components that are shipped for final assembly at customer site, or for products that are made in bulk but distributed through a wide network to the final consumers. Hence warehouses play an important role in the contemporary economy. However, they have their concerns as well. This case study investigates shipping errors in an existing warehouse from all perspectives, with an intent to improve productivity. It reports some interesting results. Care has to be ensured that they do occupy space economically, have state of the art storage and retrieval systems(ASRS). Care also has to be taken to ensure that they operate under reliable information system and weight management systems. If not, errors in shipping can become sufficient to warrant management attention

In a recent keynote address on future of ergonomics, Wilson stated that ergonomists, instead of focussing on the traditional man, machine and environment component, should refocus on the interaction among these components. (Wilson, 1999). Nowhere is this truer than in the process of web design. Simply stated a web page is really a page, off the information highway, that has the information the User needs. The beauty of the Web is that, that information could be of any imaginable kind. In the last few years, the number of businesses establishing a presence on the World Wide Web (WWW, the web) has grown exponentially. It is just a matter of time before the web becomes a primary source of information for a large part of the world for all needs. Procedurally the steps in design include cognitive design, visual design, technical design, technical development and testing. Typically cross-functional teams are set up to perform the design process. Information ergonomics and interaction ergonomics are the main issues in the iterative design process. The importance of cognitive ergonomist who plays a pivotal role in the design process is discussed.

The purpose of this study was to determine if IS managers were familiar with the basic concepts /tools and potential benefits of TQM. This was accomplished by administering a questionnaire to a sample of IS managers who currently work for business units. The results have implications for both IS managers and researchers. IS managers were familiar with the language of TQM, but did not really understand its underlying philosophies and/or principles. The IS manager must be willing to commit to the TQM strategy for the long run. Also, most IS managers believed that top management leadership is a critical factor in their success.

The human-centered business model has been recognized as the key factor for successful competition in a customer-driven market. In the evolution of human technology, the human factor has become a powerful tool for business improvement. In this panel, five professionals will share their experiences and discuss the potential of human factors from different business perspectives, management, marketing, communication, and other business areas.

The objective of this paper is to introduce the application of Data Dependent Systems (DDS) methodology to the fields of ergonomics. Many current techniques in ergonomics utilize static models, which can have significant limitations. DDS is a stochastic modeling and analysis technique which can be used to capture the system dynamics through quantitative analysis of the available data. DDS has been successfully applied to understand systems dynamics in a number of domains such as manufacturing, weather forecasting, and agriculture. In this research, DDS was used to analyze two sets of ergonomics data: time-based hand-skin temperature data for the evaluation of two types of glove liners in the recent past, and comparison of two lifting styles in the distant past. In both cases DDS was able to capture the differences between the experimental conditions and, more importantly was able to enumerate subject differences. The implications of the results and the potential of the DDS methodology are discussed.

The Himalayan region plays a very important role in influencing the regional and extra-regional circulation system. Long-term instrumental or proxy climate records for this region are scant, but are essential for a global perspective of climate variability. A 598-year (AD 1390-1987) reconstruction of spring (March-May) temperature has been derived for the first time for the western Himalayan region, India using a well replicated ring-width chronology of Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara (D. Don) G. Don). The reconstruction showing annual to multi-year episodes of cool and warm springs is well correlated with the instrumental record of spring temperature for 1876-1987 (r = 0.53, p < 0.001). Prominent large-magnitude century-scale excursions in negative anomalies of spring temperature which might reflect the regional influence of the ‘Little Ice Age’ are not indicated in our data. The seventeenth century experienced monotonically warm springs. Neither recostruction or instrumental data provide evidence of warming during the last few decades of this century which could be attributed to anthropogenic causes. A strong out-of-phase relationship between the instrumental sprin-temperature record over the western Himalayan region and sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) of ensuing months (June-May) over the equatorial Pacific Ocean has been noted. This suggests that temperature responsive tree-ring chronologies from the Himalayan region could also serve as a valuable proxy of the Southern Oscillation.

This research investigates the operator mental models during the control electrodischarge machining (EDM) and compares the results to tradition lathe control. The study required nine experienced tool makers to verbalize or “think aloud” as they created a mold cavity using an EDM. The results of this research showed that operators did transfer mental models from traditional manufacturing experience, but needed to develop significant knowledge specific to EDM. They also experienced difficulty visualizing and establishing cause-and-effect relationships between EDM process parameters. Operators exhibited aspects of discrete and continuous control behavior.

Almost all the evaluative tests are one time performance tests, with the difference between gloved performance and bare handed performance being attributed to gloves. However, in real industrial tasks people don gloves for an extended period of time. It is possible that the length of time has an effect on overall glove comfort. The research objective of this study came out of the aforementioned argument. What is the most appropriate test time for evaluation of gloves? Three experiments were performed to evaluate this issue. Experiment one consisted of battery of one time evaluation test, while experiment two evaluated glove comfort when they were donned for an hour, and experiment three was a repeat of experiment two for eight hours. In summary, it appears that glove effect is not consistent with time. In other words, gloves may yield different levels of discomfort with use. Also, two hours appear to be the most appropriate test time for glove evaluation

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of varying levels of glove surface friction, glove type, and various loads lifted on submaximal holding performance. The independent variables were glove type, friction level, load lifted, trial, and gender. Ten males and ten females performed two trials of lifting a device similar to a standard hand dynamometer under each of these conditions. All the main effects were significant at the 0.0001 level for the dependent variables of stable force and peak force. The results indicate that the surface friction of a glove affects the amount of force with which the subject feels he needs to grasp an object. In addition, the amount of force exerted per pound lifted decreased with increasing weights, perhaps indicating over exertion at the lighter levels of the weight lifted, or under exertion at the higher levels of load.

Advances in manufacturing technology has fundamentally changed the skill and knowledge requirements of machine operators. Our paper explores the potential training applications of computer-based multimedia or hypermedia environments in advanced manufacturing. We developed a prototype interactive training program for electrodischarge machining (EDM). The EDM Trainer relies heavily on graphic imagery and is based on a graphical direct manipulation design model. Ten highly skilled machinists/tool makers were recruited to evaluate the program. Participants received conceptual questions before and after training. We tracked user interactions with the program and finally, we had them answer a questionnaire. The results indicated that the trainer was effective in helping operators gain explicit conceptual knowledge. Operators were able to use the trainer right away and they took advantage of a variety of navigation links to freely explore the program.

Objective Preeclampsia (preE) is a multifaceted complication found uniquely in the pregnant patient and one that has puzzled scientist for years. It has been demonstrated that preE is not a single disorder, but a complex syndrome that is produced by various pathophysiologic triggers and mechanisms affecting 3–8% of obstetrical patients worldwide. PreE, is a major cause of premature delivery and maternal and fetal death. It is characterized by de novo development of hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks gestation. preE has a significant link to alterations of placental function leading to stress and apoptotic signaling, which pass the placental barrier and leave persistent defect in the circulation of the offspring. We assessed the comparison of pregnancy outcome between patients with and without preE. Methods We recruited 20 normal pregnant (NP) and 20 preE consenting patients after deliveries in an IRB approved prospective study from Scott & White Healthcare. We evaluated the following parameters for mothers BP, Proteinuria, BMI, Gestational age, Age, Placental factors: circumference, placental signaling proteins. The placental stress signaling proteins (p38 MAPK, COX-2 and Bax/Bcl-2) were measured. We also evaluated babies for IUGR and anthropometric measurements. Comparisons were performed using Student9s t test. Results Mothers in the PE group had significantly higher blood pressures (SBP p=0.0000001 and DBP p=0.001) and also higher urinary protein excretion (p=0.002). Average hospital stay for PreE babies were longer than NP babies (p=0.001879). No complications were reported for NP babies; however, preE babies had multiple complications like hypoglycemia, RDS etc though they were born at preterm. Many of the PreE babies were born premature (p=0.017). The birth weights of the PE babies were much lower than the NP babies with a p value of 0.027 and also the PE babies were significantly SGA when compare to the NP babies with significant difference in their Ponderal Index (PI) (p=0.0004). The placental stress signaling proteins p38 MAPK, COX-2 and Bax/Bcl-2 were up-regulated in preE compared to normal pregnancy (p Conclusions PreE alters the intrauterine environment and activates the detrimental signaling that is transported to fetus resulting in premature deliveries, IUGR babies and their related complications like extended hospitalization.

Objective Despite growing knowledge of the pathophysiology leading to the development of preeclampsia (PreE) and diabetes mellitus (DM), the interaction between the two disease processes needs to be further examined. This study compared normal pregnancies to those complicated with preE, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and/or pre-existing diabetes in order to assess the effects of elevated glucose on placental development and its potential role in the pathogenesis of preE. Methods The chart review was performed in an IRB approved retrospective cross-sectional study of live born singleton deliveries. A total 621 subjects were randomly selected from deliveries occurring between 2008 to 2011 at Baylor Scott & White Memorial hospital. Statistical analysis was performed using Duncan9s post-hoc test and ANOVA. Results Patients who developed preE had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures than those who did not develop preE (p Conclusions The development of preE in those with pre-existing diabetes led to growth restriction and more severe disease as evidenced by lower birth weights and earlier gestational ages at delivery. These differences were not seen in GDM pregnancies. This supports the concept that elevated glucose levels during placental development in the first trimester may alter the placenta and lead to restriction later in pregnancy when a second stimulus triggers preE.

Handle location and geometry play an important role in container design and effectiveness. An ideal handle position and angle should minimize stress at L5/S1 and minimize average grip pressure on the two hands with force distributed evenly on both hands. Handles in such a position will be most comfortable for performing a MMH task and reduce the likelihood of compressive injuries on the lumbar spine. Most of the published research on container handles have used the psychophysical, biomechanical, and/or physiological methods to determine handle effectiveness. The force distribution at the exact point of energy transfer, namely the hand/handle interface has rarely been addressed by the scientific community. The intent of this study was to determine the force distribution at the hand/handle interface and use the same to compare the effectiveness of various handle types, positions, and angles. Six factors were tested in this experiment using a fractional factorial design. The pressure at the interface was measured using a number of force sensing resistors (FSRs) in each hand. The results indicate handle positions 2/2, 8/8, and 3/7 to be far superior to position 6/8. The average pressure at the FSR sites appear to be the least at handle angles of 0 degree. Further, the force distribution for the cut-out handle appears to be more uniform than that for the cylindrical handle (circular cross-section). Based on these findings recommendations are made for container designer.

It is anticipated that in the year 2020, 17% of the U.S. population will be 65 or older, resulting in more than 50 million older persons being eligible to drive. Given such a significant proportion of older people in the population, the importance their safety in driving, and that of others when they are driving cannot be overstated. Currently an ongoing investigation at the University of Nebraska is examining the problems of older drivers and developing ways to improve their safety. The first part of the research was concerned with defining the problems of older drivers and involved a survey administered to the older drivers. A questionnaire was designed which included 78 questions about driving. The questionnaire was sent to 770 older drivers, of whom 425 (55 percent) responded. Of the 425 who returned the survey, 341 (80 percent) were driving. The results indicate larger female population among the elderly, greater difficulties experienced by the female driver, and interesting set of age by gender interactions. Left-turn lanes, left-turn signals, stop signs, and traffic signals were considered to be the most valuable safety improvements. Larger signs, lower speed limits, more stop signs and traffic signals and wider parking spaces were also listed as needs.

Manufacturing and service industries throughout the world are continuously finding methods to remain lean and profitable. This process had accelerated the globalization of manufacturing facilities. The motto “determine the most effective way of producing” has driven these efforts. The results are a change from a “production and operations management” philosophy, to a “supply chain management” philosophy. ERP systems are system software that integrates all the functions in an organization. The integration is provided across all functional frontiers of the organization. For example, different links in the supply chain may exist at different parts of the world, leading to differences in a wide range of attributes, e.g., culture, work hours, different governmental regulations, and different customer requirements for the same product. These differences necessitate the need for integration and ERP systems are prescribed to fill the need. ERP systems, as they are common to a wide range of industries, are sufficiently generic and understandably complex. Popular brand systems are “People Soft”, “Oracle”, “Bean” and “SAP”. While they promise considerable benefits to organizations that implement them, the process of implementation, in itself, is very complex, often lasting two to three years and costing more than 1$00 million. The human factors' concerns are many, and unfortunately may be, the main cause of the problems that have plagued the ERP systems.

Many industries today have very high incidence rates for cumulative trauma disorders (CTD). Several factors are known to contribute to the onset of CTDs including the application of high forces. A reasonable inference is that a tool and/or task design that requires less grasp muscle effort will be less likely to contribute to CTD. The findings of a study by Jorgensen et al. (1989) indicated that the direction of power grasp force relative to the hand appears have a significant effect on the magnitude of the force exerted. This study was conducted to confirm and quantify these force magnitude differences for four orientations of opposition forces to the hand in a power grasp for two friction conditions and two handle shapes. The results showed that the orientations can be placed in two groups, one containing a single orientation and the other grouping containing the remaining three orientations. The orientation found to be superior to the other three was the pull resisting a force at the bottom of the hand (nearest digit 5). In this orientation, the hand is better able to oppose forces acting at the hand-handle interface than in two of the other orientations. The results of this research indicate that avoidance of the inferior orientations (those acting to ulnarly deviate the wrist) will be beneficial. Because current jobs are designed without considering the force direction, workers are exposed to unnecessary stresses. This study will give work task designers one more piece of information to help reduce the stresses on the hand and wrist.

The objective of this investigation was to experimentally evaluate possible relationships among personality types, selected psychometric factors, and categories of cognitive activity, with an intent to develop user behavioral models fo interface design. Twenty subjects (10 novice and 10 experienced) participated in an interactive scheduling task with two levels of task complexity. The task involved navigation through ten action alternatives, with each alternative bein represented by a screen, to allocate resources. The subjects were administered with Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) tests and a battery of psychometric tests. Cognitive time, total number of menu selections, total number of assignments, and the distribution of cognitive time into intelligence, design and choice activities were the performance measures. Variables derived from measurements of personality traits and psychometric factors were evaluated as predictive measures of performance. The personality trait for sensing/knowing was significant in predicting overall performance, as were psychometric factors for induction, integrative processing, and spatial scanning. The personality trait of extrovert/introvert was found to be significant in predicting the distribution of screen use times, as were derived factors for locus of control, memory ability, and personality. These results can form the basis for examining the usefulness of personality types and psychometric factors as variables in models of user characteristics.