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The Western Gray Whale: A Review Of Past Exploitation, Current Status And Potential Threats, David Weller, Alexander Burdin, Bernd Wursig, Barbara Taylor, Robert L. Brownell Jr.

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) occur along the eastern and western coastlines of the North Pacific as two geographically isolated populations and have traditionally been divided into the eastern (California-Chukchi) and western (Korean-Okhotsk) populations. Recent molecular comparisons confirm, based on differences in haplotypic frequencies, that these populations are genetically separated at the population-level. Both populations were commercially hunted, but only the eastern gray whale has returned to near pre-exploitation numbers. In contrast, the western population remains highly depleted, shows no apparent signs of recovery and its future survival remains uncertain. Research off Sakhalin Island, Russia between 1995 and 1999 …

Lipid Raft Microdomains: A Gateway For Compartmentalized Trafficking Of Ebola And Marburg Viruses, Sina Bavair, Catherine Bosio, Elizabeth Wiegand, Gordon Ruthel, Amy Will, Thomas Geisbert, Michael Hevey, Connie Schmaljohn, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute Of Infectious Diseases, M. Javad Aman

United States Army: Publications

Spatiotemporal aspects of filovirus entry and release are poorly understood. Lipid rafts act as functional platforms for multiple cellular signaling and trafficking processes. Here, we report the compartmentalization of Ebola and Marburg viral proteins within lipid rafts during viral assembly and budding. Filoviruses released from infected cells incorporated raft-associated molecules, suggesting that viral exit occurs at the rafts. Ectopic expression of Ebola matrix protein and glycoprotein supported raft-dependent release of filamentous, virus-like particles (VLPs), strikingly similar to live virus as revealed by electron microscopy. Our findings also revealed that the entry of filoviruses requires functional rafts, identifying rafts as the …

Progress On Geoenvironmental Models For Selected Mineral Deposit Types, Robert R. Seal Ii, Nora K. Foley

United States Geological Survey: Publications

Since the beginning of economic geology as a subdiscipline of the geological sciences, economic geologists have tended to classify mineral deposits on the basis of geological, mineralogical, and geochemical criteria, in efforts to systematize our understanding of mineral deposits as an aid to exploration. These efforts have lead to classifications based on commodity, geologic setting (Cox and Singer, 1986), inferred temperatures and pressures of ore formation (Lindgren, 1933), and genetic setting (Park and MacDiarmid, 1975; Jensen and Bateman, 1979). None of these classification schemes is mutually exclusive; instead, there is considerable overlap among all of these classifications. A natural outcome …

Assessment Of Elemental Concentrations In Streams Of The New Lead Belt In Southeastern Missouri, 2002–05, William G. Brumbaugh, Thomas W. May, John M. Besser, Ann L. Allert, Christopher J. Schmitt

United States Geological Survey: Publications

Concerns about possible effects of lead-mining activities on the water quality of federally protected streams located in southeastern Missouri prompted a suite of multidisciplinary studies to be conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey. As part of this investigation, a series of biological studies were initiated in 2001 for streams in the current mining region and the prospecting area. In this report, results are examined for trace elements and other selected chemical measurements in sediment, surface water, and sediment interstitial (pore) water sampled between 2002 and 2005 in association with these biological studies. Compared to reference sites, fine sediments collected downstream …

Demystifying Human Factors: Practical Solutions To Reduce Incidents And Improve Safety, Quality And Reliability

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

Five years have passed since the 1996 International Workshop on Human Factors in Offshore Operations. Over this period, we learned that the level of knowledge of human factors has increased dramatically. We also made significant advances in applying human factors disciplines more effectively within an organization. In order to invest the necessary resources, technical specialists, engineers and corporate leaders need to be confident that the human factors tools they choose to implement will meet the desired goals.

To this end, the 2002 International Workshop on Human Factors in Offshore Operations (HFW2002) brought together six key work groups to help those …

Contents: Speaker Presentations & Workshop Overview, Rodger Holdsworth

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

Speaker Presentations

Welcome/Introductions (Rodger Holdsworth)

Opening Remarks (Chris Oynes)

Opening Remarks (Ken Arnold)

Opening Remarks (Tom Theriot)

"Integration of Human Factors into Classification/Certification" (James Card)

"Overview of the P-36 Incident" (Carlos TadeuDa Costa Frage)

P 36_Movie.avi (Pedro Jose Barusco Filho)

Workshop Overview Powerpoint

1996 Workshop Purpose

What We Learned

HFW2002 Workshop Purpose

Workshop Objectives

Most Common Questions and Answers

Questions?

Exxonmobil’S Approach To Human Factors, Tom Theriot

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

Presentation Outline

Human Factors - Definition

Objectives of Human Factors Efforts

Incident Performance Improvement History

Why Are We Working on HUMAN FACTORS?

The Human Factors “Spectrum”

ExxonMobil’s Human Factors Strategy

Human Factors Focus Areas

The Cost of Using Human Factors in Design

New HF Technology Applications

Contents: Theme Presentations

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

Return on Investment in Use of Human Factors in Offshore Systems (Harrie J.T. Rensink)

Analysis of Human Factors Related Accidents and Near Misses (James Reason)

An Integrated Approach to Behavioral Based Safety (Jim Spigener)

Experience Using the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate's (NPDs) Method for Auditing Human Factors Aspects of Command and Control Centers (Adam Balfour)

Capitalizing on Behavior Based Safety to Address Human Resource Development Needs (Ron Newton)

Working Offshore: Its Effects and Their Management (Mark Shrimpton)

Accident Investigation Trends - A Safety Management Perspective (David Dykes)

Summary of Working Group Activities (Cyril Arney)

Return On Investment In Use Of Human Factors In Offshore Systems: “Closing The Gap Between Conceptual Design And Engineering, Field Construction Activities And Operations”, Harrie J. T. Rensink

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

Agenda

Objectives

Shell International Health Services Usability & Human Factors Engineering

Client Portfolio & Projects

Business Objectives

Human Machine Interface Model

Physical Interface

Cognitive Interface

Business case

World class Projects

Literature “Development HSE improvements in hardware design”

Conclusion ‘traditional’ design process

Ergonomic Management & Information System (EMIS®)

The Design Process

Examples Smart design tools

Upgrader Main Control room Centre and Workshop Building Athabasca Oil Sands Downstream Project Shell Canada, Calgary

Link-analyses CCR / Engineering Functions frequency daily communication

INTERFACE RELATIONSHIP MATRIX FOR CENTRAL CONTR

Smart tool for Improving Plant & Equipment lay out Identification of Valves analysis (IVA ®)

Assurance …

Offshore Employment: Its Effects And Their Management, Mark Shrimpton

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

PRESENTATION STRUCTURE

RATIONALE, SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY

EFFECTS OF OFFSHORE EMPLOYMENT

RESPONSES

RESEARCH GAPS

RESEARCH ISSUES

Improving Incident Investigation Through Inclusion Of Human Factors, Anita Rothblum, David Wheal, Stuart Withington, Scott A. Shappell, Douglas A. Wiegmann, William Boehm, Marc Chaderjian

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

Studies of offshore and maritime incidents (accidents and near-misses) show that 80% or more involve human error. By investigating incidents, we can identify safety problems and take corrective actions to prevent future such events. While many offshore and maritime companies have incident investigation programs in place, most fall short in identifying and dealing with human errors. This paper discusses how to incorporate human factors into an incident investigation program. Topics include data collection and analysis and how to determine the types of safety interventions appropriate to safeguard against the identified risks. Examples are provided from three organizations that have established …

Effectively Including Human Factors In The Design Of New Facilities, Johan Hendrikse, Kevin Mcsweeney, Eileen B. Hoff, Paul Atkinson, Gerry Miller, George Connor, Ben Poblete, Rick Meyer, Pat O'Connor, Hilde Heber

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

Human error is a major cause of incidents in the offshore industry. For example, in the Gulf of Mexico region in 1998, 38% of all incidents were attributed to human error with an additional 9% of incidents resulting from slips, trips, and falls (MMS 2000-021, OCS Report). Human Factors, when integrated during the design of a new offshore facility, can reduce the potential for human error and the occurrence of unfortunate incidents.

Quite often the implementation of Human Factors (HF) during design is disregarded because of the notion that it will add unacceptable costs. Review of the cost/benefit data contained …

Application Of Human Factors In Reducing Human Error In Existing Offshore Facilities, Jeffrey Thomas, Clifford C. Baker, Thomas B. Malone, John T. Malone, Christina L. Hard, Ivan C. L. Rezende, Sally Caruana, Mark Witten

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

Human factors engineering (HFE) is the scientific and engineering discipline concerned with improving human performance and reducing human error in complex systems. HFE represents a merging of behavioral science and systems engineering and is directed at integrating people into the workplace. The discipline had its start in the aviation and aerospace industries.

The objective of HFE is to minimize the potential for human error and accidents by ensuring that the human can perform assigned activities as efficiently and effectively as possible. At a very basic level, a definition of human error can be “any deviation from expected human performance” (Senders …

Solving Human Factor Issues As Applied To The Work Force, Robert Miles, Dennis Attwood, Amy White

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

This paper aims to capture a range of current approaches to the management and delivery of safety by means of addressing workforce human factors issues. The paper is divided into a number of sections and each section is the product of the facilitated debate and discussions around the original discussion paper.

Effective Integration Of Human Factors Into Hse Management Systems, Denise B. Mccafferty, Clifford C. Baker, Kevin P. Mcsweeney, Rodger Holdsworth

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

It is common that offshore operating and drilling companies have policies, procedures, and practices that address Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) issues. It is less likely that such organizations will explicitly address (through written requirements) human factors (HF) concerns. Regardless, both HSE and HF are concerned with the same objectives: protecting people, property, and the natural environment from damage. The methods of each examine the job performed by the human, and compare work requirements to the design of hardware, software, and paper systems to allow safe and efficient performance. The perspectives of both disciplines are generally “user-centered” and act as …

Effective Application Of Behavioral Based Processes In Offshore Operations, Jim Spigener, Gillis Gaupreaux, Frank Amato, Brian N. Craig

United States Department of Transportation: Publications

The introduction of the behavioral-based safety process in the offshore industry over the past decade has had a significant impact on safety in general and the offshore safety culture in particular. The Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) process compliments Human Factors Engineering (HFE) efforts in the struggle to improve safety by minimizing the risk in the hazardous offshore environment. The behavioral-based safety process and HFE both focus on the workers by taking advantage of their strengths and minimizing their weaknesses.

The four key steps of the behavior based safety process are as follows:

1. Identifying behaviors – Identification of and operationally defining …

A Quantitative Approach For Estimating Exposure To Pesticides In The Agricultural Health Study, Michael C. R. Alavanja, Andrew S. Rowland, David Mage, Shelia Hoar Zahm, Nathaniel Rothman, Jay H. Lubin, Mustafa Dosemeci, Jane A. Hoppin, Dale P. Sandler, Aaron Blair

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

We developed a quantitative method to estimate long-term chemical-specific pesticide exposures in a large prospective cohort study of more than 58000 pesticide applicators in North Carolina and Iowa. An enrollment questionnaire was administered to applicators to collect basic time- and intensity-related information on pesticide exposure such as mixing condition, duration and frequency of application, application methods and personal protective equipment used. In addition, a detailed take-home questionnaire was administered to collect further intensity- related exposure information such as maintenance or repair of mixing and application equipment, work practices and personal hygiene. More than 40% of the enrolled applicators responded to …

Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy: A Newly Recognized Fatal Neurological Disease Of Eagles, Waterfowl And Other Birds, John R. Fischer, Lynn A. Lewis, Tom Augspurger, Tonie E. Rocke

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

Since 1994, wildlife biologists and wildlife health specialists have worked to determine the cause of avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM), a neurologic disease of bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and other birds. The causes of morbidity and mortality in wildlife typically are determined through both antemortem and postmortem examinations, combined with ancillary tests for microbiological organisms, toxicants and other etiologies. However, the etiology of AVM has not been determined yet, despite extensive diagnostic investigations, including examinations for common disease agents, as well as infrequent or unusual causes of mortality. With the failure of standard diagnostic testing to determine the cause …

The Influence Of Sylvatic Plague On North American Wildlife At The Landscape Level, With Special Emphasis On Black-Footed Ferret And Prairie Dog Conservation, Michael F. Antolin, Pete Gober, Bob Luce, Dean E. Biggins, William E. Van Pelt, David B. Seery, Micael Lockhart, Mark Ball

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

"Prairie-dogs are distributed over a large part of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain regions. Their colonies often number thousands of individuals, and their destruction of grasses and other forage plants makes them of considerable economic importance. Drastic measures are frequently necessary to prevent the destruction of crops of grain and hay. The Biological Survey is exterminating these rodents in national forests and in the public domain. The information in this report, in regards to the several species and their distribution, as indicated by maps, will aid materially in efforts, national or state, to control or exterminate them," said Henry …

Bioavailability And Exposure Assessment Of Petroleum Hydrocarbons And Trace Elements In Birds Nesting Near The North Platte River, Casper, Wyoming, Kimberly Dickerson, Thomas W. Custer, Christine M. Custer, Ken Allen

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

The objectives of this study were to compare refinery-related petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in nestling tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and nestling house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) at sites along the North Platte River Casper, Wyoming in 1997 and 1998; and to determine if contaminants were present in concentrations that could adversely affect the birds. Because trace element concentrations, mixed function oxidase activity, and the variation in DNA are often associated with petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in birds, each was measured as indicators of petroleum contamination. Sediment and aquatic invertebrates were also sampled for characterizing a possible contaminant source to …

Organochlorine Chemical Residues In Fish From The Mississippi River Basin, 1995, C.J. Schmitt

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

µ≤≥

Fish were collected in late 1995 from 34 National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program (NCBP) stations and 13 National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) stations in the Mississippi River basin (MRB) and in late 1996 from a reference site in West Virginia. Four composite samples, each comprising (nominally) 10 adult common carp (Cyprinus carpio) or black bass (Micropterus spp.) of the same sex, were collected from each site and analyzed for organochlorine chemical residues by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. At the NCBP stations, which are located on relatively large rivers, concentrations of organochlorine chemical residues were generally lower than …

A Biologic Basis For Integrated Malaria Control, F. Ellis Mckenzie, J. Kevin Baird, John C. Beier, Altaf A. Lal, William H. Bossert

United States Navy: Publications

In a series ofmodels of Plasmodium falciparum dynamics, spontaneous local extinctions ofthe parasite sometimes occurred under steady, perennial-transmission conditions. These extinctions occurred only with extremely low mosquito densities or when the parameter describing the duration ofhu man infection-blocking immunity was at its maximum value, and, simultaneously, those describing vector survivorship and the duration ofhuman infectivity were at their minimum values. The range and frequency of extinctions increased with seasonal transmission, and decreased with the emergence ofrecombinant genotypes. Here we extend the immunity parameter up to levels that would describe a successful vaccine, and examine the combined influences of seasonality, genotype …

Epidemic Malaria In The Menoreh Hills Of Central Java, Mazie J. Barcus, Ferdinand Laihad, M. Sururi, Priyanto Sismadi, Harijani Marwoto, Michael J. Bangs, J. Kevin Baird

United States Navy: Publications

After more than 50 years of effective management, resurgent malaria threatens residents in the Menoreh Hills and the foothills of the Dieng Plateau of Central Java, Indonesia. The Dieng Plateau dominates the highland center of Central Java. The steep Menoreh Hills, surrounded by rice paddy habitats, cover approximately 500 km² with no peaks greater than 1,000 m. We studied epidemic malaria in Purworejo district, one of the three districts containing the Menoreh Hills. Between 1986 and 1995, the annual parasite incidence (API) in Purworejo ranged from 2 to 11 cases per 1,000 residents per year and was typically approximately …

Seasonal Malaria Attack Rates In Infants And Young Children In Northern Ghana, J. Kevin Baird, S. Owusu Agyei, Gregory C. Utz, Kwadwo Koram, Mazie J. Barcus, Trevor R. Jones, David J. Fryauff, Fred N. Binka, Stephen L. Hoffman, Francis N. Nkrumah

United States Navy: Publications

The incidence density of infection and disease caused by Plasmodium falciparum in children aged six to 24 months living in the holoendemic Sahel of northern Ghana was measured during the wet and dry seasons of 1996 and 1997. At the beginning of each season, a cohort composed of 259 and 277 randomly selected children received supervised curative therapy with quinine and Fansidar^® and primaquine for those with normal glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. The 20 weeks of post-therapy follow-up consisted of three home visits weekly and examination of Giemsastained blood films once every two weeks. Blood films were also taken from …

Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial Of Atovaquone/Proguanil For The Prevention Of Plasmodium Falciparum Or Plasmodium Vivax Malaria Among Migrants To Papua, Indonesia, Judith Ling, J. Kevin Baird, David J. Fryauff, Priyanto Sismadi, Michael J. Bangs, Mark Lacy, Mazie J. Barcus, Robert Gramzinski, Jason D. Maguire, Marti Kumusumangsih, Gerri B. Miller, Trevor R. Jones, Jeffrey D. Chulay, Stephen L. Hoffman, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit # 2 Clinical Trial Team

United States Navy: Publications

The increasing prevalence of resistance to antimalarial drugs reduces options for malaria prophylaxis. Atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone; GlaxoSmithKline) has been 195% effective in preventing Plasmodium falciparum malaria in lifelong residents of areas of holoendemicity, but data from persons without clinical immunity or who are at risk for Plasmodium vivax malaria have not been described. We conducted a randomized, double-blinded study involving 297 people from areas of nonendemicity in Indonesia who migrated to Papua (where malaria is endemic) 26 months before the study period. Subjects received prophylaxis with 1 Malarone tablet (250 mg of atovaquone and 100 mg of proguanil hydrochloride; np 148) …

Mycobacterium Smegmatis D-Alanine Racemase Mutants Are Not Dependent On D-Alanine For Growth, Ofelia Chacon, Zhengyu Feng, N. Beth Harris , Nancy E. Caceres, Garry Adams, Raul G. Barletta

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mycobacterium smegmatis is a fast-growing nonpathogenic species particularly useful in studying basic cellular processes of relevance to pathogenic mycobacteria. This study focused on the D-alanine racemase gene (alrA), which is involved in the synthesis of D-alanine, a basic component of peptidoglycan that forms the backbone of the cell wall. M. smegmatis alrA null mutants were generated by homologous recombination using a kanamycin resistance marker for insertional inactivation. Mutants were selected on Middlebrook medium supplemented with 50 mM D-alanine and 20 μg of kanamycin per ml. These mutants were also able to grow in standard and minimal media without …

West Nile Virus: A Threat To North American Avian Species, Robert G. Mclean

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

West Nile virus (WNV) was introduced into the United States (US), specifically in New York City (NYC), in 1999; this translocation represented a major shift out of its normal geographical distribution of Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the western parts of Asia (Center for Disease Control 1999a). The route or method of entry into the US is still unknown. WNV is in the genus Flavivirus, the family Flaviviridae and is closely related to some other viruses in this family, such as Japanese encephalitis virus in Southeast Asia, Murray Valley encephalitis virus in Australia and St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) …

Selenium Toxicity: Cause And Effects In Aquatic Birds, Julian E. Spallholz, David J. Hoffman

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

There are several manners in which selenium may express its toxicity: (1) an important mechanism appears to involve the formation of CH₃Se⁻ which either enters a redox cycle and generates superoxide and oxidative stress, or forms free radicals that bind to and inhibit important enzymes and proteins. (2) Excess selenium as selenocysteine results in inhibition of selenium methylation metabolism. As a consequence, concentrations of hydrogen selenide, an intermediate metabolite, accumulate in animals and are hepatotoxic, possibly causing other selenium-related adverse effects. (3) It is also possible that the presence of excess selenium analogs of sulfur-containing enzymes and …

Gemfibrozil, A Lipid-Lowering Drug, Inhibits The Induction Of Nitric-Oxide Synthase In Human Astrocytes, Kalipada Pahan, Malabendu Jana, Xiaojuan Liu, Bradley S. Taylor, Charles Wood, Susan M. Fischer

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Gemfibrozil, a lipid-lowering drug, inhibited cytokine- induced production of NO and the expression of inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) in human U373MG astroglial cells and primary astrocytes. Similar to gemfibrozil, clofibrate, another fibrate drug, also inhibited the expression of iNOS. Inhibition of human iNOS promoter-driven luciferase activity by gemfibrozil in cytokine-stimulated U373MG astroglial cells suggests that this compound inhibits the transcription of iNOS. Since gemfibrozil is known to activate peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor-α (PPAR-α), we investigated the role of PPAR- α in gemfibrozil-mediated inhibition of iNOS. Gemfibrozil induced peroxisome proliferator-responsive element (PPRE)-dependent luciferase activity, which was inhibited by the expression of …

Derivation Of Risk Based Wipe Surface Screening Levels For Industrial Scenarios, Lisa M. May, Bonnie Gaborek, Tony Pitrat, Laura Peters

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

The environmental characterization of building interiors and other surfaces has generally been performed with wipe-sampling because it is a non-destructive technique. There is no consensus, however, as to the interpretation of the results of wipe-sampling. Specifically, there is not a standardized method to determine if chemicals found at sampled levels pose a threat to human health. A methodology was developed, based on acceptable health risk levels, to derive screening levels for evaluating wipe-sampling results pertaining to industrial scenarios. The methodology was based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Region IX Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) approach; a multi-exposure methodology …