The ORNL-SNAP shielding program

The effort in the ORNL-SNAP shielding program is directed toward the development and verification of computer codes using numerical solutions to the transport equation for the design of optimized radiation shields for SNAP power systems. A brief discussion is given for the major areas of the SNAP shielding program, which are cross-section development, transport code development, and integral experiments. Detailed results are presented for the integral experiments utilizing the TSF-SNAP reactor. Calculated results are compared with experiments for neutron and gamma-ray spectra from the bare reactor and as transmitted through slab shields

Using a task-based approach in evaluating the usability of BoBIs in an e-book environment

This paper reports on a usability evaluation of BoBIs (Back-of-the-book Indexes) as searching and browsing tools in an e-book environment. This study employed a task-based approach and within-subject design. The retrieval performance of a BoBI was compared with a ToC and Full-Text Search tool in terms of their respective effectiveness and efficiency for finding information in e-books. The results demonstrated that a BoBI was significantly more efficient (faster) and useful compared to a ToC or Full-Text Search tool for finding information in an e-book environment

Web-based multimodal graphs for visually impaired people

This paper describes the development and evaluation of Web-based multimodal graphs designed for visually impaired and blind people. The information in the graphs is conveyed to visually impaired people through haptic and audio channels. The motivation of this work is to address problems faced by visually impaired people in accessing graphical information on the Internet, particularly the common types of graphs for data visualization. In our work, line graphs, bar charts and pie charts are accessible through a force feedback device, the Logitech WingMan Force Feedback Mouse. Pre-recorded sound files are used to represent graph contents to users. In order to test the usability of the developed Web graphs, an evaluation was conducted with bar charts as the experimental platform. The results showed that the participants could successfully use the haptic and audio features to extract information from the Web graphs

Dealing with mobility: Understanding access anytime, anywhere

The rapid and accelerating move towards the adoption and use of mobile technologies has increasingly provided people and organisations with the ability to work away from the office and on the move. The new ways of working afforded by these technologies are often characterised in terms of access to information and people ‘anytime, anywhere’. This paper presents a study of mobile workers that highlights different facets of access to remote people and information, and different facets of anytime, anywhere. Four key factors in mobile work are identified from the study: the role of planning, working in ‘dead time’, accessing remote technological and informational resources, and monitoring the activities of remote colleagues. By reflecting on these issues, we can better understand the role of technology and artefact use in mobile work and identify the opportunities for the development of appropriate technological solutions to support mobile workers

Understanding concurrent earcons: applying auditory scene analysis principles to concurrent earcon recognition

Two investigations into the identification of concurrently presented, structured sounds, called earcons were carried out. One of the experiments investigated how varying the number of concurrently presented earcons affected their identification. It was found that varying the number had a significant effect on the proportion of earcons identified. Reducing the number of concurrently presented earcons lead to a general increase in the proportion of presented earcons successfully identified. The second experiment investigated how modifying the earcons and their presentation, using techniques influenced by auditory scene analysis, affected earcon identification. It was found that both modifying the earcons such that each was presented with a unique timbre, and altering their presentation such that there was a 300 ms onset-to-onset time delay between each earcon were found to significantly increase identification. Guidelines were drawn from this work to assist future interface designers when incorporating concurrently presented earcons

A mobile telehealth intervention for adults with insulin-requiring diabetes: early results of a mixed-methods randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: The role of technology in health care delivery has grown rapidly in the last decade. The potential of mobile telehealth (MTH) to support patient self-management is a key area of research. Providing patients with technological tools that allow for the recording and transmission of health parameters to health care professionals (HCPs) may promote behavior changes that result in improved health outcomes. Although for some conditions the evidence of the effectiveness of MTH is clear, to date the findings on the effects of MTH on diabetes management remain inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate an MTH intervention among insulin-requiring adults with diabetes to establish whether supplementing standard care with MTH results in improved health outcomes-glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP), health-related quality of life (HRQoL), diabetes self-management behaviors, diabetes health care utilization, and diabetes self-efficacy and illness beliefs. An additional objective was to explore the acceptability of MTH and patients' perceptions of, and experience, using it. METHODS: A mixed-method design consisting of a 9-month, two-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial (RCT) was used in combination with exit qualitative interviews. Quantitative data was collected at baseline, 3 months, and 9 months. Additional intervention fidelity data, such as participants' MTH transmissions and contacts with the MTH nurse during the study, were also recorded. RESULTS: Data collection for both the quantitative and qualitative components of this study has ended and data analysis is ongoing. A total of 86 participants were enrolled into the study. Out of 86 participants, 45 (52%) were randomized to the intervention group and 36 (42%) to the control group. Preliminary data on MTH training sessions and MTH usage by intervention participants are presented in this paper. We expect to publish complete study results in 2015. CONCLUSIONS: The range of data collected in this study will allow for a comprehensive evaluation of processes and outcomes. The early results presented suggest that MTH usage decreases over time and that MTH participants would benefit from attending more than one training session. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00922376; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00922376 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6Vu4nhLI6)

The regulation and activation of ciliary neurotrophic factor signaling proteins in adipocytes

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is primarily known for its roles as a lesion factor released by the ruptured glial cells that prevent neuronal degeneration. However, CNTF has also been shown to cause weight loss in a variety of rodent models of obesity/type II diabetes, whereas a modified form also causes weight loss in humans. CNTF administration can correct or improve hyperinsulinemia, hyperphagia, and hyperlipidemia associated with these models of obesity. In order to investigate the effects of CNTF on fat cells, we examined the expression of CNTF receptor complex proteins (LIFR, gp130, and CNTFRα) during adipocyte differentiation and the effects of CNTF on STAT, Akt, and MAPK activation. We also examined the ability of CNTF to regulate the expression of adipocyte transcription factors and other adipogenic proteins. Our studies clearly demonstrate that the expression of two of the three CNTF receptor complex components, CNTFRα and LIFR, decreases during adipocyte differentiation. In contrast, gp130 expression is relatively unaffected by differentiation. In addition, preadipocytes are more sensitive to CNTF treatment than adipocytes, as judged by both STAT 3 and Akt activation. Despite decreased levels of CNTFRα expression in fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, CNTF treatment of these cells resulted in a time-dependent activation of STAT 3. Chronic treatment of adipocytes resulted in a substantial decrease in fatty-acid synthase and a notable decline in SREBP-1 levels but had no effect on the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, acrp30, adipocyte-expressed STAT proteins, or C/EBPa. However, CNTF resulted in a significant increase in IRS-1 expression. CNTFRα receptor expression was substantially induced in the fat pads of four rodent models of obesity/type II diabetes as compared with lean littermates. Moreover, we demonstrated that CNTF can activate STAT 3 in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in vivo. In summary, CNTF affects adipocyte gene expression, and the specific receptor for this cytokine is induced in rodent models of obesity/type II diabetes

Effects of cardiotrophin on adipocytes

Cardiotrophin (CT-1) is a naturally occurring protein member of the interleukin (IL)-6 cytokine family and signals through the gp130/leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) heterodimer. The formation of gp130/ LIFR complex triggers the auto/trans-phosphorylation of associated Janus kinases, leading to the activation of Janus kinase/STAT and MAPK (ERK1 and -2) signaling pathways. Since adipocytes express both gp130 and LIFR proteins and are responsive to other IL-6 family cytokines, we examined the effects of CT-1 on 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our studies have shown that CT-1 administration results in a dose- and time-dependent activation and nuclear translocation of STAT1, -3, -5A, and -5B as well as ERK1 and -2. We also confirmed the ability of CT-1 to induce signaling in fat cells in vivo. Our studies revealed that neither CT-1 nor ciliary neurotrophic factor treatment affected adipocyte differentiation. However, acute CT-1 treatment caused an increase in SOCS-3 mRNA in adipocytes and a transient decrease in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) mRNA that was regulated by the binding of STAT1 to the PPARγ2 promoter. The effects of CT-1 on SOCS-3 and PPARγ mRNA were independent of MAPK activation. Chronic administration of CT-1 to 3T3-L1 adipocytes resulted in a decrease of both fatty acid synthase and insulin receptor substrate-1 protein expression yet did not effect the expression of a variety of other adipocyte proteins. Moreover, chronic CT-1 treatment resulted in the development of insulin resistance as judged by a decrease in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. In summary, CT-1 is a potent regulator of signaling in adipocytes in vitro and in vivo, and our current efforts are focused on determining the role of this cardioprotective cytokine on adipocyte physiology

Female mice are protected from metabolic decline associated with lack of skeletal muscle hur

Male mice lacking HuR in skeletal muscle (HuRm−/−) have been shown to have decreased gastrocnemius lipid oxidation and increased adiposity and insulin resistance. The same consequences have not been documented in female HuRm−/− mice. Here we examine this sexually dimorphic phenotype. HuRm−/− mice have an increased fat mass to lean mass ratio (FM/LM) relative to controls where food intake is similar. Increased body weight for male mice correlates with increased blood glucose during glucose tolerance tests (GTT), suggesting increased fat mass in male HuRm−/− mice as a driver of decreased glucose clearance. However, HuRm−/− female mice show decreased blood glucose levels during GTT relative to controls. HuRm−/− mice display decreased palmitate oxidation in skeletal muscle relative to controls. This difference is more robust for male HuRm−/− mice and more exaggerated for both sexes at high dietary fat. A high-fat diet stimulates expression of Pgc1α in HuRm−/− male skeletal muscle, but not in females. However, the lipid oxidation Pparα pathway remains decreased in HuRm−/− male mice relative to controls regardless of diet. This pathway is only decreased in female HuRm−/− mice fed high fat diet. A decreased capacity for lipid oxidation in skeletal muscle in the absence of HuR may thus be linked to decreased glucose clearance in male but not female mice

Corrigendum to “The RNA binding protein HuR influences skeletal muscle metabolic flexibility in rodents and humans” [Metab. 97 (2019) 40–49, (S0026049519300988), (10.1016/j.metabol.2019.05.010)]

The authors regret the originally published manuscript contained an error in Table 1. Specifically, the Glucose Disposal Rates (GDR) were not within the correct columns. The corrected Table 1 is included below. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused