• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.207-220
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• 2005

Nuclear power plants (NPP) are complex socio-technological systems that rely on the success of both hardware and human components. Empirical studies of plant operating experience show that human errors are important contributors to accidents and incidents, and that organizational factors play an important role in creating contexts for human errors. Current probabilistic safety assessments (PSA) do not explicitly model the systematic contribution of organizational factors to safety. As some countries, like the United States, are moving towards increased use of risk information in the regulation and operation of nuclear facilities, PSA quality has been identified as an area for improvement. The modeling of human errors, and underlying organizational weaknesses at the root of these errors, are important sources of uncertainty in existing PSAs and areas of on-going research. This paper presents a review of research into the following questions: Is there evidence that organizational factors are important to NPP safety? How do organizations contribute to safety in NPP operations? And how can these organizational contributions be captured more explicitly in PSA? We present a few past incidents that illustrate the potential safety implications of organizational deficiencies, some mechanisms by which organizational factors contribute to NPP risk, and some of the methods proposed in the literature for performing root-cause analyses and including organizational factors in PSA.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2010

Objectives: Intimate partner violence (IPV), commonly known as domestic violence is a problem throughout the world. An estimated 36% to 75% of employed abused woman are monitored, harassed and physically assaulted by their partners or ex-partners while trying to get to work and while at work. The objective of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of interactive training to increase knowledge, change perceptions and develop an intention to address domestic violence that spills over into the workplace. Methods: Community-based participatory research approaches were employed to develop and evaluate an interactive computer-based training (CBT) intervention, aimed to teach supervisors how to create supportive and safe workplaces for victims of IPV. Results: The CBT intervention was administered to 53 supervisors. All participants reacted positively to the training, and there was a significant improvement in knowledge between pre- and post-training test performance (72% versus 96% correct), effect size (d) = 3.56. Feedback from focus groups was more productive than written feedback solicited from the same participants at the end of the training. Conclusion: Effective training on the impacts of IPV can improve knowledge, achieving a large effect size, and produce changes in perspective about domestic violence and motivation to address domestic violence in the workplace, based on questionnaire responses.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.184-191
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• 2021

Background: Hearing protection devices (HPDs) are often used in the workplace to prevent hearing damage caused by noise. However, a factor that can lead to hearing loss in the workplace is improper HPD fitting, and the previous literature has shown that instructing workers on how to properly insert their HPDs can make a significant difference in the degree of attenuation. Methods: Two studies were completed on a total of 33 Hydro One workers. A FitCheck Solo field attenuation estimation system was used to measure the personal attenuation rating (PAR) before and after providing one-on-one fitting instructions. In addition, external ear canal diameters were measured, and a questionnaire with items related to frequency of use, confidence, and discomfort was administered. Results: Training led to an improvement in HPD attenuation, particularly for participants with poorer PARs before training. The questionnaire results indicated that much HPD discomfort is caused by heat, humidity, and communication difficulties. External ear canal asymmetry did not appear to significantly influence the measured PAR. Conclusion: In accordance with the previous literature, our studies suggest that one-on-one instruction is an effective training method for HPD use. Addressing discomfort issues from heat, humidity, and communication issues could help to improve the use of HPDs in the workplace. Further research into the effects of canal asymmetry on the PAR is needed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.801-813
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• 2023

The events at Three Mile Island in the United States brought about fundamental changes in the ways that simulation would be used in nuclear operations. The need for research simulators was identified to scientifically study human-centered risk and make recommendations for process control system designs. This paper documents the human factors research conducted at the Human Systems and Simulation Laboratory (HSSL) since its inception in 2010 at Idaho National Laboratory. The facility's primary purposes are to provide support to utilities for system upgrades and to validate modernized control room concepts. In the last decade, however, as nuclear industry needs have evolved, so too have the purposes of the HSSL. Thus, beyond control room modernization, human factors researchers have evaluated the security of nuclear infrastructure from cyber adversaries and evaluated human-in-the-loop simulations for joint operations with an integrated hydrogen generation plant. Lastly, our review presents research using human reliability analysis techniques with data collected from HSSL-based studies and concludes with potential future directions for the HSSL, including severe accident management and advanced control room technologies.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.293-299
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• 2006

By using high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection, a simple and accurate chromatographic fingerprint method was developed for the identification of Radix Codonopsis (roots of Codonopsis) from different sources. Eighteen herbs of Codonopsis at different habitats in China, including roots from Codonopsis pilosula, Codonopsis pilosula var. modesta and Codonopsis tangshen were analyzed by the fingerprint. The amount of lobetyolin was calibrated, which was found to be more consistent in roots of Codonopsis pilosula as compared to that of Codonopsis pilosula var. modesta and Codonopsis tangshen. Having the fingerprint results, hierarchical clustering analyses were performed to classify the eighteen herbs into three groups: Codonopsis pilosula, Codonopsis pilosula var. modesta and Codonopsis tangshen. This clustering analysis agrees very well with the pharmacognostic identification result, and which could be used as a tool in the quality control of Radix Codonopsis.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 1994

A Simultaneous determination method was improved for the determination and confirmation of zeranol, zearalenone, as well as their isomers and metabolites, in beef. The analytes were extracted from tissue by CH3CN, hydrolyzed enzymatically(for glucuronide conjugates), cleaned up by a strong basic anion exchange resin combined with a liquid/liquid partitioning, derivatized using MSTFA and confirmed, quantified by GC/MS/SIM with a internal standard, zearalane. The results were as follows : (1) all the estrogens were separated on the GC/MS chromatogram under the extraction method and the chromatographic conditions improved, the retention times of zearalane-TMS2, zearalanone-TMS2, zearalenone-TMS2, zeranol-TMS3, taleranol-TMS3, and $\alpha$-zearalenol-TMS3, $\beta$-zearalenol-TMS3, were 18.49, 19.44, 19.63, 19.71, 19.79 and 19.99, 20.08 minutes, respectively. (2) The calibration curves of residual zeranol, zearalenone and their metabolites showed constantly linear(r=0.99) in the range of 5~20 ng. The minimum detection concentration of residual zeranol, zearalenone and their metabolites was 1 ppb. (3) The total average recovery of residual zeranol, zearalenone and their metabolites from spiked beef was 60.2%(CV=29.7%) at the 1 ppb and 63.5%(CV=26.5) at the 2 ppb, 72.9%(CV=18.2%) at the 4 ppb. (4) The preservation method for 6 estrogens was improved for the fast running time(21 min) and MSTFA was utilized for derivatizing 6 estrogens for improvement of recovery, for good resolution, for characteristic mass spectra unlike Jose's method and Tina's method. The utilization of zearalane as internal standard showed good quantification result for zeranol, zearalenone, as well as their isomers and metabolites, in beef.

• CELLMED
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.28.1-28.27
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• 2014

Linderae Radix, the dry roots of Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm, has long been used as traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of inflammatory diseases. The total alkaloids are believed to be the active components responsible for anti-inflammation of Linderae Radix. Here, the total alkaloids of Linderae Radix were extracted and isolated, including 12 isoquinoline alkaloids and 1 furan sesquiterpene. Within the alkaloids, norisoboldine, boldine, linderaline, isoboldine, reticuline, N-methyllaurotetanine, norjuziphine were found to be the major ingredients. In lipopolysaccharide-treated macrophage RAW 264.7 cells, application of Linderae Radix extract, or total alkaloids, suppressed the transcription of proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-$1{\beta}$ and interleukin-6. Out of the 12 alkaloids, norisoboldine, boldine, and isoboldine were tested in lipopolysaccharide-treated macrophages, and norisoboldine was the strongest alkaloid in suppressing the cytokine expressions. The current studies suggested that the identification of alkaloids from Linderae Radix could provide a plausible explanation for herbal therapeutic functions.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.159-167
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• 2005

Quantization effects (QEs), which manifests when the device dimensions are comparable to the de Brogile wavelength, are becoming common physical phenomena in the present micro-/nanometer technology era. While most novel devices take advantage of QEs to achieve fast switching speed, miniature size and extremely small power consumption, the mainstream CMOS devices (with the exception of EEPROMs) are generally suffering in performance from these effects. In this paper, an analytical model accounting for the QEs and poly-depletion effects (PDEs) at the silicon (Si)/dielectric interface describing the capacitance-voltage (C-V) and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of MOS devices with thin oxides is developed. It is also applicable to multi-layer gate-stack structures, since a general procedure is used for calculating the quantum inversion charge density. Using this inversion charge density, device characteristics are obtained. Also solutions for C-V can be quickly obtained without computational burden of solving over a physical grid. We conclude with comparison of the results obtained with our model and those obtained by self-consistent solution of the $Schr{\ddot{o}}dinger$ and Poisson equations and simulations reported previously in the literature. A good agreement was observed between them.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.233-250
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• 2018

Back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel un-lipped channel sections are used in cold-formed steel structures; such as trusses, wall frames and portal frames. In such built-up columns, intermediate fasteners resist the buckling of individual channel-sections. No experimental tests or finite element analyses have been reported in the literature for back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel un-lipped channel sections and specially investigated the effect of screw spacing on axial strength of such columns. The issue is addressed in this paper. The results of 95 finite element analyses are presented covering stub to slender columns. The finite element model is validated against the experimental tests recently conducted by authors for back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel lipped channel sections. The verified finite element model is then used for the purposes of a parametric study to investigate the effect of screw spacing on axial strength of back-to-back built-up cold-formed steel un-lipped channel sections. Results are compared against the built-up lipped channel sections and it is shown that the axial strength of un-lipped built-up sections are 31% lesser on average than the built-up lipped channel sections. It was also found that the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the Australian and New Zealand Standards were over-conservative by around 15% for built-up columns failed through overall buckling, however AISI and AS/NZS were un-conservative by around 8% for built-up columns mainly failed by local buckling.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.517-526
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• 2019

Background: The root of Panax ginseng, a member of Araliaceae family, has been used as herbal medicine and functional food in Asia for thousands of years. According to Traditional Chinese medicine, ginseng is the most widely used "Qi-invigorating" herbs, which provides tonic and preventive effects by resisting oxidative stress, influencing energy metabolism, and improving mitochondrial function. Very few reports have systematically measured cell mitochondrial bioenergetics after ginseng treatment. Methods: Here, H9C2 cell line, a rat cardiomyoblast, was treated with ginseng extracts having extracted using solvents of different polarity, i.e., water, 50% ethanol, and 90% ethanol, and subsequently, the oxygen consumption rate in healthy and tert-butyl hydroperoxideetreated live cultures was determined by Seahorse extracellular flux analyzer. Results: The 90% ethanol extracts of ginseng possessed the strongest antioxidative and tonic activities to mitochondrial respiration and therefore provided the best protective effects to H9C2 cardiomyocytes. By increasing the spare respiratory capacity of stressed H9C2 cells up to three-folds of that of healthy cells, the 90% ethanol extracts of ginseng greatly improved the tolerance of myocardial cells to oxidative damage. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that the low polarity extracts of ginseng could be the best extract, as compared with others, in regulating the oxygen consumption rate of cultured cardiomyocytes during mitochondrial respiration.