scholarly journals Cognitive Abilities Predict Safety Performance: A Study Examining High-Speed Railway Dispatchers

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Shi Lei ◽  
Zizheng Guo ◽  
Xi Tan ◽  
Xi Chen ◽  
Chengen Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Safety Evaluation ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
High Speed Railway ◽  
Multiobject Tracking ◽  
And Training

Cognitive abilities are good predictors of safety performance in many occupations. However, this correlation has not been studied from the perspective of high-speed railway (HSR) dispatchers who play a vital role in ensuring the safety and punctuality of HSR transportation system. Therefore, studying factors affecting HSR dispatchers’ safety performance is not only of great importance in filling the theoretical gap, but also conducive to the selection and training of dispatchers, contributing to the reduction of human errors and the prevention of railway accidents. In this study, a total of 118 HSR dispatchers from a branch of China Railway were recruited to complete the tests that examined their cognitive abilities related to the dispatching job, including logical reasoning, visual multiobject tracking, working memory, task switching, and cognitive flexibility. Safety performance, including both the safety evaluation score obtained from the dispatchers’ monthly safety performance record of the Railway Bureau and the emergency disposal performance indicated by train delay time, was evaluated with a dispatch simulator. The results suggested that better abilities in visual multiobject tracking, working memory, task switching, and cognitive flexibility were correlated with higher safety evaluation score (reflecting daily safety performance) and shorter train delay time (reflecting safety and efficiency in emergency disposal). No significant correlation was found in logical reasoning. These findings support the recommendation that cognitive abilities investigated as predictors of safety performance could be useful for the selection and training of HSR dispatchers.

Transfer of Training between Working Memory Task and Attentional Task

2016 ◽  
pp. 147-165
Author(s):  
Ting Guo ◽  
Yanna Ren ◽  
Xiaotong Zhu ◽  
Hong Chen ◽  
Satoshi Takahashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Cognitive Disorders ◽  
Training Effects ◽  
Attention Memory

The present studies indicate that training effects in a certain domain may result in the acquired skills being transferred to other domains that require similar abilities. Cognitive training involves structured exercises that are prescribed and undertaken with the purpose of enhancing cognitive abilities, such as attention, memory, and problem solving. In contrast to symptomatic pharmacotherapy, non-pharmacological approaches may further improve patients' situations. Our aim was to summarize the empirical evidence for the rehabilitation of individuals with cognitive disorders by using training tasks to enhance specific cognitive functions to combat against cognitive degradation and transfer the benefits to other widely used domains.

scholarly journals Auditory and Visual Working Memory Are Differentially Related to Carotenoid Status in Preadolescent Children

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 98-98
Author(s):  
Corinne Cannavale ◽  
Caitlyn Edwards ◽  
Ruyu Liu ◽  
Samantha Iwinski ◽  
Anne Walk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Memory Function ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Set Size ◽  
Preadolescent Children ◽  
Central Illinois ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Objectives Carotenoids are plant pigments known to deposit in neural tissues including the hippocampus, a brain substrate that supports several memory forms. However, there is a dearth of knowledge regarding carotenoid status and working memory function in children. Accordingly, this study aimed to understand the relationship between macular and skin carotenoids to visual and auditory working memory (WM) function. Methods Seventy preadolescent children (7–12 years, 32 males) were recruited from the East-Central Illinois area. Auditory working memory was assessed using the story recall subtest of the Woodcock-Johnson IV Test of Cognitive Abilities. A subsample (N = 61, 27 males) completed a visual working memory task and reaction time was quantified to determine speed of memory processing at set sizes of 1 to 4 items. Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) was assessed using customized heterochromatic flicker photometry. Skin carotenoids were assessed using reflection spectroscopy (Veggie Meter). Hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to assess the relationship between carotenoid status and WM function, while controlling for age, sex, income, and whole-body % fat (DXA). Results Auditory WM was positively associated with skin carotenoids (b = 0.263, P = 0.039) but not MPOD (b = −0.044, P = 0.380). In contrast, MPOD was significantly associated with faster visual WM speed at set size 3 (b = −0.253, P = 0.039) and trending at set sizes of 1 (b = −0.225, P = 0.051), 2 (b = −0.171, P = 0.121), and 4 (b = −0.230, P = 0.055). Interestingly, skin carotenoids were not related to visual WM performance at either set size (all P’s > 0.300). Conclusions These results indicate that auditory and visual WM may be differentially related to carotenoids. While skin carotenoids encompass all carotenoids consumed in diet, lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids which deposit in the macula. Given that MPOD was only related to visual WM, this suggests lutein plays a larger role in these neural functions relative to auditory WM. Interestingly, MPOD's relationship with visual WM increased in strength with the more difficult trial type (i.e., increasing set size), indicating MPOD is related at higher levels of WM capacity. Funding Sources This study was funded by the Egg Nutrition Center.

scholarly journals High Speed Railway Environment Safety Evaluation Based on Measurement Attribute Recognition Model

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qizhou Hu ◽  
Ningbo Gao ◽  
Bing Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Mahalanobis Distance ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Safety Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Index System ◽  
Multidimensional Space ◽  
Safety Level ◽  
High Speed Railway ◽  
Attribute Recognition ◽  
Railway Operation ◽  
The Impact

In order to rationally evaluate the high speed railway operation safety level, the environmental safety evaluation index system of high speed railway should be well established by means of analyzing the impact mechanism of severe weather such as raining, thundering, lightning, earthquake, winding, and snowing. In addition to that, the attribute recognition will be identified to determine the similarity between samples and their corresponding attribute classes on the multidimensional space, which is on the basis of the Mahalanobis distance measurement function in terms of Mahalanobis distance with the characteristics of noncorrelation and nondimensionless influence. On top of the assumption, the high speed railway of China environment safety situation will be well elaborated by the suggested methods. The results from the detailed analysis show that the evaluation is basically matched up with the actual situation and could lay a scientific foundation for the high speed railway operation safety.

scholarly journals Preliminary assessment of cognitive impairments in canine idiopathic epilepsy

2018 ◽  
Vol 182 (22) ◽  
pp. 633-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Winter ◽  
Rowena Mary Anne Packer ◽  
Holger Andreas Volk
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Cognitive Dysfunction ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Idiopathic Epilepsy ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Problem Solving Task

In humans, epilepsy can induce or accelerate cognitive impairment (CI). There is emerging evidence of CI in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) from recent epidemiological studies. The aim of our study was to assess CI in dogs with IE using two tests of cognitive dysfunction designed for use in a clinical setting. Dogs with IE (n=17) were compared against controls (n=18) in their performance in two tasks; a spatial working memory task and a problem-solving task. In addition, owners completed the Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating (CCDR) scale for their dog. The groups did not differ statistically with respect to age and breed. Dogs with IE performed significantly worse than controls on the spatial working memory task (P=0.016), but not on the problem solving task (P=0.683). CCDR scores were significantly higher in the IE group (P=0.016); however, no dogs reach the recommended threshold score for CCD diagnosis. Our preliminary data suggest that dogs with IE exhibit impairments in a spatial working memory task. Further research is required to explore the effect of IE on other cognitive abilities in dogs with a larger sample, characterising the age of onset, nature and progression of any impairments and the impact of anti-epileptic drugs.

Running safety evaluation of a train moving over a high-speed railway viaduct under different track conditions

2021 ◽  
Vol 121 ◽  
pp. 105133
Author(s):  
M.A. Peixer ◽  
P.A. Montenegro ◽  
H. Carvalho ◽  
D. Ribeiro ◽  
T.N. Bittencourt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Safety Evaluation ◽  
High Speed Railway ◽  
Running Safety

scholarly journals Impact of tDCS on working memory training is enhanced by strategy instructions in individuals with low working memory capacity

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Assecondi ◽  
Rong Hu ◽  
Gail Eskes ◽  
Xiaoping Pan ◽  
Jin Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Strategy Development ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Improve Working ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Non Invasive

AbstractInterventions to improve working memory, e.g. by combining task rehearsal and non-invasive brain stimulation, are gaining popularity. Many factors, however, affect the outcome of these interventions. We hypothesize that working memory capacity at baseline predicts how an individual performs on a working memory task, by setting limits on the benefit derived from tDCS when combined with strategy instructions; specifically, we hypothesize that individuals with low capacity will benefit the most. Eighty-four participants underwent two sessions of an adaptive working memory task (n-back) on two consecutive days. Participants were split into four independent groups (SHAM vs ACTIVE stimulation and STRATEGY vs no STRATEGY instructions). For the purpose of analysis, individuals were divided based on their baseline working memory capacity. Results support our prediction that the combination of tDCS and strategy instructions is particularly beneficial in low capacity individuals. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of factors affecting the outcome of tDCS when used in conjunction with cognitive training to improve working memory. Moreover, our results have implications for training regimens, e.g., by designing interventions predicated on baseline cognitive abilities, or focusing on strategy development for specific attentional skills.

Dynamic response limit of high-speed railway bridge under earthquake considering running safety performance of train

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 968-980
Author(s):  
Xiang Liu ◽  
Li-zhong Jiang ◽  
Ping Xiang ◽  
Zhi-peng Lai ◽  
Yu-lin Feng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Response ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
Railway Bridge ◽  
High Speed Railway ◽  
Running Safety
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