Action monitoring, error detection, and the basal ganglia: an ERP study.

The error negativity (Ne or ERN) is an event-related brain potential component, which is assumed to reflect error detection. Recently it has been hypothesized that the basal ganglia are assumed to play a crucial role in error detection. In the present study we ask whether the Ne is altered in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), who have an impaired function of the basal ganglia.

Evaluation of tolerance limits for humans under heat stress and the problems involved.

Investigators are divided about the limits of tolerable ambient temperatures and air humidities, even under equal boundary conditions. In 266 climatic chamber experiments, mostly lasting 4 h, 13 young healthy men were exposed to combinations of ambient temperature (20 to 55 degrees C) and relative humidity (5 to 97%) at an air velocity of 0.3 m.

Algorithms for the computerised construction of shift systems which meet ergonomic criteria.

A search algorithm is presented to generate all shift systems according to a given set of constraints, including physiological and social requirements. The generated shift systems are weighted according to such criteria as the time distribution of the shifts, the length of the weekend leisure time and the regularity of the shift system. The use of this algorithm is restricted to the construction of shift systems for a maximum of five crews, as is usual in industry.