bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Autonomous Intelligent Drive System Based on Potential Field with Hazard Anticipation
Authors: Matsumi Ryosuke ,   Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo University of Science, Raksincharoensak Pongsathorn , Nagai Masao ,   Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology,   Japan Automobile Research Institute
Published: April 2016

Risk potential estimation
 Pedestrians darting out from blind spots in driver vision are typical scenarios in urban street environments, and conventional autonomous emergency braking systems reach safety limits if sensors do not detect the pedestrian in time to prevent accident or injury. The system must be able to anticipate such potential hazards and to anticipate such pedestrian action. This paper focuses on a pedestrian collision avoidance system that has a “driving-intelligence"" model. The model was designed by applying potential field theory using hazard-anticipatory knowledge. The effectiveness of the proposed system is confirmed by computer simulation. 
Key Image Processing Techniques Used in Laser Welding
Authors: Hua Liang ,   School of Electrical Engineering, Nantong University, Qiang Yujian , Chen Ling , Yao Juan , Liu Feipeng , Gu Juping
Published: April 2016

Welding image and weld pool edge
 Machine vision techniques are widely used with automatic laser-welding robots. Existing systems acquire geometrical information on both the weld seams and molten pool by using a single camera and then processing a single image. The recognition of weld seams is thus obviously affected by the arc, plasma, spatter, etc. This study examined a novel, cost-effective weld image acquisition and processing system with real-time performance, which is based on an advanced RISC machine (ARM). The software and hardware platforms of a weld seam image processing system were designed, and theoretical and experimental studies were undertaken. A novel image-processing method for the laser welding molten pool, based on a quaternion and self-organizing feature map (SOFM) neural network is also proposed. The edge characteristic vector of the molten pool is acquired based on the rotational characteristic of the quaternion in a three-dimensional vector space. The geometric features of the molten pool image are acquired by the self-organizing feature map neural network. The measured results pointed to the possibility of improving the reliability and precision of the automatic laser welding system by combining the two machine vision systems. 
Landing Motion of a Legged Robot with Minimization of Impact Force and Joint Torque
Authors: Wan Xianglong ,   Department of Systems Science, Graduate School of System Informatics, Kobe University, Urakubo Takateru , Tada Yukio
Published: April 2016

Optimal motion of a legged robot
 This paper deals with an optimal landing motion of a four-link legged robot that minimizes the impact force at the contact point and the joint torques necessary during the motion. The cost function for optimization is given as the weighted sum of the impact force and the joint torques. The configuration of the robot that is close to a singular configuration is advantageous in minimizing the joint torques for a heavy torso, while the configuration where the leg is bent is advantageous in reducing the impact force. This is shown by numerical optimization results with different weights for the cost function and a theoretical analysis of a simplified model of the robot. 
Operator-Based Sliding-Mode Nonlinear Control Design for a Process with Input Constraint
Authors: Wang Dongyun ,   School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Li Fengguang , Wen Shengjun , Qi Xiaomin , Liu Ping , Deng Mingcong ,   Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
Published: April 2016

The process with constraint
 In this paper, operator-based sliding-mode nonlinear control is presented for a process with input constraint. After the mathematical model is discussed for the water level process, it is seen that there exist uncertainty and input constraint in the process. Operator-based robust nonlinear control is then considered by using robust right coprime factorization method to eliminate the effect of uncertainty. Furthermore, operator-based sliding-mode nonlinear control is proposed to deal with the constrained input. Finally, simulation and experimental results are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. 
Complement Method for Obstructed Area on Images of Multiple Cameras Mounted Behind Crawler Shoe
Authors: Tokuda Kenichi ,   Wakayama University, Hirayama Tatsuya , Kinugasa Tetsuya , Haji Takafumi , Amano Hisanori , Yasuda Kazunori ,   Shimano Inc.,   Okayama University of Science,   National Institute  of Technology, Matsue College,   National Research Institute of Fire and Disaster
Published: April 2016

Camera system of FMT (RT-04)
 The covered area detection method, using the brightness change in an image and parallax correction, does not depend on a common field of vision. Camera images become important information when a rescue robot is operated by remote control, but mounting cameras is difficult on a rescue robot crawler that must get into cracks in rubble. We propose attaching cameras behind the crawler shoe. The biggest problem then, however, is that the shoe obstructs large parts of the camera image. To avoid this, we developed real-time image processing that complements the obstructed area through the use of two cameras. We then performed evaluation experiments to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed technique. 
Convenient Position Estimation of Distributed Sensors in Intelligent Spaces Using SLAM for Mobile Robots
Authors: Hashikawa Fumitaka ,   Department of Electrical Engineering, Meiji University, Morioka Kazuyuki ,   Department of Network Design, Meiji University
Published: April 2016

Overview of the proposed method
 Intelligent space is one in which many networked sensors are distributed. The purpose of intelligent space is to support information for human beings and robots based on the integration of sensor information. Specifically, to support location-based applications in intelligent space, networked sensors must get locations of human beings or robots. To do so, sensor locations and orientations of sensors must be known in world coordinates. To measure numerous sensor locations accurately by hand, this study focuses on estimating the locations and orientations of distributed sensors in intelligent space – but doing so automatically. We propose map sharing using distributed laser range sensors and a mobile robot to estimate the locations of distributed sensors. Comparing maps of sensor and robots, sensor locations are estimated on a global map built by SLAM of a mobile robot. An ICP matching algorithm is used to improve map matching among sensors and robots. Experimental results with actual distributed sensors and a mobile robot show that the proposed system estimates sensor locations satisfactorily and improve the accuracy of a global map built by SLAM. 
Open Experiment of Autonomous Navigation of Mobile Robots in the City: Tsukuba Challenge 2014 and the Results
Authors: Yuta Shin'ichi ,   Shibaura Institute of Technology,   Tsukuba Challenge Steering Committee
Published: April 2016

  Autonomous mobile robot in RWRC 2014
 The Tsukuba Challenge, an open experiment for autonomous mobile robotics researchers, lets mobile robots travel in a real – and populated – city environment. Following the challenge in 2013, the mobile robots must navigate autonomously to their destination while, as the task of Tsukuba Challenge 2014, looking for and finding specific persons sitting in the environment. Total 48 teams (54 robots) seeking success in this complex challenge. 
Development of Mobile Robot “SARA” that Completed Mission in Real World Robot Challenge 2014
Authors: Akai Naoki ,   Graduate School of Engineering, Utsunomiya University, Yamauchi Kenji , Inoue Kazumichi , Kakigi Yasunari , Abe Yuki , Ozaki Koichi ,   AIM Co., Ltd.
Published: April 2016

View of SARA with and without cowl
 Held in Japan every year since 2007, the Real World Robot Challenge (RWRC) is a technical challenge for mobile robots. Every robot is given the missions of traveling a long distance and finding specific persons autonomously. The robots must also have an affinity for people and be remotely monitored. In order to complete the missions, we developed a new mobile robot, SARA, which we entered in RWRC 2014. The robot successfully completed all of the missions of the challenge. In this paper, the systems we implemented are detailed. Moreover, results of experiments and of the challenge are presented, and knowledges we gained through the experience are discussed. 
Development of an Autonomous Mobile Robot with Self-Localization and Searching Target in a Real Environment
Authors: Nomatsu Masatoshi ,   Shibaura Institute of Technology, Suganuma Youhei , Yui Yosuke , Uchimura Yutaka
Published: April 2016

Developed autonomous mobile robot
 In describing real-world self-localization and target-search methods, this paper discusses a mobile robot developed to verify a method proposed in Tsukuba Challenge 2014. The Tsukaba Challenge course includes promenades and parks containing ordinary pedestrians and bicyclists that require the robot to move toward a goal while avoiding the moving objects around it. Common self-localization methods often include 2D laser range finders (LRFs), but such LRFs do not always capture enough data for localization if, for example, the scanned plane has few landmarks. To solve this problem, we used a three-dimensional (3D) LRF for self-localization. The 3D LRF captures more data than the 2D type, resulting in more robust localization. Robots that provide practical services in real life must, among other functions, recognize a target and serve it autonomously. To enable robots to do so, this paper describes a method for searching for a target by using a cluster point cloud from the 3D LRF together with image processing of colored images captured by cameras. In Tsukuba Challenge 2014, the robot we developed providing the proposed methods completed the course and found the targets, verifying the effectiveness of our proposals. 
New Lane Detection Algorithm that Emulates Human Color Recognition
Authors: Saito Hideyuki ,   Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Hosei University, Kobayashi Kazuyuki , Watanabe Kajiro , Kinoshita Tetsuo
Published: April 2016

  New lane detection algorithm
 The perception of color by the human eye is different from that of cameras. This is due to the optical illusion and color constancy characteristics of human vision. In spite of these characteristics, people can drive cars without the danger of overturning. In this paper, we describe a new white lane detection algorithm for autonomous mobile robots, one based on a method similar to the color perception of human beings. In order to drive safely, we emulate human color perception to reduce the effects of lighting and shadow on the course. The validity of the proposed image compensation method is confirmed by actual while line detection. 
Integrated Autonomous Navigation System and Automatic Large Scale Three Dimensional Map Construction
Authors: Fujino Yusuke ,   Department of Mechanical Engineering, Meiji University, Kiuchi Kentaro , Shimizu Shogo , Yokota Takayuki , Kuroda Yoji
Published: April 2016

  Constructed large-scale 3D map
 The method we propose for constructing a large three-dimensional (3D) map uses an autonomous mobile robot whose navigation system enables the map to be constructed. Maps are vital to autonomous navigation, but constructing and updating them while ensuring that they are accurate is challenging because the navigation system usually requires accurate maps. We propose a navigation system that explores areas not explored before. The proposed system mainly uses LIDARs for determining its own position – a process known as localization – or the environment around the robot – a process known as environment recognition – for creating local maps and for avoiding mobile objects – a process known as motion planning. We constructed a detailed 3D map automatically using autonomous driving data to improve navigation accuracy without increasing the operator’s workload, confirming the feasibility of the proposed method through experiments. 
A Wearable Haptic Device Based on Twisting Wire Actuators for Feedback of Tactile Pressure Information
Authors: Motamedi M. Reza ,   Control and Robotics Laboratory (CoRo), Department of Automated Manufacturing Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS) 1100 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal H3C 1K3, Canada, Florant David , Duchaine Vincent
Published: April 2016

  A wearable haptic device
 This paper presents a novel wearable haptic device that provides the user with knowledge of a vertical force, measured at the fingertips, by applying pressure at three different locations on the user’s body. Human prehension and manipulation abilities rely on the ability to convert tactile information into controlled actions, such as the regulation of gripping force. Current upper-limb prosthetics are able to partially replicate the mechanical functions of the human hand, but most do not provide any sensory information to the user. This greatly affects amputees, as they must rely solely on their vision to perform grasping actions. Our device uses a twisted wire actuator to convert rotational motion into linear displacement, which allows the device to remain compact and light-weight. In the past, the main shortcoming of this type of actuator was its limited linear range of motion; but with a slight modification of the principle, we have extended our actuator’s linear range of motion by 40%. In this paper, we present the design of our haptic device, the kinematic and dynamic modelling of the actuator, and the results of the experiments that were used to validate the system’s functionality. 
Emotional Model for Robotic System Using a Self-Organizing Map Combined with Markovian Model
Authors: Jitviriya Wisanu ,   Graduate School of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Koike Masato , Hayashi Eiji
Published: April 2016

  Behavioral/emotional expression system
 In our research, we have focused on investigating the application of brain-inspired technology by developing a robot with consciousness resembling that of a human being. The goal was to enhance intelligent behavior/emotion, and to facilitate communication between human beings and robots. We sought to increase the robot’s behavioral/emotional intelligence capabilities so that it could distinguish, adapt and react to changes in the environment. In this paper, we present a behavioral/emotional expression system designed to work automatically by two processes. The first is a classification of behavior and emotions by determining the winner node based on Self-Organizing Map (SOM) learning. For the second, we propose a stochastic emotion model based on Markov theory in which the probabilities of emotional state transition are updated with affective factors. Finally, we verified this model with a conscious behavior robot (Conbe-I), and confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed system with the experimental results in a realistic environment. 
Special Issue on Intelligent Vehicle Technologies for Safety and Active Life
Authors: Yoshida Hidehisa , Omae Manabu , Wada Takahiro
Published: April 2016

Intelligent automobiles equipped with active safety methods whose objective is to reduce accidents caused by human problems such as careless driving and loss of consciousness, have got the social acceptance widely which are recognized by introducing collision avoidance brakes to the market. Active safety and automated driving technologies of intelligent automobiles were featured at TokyoMotor Show 2015. Their displays attracted much attention.It is necessary to propose new technologies continuously by the technical subject of active safety and automated driving, for example, relation of cooperative driving by a vehicle system and a driver, from the restrictions of originality of technical developments and the liability issues at the time of an accident.Even so, users worldwide expect much from the dynamic future of transportation for safety and active life.This special issue features seven papers carefully reviewed by field specialists.I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the authors who have contributed their valuable research results to this special issue and to the reviewers who provided their invaluable expertise.I would also like to thank members of the Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics board for giving me the unique opportunity to plan and coordinate this issue.
Vehicle Localization Based on the Detection of Line Segments from Multi-Camera Images
Authors: Hara Kosuke ,   Research & Development Group, Denso IT Laboratory, Saito Hideo ,   Department of Information and Computer Science, Keio University
Published: April 2016

 The localization system
For realizing autonomous vehicle driving and advanced safety systems, it is necessary to achieve accurate vehicle localization in cities. This paper proposes a method of accurately estimating vehicle position by matching a map and line segment features detected from images captured by a camera. Features such as white road lines, yellow road lines, road signs, and curb stones, which could be used as clues for vehicle localization, were expressed as line segment features on a two-dimensional road plane in an integrated manner. The detected line segments were subjected to bird’s-eye view transformation to transform them to the vehicle coordinate system so that they could be used for vehicle localization regardless of the camera configuration. Moreover, an extended Kalman filter was applied after a detailed study of the line observation errors for realizing real-time estimation. Vehicle localization was tested under city driving conditions, and the vehicle position was identified with sub-meter accuracy.
Development of Collision Avoidance System in Right Turn Maneuver Using Vehicle-in-the-Loop Simulation
Authors: Raksincharoensak Pongsathorn ,   Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Akamatsu Yuta ,   Department of Industrial Technology and Innovation, Faculty of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
Published: April 2016

 Right turn collision avoidance
Collisions in Japan between vehicles during right turns account for a high number of other intersection accidents. We present collision avoidance that introduces speed control assistance combined with autonomous emergency braking when vehicles approach and a collision becomes imminent. Our proposal uses on-board sensors such as radar and cameras to handle situations without depending on X2X communication and infrastructure. We also propose a speed control algorithm. A “vehicle-in-the-loop test” involving a virtual test drive for rapid system development verifies the effectiveness of our proposals.
Emergency Avoidance Control System for an Automatic Vehicle – Slip Ratio Control Using Sliding Mode Control and Real-Number-Coded Immune Algorithm –
Authors: Hamaguchi Masafumi ,   Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Shimane University, Taniguchi Takao
Published: April 2016

 Vehicle behavior in emergency avoidance
The automotive industry facilitates research and development on intelligent transport systems. One area researched intensively to enhance passenger safety is the prevention of collisions by controlling steering and braking precisely. In this study, we assume that an automatic vehicle travelling on a highway is on a collision course with an obstacle. The purpose of this research is combining steering and braking to find a set of operations the vehicle can follow to avoid the projected collision. To do this, we propose slip ratio control using sliding mode control using a real-number-coded immune algorithm (IA). CarSim (produced by Mechanical Simulation Company) provides full vehicle dynamics with 27 degrees of freedom adopted as a vehicle model. Operation waveforms are generated by linear interpolation through designated data points. The IA, which is a coded real-number expression, is used to determine data points. Our proposal's efficiency is verified through emergency avoidance simulation using CarSim. Simulation results demonstrate operation that keeps tires from skidding using slip ratio control and halting the vehicle in the shortest braking distance possible.
Analysis of Preference for Autonomous Driving Under Different Traffic Conditions Using a Driving Simulator
Authors: Manawadu Udara Eshan ,   Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering, School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Ishikawa Masaaki , Kamezaki Mitsuhiro , Sugano Shigeki ,   Research Institute for Science and Engineering (RISE), Waseda University
Published: April 2016

 Driving simulator
Intelligent passenger vehicles with autonomous capabilities will be commonplace on our roads in the near future. These vehicles will reshape the existing relationship between the driver and vehicle. Therefore, to create a new type of rewarding relationship, it is important to analyze when drivers prefer autonomous vehicles to manually-driven (conventional) vehicles. This paper documents a driving simulator-based study conducted to identify the preferences and individual driving experiences of novice and experienced drivers of autonomous and conventional vehicles under different traffic and road conditions. We first developed a simplified driving simulator that could connect to different driver-vehicle interfaces (DVI). We then created virtual environments consisting of scenarios and events that drivers encounter in real-world driving, and we implemented fully autonomous driving. We then conducted experiments to clarify how the autonomous driving experience differed for the two groups. The results showed that experienced drivers opt for conventional driving overall, mainly due to the flexibility and driving pleasure it offers, while novices tend to prefer autonomous driving due to its inherent ease and safety. A further analysis indicated that drivers preferred to use both autonomous and conventional driving methods interchangeably, depending on the road and traffic conditions.
Study on Presentation System for Walking Training Using High-Performance Shoes
Authors: Hayakawa Yasuhiro ,   Department of Control Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Nara College, Kawanaka Shogo , Kanezaki Kazuma , Minami Kosei , Doi Shigeki ,   Advanced Mechanical Engineering Course, National Institute of Technology, Nara College,   Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology,   Department of Mechanical Technology, Saitama University,   Department of Electrical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Nara College
Published: April 2016

 Proposed walking training system
The number of accidental falls has been increasing among the elderly as society has aged. The main factor is a deteriorating center of balance due to declining physical performance. Another major factor is that the elderly tend to have bowlegged walking and their center of gravity position of the body tend to swing from side to side during walking. To find ways to counteract falls among the elderly, we developed walking training system to treat the gap in the center of balance. We also designed High-Performance Shoes that showed the status of a person’s balance while walking. We also produced walk assistance from the insole in which insole stiffness corresponding to human sole distribution could be changed to correct the person’s walking status. We constructed our High-Performances Shoes to detect pressure distribution during walking. Comparing normal sole distribution patterns and corrected ones, we confirmed that our assistance system helped change the user’s posture, thereby reducing falls among the elderly.
Mobility Support System for Personal Mobility Vehicles
Authors: Fujikawa Taro ,   Department of Robotics and Mechatronics, School of Science and Technology for Future Life, Tokyo Denki University, Ishikawa Makiko , Nakajima Shuro ,   Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering, School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University,   Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University
Published: April 2016

 Transportation system of PMVs by MSS
The mobility support system (MSS) that we propose expands the field of activities of personal mobility vehicles (PMVs). The system consists of a server, an ultrasonic wave (UW) system that provides self-localization in facilities, and an infrared ray (IR) system that supports passing through narrow spaces in facilities such as station ticket wickets for PMVs. Results of experiments confirmed the feasibility of the system.
NLOS Satellite Detection Using a Fish-Eye Camera for Improving GNSS Positioning Accuracy in Urban Area
Authors: Kato Shodai ,   Waseda University, Kitamura Mitsunori , Suzuki Taro , Amano Yoshiharu ,   Electronic Navigation Research Institute
Published: April 2016

[abstFig src='/00280001/03.jpg' width=""300"" text='NLOS satellites detection method' ]In recent years, global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) have been widely used in intelligent transport systems (ITSs), and many countries have been rapidly improving the infrastructure of their satellite positioning systems. However, there is a serious problem involving the use of kinematic GNSS positioning in urban environments, which stems from significant positioning errors introduced by non-line-of-sight (NLOS) satellites blocked by obstacles. Therefore, we propose the method for positioning based on NLOS satellites detection using a fish-eye camera. In general, it is difficult to robustly extract an obstacle region from the fish-eye image because the image is affected by cloud cover, illumination conditions, and weather conditions. We extract the obstacle region from the image by tracking image feature points in sequential images. Because the obstacle region on the image moves larger than the sky region, the obstacle region can be determined by performing image segmentation and by using feature point tracking techniques. Finally, NLOS satellites can be identified using the obstacle region on the image. The evaluation results confirm the GNSS positioning accuracy without the NLOS satellites was improved compared with using all observed satellites, and confirm the effectiveness of the proposed technique and the feasibility of implementing its highly accurate positioning capabilities in urban environments.
Metrics Generation Process for Mechatronics
Authors: Warniez Aude ,   LISMMA-QUARTZ, Penas Olivia , Choley Jean-Yves , Hehenberger Peter ,   Institute of Mechatronic Design and Production, Johannes Kepler University of Linz
Published: April 2016

[abstFig src='/00280001/05.jpg' width=""300"" text='Metrics generation process overview' ]Due to the complexity of designing mechatronic systems, providers of these systems need to precisely evaluate their products, design processes and projects all along the design phase and beyond. We propose a metrics generation process and then define related specifications to develop an evaluation tool to build customized metrics for the mechatronic industry with respect to its specific process and expectations. The proposed process has been experimented on the modularity measure of two generations of vacuum cleaner robots.
Prototyping Force-Controlled 3-DOF Hydraulic Arms for Humanoid Robots
Authors: Izawa Kensuke ,   College of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Hyon Sang-Ho
Published: April 2016

[abstFig src='/00280001/11.jpg' width=""230"" text='Hydraulic dual arm robot prototype' ]This paper reports on a hydraulic dual arm robot developed as a rapid prototype for our hydraulic humanoid robot. The lightweight arms (4 kg each) have three joints driven by hydraulic linear servo actuators that can achieve higher torque and speed than human arms. A double four-bar linkage provides a wide range of motion (210°) to the shoulder joint. Each joint has torque controllability that is fully utilized for compliant whole-body motion control tasks. Based on singular perturbation analysis, we discuss how damping on the joints is actively modulated by hydraulic force feedback control, which is then utilized in our passivity-based task-space force control scheme. The effectiveness of the proposed system is experimentally evaluated through zero-force tracking gravity compensation with a 10 kg payload and object manipulation tasks.
Trends Over 4 Decades in Disability-Free Life Expectancy in the United States
Authors: Crimmins Eileen M. , Zhang Yuan , Saito Yasuhiko
Published: April 2016

Objectives. To examine changes over 40 years (1970–2010) in life expectancy, life expectancy with disability, and disability-free life expectancy for American men and women of all ages.

Methods. We used mortality rates from US Vital Statistics and data on disability prevalence in the community-dwelling population from the National Health Interview Survey; for the institutional population, we computed disability prevalence from the US Census. We used the Sullivan method to estimate disabled and disability-free life expectancy for 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010.

Results. Over the 40 years, there was a steady increase in both disability-free life expectancy and disabled life expectancy. At birth, increases in disabled life and nondisabled life were equal for men (4.5 years); for women, at birth the increase in life with disability (3.6 years) exceeded the increase in life free of disability (2.7 years). At age 65 years, the increase in disability-free life was greater than the increase in disabled life.

Conclusions. Across the life cycle, there was no compression of morbidity, but at age 65 years some compression occurred.
Racial and Social Disparities in Bystander Support During Medical Emergencies on US Streets
Authors: York Cornwell Erin , Currit Alex
Published: April 2016

Objectives. To examine rates at which people suffering medical emergencies on public streets receive help from bystanders, that is, laypersons who first arrive on the scene, and how this varies across patient race and incident locations.

Methods. We analyzed data on 22 487 patients from the 2011 National Emergency Medical Services Information System, which we linked to characteristics of counties where the incidents occurred.

Results. Bystanders provided help to patients suffering a wide range of medical emergencies, but only about 1 in 39 patients (2.57%) received bystander support. Black patients were significantly less likely to receive bystander support (odds ratio = 0.42; 95% confidence interval = 0.35, 0.50). Bystander support and county socioeconomic status have a curvilinear relationship; patients in the most disadvantaged counties are least likely to receive bystander support.

Conclusions. Help from bystanders is rare and less likely among Black patients and those in the poorest counties.
Sexual Risk Behaviors and Substance Use Among Men Sexually Victimized by Women
Authors: Cook Mekeila C. , Morisky Donald E. , Williams John K. , Ford Chandra L. , Gee Gilbert C.
Published: April 2016

Objectives. To investigate whether forced sex of men by women was associated with sexual risk behaviors, and whether this association was mediated by substance use.

Methods. Data from US men aged 18 years or older at interview in the National Survey of Family Growth 2006–2010 (n = 8108) who reported sexual behavior history. Outcome variables were condom use at most recent sex and number of lifetime sexual partners. Sexual activity covariates included age at first consensual sex and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. Alcohol and drug use were the mediating factors.

Results. Six percent of men reported forced sex by a woman at a mean age of 18 years. On average, victimized men had 3 more lifetime sexual partners than nonvictimized men (P < .01). Furthermore, victimized men who reported drug use had, on average, 4 more female sexual partners (P < .01) than nonvictimized men. Marijuana (P < .05) and crack cocaine use (P < .05) partially mediated the association between forced sex and number of female partners. Neither condom use nor number of male partners differed between victimized and nonvictimized men.

Conclusions. A nontrivial fraction of men experience forced sex by women; some of them have elevated sexual risk behaviors.
The Role of Labor Unions in Creating Working Conditions That Promote Public Health
Authors: Hagedorn Jenn , Paras Claudia Alexandra , Greenwich Howard , Hagopian Amy
Published: April 2016

We sought to portray how collective bargaining contracts promote public health, beyond their known effect on individual, family, and community well-being. In November 2014, we created an abstraction tool to identify health-related elements in 16 union contracts from industries in the Pacific Northwest. After enumerating the contract-protected benefits and working conditions, we interviewed union organizers and members to learn how these promoted health. Labor union contracts create higher wage and benefit standards, working hours limits, workplace hazards protections, and other factors. Unions also promote well-being by encouraging democratic participation and a sense of community among workers. Labor union contracts are largely underutilized, but a potentially fertile ground for public health innovation. Public health practitioners and labor unions would benefit by partnering to create sophisticated contracts to address social determinants of health.
Lack of Evidence Supporting the Effectiveness of Disaster Supply Kits
Authors: Heagele Tara N.
Published: April 2016

We reviewed the available evidence in support of the effectiveness of disaster supply kits presently used in household emergency preparedness in the United States. The expectation that people should take responsibility for their own disaster preparedness has largely not taken into account contextual influences on disaster preparedness.

The efficiency of current disaster supply kits used during critical postdisaster periods has not been empirically tested. Professional recommendations regarding the composition of disaster supply kits containing at least water, food, first aid, hygiene, and clothing have not been universally defined. This lack of consensus may lead to the assembling of disaster supply kits yielding suboptimal results.

The use of disaster supply kits should continue to be nationally recommended, although additional research is needed to demonstrate their beneficial impact on survival and resilience after a disaster.
Opening the Market for Lower Cost Hearing Aids: Regulatory Change Can Improve the Health of Older Americans
Authors: Blustein Jan , Weinstein Barbara E.
Published: April 2016

Hearing loss is a leading cause of disability among older people. Yet only one in seven US adults who could benefit from a hearing aid uses one. This fraction has not increased over the past 30 years, nor have hearing aid prices dropped, despite trends of steady improvements and price reductions in the consumer electronics industry.

The President’s Council on Science and Technology has proposed changes in the regulation of hearing aids, including the creation of a “basic” low-cost over-the-counter category of devices.

We discuss the potential to reduce disability as well as to improve public health, stakeholder responses to the president’s council’s proposal, and public health efforts to further mitigate the burden of disability stemming from age-related hearing loss.
Arthroscopic Subacromial Decompression and Acromioplasty
Authors: Chalmers Peter N. , Romeo Anthony A.
Published: April 2016

Arthroscopic subacromial decompression with acromioplasty is among the most commonly performed arthroscopic shoulder procedures and is an important aspect of any orthopaedic surgeon’s armamentarium. This procedure is indicated for refractory subacromial bursitis and subacromial impingement. It is also a routine portion of rotator cuff repair exposure. The procedure aims to remove the subacromial bursa, which can serve as a pain generator, as well as any osteophytes on the undersurface of the acromion, which can lead to impingement and, in some circumstances, bursal-sided rotator cuff tears. Multiple randomized clinical trials have demonstrated no benefit for this procedure as an initial treatment in patients with subacromial bursitis
2,7,8
, and thus this procedure is indicated only for patients with refractory subacromial bursitis. The steps of this procedure include (1) placement of the arthroscope in the subacromial space and establishment of a lateral working portal, (2) performance of a thorough subacromial bursectomy, (3) achievement of hemostasis and subperiosteal exposure of the undersurface of the acromion, and (4) smoothing of the undersurface of the acromion and removal of any anterolateral osteophytes. Outcomes after this procedure have shown significant increases in UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles), Constant, visual analog pain scale, and Simple Shoulder Test scores over the preoperative status
2,5,10,11
. Complications, while infrequent, are mostly related to overresection or underresection of the acromion.
Assessing Surface Engineering Solutions for Oilfield Scale; Correlating Laboratory Tests to Field Trials
Authors: Vazirian Mohammad Mohsen , Charpentier Thibaut T. , Neville Anne , Alvim Felipe Batista , de Oliveira Penna Mônica
Published: April 2016

Mineral scale deposition on surfaces of oil production equipment has been recognised as a major flow assurance problem. Most of the mineral scale deposition work published has solely focused on laboratory experiments and very little data are available that demonstrate such results are relevant and can be scaled-up to field environments. The current study focuses on mineral scale formation on surfaces and compares laboratory results with field data. A field test has been running for half a year on commercially-coated pipe spools along with uncoated ones. The different pipe sections were positioned along a water line injection system in an oilfield. In the laboratory, a standard bulk jar test was used and the ability of a range of chemically and morphologically modified coatings to prevent/reduce mineral scale surface fouling were assessed under different flow conditions (ranging from laminar to turbulent flow). The current study shows that if properly selected, surface engineering offers great promise as an approach to prevent mineral scale deposition in the piping system of oilfields.
Solubility Study of Iron Sulfide FeS Under Extremely High Temperature Pressure in Strictly Anoxic, Various Ionic Strength Solutions
Authors: Yan Chao , Guraieb Paula , Tomson Ross C.
Published: April 2016

Iron sulfide, as one of the main products of sour corrosion in oil and gas production systems, has become a focal point for flow assurance research. The formation of iron sulfide can cause many production problems such as the malfunction of downhole devices which can lead to a significant decline in oil production. Once iron sulfide forms in the production system, it is difficult or impossible to remove chemically and costly to remove physically.

Accurate prediction models for iron sulfide formation at reservoir conditions are currently lacking in the industry and are necessary to help control scale and improve flow assurance. Solubility product (Ksp) of iron sulfide is the key parameter to make accurate scale predictions. However, research towards iron sulfide including precipitation, dissolution, inhibition, and removal are notoriously difficult not only due to the complexity of iron sulfide phases and their transitions but also due to the involvement of hydrogen sulfide in the gas phase.

Tomson Technologies has developed new technologies to simulate realistic field downhole conditions for scale research. A reliable flow-through apparatus has been customized to perform mineral solubility studies under xHPHT (up to 1720 bar and 250 °C). In order to simulate the strictly anoxic environment and prevent dissolved ferrous iron from oxidizing, dissolved oxygen in the test solutions has been reduced to far less than 1 ppb. This paper is the first to examine the solubility of iron sulfide under these realistic downhole conditions with temperature up to 250 °C, pressure up to 1720 bar in 1M and 3M ionic strength solutions, under a strictly anoxic environment (<< 1 ppb dissolved oxygen).

Under the HPHT and high salinity conditions studied, iron sulfide tends to form pyrrhotite (Fe1-xS) and troilite (FeSt) phases instead of mackinawite, the metastable phase (FeSm), which is most common at lower temperatures. Phase transition between pyrrhotite and troilite at elevated temperatures was observed during the solubility experiments. Solubility of iron sulfide decreases with increasing temperature and increases with increasing pressure which is consistent to previous reported results (Kharaka, et al., 1988). Experimental details and major findings from this research will be discussed.
Calcium Sulfate Scaling Risk and Inhibition for a Steamflood Project
Authors: Zhang Fangfu , Hinrichsen Charles J. , Kan Amy T. , Wang Wei , Wei Wei , Dai Zhaoyi , Yan Fei , Liu Ya , Bhandari Narayan , Zhang Zhang , Ruan Gedeng , Tomson Mason B.
Published: April 2016

Steamflooding has been used as one of the emerging techniques to enhance heavy oil production. Scale control during steamflooding, on the other hand, can be challenging since the high temperature of the steamflood can decompose thermally unstable inhibitors and/or lead to the precipitation of metal-inhibitor pseudo-scale. In this paper, we present the analysis of the scaling risk and scale inhibition for a pilot steamflood project in a Middle Eastern oilfield. The formation of this field is a dolomite formation interbedded with anhydrite (CaSO4) streaks. Anhydrite has been observed to be the predominant scale form, which is presumably formed due to increased production system temperature as a result of steamflooding and/or mixing of steam condensate with incompatible connate water. Anhydrite is inherently difficult to control due to its high solubility and the high temperature conditions under which it forms. Compared to barite and carbonate, only limited knowledge has been acquired for anhydrite control. To predict the scaling tendency and inhibitor need in different wells of this field with different supersaturation level and temperature, a scaling risk model has been developed. To build such a model, detailed and revised laboratory procedures have been developed to study nucleation and precipitation kinetics of anhydrite at 125-175 ºC, different supersaturation, water composition, and long reaction time. Predictions of this scaling risk model suggest a saturation index (SI) of 0.8 as a critical SI for anhydrite control at >125 ºC. For example, when the SI is above 0.8, anhydrite will be difficult to control in the presence of threshold inhibitor. Model predictions were found to be consistent with scale occurrence observations in different wells of this field. With the recommended inhibitor concentrations, anhydrite scale has been controlled in this field, which provides validation that the proposed scaling risk model is a powerful tool to optimize scale treatment plan.
Effect of Crosslinkers on the Performance of Calcium Sulfate Scale Inhibitors at High Temperature: Impact of Zirconium
Authors: Alsaiari H. A. , Al-Khaldi M. , Al-Taie I. , Wang Q. , Alabedi G. , Zhang F. , Zhang Z. , Bhandari N. , Ruan G. , Yan F. , Liu Y. , Kan A. , Tomson M.
Published: April 2016

With the increased desire to fracturing treatments using seawater based-fluid, the formation of calcium sulfate scale becomes a challenging problem. This is due to the presence of high concentration of calcium ions released from the reservoir after fracturing treatment and high sulfate content in the seawater. Preventing calcium sulfate formation is imperative in order to maintain conductive flow channels after the treatment.

The challenge basically lies in finding an efficient scale inhibitor that works at high calcium and sulfate concentrations and high temperature without compromising the efficiency of the fracturing fluids. Zirconium is widely used in the fracturing fluid as a crosslinker for guar-based gels to increase the elasticity and proppant transport capability. Using these materials makes each crosslinker have unique reaction conditions and behavior. Unfortunately, no systematic study has been conducted to investigate the influence of zirconium on calcium sulfate scale inhibitor performance at high temperatures.

This work is intended to 1) evaluate the efficiency of six different types of commercial-grade scale inhibitors for calcium sulfate (anhydrite) at high temperature and super saturation; 2) to determine the impact of zirconium on the performance of common scale inhibitors used in the oilfield. Extensive experiments have been conducted at 149°C (~300°F), pH 6.8, and 1.0 M NaCl solution at different concentrations of zirconium and with various organic and polymeric scale inhibitors. The induction time and the performance of inhibitors were detected by using an in-house developed laser technique. It was found that the presence of zirconium adversely reduced the performance of calcium sulfate scale inhibitors. The level of impact varies based on zirconium concentration, solution conditions and type of scale inhibitor present.
A Retrospective Review of 10 years of Scale Management in a Deepwater Field: From Capex to Plateau Production
Authors: Jordan Myles , Champion Nalco , Mackay Eric
Published: April 2016

The field in question consists of four reservoirs with varying barium levels (15 ppm to 320 ppm). For pressure support seawater injection has been applied from the start of field life. Prior to field start up, studies were conducted to review the order of expected injection water breakthrough for each well, the location of breakthrough along the length of the production sections, the feasibility of bullhead deployed squeezes and the implications of barium ion stripping. These issues were all assessed to generate a scale management strategy for the field.

Despite uncertainties in the original reservoir model, the order of injection water breakthrough across the field was observed to be correct and the information on placement proved very useful in building scale squeeze treatments.

The challenge of rapid injection water breakthrough in the field during its early life was addressed with development of pre-production squeeze treatments applied during new well completions. This eliminated the need to shut in wells whilst awaiting mobilisation of DSVs for treatment deployment. As the field matures, tailored scale squeeze treatments were developed for each of the 25 production wells. Over the life of the wells the squeeze designs were updated to take into account changing water rates, changing water composition and thus MIC for the squeeze chemical. The positive contribution of the downhole continual injection chemical was also shown to extend the squeeze lifetimes by allowing a lower MIC value to be used for treatment design in the production section of the wells.

Optimisation of the scale management programme has seen wells considered to be outside the scale window eliminated from the squeeze treatment campaigns, reduction in chemical volumes being applied and extended squeeze lifetime for treatments based on monthly review of well performance/water chemistry/inhibitor residuals.