bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-fulfillment Development among the Arab Sector in Israel
Authors: Emad Gith
Published: April 2017

Self-determination and fulfillment are central components of personal development in both developing and developed societies. These terms are used frequently by many researchers, especially in the work by Maslow, who particularly emphasized this concept.This article presents a roadmap of sorts that describes the factors that can leverage and promote a process that leads to self-fulfillment and the sources from where these factors are derived among Arab sector in Israel. Most importantly, it defines a professional protocol and its components. This is a route that will be certain to prove useful, understandable, and applicable for parents and professionals.
Comparative Analysis of Neural Network Models for Petroleum Products Pipeline Monitoring
Authors: Inyang Udoinyang G. , Udoh Samuel S. , Akinyokun Oluwole C.
Published: April 2017

In recent years, Neural Network (NN) has gained popularity in proffering solution to complex nonlinear problems. Monitoring of variations in Petroleum Products Pipeline (PPP) attributes (flow rate, pressure, temperature, viscosity, density, inlet and outlet volume) which changes with time is complex due to existence of non linear interaction amongst the attributes. The existing works on PPP monitoring are limited by lack of capabilities for pattern recognition and learning from previous data. In this paper, NN models with pattern recognition and learning capabilities are compared with a view of selecting the best model for monitoring PPP. Data was collected from Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The data was used for NN training, validation and testing with different NN models such as Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Radial Basis Function (RBF), Generalized Feed Forward (GFF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Time Delay Network (TDN) and Recurrent Neural Network (RNN). Neuro Solutions 6.0 was used as the front-end-engine for NN training, validation and testing while My Structured Query Language (MySQL) database served as the back-end-engine. Performance of NN models was measured using Mean Squared Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Correlation Coefficient (r), Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) and Minimum Descriptive Length (MDL). MLP with one hidden layer and three processing elements performed better than other NN models in terms of MSE, MAE, AIC, MDL and r values between the computed and the desired output.
Narrower System Reliability Bounds With Incomplete Component Information and Stochastic Process Loading
Authors: Cheng Yao , Conrad Daniel C. , Du Xiaoping
Published: April 2017

Incomplete component information may lead to wide bounds for system reliability prediction, making decisions difficult in the system design stage. The missing information is often the component dependence, which is a crucial source for the exact system reliability estimation. Component dependence exists due to the shared environment and operating conditions. But it is difficult for system designers to model component dependence because they may have limited information about component design details if outside suppliers designed and manufactured the components. This research intends to produce narrow system reliability bounds with a new way for system designers to consider the component dependence implicitly and automatically without knowing component design details. The proposed method is applicable for a wide range of applications where the time-dependent system stochastic load is shared by components of the system. Simulation is used to obtain the extreme value of the system load for a given period of time, and optimization is employed to estimate the system reliability bounds, which are narrower than those from the traditional method with independent component assumption and completely dependent component assumption. Examples are provided to demonstrate the proposed method.
Using Design of Experiments and Design Optimization to Determine Statically Equivalent Mooring System on Truncated Water Depth
Authors: Ferreira Fábio M. G. , Lages Eduardo N. , Afonso Silvana M. B. , Lyra Paulo R. M.
Published: April 2017

Several procedures have been proposed and developed to overcome the challenge in ultradeepwaters testing. A realistic alternative approach uses a hybrid passive methodology through equivalent truncated mooring systems. Often, the searching for equivalent systems involves using a trial-and-error. As an alternative, researches on the use of optimization techniques to establish truncated mooring system with the required properties have been attempted in recent years. In the literature, it is available only approaches considering nongradient-based algorithms. These algorithms usually involve several parameters which require appropriate tuning to provide good performance. Our approach involves optimization algorithms based on gradient. We use a calibration method to perform a static adjustment of design variables to optimally fit truncated mooring system to full-depth mooring system, which proved efficient. A further feature of this work is related to the study of the influence of design variables on the response, through a methodology based on design of experiments (DOE), avoiding the use of irrelevant variables. It should be emphasized that to the authors' knowledge this DOE methodology presented was not seen in other works in this field. We will show that the methodology proposed in this work makes easy to find an equivalent mooring system on truncated water depth. We will present and discuss two fictitious cases, one case based on the literature and another case based on a real scenario. The results show a good agreement between truncated mooring system and full-depth mooring system for the static adjustment.
Analyses of Tribological Properties of Castor Oil With Various Carbonaceous Micro- and Nano-Friction Modifiers
Authors: Bhaumik Shubrajit , Datta Shubhabrata , Pathak S. D.
Published: April 2017

The present work investigates the tribological properties of castor oil with various carbonaceous friction modifiers (nano and microsize additives) assessed using four-ball tester as per ASTM D 4172 and ASTM D 2783. Castor oil has been chosen because of its high viscosity and ease of availability. Graphite, multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), and multilayered graphene are used as friction modifiers (FMs) in castor oil on weight percentage basis. Significant enhancements of tribological properties with a certain level of concentration of friction modifiers have been observed. The surface features of the tested balls were analyzed using a three-dimensional noncontact type profilometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive system (EDS). Decrease in surface roughness indicated better antiwear properties in case of nanofriction modifiers-based castor oil as compared to micrographite-based and neat castor oil (NCO). In order to assess the suitability of castor oil as a replacement for mineral oil, the results of castor oil samples are also compared with commercially available mineral oil. The tribological properties of castor oil are found to be competitive and generally superior to the mineral gear oil. The data generated are used to develop a neural network model to map the input–output correlation.
Effect of Shroud and Orientation Angles of Inlet Valve on Flow Characteristic Through Helical–Spiral Inlet Port in Diesel Engine
Authors: Abd El-Sabor Mohamed A. , Abo-Elfadl Saleh , Nassib Abd El-Moneim M.
Published: April 2017

The in-cylinder airflow motion is an important factor that severely affects combustion efficiency and emissions in diesel engines. It is greatly affected by the inlet port and valve geometries. A diesel engine cylinder with a helical–spiral inlet port is used in this study. An ordinary inlet valve and shrouded inlet valve having different shroud and orientation angles are used to study the shroud effect on the swirl and tumble motion inside the engine cylinder. Four shroud angles of 90 deg, 120 deg, 150 deg, and 180 deg are used. With each shroud angle, four orientation angles of 0 deg, 30 deg, 60 deg, and 90 deg are also used. Three-dimensional simulation model using the shear stress transport (SST) k–ω model is used for simulating air flow through the inlet port, inlet valve, and engine cylinder during both the intake and compression strokes. The results showed that increasing the valve shroud angle increases the swirl, and the maximum increase occurs at a valve shroud angle of 180 deg and orientation angle of 0 deg with a value of 80% with respect to the ordinary valve. But it decreases the volumetric efficiency, and the maximum decrement occurs at valve shroud of 180 deg and orientation angle of 90 deg with a value of 5.98%. Variations of the shroud and orientation angles have very small effect on the tumble inside the engine cylinder.
Three-Dimensional Printed Dielectric Substrates for Radio Frequency Applications
Authors: Snigdha Tummala Vana , Mian Ahsan , Chamok Nowrin H. , Poduval Dhruva , Ali Mohammod , Clifford Jallisa , Majumdar Prasun
Published: April 2017

Engineered porous structures are being used in many applications including aerospace, electronics, biomedical, and others. The objective of this paper is to study the effect of three-dimensional (3D)-printed porous microstructure on the dielectric characteristics for radio frequency (RF) antenna applications. In this study, a sandwich construction made of a porous acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) thermoplastic core between two solid face sheets has been investigated. The porosity of the core structure has been varied by changing the fill densities or percent solid volume fractions in the 3D printer. Three separate sets of samples with dimensions of 50 mm × 50 mm × 5 mm are created at three different machine preset fill densities each using LulzBot and Stratasys dimension 3D printers. The printed samples are examined using a 3D X-ray microscope to understand pore distribution within the core region and uniformity of solid volumes. The nondestructively acquired 3D microscopy images are then postprocessed to measure actual solid volume fractions within the samples. This measurement is important specifically for dimension-printed samples as the printer cannot be set for any specific fill density. The experimentally measured solid volume fractions are found to be different from the factory preset values for samples prepared using LulzBot printer. It is also observed that the resonant frequency for samples created using both the printers decreases with an increase in solid volume fraction, which is intuitively correct. The results clearly demonstrate the ability to control the dielectric properties of 3D-printed structures based on prescribed fill density.
Self-Substitution and the Temperature Effects on the Electrochemical Performance in the High Voltage Cathode System LiMn1.5+xNi0.5−xO4 (x = 0.1)
Authors: Xu Yun , Zhao Mingyang , Khalid Syed , Luo Hongmei , Brinkman Kyle S.
Published: April 2017

The high voltage cathode material, LiMn1.6Ni0.4O4, was prepared by a polymer-assisted method. The novelty of this work is the substitution of Ni with Mn, which already exists in the crystal structure instead of other isovalent metal ion dopants which would result in capacity loss. The electrochemical performance testing including stability and rate capability was evaluated. The temperature was found to impose a change on the valence and structure of the cathode materials. Specifically, manganese tends to be reduced at a high temperature of 800 °C and leads to structural changes. The manganese substituted LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 (LMN) has proved to be a good candidate material for Li-ion battery cathodes displaying good rate capability and capacity retention. The cathode materials processed at 550 °C showed a stable performance with negligible capacity loss for 400 cycles.
Mechanical Testing for Stretchable Electronics
Authors: Klein Steven A. , Aleksov Aleksandar , Subramanian Vijay , Malatkar Pramod , Mahajan Ravi
Published: April 2017

Stretchable electronics have been a subject of increased research over the past decade (Lacour, S., et al., 2006, “Mechanisms of Reversible Stretchability of Thin Metal Films on Elastomeric Substrates,” Appl. Phys. Lett., 88(20), p. 204103; Lacour, S., et al., 2004, “Design and Performance of Thin Metal Film Interconnects for Skin-Like Electronic Circuits,” IEEE Electron Device Lett., 25(4), pp. 179–181; and Maghribi, M., et al., 2005, “Stretchable Micro-Electrode Array,” International IEEE-EMBS Conference on Microtechnologies in Medicine and Biology, pp. 80–83.). Although stretchable electronic devices are a relatively new area for the semiconductor/electronics industries, recent market research indicates that the market could be worth more than $900 million by 2023 (PR Newswire, 2015, “Stretchable Electronics Market Worth $911.37 Million by 2023,” PR Newswire, Albuquerque, NM.). This paper investigates mechanical testing methods designed to test the stretching capabilities of potential products across the electronics industry to help quantify and understand the mechanical integrity, response, and the reliability of these devices. Typically, the devices consist of stiff modules connected by stretchable traces (Loher, T., et al., 2006, “Stretchable Electronic Systems,” Electronics Packaging Technology Conference (EPTC '06), pp. 271–276.). They require electrical and mechanical connectivity between the modules to function. In some cases, these devices will be subject to biaxial and/or cyclic mechanical strain, especially for wearable applications. The ability to replicate these mechanical strains and understand their effect on the function of the devices is critical to meet performance, process, and reliability requirements. In this paper, methods for simulating biaxial and out-of-plane strains similar to what may occur in a wearable device on the human body are proposed. Electrical and/or optical monitoring (among other methods) can be used to determine cycles to failure depending on expected failure modes. Failure modes can include trace damage in stretchable regions, trace damage in functional component regions, or bulk stretchable material damage, among others. Three different methods of applying mechanical strain are described, including a stretchable air bladder method, membrane test method, and lateral expansion method.
An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of the Mechanical Behavior of Multilayer Initially Curved Microplates Under Electrostatic Actuation
Authors: Saghir S. , Ilyas S. , Jaber N. , Younis M. I.
Published: April 2017

We investigate the static and dynamic behavior of a multilayer clamped-free–clamped-free (CFCF) microplate, which is made of polyimide, gold, chromium, and nickel. The microplate is slightly curved away from a stationary electrode and is electrostatically actuated. The free and forced vibrations of the microplate are examined. First, we experimentally investigate the variation of the first natural frequency under the electrostatic direct current (DC) load. Then, the forced dynamic behavior is investigated by applying a harmonic alternating current (AC) voltage superimposed to a DC voltage. Results are shown demonstrating the transition of the dynamic response of the microplate from hardening to softening as the DC voltage is changed as well the dynamic pull-in phenomenon. For the theoretical model, we adopt a dynamic analog of the von Karman governing equations accounting for initial curvature imperfection. These equations are then used to develop a reduced-order model (ROM) based on the Galerkin procedure to simulate the mechanical behavior of the microplate. We compare the theoretical results with the experimental data and show excellent agreement among the results. We also examine the effect of the initial rise on the natural frequencies of first three symmetric–symmetric modes of the plate.
On the Nonlinear Dynamics of a Doubly Clamped Microbeam Near Primary Resonance
Authors: Jaber Nizar R. , Masri Karim M. , Younis Mohammad I.
Published: April 2017

This work aims to investigate theoretically and experimentally various nonlinear dynamic behaviors of a doubly clamped microbeam near its primary resonance. Mainly, we investigate the transition behavior from hardening, mixed, and then softening behavior. We show in a single frequency–response curve, under a constant voltage load, the transition from hardening to softening behavior demonstrating the dominance of the quadratic electrostatic nonlinearity over the cubic geometric nonlinearity of the beam as the motion amplitudes becomes large, which may lead eventually to dynamic pull-in. The microbeam is fabricated using polyimide as a structural layer coated with nickel from top and chromium and gold layers from the bottom. Frequency sweep tests are conducted for different values of direct current (DC) bias revealing hardening, mixed, and softening behavior of the microbeam. A multimode Galerkin model combined with a shooting technique are implemented to generate the frequency–response curves and to analyze the stability of the periodic motions using the Floquet theory. The simulated curves show a good agreement with the experimental data.
Carrier Mobility Shift in Advanced Silicon Nodes Due to Chip-Package Interaction
Authors: Sukharev Valeriy , Choy Jun-Ho , Kteyan Armen , Hovsepyan Henrik , Nakamoto Mark , Zhao Wei , Radojcic Riko , Muehle Uwe , Zschech Ehrenfried
Published: April 2017

Potential challenges with managing mechanical stress and the consequent effects on device performance for advanced three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) technologies are outlined. The growing need for a simulation-based design verification flow capable of analyzing and detecting across-die out-of-spec stress-induced variations in metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor and fin field-effect transistor (MOSFET/FinFET) electrical characteristics is highlighted. A physics-based compact modeling methodology for multiscale simulation of all the contributing components of stress-induced variability is described. A simulation flow that provides an interface between layout formats and finite element analysis (FEA)-based package-scale tools is developed. This flow can be used to optimize the chip design floorplan for different circuits and packaging technologies and/or for the final design signoff. Finally, a calibration technique based on fitting to measured electrical characterization data is presented, along with the correlation of the electrical characteristics to direct physical strain measurements.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Interdie Thermal Resistance in Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuits
Authors: Choobineh Leila , Jones Jared , Jain Ankur
Published: April 2017

Three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D ICs) attract much interest due to several advantages over traditional microelectronics design, such as electrical performance improvement and reducing interconnect delay. While the power density of 3D ICs increases because of vertical integration, the available substrate area for heat removal does not change. Thermal modeling of 3D ICs is important for improving thermal and electrical performance. Experimental investigation on the thermal measurement of 3D ICs and determination of key physical parameters in 3D ICs thermal design are curtail. One such important parameter in thermal analysis is the interdie thermal resistance between adjacent die bonded together. This paper describes an experimental method to measure the value of interdie thermal resistance between two adjacent dies in a 3D IC. The effect of heating one die on the temperature of the other die in a two-die stack is measured over a short time period using high-speed data acquisition to negate the effect of boundary conditions. Numerical simulation is performed and based on a comparison between experimental data and the numerical model, the interdie thermal resistance between the two dies is determined. A theoretical model is also developed to estimate the value of the interdie thermal resistance. Results from this paper are expected to assist in thermal design and management of 3D ICs.
Heat Transfer in Liquid–Liquid Taylor Flow in Miniscale Curved Tubing for Constant Wall Temperature
Authors: Adrugi Wesam , Muzychka Yuri , Pope Kevin
Published: April 2017

In this paper, heat transfer enhancement using liquid–liquid Taylor flow in miniscale curved tubing for isothermal boundary conditions is examined. Copper tubing with an inner tube diameter of D = 1.65 mm and different radii of curvature and lengths is used in the experiments. Taylor flow is created using water and low-viscosity silicone oils (0.65 cS, 1 cS, and 3 cS) to examine the effect of Prandtl number on heat transfer rates in curved tubing. A series of experiments are conducted using tubing with constant length and variable curvature as well as variable length and constant curvature. The experimental results are compared with models for liquid–liquid Taylor flow in straight tubing and single-phase flow in curved tubes. The results of the research highlight the effects of liquid–liquid Taylor flow in curved tubing. This research provides new insights into the effect of curvature on heat transfer enhancement for liquid–liquid Taylor flow in miniscale curved tubing, at a constant wall temperature.
Experimental Development and Computational Optimization of Flat Heat Pipes for CubeSat Applications
Authors: Isaacs Steven A. , Arias Diego A. , Hengeveld Derek , Hamlington Peter E.
Published: April 2017

Due to the compact and modular nature of CubeSats, thermal management has become a major bottleneck in system design and performance. In this study, we outline the development, initial testing, and modeling of a flat, conformable, lightweight, and efficient two-phase heat strap called FlexCool, currently being developed at Roccor. Using acetone as the working fluid, the heat strap has an average effective thermal conductivity of 2149 W/m K, which is approximately five times greater than the thermal conductivity of pure copper. Moreover, the heat strap has a total thickness of only 0.86 mm and is able to withstand internal vapor pressures as high as 930 kPa, demonstrating the suitability of the heat strap for orbital environments where pressure differences can be large. A reduced-order, closed-form theoretical model has been developed in order to predict the maximum heat load achieved by the heat strap for different design and operating parameters. The model is validated using experimental measurements and is used here in combination with a genetic algorithm to optimize the design of the heat strap with respect to maximizing heat transport capability.
Further Results on Exponential Stability and State Feedback Stabilization for Time Delay Singular Saturating Actuator Systems With Delay-Dependence
Authors: Liu Pin-Lin
Published: April 2017

This paper will study the exponential stable and state feedback stabilization of time delay singular systems with saturation actuators. Some sufficient conditions for existence of controller are obtained by using the linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) and integral inequality approach (IIA). When these LMIs are feasible, an explicit expression of controller is obtained. Based on Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional (LKF) techniques, a novel exponential stabilization criterion has been also derived in terms of LMIs which can be easily solved with efficient convex optimization algorithm. Our results are less conservative than some existing ones, and the decision variables involved in this paper are less than them. Examples illustrate our results as less conservative than those reported in the literature.
Design and Characterization of a 7.2 kW Solar Simulator
Authors: Boubault Antoine , Yellowhair Julius , Ho Clifford K.
Published: April 2017

A 7.2 kW (electric input) solar simulator was designed in order to perform accelerated testing on absorber materials for concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies. computer-aided design (cad) software integrating a ray-tracing tool was used to select appropriate components and optimize their positioning in order to achieve the desired concentration. The simulator comprises four identical units, each made out of an ellipsoidal reflector, a metal halide lamp, and an adjustable holding system. A single unit was characterized and shows an experimental average irradiance of 257 kW m−2 on a 25.4 mm (1 in) diameter spot. Shape, spot size, and average irradiance are in good agreement with the model predictions, provided the emitting arc element model is realistic. The innovative four-lamp solar simulator potentially demonstrates peak irradiance of 1140 kW m−2 and average irradiance of 878 kW m−2 over a 25.4 mm diameter area. The electric-to-radiative efficiency is about 0.86. The costs per radiative and electric watt are calculated at $2.31 W−1 and $1.99 W−1, respectively. An upgraded installation including a sturdier structure, computer-controlled lamps, a more reliable lamp holding system, and safety equipment yields a cost per electric watt of about $3.60 W−1 excluding labor costs.
Making a claim for services: Supporting young people’s engagement with services
Authors: Dewhurst Kimberley , Munford Robyn , Sanders Jackie
Published: April 2017

INTRODUCTION: Young people who experience significant adversity use multiple services (child welfare, youth justice, mental health, and education support services). Engagement with services can facilitate access to support and resources to mitigate the risks these young people face in their every-day lives. This article draws on the findings from a qualitative study which sought to examine the factors that either facilitated or inhibited young people’s engagement with services. The young people had complex needs and had used multiple services from an early age.METHODS: The study used in-depth interviews to explore young people’s service experiences. A thematic inductive analysis identified key themes. The concept of making a claim for services emerged as an explanatory device to understand the processes of service engagement.  FINDINGS: Making a claim for services was a critical first step in young people’s engagement with services, representing an ongoing interactive process between young people and service providers. Three key elements comprised a successful claim for services: young people’s needs meeting service entry criteria; personal agency; and, relevant and meaningful service responses.CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that making a claim for services is a dynamic process and that a cornerstone of effective practice with vulnerable youth involves social workers establishing meaningful relationships with young people. Social workers who make a positive difference in young people’s lives are open to the different ways in which young people express their needs and support them to participate as active partners in interventions.
Atomic layer etching of 3D structures in silicon: Self-limiting and nonideal reactions
Authors: Huard Chad M. , Zhang Yiting , Sriraman Saravanapriyan , Paterson Alex , Kanarik Keren J. , Kushner Mark J.
Published: April 2017

Current (and future) microelectronics fabrication requirements place unprecedented demands on the fidelity of plasma etching. As device features shrink to atomic dimensions, the plasma etching processes used to define these devices must resolve these scales. By separating etching processes into cycles of multiple, self-limited steps, different physics processes which are closely coupled in traditional plasma etching can be largely decoupled and separately optimized. This technique, atomic layer etching (ALE), can ideally remove uniform layers of material with consistent thickness in each cycle. ALE holds the promise of improving uniformity, reducing damage, increasing selectivity, and minimizing aspect ratio dependent etching (ARDE) rates. The practical implementation of ALE depends on how close to ideal the system can be operated and the tolerance to nonideal conditions. In this paper, results are discussed from a computational investigation of the consequences of nonidealities in the ALE of silicon using Ar/Cl2 plasmas for both two dimensional trenches and three dimensional features. The authors found that ideal ALE requires self-limited processes during all steps of the ALE cycle. Steps that include continuous (non-self-limited) etching reactions reduce the ability of ALE to decouple process parameters. In addition to an etch depth that depends on pulse length per cycle, non-self-limited processes can reintroduce ARDE and produce surface roughening. By controlling subcycle pulse times, these deleterious effects can be minimized, and many of the benefits of ALE can be restored. Even nonideal ALE processes, when properly optimized, still provide benefits over continuous etching with similar chemistries and ion energy distributions. Using fluxes generated by a conventional inductively coupled plasma reactor, an example ALE process is able to clear the corners in a three-dimensional fin based field effect transistor case study with significantly less over-etch than the continuous process.
Dietary Microperiodization in Elite Female and Male Runners and Race Walkers During a Block of High Intensity Precompetition Training
Authors: Heikura Ida A. , Burke Louise M. , Mero Antti A. , Uusitalo Arja Leena Tuulia , Stellingwerff Trent
Published: April 2017

We investigated one week of dietary microperiodization in elite female (n = 23) and male (n = 15) runners and race-walkers by examining the frequency of training sessions and recovery periods conducted with recommended carbohydrate (CHO) and protein availability. Food and training diaries were recorded in relation to HARD (intense or >90min sessions; KEY) versus RECOVERY days (other-than KEY sessions; EASY). The targets for amount and timing of CHO and protein around KEY sessions were based on current nutrition recommendations. Relative daily energy and CHO intake was significantly (p < .05) higher in males (224 ± 26 kJ/kg/d, 7.3 ± 1.4 g/kg/d CHO) than females (204 ± 29 kJ/kg/d, 6.2 ± 1.1 g/kg/d CHO) on HARD days. However, when adjusted for training volume (km), there was no sex-based difference in CHO intake daily (HARD: 0.42 ± 0.14 vs 0.39 ± 0.15 g/kg/km). Females appeared to periodize energy and protein intake with greater intakes on HARD training days (204 ± 29 vs 187 ± 35 kJ/kg/d, p = .004; 2.0 ± 0.3 vs 1.9 ± 0.3 g/kg/d protein, p = .013), while males did not periodize intakes. Females showed a pattern of periodization of postexercise CHO for KEY vs EASY (0.9 ± 0.4 vs 0.5 ± 0.3 g/kg; p < .05) while males had higher intakes but only modest periodization (1.3 ± 0.9 vs 1.0 ± 0.4; p = .32). There was only modest evidence from female athletes of systematic microperiodization of eating patterns to meet contemporary sports nutrition guidelines. While this pattern of periodization was absent in males, in general they consumed more energy and CHO daily and around training sessions compared with females. Elite endurance athletes do not seem to systematically follow the most recent sports nutrition guidelines of periodized nutrition.
Athlete Information Sources About Dietary Supplements: A Review of Extant Research
Authors: Denham Bryan E.
Published: April 2017

In the United States, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) classified dietary supplements as a subcategory of food, exempting manufacturers from providing premarket evidence of product safety and efficacy. Under DSHEA, agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cannot inspect supplements until after the products have entered the marketplace. Recognizing that both limited resources and DSHEA prevent the FDA from conducting broad-based inspections on a regular basis, disreputable manufacturers have spiked products with drugs such as anabolic steroids and amphetamines. With contaminated supplements now causing athletes to fail drug tests and, in some instances, threatening public health, it becomes important to examine sources of supplement information. This article reviews 53 studies that have addressed athlete information sources about dietary supplements. It finds that athletes, in general, rely heavily on coaches and trainers as well as friends and family for information. Relative to U.S. athletes, those competing internationally appear more likely to seek information from a physician or nutritionist. The article offers recommendations for individuals and organizations based on the most frequent information sources identified by athletes.
Genome Sequences of Potential Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus Isolates from Human Infants
Authors: Arnold Jason W. , Monteagudo-Mera Andrea , Altermann Eric , Cadenas Maria Belen , Thompson Amanda L. , Azcarate-Peril M. Andrea
Published: April 2017

Probiotics provide health benefits to their hosts, including modulation of host immune response, inhibition of colonization by pathogens, modulation of the gut microbiota, and epithelial barrier enhancement. Here, we present the draft genome sequences of two newly isolated
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
strains of probiotic potential from healthy human infants.
Draft Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium colombiense
Authors: Bouam Amar , Robert Catherine , Levasseur Anthony , Drancourt Michel
Published: April 2017

Mycobacterium colombiense
is a rapidly growing mycobacterium initially isolated from the blood of an HIV-positive patient in Colombia. Its 5,854,893-bp draft genome exhibits a G+C content of 67.64%, 5,233 protein-coding genes, and 54 predicted RNA genes.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Sub-Subgenotype 2.1i Isolate of Classical Swine Fever Virus from China
Authors: Zhang Bikai , Mi Shijiang , Bao Fei , Guo Huancheng , Tu Changchun , Shi Jishu , Gong Wenjie
Published: April 2017

The complete genome sequence of a sub-subgenotype 2.1i isolate of classical swine fever virus (CSFV), GD317/2011, was determined. Notably, GD317/2011 is distant from the sub-subgenotype 2.1b isolate HEBZ at genes of E
rns
, E1, E2, P7, NS2, NS5A and the 3′-nontranslated region (3′-NTR) but is closely related to that at genes of N
pro
, Core, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5B.
Draft Genome Sequence of a High-Level Colistin-Resistant Clinical Strain of the Enterobacter cloacae Complex
Authors: Lin Ji , Zhao Feifei , Feng Yu , Zong Zhiyong
Published: April 2017

Strain WCHECl-C4 of the
Enterobacter cloacae
complex, recovered from the blood of a patient with peritonitis, was high-level resistant to colistin. Here, we report its 5.1-Mb draft genome sequence, comprising 92 contigs with an average 55.74% G+C content. The genome contained 4,783 coding sequences and 68 tRNA genes.
Complete Genome Sequence of Classical Swine Fever Virus Isolated near the Demilitarized Zone in the Republic of Korea
Authors: Song Sok , Choe SeEun , Cha RaMi , Kim Ki-Sun , Cho In-Soo , An Dong-Jun
Published: April 2017

The YC16CS (genotype 2.1) strain of classical swine fever virus, isolated from infected pigs in Yeoncheon province, Republic of Korea, near the demilitarized zone, has a high identity with the PC11WB strain of the virus. This is significant in that it is the first case of transmission from wild boars to breed pigs revealed by an epidemiological investigation.
Genome Sequence of Mannheimia haemolytica Serotype 1 Strain 16041065 BH
Authors: Ayalew Sahlu , Confer Anthony W. , Hansen Richard D. , Couger Matthew Brian
Published: April 2017

Here, we report the genome sequence of
Mannheimia haemolytica
serotype 1 strain 16041065 BH, which was recently isolated from a Midwestern calf that died due to
Mannheimia haemolytica
–induced pneumonia. This genome comprised a total of 2.7 Mb, with an
N
50
of 122 kb, and maintained hemolytic activity when grown on blood heart infusion agar supplemented with 5% sheep’s blood.
Aorto-right ventricular fistula following transcatheter aortic valve implantation using a 29 mm SAPIEN XT valve
Authors: Hagiwara Kazuki , Saito Naritatsu , Yamazaki Kazuhiro , Kimura Takeshi
Published: April 2017

An 83-year-old man with severe symptomatic aortic valve stenosis underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) using a 29 mm SAPIEN XT valve. He was haemodynamically stable, but developed haemolytic anaemia. Transthoracic echocardiography conducted 7 days after TAVI revealed an abnormal continuous flow from the right sinus of Valsalva adjacent to the implanted valve to the right ventricle. The amount of shunt flow was considered small and the patient was managed with diuretics successfully. He was discharged from the hospital 35 days after TAVI. He was doing well at 9 months after TAVI, despite persistence of the aorto-right ventricular fistula on repeat echocardiographic examinations.
Abiotrophia defectivaendarteritis with infective spondylodiscitis in an adult patient with patent ductus arteriosus
Authors: Miraclin Angel T , Perumalla Susmitha K , Daniel Jaifrin , Sathyendra Sowmya
Published: April 2017

Endarteritis is a major complication in patients with patent ductus arteriosus, causing significant morbidity and mortality. We report an adult patient with asymptomatic patent ductus arteriosus and endarteritis involving the main pulmonary artery and secondary infective spondylodiscitis at the L5–S1 intervertebral disc caused byAbiotrophia defectiva.A. defectiva, commonly referred to as nutritionally variant streptococci, cannot be identified easily by conventional blood culture techniques from clinical specimens. Its isolation was confirmed by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. The patient was successfully managed with a combination of penicillin G and gentamicin, pending surgical repair of the patent ductus arteriosus.
Using m-health tools to reduce the misuse of opioid pain relievers
Authors: Omaki Elise , Castillo Renan , Eden Karen , Davis Steve , McDonald Eileen , Murtaza Umbreen , Gielen Andrea
Published: April 2017

Background

Emergency department (ED) patients are among the many groups at risk for prescription drug overdose. There is limited research on how best to communicate with ED patients about options for pain management and the risks of opioids. The aim of this study is to pilot test a web-based, patient-centred educational programme that encourages the patient to have an informed discussion about pain medication options with their ED provider.

Methods

This multisite, randomised trial will evaluate an m-health programme designed to aid the patient in making an informed decision about their pain treatment. Patients reporting to the ED with an injury-related or pain- related chief complaint who agree to participate are randomised to receive the intervention programme,My Healthy Choices, or an attention-matched control.My Healthy Choicespairs tailored education with a patient decision aid to describe what opioid and non-opioid pain medications are, assess the patient's risk factors for opioid-related adverse effects, and produce a tailored report that patients are encouraged to share with their doctor. Data are collected through surveys at three time points during the ED encounter (baseline, immediately after the intervention and just before discharge), and at a 6-week follow-up survey. The primary outcomes are whether the patient prefers an opioid pain reliever (OPR) and whether the patient takes an OPR.

Discussion

We hope this programme will facilitate patient-provider communication, as well as reduce the number of prescriptions written for OPRs and thus the number of patients exposed to prescription opioids and the associated risks of addiction and overdose.

Trial registration number

NCT03012087; Pre-results.
Multicenter clinical and imaging evaluation of targeted radiofrequency ablation (t-RFA) and cement augmentation of neoplastic vertebral lesions
Authors: Reyes Melinda , Georgy Mark , Brook Lorenzo , Ortiz Orlando , Brook Allan , Agarwal Vikas , Muto Mario , Manfre Luigi , Marcia Stefano , Georgy Bassem A
Published: April 2017

Background

Treatment of spinal metastatic lesions by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) before cementation can potentially help in local tumor control and pain relief. This is often limited by access and tumor location. This study reports multicenter clinical and imaging outcomes following targeted RFA (t-RFA) and cement augmentation in neoplastic lesions of the spine.

Material and methods

A retrospective multicenter study of 49 patients with 72 painful vertebral lesions, evaluated for clinical and imaging outcomes following RFA and cement augmentation of spinal metastatic lesions, was undertaken. Visual Analogue Pain score (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were obtained before and 2–4 weeks after treatment. Pre- and post-procedure imaging examinations including MRI and positron emission tomography (PET) were also evaluated.

Results

Mean ablation time was 3.7±2.5 min (range 0.92–15). Mean VAS scores decreased from 7.9±2.5 pre-procedure to 3.5±2.6 post-procedure (p<0.0001). Mean ODI scores improved from 34.9±18.3 to 21.6±13.8 post-procedure (p<0.0001). Post-contrast MRI resulted in a predictable pattern of decreased tumor volume and an enhancing rim. Metabolically active lesions in pre-procedure PET scans (n=10 levels) showed decreased fluorodeoxyglucose activity after ablation.

Conclusions

t-RFA followed by vertebral augmentation in malignant vertebral lesions resulted in significant pain reduction and functional status improvement, with no major complications. t-RFA permitted access to vertebral lesions and real-time accurate monitoring of the ablation zone temperature. Post-procedure MRI and PET examinations correlated with a favorable tumor response and helped to monitor tumor growth and the timing of adjuvant therapy.
Impact of image reconstruction parameters when using 3D DSA reconstructions to measure intracranial aneurysms
Authors: Falk Katrina L , Rutkowski David R , Schafer Sebastian , Roldán-Alzate Alejandro , Oberstar Erick L , Strother Charles
Published: April 2017

Background and purpose

Safe and effective use of newly developed devices for aneurysm treatment requires the ability to make accurate measurements in the angiographic suite. Our purpose was to determine the parameters that optimize the geometric accuracy of three-dimensional (3D) vascular reconstructions.

Methods

An in vitro flow model consisting of a peristaltic pump, plastic tubing, and 3D printed patient-specific aneurysm models was used to simulate blood flow in an intracranial aneurysm. Flow rates were adjusted to match values reported in the literature for the internal carotid artery. 3D digital subtraction angiography acquisitions were obtained using a commercially available biplane angiographic system. Reconstructions were done using Edge Enhancement (EE) or Hounsfield Unit (HU) kernels and a Normal or Smooth image characteristic. Reconstructed images were analyzed using the vendor's aneurysm analysis tool. Ground truth measurements were derived from metrological scans of the models with a microCT. Aneurysm volume, surface area, dome height, minimum and maximum ostium diameter were determined for the five models.

Results

In all cases, measurements made with the EE kernel most closely matched ground truth values. Differences in values derived from reconstructions displayed with Smooth or Normal image characteristics were small and had only little impact on the geometric parameters considered.

Conclusions

Reconstruction parameters impact the accuracy of measurements made using the aneurysm analysis tool of a commercially available angiographic system. Absolute differences between measurements made using reconstruction parameters determined as optimal in this study were, overall, very small. The significance of these differences, if any, will depend on the details of each individual case.
Cenozoic tectonic and thermal history of the Nenana basin, central interior Alaska: new constraints from seismic reflection data, fracture history, and apatite fission-track analyses
Authors: Dixit Nilesh , Hanks Catherine , Rizzo Alec , McCarthy Paul , Coakley Bernard
Published: April 2017

The Nenana basin of interior Alaska forms a segment of the diffuse plate boundary between the Bering and North American plates and is located within a complex zone of crustal-scale strike-slip deformation that accommodates compressional stresses in response to oblique plate convergence to the south. The basin is currently the focus of new oil and gas exploration. Integration of seismic reflection and well data, fracture data, and apatite fission-track analyses with regional data improves our understanding of the tectonic development of this continental strike-slip basin. The Nenana basin formed during the Late Paleocene as a 13 km wide half-graben, affected by regional intraplate magmatism and localized crustal thinning across the Minto Fault in south-central Alaska. The basin was uplifted and exhumed along this faulted margin in the Early Eocene through to Late Oligocene in response to oblique subduction along the southern Alaska margin. This event resulted in the removal of up to 1.5 km of Late Paleocene strata from the basin. Renewed rifting and subsidence during the Early Miocene widened the basin to the west resulting in deposition of Miocene non-marine clastic rocks in reactivated and newly formed extensional half-grabens. In the Middle to Late Miocene, left lateral strike-slip faulting was superimposed on this half-graben system, with rapid subsidence beginning in the Pliocene and continuing to the present day. At present, the Nenana basin is in a zone of transtensional deformation that accommodates compressional stresses in response to oblique plate convergence and allows tectonic subsidence by oblique extension along major basin-bounding strike-slip faults.
Alteration of high-density lipoprotein functionality in Alzheimer’s disease patients
Authors: Camponova Paméla , Le Page Aurélie , Berrougui Hicham , Lamoureux Julie , Pawelec Graham , Witkowski M. Jacek , Fulop Tamas , Khalil Abdelouahed
Published: April 2017

The aims of the present study were to determine whether high-density lipoprotein (HDL) functionality-mediated cholesterol efflux is altered in Alzheimer’s disease and to investigate the role and effect of amyloid-beta (Aβ) in the regulation of the anti-atherogenic activity of HDL. Eighty-seven elderly subjects were recruited, of whom 27 were healthy, 27 had mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 33 had mild Alzheimer’s disease (mAD). Our results showed that total cholesterol levels are negatively correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score (r = –0.2602, p = 0.0182). HDL from the mAD patients was less efficient at mediating cholesterol efflux from J774 macrophages (p < 0.05) than HDL from the healthy subjects and MCI patients. While HDL from the MCI patients was also less efficient at mediating cholesterol efflux than HDL from the healthy subjects, the difference was not significant. Interestingly, the difference between the healthy subjects and the MCI and mAD patients with respect to the capacity of HDL to mediate cholesterol efflux disappeared when ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1)-enriched J774 macrophages were used. HDL fluidity was significantly inversely correlated with the MMSE scores (r = –0.4137, p < 0.009). In vitro measurements of cholesterol efflux using J774 macrophages showed that neither Aβ1-40nor Aβ1-42stimulate cholesterol efflux from unenriched J774 macrophages in basal or ABCA1-enriched J774 macrophages.