bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health‐promoting conversations—A novel approach to families experiencing critical illness in the ICU environment
Authors: Hollman Frisman Gunilla , Wåhlin Ingrid , Orvelius Lotti , Ågren Susanna
Published: July 2017

Aims and objectives

To identify and describe the outcomes of a nurse‐led intervention, “Health‐promoting conversations with families,” regarding family functioning and well‐being in families with a member who was critically ill.

Background

Families who have a critically ill family member in an intensive care unit face a demanding situation, threatening the normal functioning of the family. Yet, there is a knowledge gap regarding family members’ well‐being during and after critical illness.

Design

The study used a qualitative inductive–descriptive design.

Methods

Eight families participated in health‐promoting conversations aimed to create a context for change related to the families’ identified problems and resources. Fifteen qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 adults who participated in health‐promoting conversations about a critical illness in the family. Eight participants were patients (six men, two women) and 10 were family members (two male partners, five female partners, one mother, one daughter, one female grandchild). The interviews were analysed by conventional content analysis.

Results

Family members experienced strengthened togetherness, a caring attitude and confirmation through health‐promoting conversations. The caring and calming conversations were appreciated despite the reappearance of exhausting feelings. Working through the experience and being confirmed promoted family well‐being.

Conclusion

Health‐promoting conversations were considered to be healing, as the family members take part in sharing each other's feelings, thoughts and experiences with the critical illness.

Relevance to clinical practice

Health‐promoting conversations could be a simple and effective nursing intervention for former intensive care patients and their families in any cultural context.
Nurses’ and nurse assistants’ beliefs, attitudes and actions related to role and function in an inpatient stroke rehabilitation unit—A qualitative study
Authors: Loft Mia I , Poulsen Ingrid , Esbensen Bente A , Iversen Helle K , Mathiesen Lone L , Martinsen Bente
Published: July 2017

Aims and objectives

To explore nurses’ and nurse assistants’ beliefs, attitudes and actions related to their function in an inpatient stroke rehabilitation unit.

Background

Several attempts have been made to describe nurses’ roles and functions in inpatient neurorehabilitation. However, current understandings of the contributions that nurses and nurse assistants make to neurorehabilitation remain sparse.

Design

Descriptive, interpretive qualitative study.

Methods

Participant observations were conducted during 1 month in a stroke rehabilitation unit at a university hospital in the Capital Region of Denmark. The observations were audiorecorded and field notes were taken on the spot. Semistructured interviews with nurses (N = 8) and nurse assistants (N = 6) were performed. The audiorecorded observations, field notes and interviews were transcribed for inductive and deductive content analysis.

Results

Three main categories with underlying subcategories were identified: (i) the importance of professionalism, (ii) striving for visibility, (iii) the importance of structure.

Conclusion

This study contributes to present understandings of nurses’ and nurse assistants’ roles and functions in inpatient stroke rehabilitation. We obtained insights into nursing staff's beliefs and attitudes about rehabilitation—as well as their own role and function—and furthermore how the latter affects their actions in daily practice.

Relevance to clinical practice

The nursing role and function are still not clearly defined. Further education is needed to strengthen the contribution of nursing staff to patients’ rehabilitation. Furthermore, focus on developing a professional language and a framework that supports continuity within daily care and rehabilitation is needed.
Barriers to palliative care in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in home care: A qualitative study of the perspective of professional caregivers
Authors: Mousing Camilla A , Timm Helle , Lomborg Kirsten , Kirkevold Marit
Published: July 2017

Aims and objectives

To examine the experiences with palliative care in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among professional caregivers in a Danish home care setting.

Background

Many patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease depend on professional caregivers in the primary sector to provide assistance and care. However, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients receive no or only very little palliative care compared to patients with cancer although they may have many burdensome symptoms.

Design

Qualitative explorative study.

Methods

In 2013–2014, ten professional caregivers from three districts in a Danish municipality were followed during home visits to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and individual interviews about palliative care were subsequently conducted. In 2014, 66 professional caregivers, representing eleven home care districts, participated in ten group discussions about palliative care needs in this group of patients. Data were analysed using qualitative descriptive analysis.

Results

The study revealed a nonawareness of palliative care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among the professional caregivers who expressed vague understanding of palliative care and lack of knowledge about the disease. Organisational barriers, such as lack of time and continuity in patient care, lack of opportunity to discuss palliative care and lack of peer learning were experienced as challenging in the provision of palliative care. Nonawareness and organisational barriers led to difficulties in identifying palliative care needs and reluctance to initiate conversations about palliative care.

Conclusion

The findings indicate a need for education, training and reflection among professional caregivers in home care. Also, organisational changes may be needed to reduce the barriers to palliative care.

Relevance to clinical practice

The findings uncovered barriers to palliative care that must be addressed. Targeted educational programmes and organisational changes may increase the ability to identify palliative care needs and initiate and evaluate palliative interventions.
Depression recognition and capacity for self‐report among ethnically diverse nursing homes residents: Evidence of disparities in screening
Authors: Chun Audrey , Reinhardt Joann P. , Ramirez Mildred , Ellis Julie M. , Silver Stephanie , Burack Orah , Eimicke Joseph P. , Cimarolli Verena , Teresi Jeanne A.
Published: July 2017

Aims and objectives

To examine agreement between Minimum Data Set clinician ratings and researcher assessments of depression among ethnically diverse nursing home residents using the 9‐item Patient Health Questionnaire.

Background

Although depression is common among nursing homes residents, its recognition remains a challenge.

Design

Observational baseline data from a longitudinal intervention study.

Methods

Sample of 155 residents from 12 long‐term care units in one US facility; 50 were interviewed in Spanish. Convergence between clinician and researcher ratings was examined for (i) self‐report capacity, (ii) suicidal ideation, (iii) at least moderate depression, (iv) Patient Health Questionnaire severity scores. Experiences by clinical raters using the depression assessment were analysed. The intraclass correlation coefficient was used to examine concordance and Cohen's kappa to examine agreement between clinicians and researchers.

Results

Moderate agreement (κ = 0.52) was observed in determination of capacity and poor to fair agreement in reporting suicidal ideation (κ = 0.10–0.37) across time intervals. Poor agreement was observed in classification of at least moderate depression (κ = −0.02 to 0.24), lower than the maximum kappa obtainable (0.58–0.85). Eight assessors indicated problems assessing Spanish‐speaking residents. Among Spanish speakers, researchers identified 16% with Patient Health Questionnaire scores of 10 or greater, and 14% with thoughts of self‐harm whilst clinicians identified 6% and 0%, respectively.

Conclusion

This study advances the field of depression recognition in long‐term care by identification of possible challenges in assessing Spanish speakers.

Relevance to clinical practice

Use of the Patient Health Questionnaire requires further investigation, particularly among non‐English speakers. Depression screening for ethnically diverse nursing home residents is required, as underreporting of depression and suicidal ideation among Spanish speakers may result in lack of depression recognition and referral for evaluation and treatment. Training in depression recognition is imperative to improve the recognition, evaluation and treatment of depression in older people living in nursing homes.
Ralfuranones contribute to mushroom‐type biofilm formation by Ralstonia solanacearum strain OE1‐1
Authors: Mori Yuka , Hosoi Yuki , Ishikawa Shiho , Hayashi Kazusa , Asai Yu , Ohnishi Hideyuki , Shimatani Mika , Inoue Kanako , Ikeda Kenichi , Nakayashiki Hitoshi , Nishimura Yasuyo , Ohnishi Kouhei , Kiba Akinori , Kai Kenji , Hikichi Yasufumi
Published: July 2017

After invasion into intercellular spaces of tomato plants, the soil‐borne, plant‐pathogenic Ralstonia solanacearum strain OE1‐1 forms mushroom‐shaped biofilms (mushroom‐type biofilms, mBFs) on tomato cells, leading to its virulence. The strain OE1‐1 produces aryl‐furanone secondary metabolites, ralfuranones (A, B, J, K and L), dependent on the quorum sensing (QS) system, with methyl 3‐hydroxymyristate (3‐OH MAME) synthesized by PhcB as a QS signal. Ralfuranones are associated with the feedback loop of the QS system. A ralfuranone productivity‐deficient mutant (ΔralA) exhibited significantly reduced growth in intercellular spaces compared with strain OE1‐1, losing its virulence. To analyse the function of ralfuranones in mBF formation by OE1‐1 cells, we observed cell aggregates of R. solanacearum strains statically incubated in tomato apoplast fluids on filters under a scanning electron microscope. The ΔralA strain formed significantly fewer microcolonies and mBFs than strain OE1‐1. Supplementation of ralfuranones A, B, J and K, but not L, significantly enhanced the development of mBF formation by ΔralA. Furthermore, a phcB‐ and ralA‐deleted mutant (ΔphcB/ralA) exhibited less formation of mBFs than OE1‐1, although a QS‐deficient, phcB‐deleted mutant formed mBFs similar to OE1‐1. Supplementation with 3‐OH MAME significantly reduced the formation of mBFs by ΔphcB/ralA. The application of each ralfuranone significantly increased the formation of mBFs by ΔphcB/ralA supplied with 3‐OH MAME. Together, our findings indicate that ralfuranones are implicated not only in the development of mBFs by strain OE1‐1, but also in the suppression of QS‐mediated negative regulation of mBF formation.
FtSAD2 and FtJAZ1 regulate activity of the FtMYB11 transcription repressor of the phenylpropanoid pathway in Fagopyrum tataricum
Authors: Zhou Meiliang , Sun Zhanmin , Ding Mengqi , Logacheva Maria D. , Kreft Ivan , Wang Dan , Yan Mingli , Shao Jirong , Tang Yixiong , Wu Yanmin , Zhu Xuemei
Published: July 2017

Little is known about the molecular mechanism of the R2R3‐MYB transcriptional repressors involved in plant phenylpropanoid metabolism. Here, we describe one R2R3‐type MYB repressor, FtMYB11 from Fagopyrum tataricum. It contains the SID‐like motif GGDFNFDL and it is regulated by both the importin protein ‘Sensitive to ABA and Drought 2’ (SAD2) and the jasmonates signalling cascade repressor JAZ protein.

Yeast two hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays demonstrated that FtMYB11 interacts with SAD2 and FtJAZ1. Protoplast transactivation assays demonstrated that FtMYB11 acts synergistically with FtSAD2 or FtJAZ1 and directly represses its target genes via the MYB‐core element AATAGTT.

Changing the Asp122 residue to Asn in the SID‐like motif results in cytoplasmic localization of FtMYB11 because of loss of interaction with SAD2, while changing the Asp126 residue to Asn results in the loss of interaction with FtJAZ1. Overexpression of FtMYB11or FtMYB11D126N in F. tataricum hairy roots resulted in reduced accumulation of rutin, while overexpression of FtMYB11D122N in hairy roots did not lead to such a change.

The results indicate that FtMYB11 acts as a regulator via interacting with FtSAD2 or FtJAZ1 to repress phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and this repression depends on two conserved Asp residues of its SID‐like motif.
A single‐probe heat pulse method for estimating sap velocity in trees
Authors: López‐Bernal Álvaro , Testi Luca , Villalobos Francisco J.
Published: July 2017

Available sap flow methods are still far from being simple, cheap and reliable enough to be used beyond very specific research purposes. This study presents and tests a new single‐probe heat pulse (SPHP) method for monitoring sap velocity in trees using a single‐probe sensor, rather than the multi‐probe arrangements used up to now.

Based on the fundamental conduction−convection principles of heat transport in sapwood, convective velocity (Vh) is estimated from the temperature increase in the heater after the application of a heat pulse (ΔT). The method was validated against measurements performed with the compensation heat pulse (CHP) technique in field trees of six different species. To do so, a dedicated three‐probe sensor capable of simultaneously applying both methods was produced and used.

Experimental measurements in the six species showed an excellent agreement between SPHP and CHP outputs for moderate to high flow rates, confirming the applicability of the method.

In relation to other sap flow methods, SPHP presents several significant advantages: it requires low power inputs, it uses technically simpler and potentially cheaper instrumentation, the physical damage to the tree is minimal and artefacts caused by incorrect probe spacing and alignment are removed.
International summit on the nutrition of adolescent girls and young women: consensus statement
Authors: Krebs Nancy , Bagby Susan , Bhutta Zulfiqar A. , Dewey Kathryn , Fall Caroline , Gregory Fred , Hay William , Rhuman Lisa , Caldwell Christine Wallace , Thornburg Kent L.
Published: July 2017

An international summit focusing on the difficult challenge of providing adequate nutrition for adolescent girls and young women in low‐ and middle‐income countries was held in Portland, Oregon in 2015. Sixty‐seven delegates from 17 countries agreed on a series of recommendations that would make progress toward improving the nutritional status of girls and young women in countries where their access to nutrition is compromised. Delegate recommendations include: (1) elevate the urgency of nutrition for girls and young women to a high international priority, (2) raise the social status of girls and young women in all regions of the world, (3) identify major knowledge gaps in the biology of adolescence that could be filled by robust research efforts, (4) and improve access to nutrient‐rich foods for girls and young women. Attention to these recommendations would improve the health of young women in all nations of the world.
Thick Description and the Poetics of the Liminal in Gothic Tales
Authors: Aguirre Manuel
Published: July 2017

The article proposes a formal approach to the study of Gothic fiction, understood historically as that genre of horror literature which ran its course between the 1760s and the 1820s. The article holds that Gothic emerged and developed halfway between folklore and literature, and employed formal strategies analogous to the ‘anti‐structure’ devices that anthropologist Victor Turner detected in the liminal stage of rites of passage. It argues that a proper analysis of the genre requires a ‘thick’ description, a kind of close reading that takes into account both formal aspects and compositional conventions. Analysis shows that Gothic writers implement a number of construction strategies that can ultimately be tracked down to a set of binding ‘rules’ shaping and governing the genre. The article outlines and illustrates six such rules and argues that they provide a liminal poetics for the genre, that is, a poetics central to which stands a decisive concern with thresholds and with the ambiguities, paradoxes and dangers entailed by crossing, entering or occupying them.
Building an Effective Criminal Justice Response to Wildlife Trafficking: Experiences from the ASEAN Region
Authors: Broussard Giovanni
Published: July 2017

South East Asia and more specifically the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) region plays a crucial role in the supply chain of the illegal wildlife trade as a transit, destination and also origin of endangered species. The capacity of ASEAN members to respond to wildlife crimes as a cohesive region rather than a conglomeration of nations is hampered by marked differences in the way in which each country frames the problem, designs laws and enforces them. Corruption undermines the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in every step of the wildlife trade supply chain. The regional response from criminal justice systems so far remains weak and the use of international tools like the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime is critical for an improvement of the status quo. This article examines the existing policy frameworks and provides some recommendations to address the most urgent shortcomings, with a focus on improved criminal justice responses in the ASEAN region.
The Development of Environmental Criminal Law in the EU and its Member States
Authors: Faure Michael
Published: July 2017

Environmental criminal law has gone through a spectacular evolution in Europe in the past 30 years. One change concerns simply the place of environmental criminal law. In many countries provisions have now been incorporated either in a penal code or in a specific environmental statute. Moreover, in many legal systems the environment has received a more autonomous protection in the criminal law system. And finally, one can notice in many countries the introduction of a so‐called toolbox approach, implying that a variety of remedies have been put in place, thus reserving the criminal law as an ultima ratio. Yet another important development relates to the fact that Europe also has taken action with respect to environmental criminal law with the Environmental Crime Directive of 2008. It is, however, striking that some of the aforementioned developments in Member States are not reflected in the Directive. Moreover, the enforcement of environmental law faces many more challenges which cannot be faced merely with a criminalization. There is a serious danger that this only leads to symbolic legislation whereby violations of environmental law are criminalized, without any guarantee of effective enforcement. There are therefore still important challenges to be met with respect to the system of environmental criminal law in Europe.
How the Community Shapes Unmet Need for Modern Contraception: An Analysis of 44 Demographic and Health Surveys
Authors: Metheny Nicholas , Stephenson Rob
Published: July 2017

Unmet need for modern contraception is a major public health concern in resource‐constrained countries. Recent research supports the application of social‐ecological theories to explain how characteristics of a woman's community shape modern contraception use. However, this research focuses largely on individual countries and uses a limited number of community‐level effects. We fitted three random‐effects logistic regression models to examine associations between 13 community‐level variables and the odds of reporting unmet need, unmet need for spacing, and unmet need for limiting for all parous, female respondents in 44 DHS surveys collected in 2010–2015 (n=528,101). Community variables explain significant variance in unmet need between communities. Associations between community variables and unmet need differ by urban and rural residence. The results highlight several commonalities in how the community shapes unmet need across resource‐constrained settings and may help in designing structural‐level interventions.
Assessment of hair surface roughness using quantitative image analysis
Authors: Park K. H. , Kim H. J. , Oh B. , Lee E. , Ha J.
Published: July 2017

Background/purpose

Focus on the hair and hair cuticle is increasing. The hair cuticle is the first layer to be exposed to damage and the area of primary protection. For such reasons, hair product manufacturers consider cuticle protection important. However, previous studies used only visual assessment to examine the cuticle. This study aimed to obtain the changes in cuticles and measure hair roughness using a HIROX microscope.

Methods

A total of 23 female subjects used the same products daily for 4 weeks. Three hair samples per subject were collected from three different areas of the head. Measurements were taken before and after 4 weeks of daily product use.

Results

The hair surface changes were clearly observed on the captured images. Moreover, hair surface roughness was observed using various parameters on HIROX software. After 4 weeks of daily product use, the roughness parameter value of the hair surface was significantly decreased.

Conclusion

Our result suggests that the hair roughness analytical method using HIROX can be a new paradigm for high‐quality quantitative analysis of the hair cuticle.
Drug‐drug interactions between triazole antifungal agents used to treat invasive aspergillosis and immunosuppressants metabolized by cytochrome P450 3A4
Authors: Groll Andreas H. , Townsend Robert , Desai Amit , Azie Nkechi , Jones Mark , Engelhardt Marc , Schmitt‐Hoffman Anne‐Hortense , Brüggemann Roger J. M.
Published: July 2017

Patients undergoing treatment with immunosuppressant drugs following solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are at particular risk for development of serious infections such as invasive aspergillosis. Four triazole antifungal drugs, voriconazole, posaconazole, itraconazole, and isavuconazole, are approved to treat invasive aspergillosis either as first‐ or second‐line therapy. All of these agents are inhibitors of cytochrome P450 3A4, which plays a key role in metabolizing immunosuppressant drugs such as cyclosporine, tacrolimus, and sirolimus. Thus, co‐administration of a triazole antifungal drug with these immunosuppressant drugs can potentially increase plasma concentrations of the immunosuppressant drugs, thereby resulting in toxicity, or upon discontinuation, inadvertently decrease the respective concentrations with increased risk of rejection or graft‐versus‐host disease. In this article, we review the evidence for the extent of inhibition of cytochrome P450 3A4 by each of these triazole antifungal drugs and assess their effects on cyclosporine, tacrolimus, and sirolimus. We also consider other factors affecting interactions of these two classes of drugs. Finally, we examine recommendations and strategies to evaluate and address those potential drug‐drug interactions in these patients.
Non‐physician health‐care workers and voluntary blood donation: an ambiguous relationship
Authors: Sousos N. , Sfyridou S. , Adamidou D. , Vyzantiadis T.‐A. , Karadosidou M. , Filippou A. , Karafoulidou T. , Chouridi M. , Theodoridou S.
Published: July 2017

Objectives

This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of voluntary blood donation (BD) among the non‐physician health‐care workers of our institution, to investigate the relationship between these parameters and to determine the predictors of BD practice.

Background

KAP surveys provide a popular context‐specific evidence base for the development of blood transfusion services' strategies and interventions to promote voluntary, non‐remunerated BD. However, there are just few studies worldwide assessing KAP of BD among health‐care workers.

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional exploratory study, which took place at the ‘Ippokrateio’ General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Greece, a tertiary health‐care institution. A specially designed, pre‐tested questionnaire was distributed to all non‐physician health‐care workers of the hospital. A total of 1140 questionnaires were distributed. Participation in the study was optional and anonymous. Regarding data analysis, a binary logistic regression analysis was performed to describe the relationship between different elements of KAP of BD and to determine possible predictors of BD practice.

Results

The response rate was 25·5% (291 respondents). Logistic regression analysis revealed a positive attitude towards family replacement as an important predictor of both regular and voluntary BD, with male gender also a predictor of the latter. An inconsistency between knowledge, attitude and practice of BD was revealed.

Conclusions

The present study adds valuable data on KAP of BD among health‐care workers. This will help blood transfusion services to improve management practices among this group as they have the potential to provide a reliable, stable and safe source of blood products.
Determination of irritant threshold concentrations of multiple tree, grass, weed and mould allergens for intradermal testing of horses residing in the southern USA
Authors: Lane Martha J. , Pucheu‐Haston Cherie M. , Kearney Michael T. , Woodward Michelle
Published: July 2017

Background

Appropriate allergen threshold concentrations (TCs) for intradermal testing (IDT) have not been established in horses for many pollen and mould allergens.

Objectives

To determine theTCs in non‐allergic horses and describe the frequency of late phase reactions for 26 allergens, including trees, grasses, weeds and moulds in horses residing in the southern Unites States.

Animals

Twenty four clinically normal horses in the southern United States.

Methods

Threshold concentrations for different allergens were determined usingIDTsubjective measurements at 30 minutes. Delayed reactions were evaluated at 4 and 24 h.

Results

Threshold concentrations (all PNU/mL) were established for eight tree allergens (black willow 1,000, box elder 1,000, live oak 1,000, pecan 2,000, white ash 4,000, red oak 4,000, red mulberry 2,000 and green ash 2,000); two grass allergens (Johnson grass 250 PNU/mL and Kentucky blue grass 500 PNU/mL); two weeds (carelessweed 1,000 PNU/mL, great ragweed 500 PNU/mL) and one mould (Curvularia8,000 PNU/mL). TheTCwas not determined due to excessive reactivity at the lowest concentration tested (1,000 PNU/mL) for bahia and perennial rye grass. Eleven other allergens did not meet the criteria to establish aTCwhen evaluated at 30 min due to lack of positive reactions. Multiple allergens caused positive reactions in ≥10% of horses at 4 h. Reactions at 24 h were rare with the exception of one horse.

Conclusions and clinical importance

This study identified intradermalTCfor multiple pollen and mould allergens in horses. These values may prove useful for optimizing allergen concentrations forIDTof allergic horses.
Power–Velocity Process Design Charts for Powder Bed Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Clymer Daniel R. , Cagan Jonathan , Beuth Jack
Published: July 2017

A current issue in metal-based additive manufacturing (AM) is achieving consistent, desired process outcomes in manufactured parts. When process outcomes such as strength, density, or precision need to meet certain specifications, changes in process variable selection can be made to meet these requirements. However, the changes required to achieve a better part performance may not be intuitive, particularly because process variable changes can simultaneously improve some outcomes while worsening others. There is great potential to design the additive manufacturing process, tailoring process variables based on user requirements for a given part. In this work, the tradeoffs between multiple process outcomes are formalized and the design problem is explored throughout the design space of process variables. Based on user input for each process outcome considered, P–V (power–velocity) process design charts are introduced, which map the process space and identify the best combination of process variables to achieve a user's desired outcome.
A Study of Noise Generation on the E387, S823, NACA 0012, and NACA 4412 Airfoils for Use on Small-Scale Wind Turbines in the Urban Environment
Authors: Van Treuren Kenneth W. , Hays Andrew W.
Published: July 2017

Four airfoils typical to small-scale wind turbines were studied for noise generation: Eppler 387, NREL S823, NACA 0012, and NACA 4412. Wind tunnel sound pressure level (SPL) data were collected directly downstream of the airfoil for angles of attack from −10 deg to 25 deg and for Reynolds numbers from 50,000 to 200,000. Vertical and horizontal wake traverses define the extent of the noise generated. The data were analyzed by frequency and compared with a noise prediction from NREL AirFoil Noise (NAFNoise). The noise trends found can be applied to improve other airfoil selection when designing small-scale wind turbines.
Behavior of Geogrid-Reinforced Railroad Ballast Particles Under Different Loading Configurations During Initial Compaction Phase
Authors: Liu Shushu , Huang Hai , Qiu Tong
Published: July 2017

A railroad ballast or subballast layer is composed of unbound granular particles. The ballast/subballast initial compaction phase occurs immediately the construction or maintenance of a track structure is finished. The particles are densified into a more compact state after certain load repetitions. Geogrids are commonly used in railroad construction for reinforcement and stabilization. Currently heavy haul trains are increasing the loads experienced by the substructural layers, which changes behavior of reinforced granular particles. This paper presents a series of ballast box tests to investigate the behavior of geogrid-reinforced unbound granular particles with rectangular (BX) and triangular (TX) shaped geogrids during the compaction phase. Three types of tests were conducted: one without geogrid as a control, one with a sheet of rectangular shaped geogrid, and the other one with a sheet of triangular shaped geogrid. The geogrid was placed at the interface between subballast and subgrade layers. A half section of a railroad track structure consisting of two crossties, a rail, ballast, subballast and subgrade was constructed in a ballast box. Four wireless devices - “SmartRocks”, embedded underneath the rail seat and underneath the shoulder at the interface of ballast-subballast, and subballast-subgrade layers, respectively, to monitor particle movement under cyclic loading. The behavior of the unbound aggregates in the three sections under two different loading configurations were compared. The results indicated that the inclusion of the geogrid significantly decreased accumulated vertical displacement on the ballast surface, ballast particle translation and rotation under a given repeated loading configuration. The results also demonstrated the effectiveness of the SmartRock device and its potential for monitoring behavior of ballast particles in the field.
Organizational Culture
Authors: Schlesinger Dave
Published: July 2017

Much has been said and written about the role culture plays in the safety performance of organizations across all industries. Understanding that accidents cannot simply be blamed on those directly at fault, this paper explores organizational culture and the part it has played in contributing to the cause of rail and other transportation accidents. This paper also discusses the pivotal role of organization leaders in setting cultural norms and priorities that either bolster or hinder safety. Structure, budget, mission statement, and values, which are established by leaders, all demonstrate the importance of safety to employees and others.

At the same time, organizations focused on production run the very real risk of placing safety second. This is a particular concern with transportation providers who may be pressured to focus on performance and schedule adherence, at the cost of safety Recommendations for improvement of organizational culture are provided, with a focus on generally accepted best practices.
AC Cables Strengthening Railway Low Frequency AC Power Supply Systems
Authors: Abrahamsson Lars , Serrano Jimenez Daniel , Laury John , Bollen Math
Published: July 2017

In present-day railway power supply systems using an AC frequency lower than the one in the public power system of 50/60 Hz, high voltage overhead transmission lines are used as one measure of strengthening the railway power supply system grids. This option may be economically beneficial, compared to strengthening the grid purely by increasing the density of converter stations or increasing the cross section areas of the overhead catenary wires.

High voltage AC transmission lines in the railway power supply system allow larger distances between converter stations than would otherwise be possible for a given amount of train traffic. Moreover, the introduction of AC transmission lines implies reduced line losses and reduced voltage level fluctuations at the catenary for a given amount of train traffic.

However, due to the increased public and government resistance for additional overhead high voltage AC transmission lines in general, different alternatives will be needed for the future improvements and strengthening of railway power systems. For a more sustainable transport sector, the share and amount of railway traffic needs to increase, in which case such a strengthening becomes inevitable.

Earlier, usage of VSC-HVDC transmission cables has been proposed as one alternative to overhead AC transmission lines. One of the main benefits with VSC-HVDC transmission is that control of power flows in the railway power systems is easier and that less converter capacity may be needed. Technically, VSC-HVDC transmission for railway power systems is a competitive solution as it offers a large variety of control options. However, there might be other more economical alternatives reducing the overall impedance in the railway power system.

In public power systems with the frequency of 50/60 Hz, an excess of reactive power production in lowly utilized cables imposes an obstacle in replacing overhead transmission lines with cables. In low frequency AC railway power system, the capacitive properties are less significant allowing longer cables compared to 50/60 Hz power systems. Moreover, in converter-fed railways, some kind of reactive compensation will automatically be applied during low-load. At each converter station, voltage control is already present following the railway operation tradition.

Therefore, in this paper, we propose AC cables as a measure of strengthening low-frequency AC railway power systems. The paper compares the electrical performances of two alternative reinforcement cable solutions with the base case of no reinforcement. The options of disconnecting or toggling the cables at low load as well as the automatic reactive compensation by converter voltage control are considered. Losses and voltage levels are compared for the different solutions. Investment costs and other relevant issues are discussed.
Lessons Learned for CBTC Data Communications Subsystems Design and Deployment in a “Brown Field” Environment
Authors: Fitzmaurice Michael
Published: July 2017

The data communications subsystem or DCS is an important element of a CBTC system which supports the wired and wireless data communications between a CBTC equipped train and the wayside elements such as zone controllers and the automatic train supervisory (ATS) system.

A “brown field” environment (as opposed to “green field” environment) represents an existing transit system that is already in revenue service and is being re-signaled with a new CBTC system. Such an environment typically represent the most challenging deployment for CBTC a system as it must be installed, tested and integrated in such a manner as to not adversely impact the transit agencies’ ongoing revenue service. Usually, one of the first elements of a CBTC system to be designed and deployed is the DCS. This paper will examine some lessons learned related to the DCS design, deployment, testing and commissioning for CBTC projects in a “brown field” environment with a view to improving future CBTC projects.
Sensor Fusion of Wayside Visible and Thermal Imagery for Rail Car Wheel and Bearing Damage Detection
Authors: Deilamsalehy Hanieh , Havens Timothy C. , Lautala Pasi
Published: July 2017

Two major components of rolling stock that are always of great interest when it comes to maintenance and safety related issues are car wheels and bearings. Rail car wheels are subjected to a variety of damage types due to their interaction with the track and brakes. It is important for the rail industry to detect these defects and take proper action at an early stage, before more damage can be caused to the train or possibly the track and to prevent possible safety hazards. Different inspection sensors and systems, such as wheel impact monitors, wheel profile detectors, hotbox detectors and acoustic detection technologies, are employed to detect different types of wheel and bearing defects. Usually no single sensor can accurately detect all kinds of damages and hence a combination of different sensors and systems and manual inspection by experts is used for wheel maintenance purposes and to guarantee train safety. The more complete and accurate the automatic defect detections are, the less manual examination is necessary, leading to potential savings in inspection time/resources and rail car maintenance costs. Wayside thermal and visible spectrum cameras are one option for the automatic wheel and bearing inspection. Each of these sensors has their own strengths and weaknesses. There are some types of defects that are not detectable at an early stage in the images taken by a vision camera, however these defects generate a distinctive heat pattern on the wheel or bearing that is clearly visible in the thermal imagery. On the other hand, other damages might be detectable from the visible spectrum image, but not necessarily have a distinguishable heat pattern in the thermal imagery. Since a thermal image is basically built of solely temperature data, it excludes other critical information, such as texture or color. This makes thermal and visible spectrum imagery complementary and if the images are fused the result will benefit from the strengths of both sensors. In this paper, wavelet decomposition is employed to extract the features of the thermal and vision imagery. Then the two images are merged based on their decompositions and a fused image is composed. The resulting fused image contains more information than each individual image and can be used as an input for image-based wheel and bearing defect detection algorithms. To verify the proposed method and to show an example of this application, it is demonstrated on a real data set from a Union Pacific rail line to identify sliding wheels.
Effectiveness of Using SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study Data to Analyze Driver Behavior at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings
Authors: Dean Aaron , Lautala Pasi , Nelson David
Published: July 2017

Highway-rail grade crossing (crossing) collisions and fatalities have been in decline, but a recent ‘plateau’ has caused the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to concentrate on decreasing further casualties. The Michigan Tech Rail Transportation Program has been selected to perform a large-scale study that will utilize the SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) data to analyze how various crossing warning devices affect driver behavior and whether there are clear differences between the effectiveness of the warning devices.

The main results of this study are the development of a coding scheme for a visual narrative, used to validate machine vision head tracking data, and an improved baseline for the head tracking data using bivariate probability density. Head tracking data from the NDS and its correlation with coded narratives are vital to analyze driver behavior as they traverse crossings. This paper also presents preliminary results for the comparative analysis of the head tracking data from an initial test sample. Future work will extend the analysis to a larger data set, and ensure that use of the head tracking data is a viable tool for the ongoing behavior analysis work. Based on preliminary results from testing of the first data set, it is expected there will be significant positive correlation in future samples and the machine vision head tracking will prove consistent enough for use in the large scale behavioral study.
A Modular Energy Model for the Low Power Radio Domain in Linear-Topology Hybrid Technology Networking
Authors: Rakshit Sushanta Mohan , Hempel Michael , Sharif Hamid
Published: July 2017

The North American Freight Railroad industry has been exploring ways in which on-board real time or near real-time monitoring of important railcar components and cargo can be accomplished. This approach alleviates the danger from fast occurring catastrophic events like bearing failure, which is not always possible using the traditional wayside monitoring techniques. The use of Wireless Sensor Networks is a viable candidate technology that is being explored for this application. However, popular communication protocols based on IEEE 802.15.4 have been evaluated by the railroad industry and our lab, and were found to perform unacceptably for this application domain, among other reasons, as a consequence of the long linear chain-like network topology of a sensor network deployment on a train. Hybrid Technology Networking (HTN) protocol has been designed to address these issues. HTN structures the network as a communication hierarchy using multiple different network technologies. It allows small clusters to communicate internally using IEEE 802.15.4 and utilizes IEEE 802.11 as the inter-cluster transport method for data delivery over multiple hops to the locomotive. It aims to maximize the benefits afforded by each technology. Energy is a scarce resource in such networks and hence modeling it for energy analysis and optimization is vital. A model that accurately predicts the energy consumption of a particular network deployment is therefore of utmost necessity. However, most modelling efforts concentrate on network deployments utilizing only a single type of communication protocol and the structure of such deployments are often mesh-like. Also the existing modelling approaches tend to model the entire network as a single phenomenon, which is often not the case in network deployments such as those in the freight railroad scenario. It is also expensive to commission large network deployments to evaluate energy consumption profiles. The problem is compounded when this process has to be repeated for several different communication protocols and channel conditions. The task will be made economically viable and massively scalable with the use of a modular energy model. The philosophy behind our approach is to model the important and contributing constituents of the protocol within each node and also external to the node and then utilize inter-dependencies to connect the individual models. This work is the first step towards a modular energy model for the Hybrid Technology Network, and is also applicable to many other networking approaches. In this work we propose a model design that is capable of predicting the network behavior of nodes in a linear chain-like topology utilizing the ContikiMAC duty cycling protocol for multi-hop communication with the sink node. We have used channel emulation to test hardware nodes in a chain-like topology to validate the model predictions, and present our findings in this paper.
Yielding of complex liquid foams
Authors: Gorlier F. , Khidas Y. , Pitois O.
Published: July 2017

Foamy complex matter is increasingly encountered in various application fields. Whereas final functional properties of hardened foams have been widely investigated, rheology of complex foamy materials has received less attention. Here, we consider two different types of complex matter to be mixed with aqueous foam and we investigate the resulting yield stress, which is known to control both static and flow properties of foams: (1) A concentrated emulsion possessing intrinsic yield stress properties and (2) granular suspensions which are known to exhibit particle size effects when incorporated into foam. Yield stress of emulsion foams is found to be governed by both the Bingham-capillary number (i.e., the emulsion yield stress scaled by the bubble capillary pressure) and the volume fraction of interstitial emulsion. Foams made with small solid particles reveal granular packings confined between foam bubbles and the resulting yield stress is shown also to be governed by the Bingham-capillary number, here based on Mohr-Coulomb criterion applied to the interstitial granular material. Yield stress of foams made with large particles is well described by the theory developed from micromechanics of particle-loaded yield stress materials, suggesting that for such size ratios, foam can be considered as a continuous matrix. Within the range of intermediate size ratio values, the normalized foam yield stress undergoes an exponential decay that seems to be related to the number of bubbles separating neighboring particles. Finally, reported results are used to estimate the thicknesses of a foamed material, such as isolating foamed mortars, that can be deposited on vertical substrates.
CubeSat networks hasten shift to commercial weather data
Authors: Hand Eric
Published: July 2017

Two companies hope to sell atmospheric data to NOAA
A trans-Atlantic transparency gap on animal experiments
Authors: Wadman Meredith
Published: July 2017

As institutions in the United Kingdom and elsewhere publicize their research, many U.S. universities stay quiet
Tuning quantum nonlocal effects in graphene plasmonics
Authors: Lundeberg Mark B. , Gao Yuanda , Asgari Reza , Tan Cheng , Van Duppen Ben , Autore Marta , Alonso-González Pablo , Woessner Achim , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Hillenbrand Rainer , Hone James , Polini Marco , Koppens Frank H. L.
Published: July 2017

Plasmons probe the quantum response

Electronic systems are typically considered as classical Fermi liquids, and the quantum mechanical interactions and processes are usually only accessed at very low temperatures and high magnetic fields. Lundeberg
et al.
used tunable plasmons to probe the quantum response of the electron gas of graphene (see the Perspective by Basov and Fogler). They studied shape deformations of the Fermi surface during a plasmon oscillation, as well as many-body electronic effects.

Science
, this issue p.
187
; see also p.
132
How do miniproteins fold?
Authors: Woolfson Derek N. , Baker Emily G. , Bartlett Gail J.
Published: July 2017

A high-throughput study yields libraries of miniproteins that help to explain how proteins are stabilized
A multidirectional gravity-assist algorithm that enhances locomotor control in patients with stroke or spinal cord injury
Authors: Mignardot Jean-Baptiste , Le Goff Camille G. , van den Brand Rubia , Capogrosso Marco , Fumeaux Nicolas , Vallery Heike , Anil Selin , Lanini Jessica , Fodor Isabelle , Eberle Grégoire , Ijspeert Auke , Schurch Brigitte , Curt Armin , Carda Stefano , Bloch Jocelyne , von Zitzewitz Joachim , Courtine Grégoire
Published: July 2017

A robotic harness optimizing gravity-dependent gait interactions enables natural locomotion across activities of daily living in people with spinal cord injury or stroke.
Counting on carbon quantum dots to clear infection
Authors: Miller Miles A.
Published: July 2017

Carbon quantum dots safely treat corneal bacterial infection using their membrane-disrupting positive charge.
Wolbachia
wallops Zika
Authors: Miner Jonathan J.
Published: July 2017

Wolbachia
inhibits Zika virus replication.