bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple Tubing Cuts in One Run Improve Operational Efficiency
Authors: MacLeod Anthony
Published: February 2016

Objective/Scope

In this paper, the author presents a case story from the Middle East in which multiple tubing cuts were performed using a new, non-explosive, electric line (e-line) conveyed tool on the same run in the hole. As this was an outstanding achievement, never accomplished before in the region, the paper discusses the planning, the operation, the achievements and the lessons learned.

Methods, Procedures, Process

A common practice for workover operations is to remove the existing completion and replace it with a new completion, either the same or sometimes with improved components. One of the steps required to pull the completion in this case is a run to cut the production tubing in one or more places prior to pulling the completion from the wellbore. A common practice is the use of an e-line cutting tool. Conventionally the best practice for this e-line tubing cut operation is to keep the pipe/casing in tension while performing the required cuts. This practice prevents "pinching" of the cutting blades and ensures higher chance of a successful cut for the operation.

Results, Observations, Conclusions

An operator in the Middle East has experienced success in performing multiple tubing cuts in a single run on an offshore well using an e-line deployed electric over hydraulic cutting tool with tubing in compression.

Novel/Additive Information

Moreover the paper reviews test results from a new style of machining arms and discusses how this technology is enabling an operator to perform rigless cuts to eliminate the cost of rig time to be more efficient, safe and cost effective.
Optimization of Coiled Tubing (CT) Performance with the Use of Rapid Tapered Section
Authors: Lee J. , Yeung J. , Williams C. , Graham-Wright T. , Elliott K.
Published: February 2016

The focus of this work is to optimize coiled tubing string design for greater horizontal reach in unconventional wells using a more rapidly tapered section than historically available. The string design will encompass a single outer diameter with a tapered wall thickness, resulting in a tapered inner diameter.

Comparison of string properties will include modeling a traditional straight wall (mono-wall) string design compared to a traditional continuous taper (longer tapered sections) and two rapidly tapered sections. The tapering helps limit the weight of the final string, making ground transportation within North America more feasible using common reel sizes.

Outcomes of the modeling comparing the four string designs will be presented using commercially available software for tubing forces analysis, fatigue modeling and fluid dynamics. This modeling will be used to create a database of theoretical results for typical field applications and parameters with the aim of comparing results to actual field data, when available. At the time this manuscript was authored, production of a string with the preferred design is expected to be possible near the end of 2015.

By utilizing a tapered design, improved low-cycle fatigue life can be achieved in tapered designs compared to straight wall designs of the minimum wall thickness of the tapered design. The tapered design generally has more desirable mechanical limits compared to the straight wall designs while experiencing limited reduction in friction pressure (due to the tapered inner diameter).
Advancements in Fatigue Testing and Analysis
Authors: Reichert B. , Nguyen T. , Rolovic R. , Newman K.
Published: February 2016

Coiled tubing is now routinely used in operations at stress and strain levels that are significantly greater than prior experience. These operating conditions have identified limitations in both the fatigue models and their underlying fatigue test data. A new experimental fatigue test program was undertaken to extend the strain and stress range used in testing. The test plan was formulated in terms of three non-dimensional variables based on the five physical variables. Data binning the three indenedant variables allowed the development of a full factorial test plan. By using the coefficient of determination as a measure of goodness of fit it was possible to test different hypotheses, including eliminating one of the three three non-dimensional variables. This fact greatly simplified the analysis and understanding of the data, and offers the possibility of significantly reducing the number of fatigue tests required to develop accurate models. The dependence of fatigue life, diametrical growth, and fracture length on the remaining two non-dimentional variables, strain and normalized hoop stress, are shown graphically. The lessons learned in this program are used to make recommendations for future fatigue test programs.
Improved CT Well Cleanout and Milling Procedures Utilizing Only Non-Viscous Cleanout Fluids
Authors: Cano Valeriano , Cardona Walther Garcia , Murphy Christopher , de Araujo Marcio
Published: February 2016

The use of coiled tubing service in the shale market has been of great importance in the process of preparing O&G wells for production, mainly in the post-fracturing isolation plug milling and solids cleanout. The challenges that the coiled tubing (CT) industry has been facing are substantial and range from CT pipe manufacturing and related technical matter to logistic and operational conditions. The CT industry has worked relentlessly to remain competitive both in efficiency and economic terms in comparison with new competitive completion techniques.

Well cleanouts are by far the most common operation performed with coiled tubing on a worldwide basis and also one of the most complex operations due to the large amount of operational variables involved. The shale market experiences the very same scenario, and cleanout-milling activity is far from flawless. Substantial amounts of solids, mainly the heavier ones, remain in the wellbore after the cleanout operation is completed.

Some of the traditional and deeply rooted techniques utilized in well cleaning nowadays have their origins in drilling and work-over operations in vertical wells. Some new important techniques presented in this paper, primarily addressing operations in horizontal shale wells, helped to improve overall efficiency during cleaning-milling operations.

These new techniques involved advanced cleanout procedures coupled with the utilization of non- viscous fluids throughout the operation. Use of viscous fluids was completely eliminated from the operations and even for contingency plans in critical scenarios, such as high-drag or near-stuck conditions. When most of the wellbore clean out parameters were optimized, hole-cleaning performance was significantly better when eliminating viscous pills and controlling the chemical dosage.

This paper also describes the importance of proper plug milling/well cleanout and how this was attained. As milling and cleanout procedures have a direct influence on each other's performance, it is imperative first to optimize each one to maximize overall performance.

Likewise, other operational aspects are discussed here such as the importance of RIH/POOH speeds, bottom-hole assemblies (BHA), the effect of proper formation balance on the overall results and also the advantages of using non-viscous fluids from logistic, economic and environmental viewpoints.
Novel Abrasive Perforating with Acid Soluble Material and Subsequent Hydrajet Assisted Stimulation Provides Outstanding Results in Carbonate Gas Well
Authors: Chacon Alejandro , Fadul Jose Camilo , Noguera Jose
Published: February 2016

Abrasive perforating with coiled tubing (CT) has been an industry available technique for several decades now and has proven to be a valuable alternative to conventional perforating with electric line (e-line). The application is even more valuable whenever a high rate or fracture stimulation treatment is to follow because of the significant reduction in tortuosity and pumping friction losses across perforations. One of the primary drawbacks of this type of perforations is that it is a much lengthier process compared to conventional perforating, and it requires large amounts of fluids and additional CT runs in the well to complete. These drawbacks discourage the wide use of the technique for more conventional applications.

This paper discusses a novel approach to abrasive perforating with the first ever use of an acid soluble abrasive material ending with a hydrajet assisted nitrified stimulation. The primary advantage of this abrasive material is that there is no need for additional cleanout runs and changeover of tools, thus significantly reducing operational time and fluid volume. Just as well, the benefits of combining the enhanced connectivity to the reservoir and the hydrajet assisted stimulation were reflected in outstanding gas production results, which exceeded all expectations. And, finally, as an added benefit, given the nature of the focused stimulation, this type of treatment in specific cases can replace plug-and-perf (P&P) or multistage fracturing completions, thus eliminating operational risks and added completion costs.
Successful Core Drilling Project Using Coiled Tubing From a Riserless Light Well Intervention Vessel in a Norwegian Fjord.
Authors: Rojas Susana , Taggart Michael , Buset Per
Published: February 2016

This paper details the planning, design and execution of a successful project involving the core drilling of three wellbores using coiled tubing directional drilling along the future "RogFast" tunnel route on the Norwegian coast. The project obteined core samples to verify rock quality prior to the commencement of tunnel drilling.

The project required several new technologies and techniques to enable the collection of the core samples.

The combined use of surface and subsea coiled tubing injectors operated from a vessel in combination had not been attempted and therefore was an area of concern, which was addressed during the operation design phase.

Project planning included the theoretical analysis of the fatigue effects on the coiled tubing between the surface and the subsea injectors, requiring the development of a secondary injector control panel and several modifications to the vessel systems.

The project resulted in a successful drilling and coring operation without incident or environmental spill following many months of planning, job design and use of a highly skilled team during the operation.
Optimization of Single Trip Milling Using 2-Inch Coiled Tubing
Authors: Snyder Elizabeth , Noland Justin
Published: February 2016

Conventionally, the same best practices from coiled tubing cleanout interventions in vertical wells have been applied to horizontal wells; pumping a high volume of viscous gel sweeps and performing a number of wiper trips in an effort to remove debris from the wellbore. Very often this practice leaves a significant amount of solids behind as a result of inadequate fluid rheology, increasing not only the risks of the operation but the overall completion cost of the well, while falling short from accomplishing the main objective of the Coiled Tubing (CT) intervention.

With the added pressure of reduced oil prices, operators are looking for ways to increase efficiency and reduce cost. Larger diameter CT has recently been used to perform millouts due to its improved set-down force and increased annular velocities for cleanout purposes. Service companies and operators have reduced the amount of wiper trips when using larger diameter coil to save time and money. Milling efficiency using 2 inch CT can be drastically improved by maintaining proper fluid rheology throughout the operation. By doing so, 2 inch CT has been used to successfully perform single trip millouts reducing operational time by 40%.

This paper will provide an analysis of the theoretical process and time comparison of multiple verse single trip millouts using 2 inch CT. The fluid rheology required to adequately clean out horizontal wells relies on the effective utilization of chemicals and correct fluid control throughout a given operation.
Implementing a Multipurpose Tool Solution to Successfully Stimulate an Extended Reach Horizontal Power Water Injector
Authors: Eissa M. A. , Mehmood S. , Jassem H. M. , Barkat S. , Bal M. , Rivadeneira E. V. , Bragaw T. , O'Neal E.
Published: February 2016

As a result of the continuous development of drilling technology, more complex wells can be drilled to overcome reservoir challenges and reach target intervals. Over the last decade, innovative drilling techniques have enabled a significant increase in the number of multilaterals and extended-reach wells; this imposes new challenges regarding well accessibility for rigless intervention techniques, which has driven operators, manufacturing, and service companies to develop innovative strategies for servicing these fields.

In Saudi Arabia, one extended-reach power water injector (PWI) well was sidetracked to enhance injectivity. During the sidetrack, it was necessary to drill more than 1,000-psi overbalance due to the presence of high-pressure zones across the horizontal section, which resulted in formation damage on the low-pressure intervals. Based on this situation, a well intervention plan was considered which would use Coiled Tubing (CT) acid stimulation to remove the formation damage especially toward the end of the open-hole horizontal section.

This operation involved two particular challenges; the first of which was the CT reach across the open-hole section, especially when CT forces simulation predicted a maximum coverage of 50% of the target zone. The second challenge was implementing the proper jetting tool to be able to function with the combination of the downhole tractor and high rate acid stimulation to ensure penetration across the filter cake and remove formation damage in the entire target zone. In order to make this solution feasible a specially designed downhole tractor was engineered, manufactured and incorporated with a newly designed high pressure jetting tool to be able to have full functionality of the downhole tractor while still performing full high rate stimulation to penetrate the damaged zones.

This paper describes the combination of slim tractor and high-pressure jetting tool to conduct an effective acid stimulation job in an extended-reach PWI and have a CT reach of 98% instead of the predicted 50% reach in one of the major carbonate reservoirs in the Saudi Arabia. In addition, this paper provides design methodologies, best practices and industry lessons learnt from the experiences gained in the implementation of multi-purpose tool solution in Saudi Arabia.
First Use of Multiple Set and Release Barrier Plug Technology on E-Line
Authors: Langaker Hein Andre , Johansen Thomas Bergan , Robertsen Sveinung , Skretting Per Kristian
Published: February 2016

Wells that produce hydrocabons or provide injection into the reservoir may have a long life span and often require intervention, by wireline or coil tubing, in order to optimize the production rates and oil/water/gas ratio. Scenarios where the casing/tubing is deformed or contains depositions of materials like for example scale or sand provides a challenging environment for conventional plugs to seal and hold pressure.

This paper will provide insight into the field trial and development of a single run, multiple set barrier plug technology that was designed to mitigate the risks associated with conventional plug operations.

The plug and electric manipulation tool (EMT) was run on wireline in a deviated production well with gas lift and set at three different depths to verify the location of a leak and elimate that the leak was in the one of the side pocket mandrels (SPM). All of the operational features of the technology was tested on this one run, including the selective equalization method and the ability to latch on and off with the running tool.

In its first use the technology successfully verified that the leak was not in the SPMs and provided reliable data that shows that the ability to set and reposition a barrier multiple time can be useful in many applications as it improves operational efficiency and safety while at the same time reducing risk.
Effects of Perforated Flow Tube on the Flow Field of a Blowout Well
Authors: Hajidavalloo Ebrahim , Dehkohneh Saeed Alidadi
Published: February 2016

When a blowout oil/gas well catches fire, usually a flow tube is used to detach the fire from the wellhead and provide appropriate conditions for operating team members to approach the well and install the blowout-preventer (BOP) cap. Using the flow tube above the wellhead creates powerful suction around the tube that may jeopardize the safety of crew members. To reduce the power of suction around the well, a new perforated flow tube instead of simple flow tube was introduced. To understand the effect of this new type of flow tube, modeling and simulation of the flow field around the blowout well were performed for both simple and perforated types of flow tube with Fluent 6.3.26 (2003) and Gambit 2.3.16 (2003) softwares. Different parameters around the well mouth were compared in both designs. The results showed that using the perforated flow tube decreases the vacuum around the well by 33% compared with the simple flow tubes. Thus, application of the perforated flow tube can be recommended in well-control operations for safety measures.
The Potential Influence of the Microbiota and Probiotics on Women during Long Spaceflights
Authors: Urbaniak Camilla , Reid Gregor
Published: February 2016

Humans have been exploring space for almost 55 years but space travel comes with many psychological and physiological changes that astronauts have to adapt to, both during and post flight missions. Now, with the reality of such missions lasting years, maintaining proper health of the flight crew is a high priority. While conditions such as nausea, bone loss, renal calculi and depression have been recognized, and approaches to medical and surgical care in space considered, the influence of the microbiota could be of added significance in maintaining astronaut health. While probiotics have long been part of the Russian cosmonaut diet, their use for specific health concerns of women has not been assessed. In this article, we explore the ways in which the microbiome may influence the health of female astronauts during long space flights, and present a rationale for the use of probiotics.
Is Anti-Müllerian Hormone Associated with IVF Outcomes in Young Patients with Diminished Ovarian Reserve?
Authors: Pereira Nigel , Setton Robert , Petrini Allison C , Lekovich Jovana P , Elias Rony T , Spandorfer Steven D
Published: February 2016

Aim:

To investigate whether anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is associated with IVF cycle outcomes in young patients with diminished ovarian reserve.

Materials & methods:

Retrospective study of patients <35 years of age undergoing fresh IVF who had at least two 8-cell, day-3 embryos transferred with grades 1, 1.5 or 2. Patients were subgrouped, a priori, based on serum AMH levels: <1 or >1 ng/ml and <0.5 or >0.5 ng/ml.

Results:

In total, 1005 patients were included. Patients in the >1 ng/ml group required lesser gonadotropins compared with the <1 ng/ml and the <0.5 ng/ml group. More oocytes were retrieved from the same group compared with the latter two (p < 0.001). Despite these differences, the overall rates of clinical pregnancy, spontaneous abortion and live birth were comparable between the two groups.

Conclusion:

In patients with diminished ovarian reserve who have good quality embryos, AMH is not associated with clinical pregnancy, spontaneous miscarriage or live birth rates.
Shoulder Dystocia: Prediction and Management
Authors: Hill Meghan G , Cohen Wayne R
Published: February 2016

Shoulder dystocia is a complication of vaginal delivery and the primary factor associated with brachial plexus injury. In this review, we discuss the risk factors for shoulder dystocia and propose a framework for the prediction and prevention of the complication. A recommended approach to management when shoulder dystocia occurs is outlined, with review of the maneuvers used to relieve the obstruction with minimal risk of fetal and maternal injury.
How Ovarian Transplantation Works and How Resting Follicle Recruitment Occurs: A Review of Results Reported from One Center
Authors: Silber Sherman
Published: February 2016

Ovarian freezing and transplantation has garnered increasing interest as a potential way of preserving fertility in cancer patients. This special report aims to identify the success rate of frozen compared with fresh ovarian cortex transplantation (in one single series from one center for the sake of consistency), as well as potentially provides insight into the mechanism behind ovarian follicle recruitment. A comparison of fresh versus frozen transplantation techniques is presented, highlighting the similarity and differences between the fresh and frozen transplantation procedures. Much of the literature is scattered case reports with different patient populations and different techniques. This represents an effort to simplify and popularize an approach that has yielded favorable results (all cases recovered ovulation and 75% had successful spontaneous pregnancy) in one single, disciplined study.
Technologies for Assessment of Bone Reflecting Bone Strength and Bone Mineral Density in Elderly Women: An Update
Authors: Dhainaut Alvilde , Hoff Mari , Syversen Unni , Haugeberg Glenn
Published: February 2016

Reduced bone mineral density is a strong risk factor for fracture. The WHO's definition of osteoporosis is based on bone mineral density measurements assessed by dual x-ray absorptiometry. Several on other techniques than dual x-ray absorptiometry have been developed for quantitative assessment of bone, for example, quantitative ultrasound and digital x-ray radiogrammetry. Some of these techniques may also capture other bone properties than bone mass that contribute to bone strength, for example, bone porosity and microarchitecture. In this article we give an update on technologies which are available for evaluation primarily of bone mass and bone density, but also describe methods which currently are validated or are under development for quantitative assessment of other bone properties.
Assessment of ductile iron casting process with the use of the DRSA method
Authors: Kujawińska A. , Rogalewicz M. , Diering M. , Piłacińska M. , Hamrol A. , Kochańskib A.
Published: February 2016

The paper introduces a concept of assessment of a ductile iron casting
process with use of the rule-based approach, known as DRSA (dominance-based
rough set approach). The research was conducted in a large Polish foundry.
The collected data concern the chemical composition and mechanical properties
of the used ductile cast iron. In the paper, a methodology of creating a
rule-based moulding model for the tensile strength was proposed. The quality,
sensitivity and accuracy of the model extracted from the data were examined.
The studies proved its usefulness in the industrial practice and for aiding
of the decision making process.
Biomarkers in aortic dissection, including specific causes of troponin elevation
Authors: Koracevic Goran , Antonijevic Nebojsa , Cosic Vladan , Pavlovic Milan , Kostic Tomislav , Zdravkovic Marija , Cvetkovic Tatjana , Tomasevic Miloje , Ciric-Zdravkovic Snezana , Krstic Nebojsa , Damjanovic Miodrag
Published: February 2016

nema
Inverse trends of Campylobacter and Salmonella in Swiss surveillance data, 1988–2013
Authors: Schmutz Claudia , Mäusezahl Daniel , Jost Marianne , Baumgartner Andreas , Mäusezahl-Feuz Mirjam
Published: February 2016

Clinical isolates of Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. are notifiable in Switzerland. In 1995, Campylobacter replaced Salmonella as the most frequently reported food-borne pathogen. We analysed notification data (1988–2013) for these two bacterial, gastrointestinal pathogens of public health importance in Switzerland. Notification rates were calculated using data for the average resident population. Between 1988 and 2013, notified campylobacteriosis cases doubled from 3,127 to 7,499, while Salmonella case notifications decreased, from 4,291 to 1,267. Case notifications for both pathogens peaked during summer months. Campylobacter infections showed a distinct winter peak, particularly in the 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 winter seasons. Campylobacter case notifications showed more frequent infection in males than females in all but 20–24 year-olds. Among reported cases, patients’ average age increased for campylobacteriosis but not for salmonellosis. The inverse trends observed in case notifications for the two pathogens indicate an increase in campylobacteriosis cases. It appears unlikely that changes in patients’ health-seeking or physicians’ testing behaviour would affect Campylobacter and Salmonella case notifications differently. The implementation of legal microbiological criteria for foodstuff was likely an effective means of controlling human salmonellosis. Such criteria should be decreed for Campylobacter, creating incentives for producers to lower Campylobacter prevalence in poultry.
Are interest groups different in the factors determining landscape preferences?
Authors: Bacher Maria , Walde Janette F. , Pecher Caroline , Tasser Erich , Tappeiner Ulrike
Published: February 2016

In the last decades, rural landscape in Europe has evolved from an agricultural by-product to an important public good. This development creates not only new challenges to farming practices, it also makes participation and public involvement an indispensable tool for sustainable landscape planning. This is especially true for many European mountain regions, where tourism represents an important source of income and conflicts between locals’ and tourists’ interests should be avoided. In our study, we analyze whether discrepancies in the perception of the Alpine landscape can be located between locals and tourists and, if these differences exist, in which aspects these two groups are differing. A model employing three general factors able to describe landscape preferences regardless of the personal background is suggested and validated by confirmatory factor analysis. Our major finding shows that an attractive landscape for tourists does not have to be contradictory to a landscape that supports a high living quality for locals. Compromises in landscape planning between locals’ and tourists’ requirements seem often not to be necessary as they, generally, do not differ in the way they experience and assess the  landscape.
Co-composting of organic solid waste and sewage sludge – a waste management option for University Campus
Authors: Fei-Baffoe Bernard , Osei Kenneth , Agyapong Eric Appiah , Nyankson Eugene Atta
Published: February 2016

Co-composting organic solid waste with dewatered sewage sludge was carried out to determine its suitability for managing waste on a University campus. Windrow composting method was employed in which dewatered sewage sludge and organic solid waste were mixed at volume ratios: 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 0:1 and 1:0 sludge/organic solid waste. Parameters such as pH, percentage N, C, P, K, Ca, Mg, organic matter, ash content and C/N ratio were determined weekly. Total and faecal coliform population were measured biweekly with Pb and Cd levels determined at the beginning and end of the composting. With the exception of ratio 1:0 sludge/organic solid waste, all other ratios attained a favourable Carbon to Nitrogen (C/N) ratio both at the start and end of the composting process. Levels of major nutrients measured were found to be favourable for use as organic fertilizer. There was a general decline in carbon and organic matter in all the compost piles except the sewage sludge pile (1:0). Apart from the compost ratio 1:0 sludge/organic solid waste, all other ratios attained a temperature of 55°C within 8 days of composting. Generally the compost ratios 1:2, 1:3 and 0:1 (sludge/organic solid waste) were found to be the most suitable for use as organic fertilizer.     International Journal of Environment Vol. 5 (1) 2016,  pp: 14-31
Impact of climatic variability on durum wheat (Triticum durum L.) yields in North Western of Algeria
Authors: Baroudi Meterfi , Zerey Wael El , Bouiadjra Salaheddine Bachir
Published: February 2016

In semi arid region of the South West of the Mediterranean basin, low rainfall, and thermal fluctuations cause water stress situations affecting at different levels, with varying intensities, the development of durum wheat yields. This work aims to study the major climatic factors that determine water environment of durum wheat in its reproductive period and assess their trend related to yields of the grain. Comparing diagrams of Bagnoul and Gaussen, established for two periods (1913-1937 and 1977-2014), highlighted an increase in the duration of the dry season due to rising temperatures, especially summer and a decrease in volume of the seasonal rainfall involving therefore water stress during the reproductive phase of cereal. The analysis of water regime in the past three decades, for the months of March, April and May, through the application of the approach of UNESCO-FAO, highlighted a very large variability in intensity of water stress during grain development period during the last years and also the tendency of the spring season months to be more drought. This reflects the complexity of the selection for yield components in this region. International Journal of Environment Vol. 5 (1) 2016,  pp: 107-120
The development of sexuality in childhood in early learning settings: An exploration of early childhood educators' perceptions
Authors: Balter Alice-Simone , van Rhijn Tricia M. , Davies Adam W.J.
Published: February 2016

This study explored Ontario early childhood educators' (ECEs) experiences and perceptions about the development of sexuality during early childhood. Sixty-four educators completed an online survey with a mix of closed- and open-ended questions; quantitative data were used to provide descriptive statistics and qualitative data were interpreted using thematic analysis. The findings underscore that ECEs observe children expressing typical sexual behaviours in early learning settings. These behaviours include self-touching, those occurring during bathroom routines and play-time, and behaviours influenced from family experiences. Varying perspectives about the purpose of sexuality education in early childhood emerged; ECEs suggested that knowledge of self, families, and being able to answer children's questions should be key areas on which to focus. Participants also discussed concerns regarding childhood sexual development. Primary concerns included parental involvement, questioning the appropriateness of sexuality education in early childhood, and the need for more professional development. Many factors affected ECEs willingness to address the development of sexuality in their practice. When asked about workplace policies that could provide guidance, one-third of ECEs did not know if a policy existed, and a further 54% stated their workplace had no policy. These findings contribute new data on ECE perceptions about preschool sexuality education in a Canadian context. The development of curriculum and policy are suggested as ways to provide systematic guidance and protocols regarding sexual and gender development. Additional training in the area of childhood sexual development is suggested to increase ECEs' knowledge and skills in guiding the development of sexuality in childhood.
Rumble Strip Gaps for High-Speed Bicycles
Authors: O'Brien Sarah Worth , Jackson Kristy N. , Vosburgh Erik , Findley Daniel
Published: February 2016

Shoulder rumble strips (SRSs) are a proven safety countermeasure that reduces motor vehicle lane departures; however, they may be seen as an impediment to bicycle travel because they decrease comfort for bicyclists and can affect riders' control while bicycling. Existing literature provides recommendations for the placement of regular gaps in SRSs, but the supporting research is limited to low and moderate bicycle speeds. Roads with SRSs along long, steep grades present a unique set of risks for cyclists because of the possibility of higher bicycle speeds. This study evaluated how variations in SRS gap lengths and shoulder widths affected bicyclists' ability to maneuver through these gaps when riding at higher than average speeds. The findings suggest that as gap length increases, bicyclists may increase downhill speed while reporting fewer instances of discomfort when attempting to cross larger gaps. The likelihood of a bicyclist hitting a simulated rumble strip while crossing a gap decreases modestly as the gap size increases. Shoulder widths in excess of 4 ft do not appear to significantly influence bicyclists' capability of maneuvering across different gap lengths and had only a minor effect on bicyclists' speeds.
Design Guidance for Bicycle Lane Widths
Authors: Fees Chris A. , Torbic Darren J. , Bauer Karin M. , Van Houten Ron , Roseberry Nathan , LaPlante John
Published: February 2016

The objective of this research was to develop recommendations for bicycle lane width for various roadway and traffic characteristics. An observational field study involved installing temporary lane line markings to delineate bicycle lanes of varying width at midblock locations and then observing the lateral positioning of bicyclists and motorists within the roadway cross section. The final database from the field study included data for 4,965 bicyclists, 3,163 passing vehicles, and 994 parked vehicles. The primary findings of the study showed that a buffered bike lane provided distinct advantages over simply widening a bike lane and that as traffic volumes and truck percentages increased, bicyclists moved away from vehicles in the travel lane and positioned themselves closer to parked vehicles or the curb. General design guidance is provided along with recommended parking lane, buffer, bike lane, and travel lane widths most applicable to urban and suburban two-lane undivided roadways with constrained roadway width.
User Behavior and Perceptions at Intersections with Turning and Mixing Zones on Protected Bike Lanes
Authors: Monsere Christopher M. , Foster Nick , Dill Jennifer , McNeil Nathan
Published: February 2016

An acknowledged challenge with protected bike lanes in the United States is that even though the segment is separated from traffic, bicyclists must merge or interact with turning traffic at intersections unless all movements are signalized. This paper presents a comparison of five designs for protected bike lanes at intersections without bicycle signals. The designs represent ideas for how to mix and interact bicycles and motor vehicles. The designs communicate to road users how this interaction is to occur with lane striping, green pavement markings, shared lane-use markings (sharrows), and vertical flexpost delineators. The designs are divided into “mixing zones” and “turning zones with a through bike lane” for evaluation purposes. The paper compares and contrasts the designs with the use of observed user behavior (from 78 h of video analyzed, in which 6,082 bicyclists and 7,574 turning vehicles were observed) and self-reported behaviors and comprehension (from 1,245 nearby residents and 690 intercepted bicyclists). Overall, the evaluation suggests that there are benefits to clear demarcation of the entry to the merge zone for bicycles and cars and to creating a semiprotected through bicycle lane.
Factors Affecting Drivers' Ability to Detect Motorcycles during Daylight in a Simulated Environment
Authors: Shaheed Mohammad Saad , Marshall Dawn , Gkritza Konstantina
Published: February 2016

This paper investigates the effect of headlight type (daytime running lights, high beams, and modulating headlights) and rider color (bright yellow, blue denim, and black clothing and helmet) on the visual conspicuity of a motorcycle to younger (25 to 55 years old) and older drivers (65 and older) of a passenger vehicle in simulated urban and rural environments. Thirty-six participants completed two study drives on the National Advanced Driving Simulator-2. During the drives, participants were presented with six oncoming motorcycles and three leading parked motorcycles, each with a different combination of rider color and headlight type. Participants indicated when each motorcycle was first visible to them by pressing a button on the steering wheel of the driving simulator for different combinations of rider colors and headlight types. Detection distances from the motorcycles to the participant vehicles were recorded and analyzed. Repeated measures of analysis of variance indicated significant main effects of headlight types as well as interaction effects between rider color and headlight type for oncoming motorcycles. Results also revealed significant main effects of driving environments and rider color, and interaction effects among the driving environments, rider color, and age groups of the participants for leading motorcycles. The results revealed the importance of using a modulating headlight and wearing a bright helmet and clothing while riding motorcycles to increase motorcycle conspicuity. These findings can be put into practice in the design of motorcycle conspicuity-related campaigns and interventions, such as encouraging riders to use modulating headlights and to wear appropriate clothing.
Exploratory Analysis of Motorcycle Incidents Using Naturalistic Riding Data
Authors: Williams Vicki H. , McLaughlin Shane B. , Williams Sherry L. , Buche Tim
Published: February 2016

This paper introduces the preliminary categorization of motorcycle crash data collected from 100 riders as they rode for a period between 2 months and 2 years. These riders resided in California, Florida, Virginia, and Arizona, and both video and motorcycle kinematic data were collected for every ride. The videos of incidents were reviewed, and the events were described with motorcycle-specific categories for event severity, event nature, incident type, precipitating event, rider reaction, and postmaneuver control. Within the data set of more than 38,000 trips, 22 incidents defined as crashes (involving 18 riders) were identified and categorized. The majority of the crashes (15) were single-vehicle, low-speed crashes. Of the remaining crashes, one was a single-vehicle (higher speed) crash, two were rear-end collisions, and four involved one vehicle turning into or across the path of another at an intersection. Rider response to the precipitating event for more than half of the crashes involved no visible front braking or lateral input. Most crashes occurred within 20 min of the beginning of a trip, during daylight, and in favorable weather conditions. There was no overriding hypothesis implying a relationship of crash occurrence to a specific demographic group in terms of location, age, gender, or motorcycle class. This research applied motorcycle incident categorization to 22 crashes. The categorization terminology and definitions are also applicable to near-crashes. This information is useful in providing an unbiased understanding of what occurs during such incidents and offering a basis for the structured cataloging of crashes, as well as future categorization of near-crashes and crash-relevant events.
Can Time Proximity Measures be Used as Safety Indicators in All Driving Cultures?
Authors: Tageldin Ahmed , Sayed Tarek , Wang Xuesong
Published: February 2016

Limitations associated with traditional collision-based safety analysis techniques led to a growing interest in the use of surrogate safety measures such as the traffic conflict technique. This interest was facilitated by advances in automated video-based data collection methods that helped to overcome the reliability issues associated with manual collection of data on traffic conflicts. Various objective conflict indicators that measure various spatial and temporal aspects of user proximity are available to measure the severity of traffic events. These time-proximity conflict measures assume that proximity is a surrogate for conflict severity. However, this assumption may not be valid in many driving environments. The objective of this paper is to investigate whether time-proximity conflict measures can be a good indicator of safety in less-organized traffic environments with highly mixed road users. A case study of motorcycle conflicts in a highly congested shared intersection in Shanghai, China, was used as a case study. Traffic conflicts were analyzed with the use of automated video-based analysis techniques. Several traffic conflict indicators designed to detect evasive actions, such as deceleration, jerk, and yaw rate, were recommended as better able to measure traffic conflicts in such traffic environments. The results showed that indicators that measured evasive actions had higher potential to identify motorcycle conflicts in highly mixed, less-organized traffic environments than did time-proximity measures such as the time to collision.
Animal Welfare: A Social Networks Perspective
Authors: Kleinhappel Tanja K. , John Elizabeth A. , Pike Thomas W. , Wilkinson Anna , Burman Oliver H.P.
Published: February 2016

Social network theory provides a useful tool to study complex social relationships in animals. The possibility to look beyond dyadic interactions by considering whole networks of social relationships allows researchers the opportunity to study social groups in more natural ways. As such, network-based analyses provide an informative way to investigate the factors influencing the social environment of group-living animals, and so has direct application to animal welfare. For example, animal groups in captivity are frequently disrupted by separations, reintroductions and/or mixing with unfamiliar individuals and this can lead to social stress and associated aggression. Social network analysis of animal groups can help identify the underlying causes of these socially-derived animal welfare concerns. In this review we discuss how this approach can be applied, and how it could be used to identify potential interventions and solutions in the area of animal welfare.
Yield and water productivity of mustard under sprinkler and basin irrigation systems
Authors: Mila AJ , Akanda AR , Biswas SK , Sarkar PK , Pervin S
Published: February 2016

Field experiment was conducted during two consecutive years (2011-12 and 2012-13) to investigate the yield and water productivity (WP) of mustard (BARI Sarisha-14 variety) using sprinkler irrigation. There were six irrigation treatments (sprinkler irrigation at vegetative (T1), pre-flowering (T2) and pod formation (T3) stage, sprinkler irrigation at vegetative and pod formation stage (T4), sprinkler irrigation at pre-flowering and pod formation stage (T5); and basin irrigation at vegetative, pre-flowering, and pod formation stage (T6) (farmers practice). Results indicate that yield and yield components responded positively against different soil moisture regime. The significant highest yield (1.41 and 1.37 t/ha) was obtained by applying basin irrigation at three growth stages, with no statistical difference in yield (1.38 and 1.34 t/ha) with the application of sprinkler irrigation at vegetative and pod formation stages. Vegetative stage was the most critical stage to sprinkler irrigation and pod formation is the next most sensitive stage for mustard cultivation. Sprinkler irrigation can save more than 65 and 35 % of water with the yield reduction of 12.96 and 2.16%, respectively, in treatment T1 and T4 compared to treatment T6. These treatments (T1 and T4) also gave higher water productivity, irrigation water productivity, and net revenue than treatment T6. The results will be helpful for policy planning regarding efficient irrigation and water management under water scarce situation.Bangladesh J. Sci. Res. 28(2): 137-149, Dec-2015
Assessment of socio-economic resilience against coastal disasters in Sandwip island of Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Md Ashraful , Hassan SM Kamrul , Naime Md Abu , Hossain Md Shakhawat , Rahman Md Mostafizur , Peas Mehedi Hasan
Published: February 2016

A study was conducted to unveil the socio-economic resilience of coastal communities through questionnaire survey in 14 Unions of Sandwip island against climate related disasters. Four indicators, namely (i) demography and health, (ii) living conditions, (iii) economic status and (iv) education and awareness along with 12 variables were adopted for the resilience study. The integrated resilience scores varied from 2.17 to 4.12 where almost all of the Unions have fallen into moderate category, with two at the top (e.g., Musapur and Gachhua) and two at bottom of resilience (Azimpur and Digghapar). This pragmatic approach would be beneficial for the coastal planner and decision makers to take necessary initiatives for disaster risk reduction and adaptation in a coastal community.Bangladesh J. Sci. Res. 28(2): 161-170, Dec-2015
Arsenic accumulation in crops in relation to their water requirement
Authors: Sultana Sharmin , Rashid Md Harunur , Huq SM Imamul
Published: February 2016

A pot experiment was conducted to study the transfer of arsenic (As) from soil to plant and to know the relation between arsenic accumulation and water requirement. The plants BR-29, BR-28, Red amaranthus (Lalshak) and Ipomoea aquatica (Kalmishak) were selected for this experiment. The control pots were irrigated with tap water and the treatment pots were irrigated with arsenic contaminated water. Different plant parts such as roots, straw, leaf and seeds of rice and roots, shoots, leaves of Lalshak and Kalmishak were analyzed. It was found that arsenic concentration was higher in the plants that were irrigated with arsenic contaminated water. Maximum arsenic concentration was found in roots and the minimum in leaves. The arsenic accumulation depended on the type of crops and varieties. The present study revealed that arsenic accumulation is higher in those plants that have higher water requirement. BR-29 needs more water than BR-28 and as a result BR-29 accumulated more arsenic than BR-28. Similarly Ipomoea aquatica accumulated more arsenic than Red amaranthus. From the experiment it was concluded that if irrigation is continued with arsenic contaminated water for a long time, arsenic may enter into the food chain beyond permissible limit and may cause human health risk.Bangladesh J. Sci. Res. 28(2): 171-180, Dec-2015
Evapotranspiration loss of water from rice and wheat plants grown in sand and sandy soil in bottom closed earthen pots under gravity irrigation system
Authors: Rahman Md Khalilur
Published: February 2016

Abstract not availableBangladesh J. Sci. Res. 28(2): 181-184, Dec-2015