bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fatigue performance of tubular X-joints: Numerical investigation
Authors: Thang Nguyen Chien , Xudong Qian , Lan Ton That Hoang
Published: September 2014

The cyclic actions due to waves, currents and winds on offshore platforms frequently cause fatigue cracks at hot-spot locations. The remaining fatigue life of such connections depends significantly on the fatigue driving force often measured by the stress-intensity factors. This study examines the fatigue performance of tubular joints fabricated using a new type of enhanced partial joint penetration weld details under constant-amplitude brace in-plane bending actions. The numerical study ascertains the crack propagation angle, the crack-front profile and the interaction between adjacent cracks on the stress-intensity factors.
Static and dynamic analyses of stiffened folded laminate composite plate
Authors: Binh Bui Van , Thinh Tran Ich , Tu Tran Minh
Published: September 2014

This paper presents some numerical results of bending and vibration analyses of an unstiffened and stiffened folded laminate composite plate using finite element method. The effects of fiber orientations, boundary conditions, stiffener conditions of the plates for deflections, natural frequencies, and the corresponding mode shapes, transient displacement responses were considered. The Matlab programming using rectangular isoparametric plate element with five degree of freedom per node based on Mindlin plate theory was built to solve the problems. A good agreement is found between the results of this technique and other published results available in the literature.
Dynamic reduction method for frame structures
Authors: S. Gan Buntara , Nguyen-Dinh Kien , Kurata Mitsuharu , Nouchi Eiji
Published: September 2014

This paper proposes a new method for reducing MDOF (Multi Degree of Freedom) system of frame structures into SDOF (Single Degree of Freedom) system and recovering back the results of dynamic analysis from the SDOF to the MDOF system.In most of dynamic condensation methods, the reduction of MDOF into an SDOF system is usually done by means of modal analysis. As a result, simplification against the MDOF is made forward-wise and not reversible. In other words, after the responses of SDOF system evaluated by the modal and dynamic analyses, then it is not possible to recover back the responses of the other condensed degree of freedoms accurately. In the new Strain Reduction Method, displacement and rotational DOFs of all nodal points in the frame structures except an arbitrarily selected representative node are transformed into their strains field before the reduction process. By adopting previous authors’ work in improving the dynamic reduction method, small order in magnitude of strains field can be separated as secondary DOFs, hence leaving the representative node as an SDOFsystem. After conducting dynamic analysis to the SDOF system, the time historical responses of the SDOF system can be used to recover back the time historical responses in the MDOF system of frame structures with negligible error.
Short Communication: Weighted dual approach to the problem of equivalent replacement
Authors: Anh N. D.
Published: September 2014

The problem of equivalent replacement plays a basic role in many fields of science and technology. In the classical approach the original object A is to be replaced by an equivalent object kB using the mean square minimum criterion. When the difference between A and kB is significant the replacement leads to unaccepted errors. In order to reduce the errors one may apply the dual approach. One of significant advantages of the dual conception is its consideration of two different aspects of a problem in question allowing the investigation to be more appropriate. The main idea of this short communication is to propose a special form of weighted dual mean square criterion. Numerical results are carried out for linear and nonlinear systems to show an improved accuracy of the proposed criterion.
Monitoring breathing cracks of a beam-like bridge subjected to moving vehicle using wavelet spectrum
Authors: Nguyen Khoa Viet
Published: September 2014

In this paper a wavelet spectrum technique for monitoring the breathing crack phenomenon of a beam-like bridge subjected to moving vehicle is presented. The stiffness of element with a breathing crack is modeled as a time dependent stiffness matrix using the finite element method. The stiffness matrix of the structure at each moment depends on the curvature of the structure at the crack position. The breathing crack phenomenon can be detected by analysing the instantaneous frequency (IF) of the system using the wavelet spectrum. When the crack depth is large, the crack area might be determined by the significant peak in the IF. The simulation results show that when the crack “breaths” the amplitude of the vibration obtained from the vehicle is smaller than in the case of an open crack. This is a warning when using the amplitude of the dynamic response to estimate the crack depth when there is a breathing crack in the structure. Therefore, it is important to distinguish the open crack and breathing crack to obtain a more accurate estimation of the crack depth. The results showed that crack with a depth as small as 10% of the beam height can be detected by the method. The proposed method can be applied with a noise level up to 10%.
Change in mode shape nodes of multiple cracked bar: I. The theoretical study
Authors: Khiem Nguyen Tien , Toan Le Khanh , Khue Nguyen Thi Linh
Published: September 2014

In present paper change in position of mode shape nodes induced by multiple cracks in bar is studied with purpose to use for the multiple crack detection from measured mode shape nodes. First, there is derived an explicit expression for natural modes in axial vibration of multiple cracked bar that allows obtaining exact positions of the node in the case of single and double crack. The change in mode shape nodes induced by multiple cracks provides an important indicator for crack localization in bar. Finally, a procedure for multiple crack detection by using mode shape nodes has been proposed and examined in an example of application.
Estimating effective conductivity of unidirectional transversely isotropic composites
Authors: Kien Nguyen Trung , Luat Nguyen Van , Chinh Pham Duc
Published: September 2014

Three-point correlation bounds are constructed on effective conductivity of unidirectional composites, which are isotropic in the transverse plane. The bounds contain, in addition to the properties and volume proportions of the component materials, three-point correlation parameters describing the micro-geometry of a composite, and are tighter those obtained in [1]. The bounds, applied to some disordered and periodic composites, keep inside the numerical homogenization results obtained by Fast Fourier method.
Measurements of single-phase and two-phase flows in a vertical pipe using ultrasonic pulse Doppler method and ultrasonic time-domain cross-correlation method
Authors: Nguyen Tat Thang , Kikura Hiroshige , Duong Ngoc Hai , Murakawa Hideki , Tsuzuki Nobuyoshi
Published: September 2014

Ultrasonic Velocity Profile (UVP) method for measurement of single-phase and two-phase flow in a vertical pipe has recently been developed in the Laboratory for industrial and Environmental Fluid Dynamics, Institute of Mechanics, VAST. The signal processings of the UVP method include the ultrasonic pulse Doppler method (UDM)and the ultrasonic time-domain cross-correlation (UTDC) method. For two-phase flow, simultaneous measurements of both liquid and gas are enabled by using a multi-wave ultrasonic transducer (multi-wave TDX). The multi-wave TDX is able to emit and receive ultrasound of two different center frequencies of 2 MHz and 8 MHz at the same time and position. 2 MHz frequency with beam diameter 10 mm is exploited for measurement of gas. 8 MHz one with beam diameter 3 mm is used for liquid. Measurements have been carried out for laminar and turbulent single-phase flows and bubbly counter-current two-phase flows in two flow loops using two vertical pipes of 26 mm inner diameter (I.D.) and 50 mm I.D. respectively. Based on the measured results, assessment of each method is clarified. Applicability of each method for different conditions of pipe flow has been tested. Suggestions for application of the two methods have been recommended.
A method of skin frictional resistant reduction by creating small bubbles at bottom of ships
Authors: Tuan Phan Anh , Huong Pham Thi Thanh , Quang Vu Duy
Published: September 2014

Most of ship energy consumption spends for its propulsive device to create a propulsive force that helps the ship to win its resistant force to move forward or backward.The ship resistant is including skin frictional resistant force, wave-making resistant force and wind resistant force. This paper mentions to a method of skin frictional resistant reduction by creating small bubbles at bottom of ships. When a ship moves on/underwater surface, for skin resistant force to be generated, the ship must be in contact with the water. Skin frictional resistant force is generated by the difference in velocity between the ship and the water. Frictional resistant force will act in the direction opposite to the direction of motion of the ship. The method of skin frictional resistant reduction is injecting air flows to creating small bubbles into the turbulent boundary layer developing on the ship skin. Research found that this method may reduce ship energy consumption.This method could be applied to large ships with not high speed movement. A model ship that is scaled 1/33 of a 20000 ton cargo ship had been created for carrying out experiments in calm water and in regular wave conditions. Authors found that the highest effect from creating small bubble method on reduction ship energy consumption in calm water is 15.3% and in regular wave is 10.3%.
Nonlinear buckling and post-buckling of eccentrically stiffened functionally graded cylindrical shells surrounded by an elastic medium based on the first order shear deformation theory
Authors: Dung Dao Van , Nga Nguyen Thi
Published: September 2014

In this paper, the nonlinear buckling and post-buckling of an eccentrically stiffened cylindrical shell made of functionally graded materials, surrounded by an elastic medium and subjected to mechanical compressive loads and external pressures are investigated by an analytical approach. The cylindrical shells are reinforced by longitudinal and circumferential stiffeners. The material properties of cylindrical shells are graded in the thickness direction according to a volume fraction power-law distribution. The nonlinear stability equations for stiffened cylindrical shells are derived by using the first order shear deformation theory and smeared stiffeners technique. Closed-form expressions for determining the buckling load and load-deflection curves are obtained. The effectiveness of stiffeners in enhancing the stability of cylindrical shells is shown. The effects of volume fraction indexes, material properties, geometrical parameters and foundation parameters are analyzed in detail.
Construction of bounds on the effective shear modulus of isotropic multicomponent materials
Authors: Dong Vu Lam , Chinh Pham Duc
Published: September 2014

In our previous paper, we constructed bounds on the effective bulk modulus of isotropic multicomponent composites using minimum energy principles and modified Hashin-Shtrikman polarization trial fields. In this paper, following the variational approach, we construct more sophisticated bounds on the effective shear modulus. Applications to particular models are presented.
Dynamic analysis of Mindlin plates on viscoelastic foundations under a moving vehicle by CS-MIN3 based on C0-type higher-order shear deformation theory
Authors: Trung Nguyen Thoi , Phuc Phung Van , Anh Tran Viet , Chan Nguyen Tran
Published: September 2014

A cell-based smoothed three-node Mindlin plate element (CS-MIN3) based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) was recently proposed to improve the performance of the existing three-node Mindlin plate element (MIN3) for static and dynamic analyses of Mindlin plates. In this paper, the CS-MIN3 is extended to the C0-type higher-order shear deformation plate theory (C0-HSDT) and incorporated with damping-spring systems for dynamic analyses of Mindlin plates on the viscoelastic foundation subjected to a moving vehicle. The plate-foundation system is modeled as a discretization of triangular plate elements supported by discrete springs and dashpots at the nodal points representing the viscoelastic foundation. A two-step process for transforming the weight of a four-wheel vehicle into loads at nodes of elements is presented. The accuracy and reliability of the proposed method is verified by comparing its numerical solutions with those of others available numerical results. A parametric examination is also conducted to determine the effects of various parameters on the dynamic response of the plates on the viscoelastic foundation subjected to the moving vehicle.
Nonlinear static and dynamic buckling of eccentrically stiffened functionally graded cylindrical shells under axial compression surrounded by an elastic foundation
Authors: Nam Vu Hoai , Phuong Nguyen Thi , Bich Dao Huy , Dung Dao Van
Published: September 2014

This paper presents an analytical approach to investigate the nonlinear buckling of imperfect eccentrically stiffened functionally graded thin circular cylindrical shells subjected to axial compression and surrounded by an elastic foundation. Based on the classical thin shell theory with the geometrical nonlinearity in von Karman-Donnell sense, initial geometrical imperfection, the smeared stiffeners technique and Pasternak’s two-parameter elastic foundation, the governing equations of eccentrically stiffened functionally graded cylindrical shells are derived. The functionally graded cylindrical shells are reinforced by homogeneous ring and stringer stiffener system on internal and (or) external surface. The resulting equations are solved by the Galerkin method to obtain the explicit expression of static critical buckling load, post-buckling load-deflection curve and nonlinear dynamic motion equation. The nonlinear dynamic responses are found by using fourth order Runge-Kutta method. The dynamic critical buckling loads of shells are considered for step loading of infinite duration and linear-time compression. The obtained results show the effects of foundation, stiffeners and input factors on the nonlinear buckling behavior of these structures.
Fuzzy analysis of laterally-loaded pile in layered soil
Authors: Anh Pham Hoang
Published: September 2014

A fuzzy finite-element method for analysis of laterally loaded pile in multi-layer soil with uncertain properties is presented. The finite-element formulation is established using a beam-on-two-parameter foundation model. Uncertainty propagation of the soil parameters to the pile response is evaluated by a perturbation technique. This approach requires a few number of classical finite-element equations to be solved and provides reasonable results. A comparison with vertex method is made in a numerical example.
Temperature is the evil twin: effects of increased temperature and ocean acidification on reproduction in a reef fish
Authors: Miller G. M. , Kroon F. J. , Metcalfe S. , Munday P. L.
Published: September 2014

Reproduction in many organisms can be disrupted by changes to the physical environment, such as those predicted to occur during climate change. Marine organisms face the dual climate change threats of increasing temperature and ocean acidification, yet no studies have examined the potential interactive effects of these stressors on reproduction in marine fishes. We used a long‐term experiment to test the interactive effects of increased temperature and CO2 on the reproductive performance of the anemonefish, Amphiprion melanopus. Adult breeding pairs were kept for 10 months at three temperatures (28.5°C [+0.0°C], 30.0°C [+1.5°C] and 31.5°C [+3.0°C]) cross‐factored with three CO2 levels (a current‐day control [417 μatm] and moderate [644 μatm] and high [1134 μatm]) treatments consistent with the range of CO2 projections for the year 2100. We recorded each egg clutch produced during the breeding season, the number of eggs laid per clutch, average egg size, fertilization success, survival to hatching, hatchling length, and yolk provisioning. Adult body condition, hepatosomatic index, gonadosomatic index, and plasma 17β‐estradiol concentrations were measured at the end of the breeding season to determine the effect of prolonged exposure to increased temperature and elevated CO2 on adults, and to examine potential physiological mechanisms for changes in reproduction. Temperature had by far the stronger influence on reproduction, with clear declines in reproduction occurring in the +1.5°C treatment and ceasing altogether in the +3.0°C treatment. In contrast, CO2 had a minimal effect on the majority of reproductive traits measured, but caused a decline in offspring quality in combination with elevated temperature. We detected no significant effect of temperature or CO2 on adult body condition or hepatosomatic index. Elevated temperature had a significant negative effect on plasma 17β‐estradiol concentrations, suggesting that declines in reproduction with increasing temperature were due to the thermal sensitivity of reproductive hormones rather than a reduction in energy available for reproduction. Our results show that elevated temperature exerts a stronger influence than high CO2 on reproduction in A. melanopus. Understanding how these two environmental variables interact to affect the reproductive performance of marine organisms will be important for predicting the future impacts of climate change.
Understanding Global and Historical Nutrient Use Efficiencies for Closing Maize Yield Gaps
Authors: Ciampitti Ignacio A. , Vyn Tony J.
Published: September 2014

Global food security must address the dual challenges of closing yield gaps (i.e., actual vs. potential yield) while improving environmental sustainability. Nutrient balance is essential for achieving global food security. Historical (in distinct “Eras” from late 1800s to 2012) and geographical (in United States vs. remainder of World) changes in maize (Zea mays L.) grain yields and plant nutrient content (N, P, and K) were characterized from studies (>150) with known plant densities. At the community scale, greater yield to nutrient content ratios (physiological efficiency, PE) were documented for United States vs. World. The U.S. historical trend displayed increasing gains for community‐scale yield and nutrient uptake, except for a recent decline attributed to weather. At the individual‐plant scale, geographic PE differences over time were primarily explained by changes in yield, and secondarily by nutrient content changes. Despite wide variation, high‐yield maize in both geographies was associated with balanced N/P (5:1) and N/K (1:1) ratios. More scope exists for maize nutrient PE gains in developing regions. Achieving balanced nutrition in optimally integrated soil‐crop management cropping systems will facilitate simultaneous realization of high‐yield and bio‐fortification goals in maize improvement efforts.
A Stochastic Approach for Predicting the Profitability of Bioenergy Grasses
Authors: Dolginow Joseph , Massey Raymond E. , Kitchen Newell R. , Myers David B. , Sudduth Kenneth A.
Published: September 2014

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) have potential to meet a growing demand for renewable energy feedstock. Before producers will invest in planting these crops, they need credible estimations of the potential profits. The objective of this study was to examine profitability of growing these perennial bioenergy grasses, incorporating uncertain prices and yields in the model. The model compared the profitability of five crops {switchgrass, miscanthus, corn [Zea mays L.], soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and tall fescue pasture [Festuca arundinacea]} on three soil profiles common in northeastern Missouri: an upland, noneroded soil, an eroded soil, and floodplain soil. The effect of the USDA Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) and crop insurance on the decision to grow switchgrass and miscanthus was analyzed. Actual grain yields, Agricultural Land Management Alternatives with Numerical Assessment Criteria (ALMANAC) modeled grass yields, and Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) baseline prices were used to simulate profit. The results were compared using cumulative distribution functions (CDFs). Corn production was always chosen by decision makers of all risk attitudes to other crops. Miscanthus was always more profitable than switchgrass. Based on the CDFs, perennial bioenergy grasses were more likely to be planted in eroded soils currently in pasture production; however, there were scenarios in which they could be planted on eroded cropland currently planted to soybean. Lastly, crop insurance for corn and soybean could affect the decision to plant perennial bioenergy grasses for risk averse producers.
Comparative Growth Analysis of Cool‐ and Warm‐Season Grasses in a Cool–Temperate Environment
Authors: Belesky David P. , Fedders James M.
Published: September 2014

Using both cool‐season (C3) and warm‐season (C4) species is a viable means of optimizing herbage productivity over varying climatic conditions in temperate environments. Despite well‐documented differences in water, N, and radiation use, no consistent evidence demonstrates productivity differences among C3 and C4 perennial grass species under identical management. A field study was conducted to determine relative growth rates (RGR), nitrogen productivity (NP), and mean radiation productivity (RP) (dry matter production as a function of incident radiation) of cool‐ and warm‐season grasses managed identically. Results were used to identify management practices that could lead to optimal productivity in combinations or mixtures of cool‐ and warm‐season grasses. Dry matter yields of warm‐season grasses equaled or surpassed those of cool‐season grasses, despite a 40% shorter growth interval. Certain cool‐ and warm‐season grasses appear to be suitable for use in mixtures, based on distribution of herbage production; however, actual compatibility may be altered by defoliation management. Relative growth rates varied among years and were about 40% lower for canopies clipped to a 10‐cm residue height each time 20‐cm of growth accumulated compared with other treatments. The RGR of warm‐season grasses was twice that of cool‐season grasses. Nitrogen productivity (g DM g−1 N d−1) and mean radiation productivity (g DM MJ−1) for warm‐season grasses was also more than twice that of cool‐season grasses. Radiation productivity of cool‐season grasses was dependent on N, while this was not always the case for warm‐season grasses. The superior production capability of certain warm‐season compared with cool‐season grasses in a cool–temperate environment can be sustained under a range of defoliation treatments and demonstrates suitability for use in frequently defoliated situations.
A Case with Atypical Clinical Course Diagnosed as Osteoarthritis, Osteonecrosis, Subchondral Insufficiency Fracture, or Rapidly Destructive Coxopathy
Authors: Nakamura Yukio , Kamimura Mikio , Mukaiyama Keijiro , Ikegami Shota , Uchiyama Shigeharu , Kato Hiroyuki
Published: September 2014

Osteonecrosis (ON), subchondral insufficiency fracture (SIF), and rapidly destructive coxopathy (RDC) are considered to be clinically different disorders despite exhibiting several overlapping features. We encountered an elderly female patient with an atypical clinical course who was radiographically diagnosed as having osteoarthritis (OA), ON, SIF, and/or RDC over a long-term follow-up. In this case, radiographic diagnosis was apparently affected by the timing of imaging evaluation and was challenging because of radiographic overlap and atypical disease progression. The disorders of OA, SIF, ON, and RDC might share a similar pathophysiology.
Ferritin in Joint Arthroplasty: Can It Be a Possible Biochemical Indicator of Articular Pain?
Authors: Paparella Paolo , Caruso Enzo , Barbieri Massimo , Bellini Martina
Published: September 2014

Background: A retrospective study was undertaken to investigate the biochemistry data of a restricted cohort of patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate laboratory data behavior and the VAS pain scale before and after joint replacement.

Methods: We produced an elaboration of the biochemical data of 90 orthopedic patients, collected from 2011 to 2013. These 90 patients were divided into 2 groups: one group of 45 patients who claimed severe postoperative pain and one group of 45 patients who showed no or mild postoperative pain. A student's t-test was applied, considering a P value less than 0.05 as statistically significant. Pearson correlation was applied. The pain visual analog scale [VAS] was employed.

Results: Significant and relevant unexpected biochemical differences were found between the two groups of patients. The serum level of ferritin was significantly higher in men who claimed postoperative pain. We excluded the possibility that the ferritin difference between the two groups was due to different iron storage or to an inflammatory profile.

Conclusions: The correct use of a biochemical database could permit identification of significant values which must be correlated with clinical data: these results confirmed what has been found in a dialysis cohort.
Dosimetric comparison for volumetric modulated arc therapy and intensitymodulated radiotherapy on the left-sided chest wall and internal mammary nodes irradiation in treating post-mastectomy breast cancer
Authors: Zhang Qian , Yu Xiao Li , Hu Wei Gang , Chen Jia Yi , Wang Jia Zhou , Ye Jin Song , Guo Xiao Mao
Published: September 2014

Background. The aim of the study was to evaluate the dosimetric benefit of applying volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) on the post-mastectomy left-sided breast cancer patients, with the involvement of internal mammary nodes (IMN).

Patients and methods. The prescription dose was 50 Gy delivered in 25 fractions, and the clinical target volume included the left chest wall (CW) and IMN. VMAT plans were created and compared with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plans on Pinnacle treatment planning system. Comparative endpoints were dose homogeneity within planning target volume (PTV), target dose coverage, doses to the critical structures including heart, lungs and the contralateral breast, number of monitor units and treatment delivery time.

Results. VMAT and IMRT plans showed similar PTV dose homogeneity, but, VMAT provided a better dose coverage for IMN than IMRT (p = 0.017). The mean dose (Gy), V30 (%) and V10 (%) for the heart were 13.5 ± 5.0 Gy, 9.9% ± 5.9% and 50.2% ± 29.0% by VMAT, and 14.0 ± 5.4 Gy, 10.6% ± 5.8% and 55.7% ± 29.6% by IMRT, respectively. The left lung mean dose (Gy), V20 (%), V10 (%) and the right lung V5 (%) were significantly reduced from 14.1 ± 2.3 Gy, 24.2% ± 5.9%, 42.4% ± 11.9% and 41.2% ± 12.3% with IMRT to 12.8 ± 1.9 Gy, 21.0% ± 3.8%, 37.1% ± 8.4% and 32.1% ± 18.2% with VMAT, respectively. The mean dose to the contralateral breast was 1.7 ± 1.2 Gy with VMAT and 2.3 ± 1.6 Gy with IMRT. Finally, VMAT reduced the number of monitor units by 24% and the treatment time by 53%, as compared to IMRT.

Conclusions. Compared to 5-be am step-and-shot IMRT, VMAT achieves similar or superior target coverage and a better normal tissue sparing, with fewer monitor units and shorter delivery time.
Is it reasonable to abandon obligatory vaccinations in Italy? A 2013 survey
Authors: Pelullo C P , Marino S , Valdes Abuadili A J , Signoriello G , Attena F
Published: September 2014

In Italy, infant vaccinations are mandatory for four infectious diseases: diphtheria, polio, tetanus and hepatitis B. In the past, there was widespread apprehension in Italy that doing away with obligatory vaccinations would reduce the coverage rate, but the possibility of making vaccinations optional has recently become more popular. The objectives of this study were to investigate parental willingness to vaccinate their children if those vaccinations were no longer mandatory and to evaluate the variables influencing this intention. We conducted face-to-face structured interviews with 1,039 parents at public health vaccination centres in four cities of the Campania region of southern Italy. Most respondents (91.9%) said that they would certainly (69.4%) or probably (22.5%) vaccinate their children if vaccinations were not mandatory. The belief that vaccinations are effective and safe was positively associated with willingness to vaccinate their children, whereas having heard that autism is a possible adverse reaction to vaccination was inversely associated with willingness to vaccinate. Nevertheless, in the context of the relatively low 2012* vaccination coverage rates in Campania (under the national standard of 95%), our results suggest that eliminating mandatory vaccinations is likely to lead to current coverage rates decreasing to unacceptably low levels, significantly below 90%.
High incidence of Plasmodium vivax malaria in newly arrived Eritrean refugees in Sweden since May 2014
Authors: Sondén K , Castro E , Trönnberg L , Stenström C , Tegnell A , Färnert A
Published: September 2014

Since May 2014, an increase in Plasmodium vivax malaria has been observed in Sweden. As of 31 August 2014, 105 malaria cases have been reported in newly arrived Eritrean refugees, 84 of them P. vivax. The patients were mainly young men and reported migration through Ethiopia and/or Sudan. Severe anaemia and long symptom duration reflect inadequate healthcare during migration. Countries currently hosting Eritrean refugees need to consider P. vivax malaria in this group of migrants.
Measles virus spread initiated at international mass gatherings in Europe, 2011
Authors: Santibanez S , Prosenc K , Lohr D , Pfaff G , Jordan Markocic O , Mankertz A
Published: September 2014

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matches
Early transmission dynamics of Ebola virus disease (EVD), West Africa, March to August 2014
Authors: Nishiura H , Chowell G
Published: September 2014

The effective reproduction number, Rt, of Ebola virus disease was estimated using country-specific data reported from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to the World Health Organization from March to August, 2014. Rt for the three countries lies consistently above 1.0 since June 2014. Country-specific Rt for Liberia and Sierra Leone have lied between 1.0 and 2.0. Rt<2 indicate that control could be attained by preventing over half of the secondary transmissions per primary case.
Did narcolepsy occur following administration of AS03-adjuvanted A(H1N1) pandemic vaccine in Ontario, Canada? A review of post-marketing safety surveillance data
Authors: Harris T , Wong K , Stanford L , Fediurek J , Crowcroft N , Deeks S L
Published: September 2014

A vaccine safety signal and association between new onset of narcolepsy and AS03-adjuvanted pandemic influenza A(H1N1) vaccine (Pandemrix, GlaxoSmithKline) in children and young adults has been reported in several European countries. In Ontario, Canada, AS03-adjuvanted pandemic A(H1N1) vaccine (Arepanrix, GlaxoSmithKline) was the primary vaccine administered in 2009/10, with 4.8 million doses distributed. We assessed post-marketing safety surveillance data by extracting adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) associated with this vaccine from the integrated Public Health Information System. Reports were screened for key terms related to narcolepsy and further limited to children and young adults four to 29 years of age. Of 1,604 AEFIs reported in Ontario, 53 reports met the search criteria. Individual assessment by a nurse consultant for additional context suggestive of narcolepsy yielded five reports for secondary medical review. None of the five reports proved consistent with a possible narcolepsy diagnosis based on the available information. We present the first post-marketing assessment from Canada of narcolepsy reports following receipt of Arepanix. Continued investigation of differences between Arepanrix and Pandemrix and subsequent risk of narcolepsy is indicated. In light of the limitations of passive surveillance to detect a signal in this instance, validation using other data sources is prudent.
Not by Human Hands: Five Technological Tenets for Environmental History in the Anthropocene
Authors: Jørgensen Dolly
Published: September 2014

Technologies in the hands of humans have turned humans into a force of nature. Environmental historians have increasingly recognised the value of history of technology to explain many environmental changes. Scholarship at the environment-technology junction, deploying ideas developed with the framework of Science and Technology Studies (STS), has revealed the usefulness of seeing the whole constellation of science, technology, and environment as simultaneously human-made. Based on recent work at the intersection of history of technology and environment, I propose five technological tenets about human interaction with nonhuman living beings that should be adopted as central elements of environmental history. The tenets demand that historians break down conceptual barriers between artefacts and animals: animals and plants are themselves technologies; technologies provide means of controlling other living beings; technologies mediate our knowledge of animals; technologies affect our valuation of other living creatures; and technology is part of the ecosystem.
Among Animals
Authors: Ritvo Harriet
Published: September 2014

The tendency to see humans as special and separate influences even practices like scientific taxonomy which explicitly place them among other animals. The animal-related scholarship that has emerged throughout the humanities and social sciences often reveals analogous tensions. Animal topics have similarly inspired historians, including environmental historians, but historical perspectives have become somewhat marginalised within the field labeled 'animal studies'.
Borderland, No-Man's Land, Nature's Wonderland: Troubled Humanity and Untroubled Earth
Authors: Coates Peter
Published: September 2014

Building on an interest in the presence of biodiversity where we do not expect to find it, this essay ponders the irony that human strife can be beneficial for the rest of nature by investigating the coexistence of troubled humanity and untroubled nature at various places around the world. It also looks at efforts to formalise the protection inadvertently provided in conflict and no-go zones after human tensions have abated. Focusing on borderlands, militarised landscapes, shatter zones, forbidden zones and other sites of upheaval and trauma, mostly in post-1945 Korea, Germany, Eastern Europe and Cyprus (but beginning with the nineteenth-century American West), I investigate the notion of the serendipitous survival of other-than-human nature and the 'threat' of demilitarisation and normalisation in places such as the Iron Curtain zone, where civilian activities may be more invasive and disruptive than military practices and other forms of restricted access. A related subject is the more recent, post-Cold War tale of nature's preservation, de facto and formal, in former environments of strife that also functioned involuntarily as shelter zones. This involves engagement with a particular manifestation of the deep-seated belief in nature's therapeutic value. The theme of the natural world's reconciliatory properties is pursued with reference to peace parks and other forms of transboundary conservation. I conclude with a discussion of the relationship between the narrative of nature and the narrative of history, specifically the belief that they are mutually exclusive and that the new emphasis on the 'return to nature' involves an act of erasure.
Coastal Cities and Environmental Change
Authors: Mosley Stephen
Published: September 2014

This paper explores the complex environmental relationships of coastal cities with their shorelines and the sea. Cities developed in coastal locations because they offered easy access to fisheries, trade and commerce, transport, attractive scenery and recreational opportunities. However, coastal cities have also been vulnerable to the natural hazards of hurricane-force winds, tsunamis and tidal flooding; and climate change will exacerbate flood risks in the future. Many of the world's largest cities are situated by the sea, and today in every continent except North America the highest share of urban dwellers live in coastal zones. These issues, together with growing concerns over the state of the world's oceans - declining fish stocks, aquatic ecosystem degradation, and marine acidification - have attracted growing historical interest in coastal cities and their role in environmental change. Using examples of different types of coastal cities, I survey how growing urbanisation, trade, industrialisation and tourism impacted on shorelines and the sea over time. I also examine how communities have adapted to the challenges and risks of living in coastal cities. The paper concludes by offering some suggestions for further inquiry.
Rethinking the British Empire through Eco-Cultural Networks: Materialist-Cultural Environmental History, Relational Connections and Agency
Authors: Beattie James , Melillo Edward , O'Gorman Emily
Published: September 2014

In this short discussion, we use examples from the British Empire to introduce the concept of eco-cultural networks as a lens for examining interconnected, wide-ranging social and environmental processes. We present three conceptual advances that this framework offers to environmental historians: 1) a rethinking of the divisions between cultural and material approaches to environmental history; 2) an emphasis on relational connections in the making of networks; and, 3) a renewed focus on questions of agency. Each of these developments opens up new questions within environmental history and promotes engagement with work outside the field, especially with the ecological sciences and the environmental humanities.
A Reproductive Management Program for an Urban Population of Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus)
Authors: Tribe Andrew , Hanger Jon , McDonald Ian , Loader Jo , Nottidge Ben , McKee Jeff , Phillips Clive
Published: September 2014

Traditionally, culling has been the expedient, most common, and in many cases, the only tool used to control free-ranging kangaroo populations. We applied a reproductive control program to a population of eastern grey kangaroos confined to a golf course in South East Queensland. The program aimed to reduce fecundity sufficiently for the population to decrease over time so that overgrazing of the fairways and the frequency of human–animal conflict situations were minimised. In 2003, 92% of the female kangaroos above 5 kg bodyweight were implanted with the GnRH agonist deslorelin after darting with a dissociative anaesthetic. In 2007, 86% of the females above 5 kg were implanted with deslorelin and also 87% of the males above 5 kg were sterilised by either orchidectomy or vasectomy. In 2005, 2008 and 2009, the population was censused to assess the effect of each treatment. The 2003 deslorelin program resulted in effective zero population growth for approximately 2.5 years. The combined deslorelin–surgery program in 2007 reduced the birth rate from 0.3 to 0.06%/year for 16 months, resulting in a 27% population reduction by November 2009. The results were consistent with implants conferring contraception to 100% of implanted females for at least 12 months. The iatrogenic mortality rates for each program were 10.5% and 4.9%, respectively, with 50% of all mortalities due to darting-related injuries, exertional myopathy/hyperthermia or recovery misadventure. The short term sexual and agonistic behaviour of the males was assessed for the 2007 program: no significant changes were seen in adult males given the vasectomy procedure, while sexual behaviours’ were decreased in adult males given the orchidectomy procedure. It is concluded that female reproduction was effectively controlled by implantation with deslorrelin and male reproductive behaviour was reduced by orchidectomy, which together achieved population control.
Human Papillomavirus Induced Transformation in Cervical and Head and Neck Cancers
Authors: Adams Allie , Wise-Draper Trisha , Wells Susanne
Published: September 2014

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most widely publicized and researched pathogenic DNA viruses. For decades, HPV research has focused on transforming viral activities in cervical cancer. During the past 15 years, however, HPV has also emerged as a major etiological agent in cancers of the head and neck, in particular squamous cell carcinoma. Even with significant strides achieved towards the screening and treatment of cervical cancer, and preventive vaccines, cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-associated deaths for women in developing countries. Furthermore, routine screens are not available for those at risk of head and neck cancer. The current expectation is that HPV vaccination will prevent not only cervical, but also head and neck cancers. In order to determine if previous cervical cancer models for HPV infection and transformation are directly applicable to head and neck cancer, clinical and molecular disease aspects must be carefully compared. In this review, we briefly discuss the cervical and head and neck cancer literature to highlight clinical and genomic commonalities. Differences in prognosis, staging and treatment, as well as comparisons of mutational profiles, viral integration patterns, and alterations in gene expression will be addressed.
Laboratory and Field Studies of Poly(2,5-bis(N-methyl-N-hexylamino)phenylene vinylene) (BAM-PPV): A Potential Wash Primer Replacement for Army Military Vehicles
Authors: Zarras Peter , Miller Christopher , Webber Cindy , Anderson Nicole , Stenger-Smith John
Published: September 2014

In this study, an electroactive polymer (EAP), poly(2,5-bis(N-methyl-N- hexylamino)phenylene vinylene) (BAM-PPV), was tested as an alternative to current hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI))-based Army wash primers. BAM-PPV was tested in both laboratory and field studies to determine its adhesive and corrosion-inhibiting properties when applied to steel and aluminum alloys. The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) tests showed that BAM-PPV combined with an epoxy primer and the Army chemical agent-resistant coating (CARC) topcoat met Army performance requirements for military coatings. After successful laboratory testing, the BAM-PPV was then field tested for one year at the Aberdeen Test Center (ATC). This field testing showed that BAM-PPV incorporated into the Army military coating survived with no delamination of the coating and only minor corrosion on the chip sites.
Multi-Level Policy Dialogues, Processes, and Actions: Challenges and Opportunities for National REDD+ Safeguards Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV)
Authors: Jagger Pamela , Brockhaus Maria , Duchelle Amy , Gebara Maria , Lawlor Kathleen , Resosudarmo Ida , Sunderlin William
Published: September 2014

REDD+ social safeguards have gained increasing attention in numerous forums. This paper reviews the evolution of multi-level policy dialogues, processes, and actions related to REDD+ social safeguards (e.g., Cancun Safeguards 1–5) among policy makers, civil society organizations, and within the media in Brazil, Indonesia and Tanzania, three countries with well advanced REDD+ programs. We find that progress on core aspects of social safeguards is uneven across the three countries. Brazil is by far the most advanced having drafted a REDD+ social safeguards policy. Both Brazil and Indonesia have benefited from progress made by strong sub-national entities in the operationalization of REDD+ safeguards including free prior and informed consent (FPIC), participation, and benefit sharing. Tanzania has weakly articulated how social safeguards will be operationalized and has a more top-down approach. We conclude that in all three countries, measuring, reporting and verifying progress on social safeguards is likely to be a complex issue. Stakeholders with vested interests in REDD+ social safeguards operate in polycentric rather than nested systems, suggesting that aggregation of information from local to national-scale will be a challenge. However, polycentric systems are also likely to support more transparent and comprehensive safeguards systems. Clear direction from the international community and financing for REDD+ safeguard MRV is essential if REDD+ social safeguards are to be meaningfully integrated into forest-based climate mitigation strategies.
A Comparison of Exposure Metrics for Traffic-Related Air Pollutants: Application to Epidemiology Studies in Detroit, Michigan
Authors: Batterman Stuart , Burke Janet , Isakov Vlad , Lewis Toby , Mukherjee Bhramar , Robins Thomas
Published: September 2014

Vehicles are major sources of air pollutant emissions, and individuals living near large roads endure high exposures and health risks associated with traffic-related air pollutants. Air pollution epidemiology, health risk, environmental justice, and transportation planning studies would all benefit from an improved understanding of the key information and metrics needed to assess exposures, as well as the strengths and limitations of alternate exposure metrics. This study develops and evaluates several metrics for characterizing exposure to traffic-related air pollutants for the 218 residential locations of participants in the NEXUS epidemiology study conducted in Detroit (MI, USA). Exposure metrics included proximity to major roads, traffic volume, vehicle mix, traffic density, vehicle exhaust emissions density, and pollutant concentrations predicted by dispersion models. Results presented for each metric include comparisons of exposure distributions, spatial variability, intraclass correlation, concordance and discordance rates, and overall strengths and limitations. While showing some agreement, the simple categorical and proximity classifications (e.g., high diesel/low diesel traffic roads and distance from major roads) do not reflect the range and overlap of exposures seen in the other metrics. Information provided by the traffic density metric, defined as the number of kilometers traveled (VKT) per day within a 300 m buffer around each home, was reasonably consistent with the more sophisticated metrics. Dispersion modeling provided spatially- and temporally-resolved concentrations, along with apportionments that separated concentrations due to traffic emissions and other sources. While several of the exposure metrics showed broad agreement, including traffic density, emissions density and modeled concentrations, these alternatives still produced exposure classifications that differed for a substantial fraction of study participants, e.g., from 20% to 50% of homes, depending on the metric, would be incorrectly classified into “low”, “medium” or “high” traffic exposure classes. These and other results suggest the potential for exposure misclassification and the need for refined and validated exposure metrics. While data and computational demands for dispersion modeling of traffic emissions are non-trivial concerns, once established, dispersion modeling systems can provide exposure information for both on- and near-road environments that would benefit future traffic-related assessments.