bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanical Behavior of Dented Steel Pipes Subjected to Bending and Pressure Loading
Authors: Pournara Aglaia E. , Papatheocharis Theocharis , Karamanos Spyros A. , Perdikaris Philip C.
Published: July 2018

The presence of dents on steel pipeline wall may constitute a threat for pipeline structural safety. Experimental testing results supported by numerical simulations are reported, in an attempt to assess the structural integrity of smoothly dented (nongauged) steel pipes. Ten experiments on 6 in diameter X52 steel pipes are reported, where dented steel pipes are subjected to bending and pressure loading, in order to estimate their residual strength and remaining fatigue life. Six specimens were subjected to cyclic bending loading, whereas four dented pipe specimens, following cyclic pressure loading, have been pressurized to burst to determine their ultimate pressure capacity. Numerical simulation of the testing procedure and, in particular, the loading pattern of each specimen (denting and cyclic loading) has also been performed so that local stress and strain distributions at the dented region are calculated accurately. Based on the finite element results, a simple and efficient fatigue assessment methodology is adopted, to estimate the remaining fatigue life and the predictions were found to compare with the experimental results. Finally, following a parametric numerical study, strain concentration factors (SNCFs) for dented pipes subjected to bending are calculated, to be used in fatigue life assessment.
Micro Gas Turbine Cycle Humidification for Increased Flexibility: Numerical and Experimental Validation of Different Steam Injection Models
Authors: Paepe Ward De , Renzi Massimiliano , Carrerro Marina Montero , Caligiuri Carlo , Contino Francesco
Published: July 2018

With the current shift from centralized to more decentralized power production, new opportunities arise for small-scale combined heat and power (CHP) production units like micro gas turbines (mGTs). However, to fully embrace these opportunities, the current mGT technology has to become more flexible in terms of operation—decoupling the heat and power production in CHP mode—and in terms of fuel utilization—showing flexibility in the operation with different lower heating value (LHV) fuels. Cycle humidification, e.g., by performing steam injection, is a possible route to handle these problems. Current simulation models are able to correctly assess the impact of humidification on the cycle performance, but they fail to provide detailed information on the combustion process. To fully quantify the potential of cycle humidification, more advanced numerical models—preferably validated—are necessary. These models are not only capable of correctly predicting the cycle performance, but they can also handle the complex chemical kinetics in the combustion chamber. In this paper, we compared and validated such a model with a typical steady-state model of the steam injected mGT cycle based on the Turbec T100. The advanced one is an in-house MATLAB model, based on the NIST database for the characterization of the properties of the gaseous compounds with the combustion mechanisms embedded according to the Gri-MEch 3.0 library. The validation one was constructed using commercial software (Aspen Plus), using the more advance Redlich-Kwong-Soave (RKS)- Boston-Mathias(BM) property method and assuming complete combustion by using a Gibbs reactor. Both models were compared considering steam injection in the compressor outlet or in the combustion chamber, focusing only on the global cycle performance. Simulation results of the steam injection cycle fueled with natural gas and syngas showed some differences between the two presented models (e.g., 5.9% on average for the efficiency increase over the simulated steam injection rates at nominal power output for injection in the compressor outlet); however, the general trends that could be observed are consistent. Additionally, the numerical results of the injection in the compressor outlet were also validated with steam-injection experiments in a Turbec T100, indicating that the advanced MATLAB model overestimates the efficiency improvement by 25–45%. The results show the potential of simulating the humidified cycle using more advanced models; however, in future work, special attention should be paid to the experimental tuning of the model parameters in general and the recuperator performance in particular to allow correct assessment of the cycle performance.
Performance Enhancement of a Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell/Micro Gas Turbine Hybrid System With Carbon Capture by Off-Gas Recirculation
Authors: Ahn Ji Ho , Hun Jeong Ji , Kim Tong Seop
Published: July 2018

The demand for clean energy continues to increase as the human society becomes more aware of environmental challenges such as global warming. Various power systems based on high-temperature fuel cells have been proposed, especially hybrid systems combining a fuel cell with a gas turbine (GT), and research on carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to prevent the emission of greenhouse gases is already underway. This study suggests a new method to innovatively enhance the efficiency of a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC)/micro GT hybrid system including carbon capture. The key technology adopted to improve the net cycle efficiency is off-gas recirculation. The hybrid system incorporating oxy-combustion capture was devised, and its performance was compared with that of a post-combustion system based on a hybrid system. A MCFC system based on a commercial unit was modeled. Externally supplied water for reforming was not needed as a result of the presence of the water vapor in the recirculated anode off-gas. The analyses confirmed that the thermal efficiencies of all the systems (MCFC stand-alone, hybrid, hybrid with oxy-combustion capture, hybrid with post-combustion capture) were significantly improved by introducing the off-gas recirculation. In particular, the largest efficiency improvement was observed for the oxy-combustion hybrid system. Its efficiency is over 57% and is even higher than that of the post-combustion hybrid system.
Active Subspace Development of Integrally Bladed Disk Dynamic Properties Due to Manufacturing Variations
Authors: Beck Joseph A. , Brown Jeffrey M. , Kaszynski Alex A. , Carper Emily B.
Published: July 2018

The impact of geometry variations on integrally bladed disk eigenvalues is investigated. A large population of industrial bladed disks (blisks) are scanned via a structured light optical scanner to provide as-measured geometries in the form of point-cloud data. The point cloud data are transformed using principal component (PC) analysis that results in a Pareto of PCs. The PCs are used as inputs to predict the variation in a blisk's eigenvalues due to geometry variations from nominal when all blades have the same deviations. A large subset of the PCs is retained to represent the geometry variation, which proves challenging in probabilistic analyses because of the curse of dimensionality. To overcome this, the dimensionality of the problem is reduced by computing an active subspace that describes critical directions in the PC input space. Active variables in this subspace are then fit with a surrogate model of a blisk's eigenvalues. This surrogate can be sampled efficiently with the large subset of PCs retained in the active subspace formulation to yield a predicted distribution in eigenvalues. The ability of building an active subspace mapping PC coefficient to eigenvalues is demonstrated. Results indicate that exploitation of the active subspace is capable of capturing eigenvalue variation.
Viscous Shear Banding in Cutting of Metals
Authors: Sagapuram Dinakar , Viswanathan Koushik
Published: July 2018

Shear banding is a type of plastic flow instability with often adverse implications for cutting and deformation processing of metals. Here, we study the mechanics of plastic flow evolution within single shear bands in Ti- and Ni-based alloy systems. The local shear band displacement profiles are quantitatively mapped at high resolution using a special micromarker technique. The results show that shear bands, once nucleated, evolve by a universal viscous sliding mechanism that is independent of microstructural details. The evolution of local deformation around the band is accurately captured by a momentum diffusion equation based on a Bingham-type flow rule. The predicted band viscosity is very small, compared to those of liquid metals. A plausible explanation for this small viscosity and fluid-like behavior at the band, based on phonon drag, is presented.
Analysis of the Weld Seam Morphology of Polypropylene in Laser Transmission Welding
Authors: Geißler Bastian , Laumer Tobias , Wübbeke Andrea , Frick Thomas , Schöppner Volker , Schmidt Michael
Published: July 2018

Laser transmission welding is a well-known joining technology for welding thermoplastics. Although the process is already used industrially, fundamental process-structure-property relationships are not fully understood and are therefore the subject of current research. One aspect of these mentioned process-structure-property relationships is the interaction between the temperature field during the welding process, the weld seam morphology of semi-crystalline thermoplastics, and the weld seam strength. In this study, the influence of the line energy on the weld seam morphology of polypropylenes is analyzed. For this purpose, the size of spherulites in the weld seam is investigated, as well as different occurring phases of polypropylene (α- and β-phase). It is shown that both the spherulite size of the α-phase and the amount of β-phase increase with increasing line energy. For the explanation and discussion of the results, a temperature-dependent thermal simulation model is used to derive characteristic attributes of the temperature field (maximum temperatures, cooling rates, temperature gradients).
Enhance Engineering Design Education in the Middle Years With Authentic Engineering Problems
Authors: Han Yen-Lin , Cook Kathleen , Mason Gregory , Shuman Teodora Rutar
Published: July 2018

Engineering design has been a requirement in the curriculum for engineering accreditation since the mid-90 s. This emphasis on engineering design has introduced significant changes to engineering curricula in freshmen and senior years with many engineering programs offering capstone (senior) and/or cornerstone (freshmen) design courses. Yet design-related content and experiences in the second and third years of the engineering curricula remain less common due to the heavy emphasis on fundamental engineering science courses in the middle years. This study investigated the possibility of developing design ability (thinking, process, and skills) in one of these courses. The method used was to incorporate real world, open-ended problem solving, specifically authentic engineering problem centered learning (AEPCL), into a junior-level heat transfer course. AEPCL uses authentic engineering problems (AEPs) as the backdrop to develop students' design abilities through solving open-ended, ill-structured problems. Results indicate that students who experienced AEPCL showed better design abilities than comparable students who did not experience AEPCL. Through AEPCL, students learn how to collect better information, make more reasonable assumptions, engage in better processes, and arrive at a more plausible, error-free, and high-quality solution in engineering design.
Phase
Change Material Melting in an Energy Storage Module for a Micro Environmental Control
System
Authors: Koz Mustafa , Ezzat
Khalifa H.
Published: July 2018

An experimentally validated finite element model (FEM) was developed to analyze the design parameters of a latent heat storage device (LHSD) for a micro environmental control system (μX). The μX provides local cooling to an office worker in a room whose thermostat setpoint has been elevated from 23.9 °C (75 °F) to 26.1 °C (79 °F) in order to reduce heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) energy consumption. For this application, the LHSD is designed to provide ≥50 W of cooling for a full, 8.5 h workday to restore thermal comfort in the warm, 26.1 °C room. The LHSD comprises several parallel slabs of encased phase change material (PCM) with interposed airflow channels. The airflow rate is selected to obtain ≥50 W of cooling at the end of the 8.5 h operation. The LHSD exhibits a decreasing cooling rate over the 8.5 h period when a constant airflow is passed through it, indicating that more cooling is supplied during the day than the minimum 50 W required for thermal comfort. The parametric analysis explores the effects of PCM thermal conductivity, slab thickness, air channel width, and number of slabs on LHSD performance. Parametric cases are compared against each other on the basis of their required PCM mass and energy consumption.
A Spectral Density Function Approach for Active Layer Design of Organic Photovoltaic Cells
Authors: Farooq Ghumman Umar , Iyer Akshay , Dulal Rabindra , Munshi Joydeep , Wang Aaron , Chien TeYu , Balasubramanian Ganesh , Chen Wei
Published: July 2018

Organic photovoltaic cells (OPVCs), having received significant attention over the last decade, are yet to be established as viable alternatives to conventional solar cells due to their low power conversion efficiency (PCE). Complex interactions of several phenomena coupled with the lack of understanding regarding the influence of fabrication conditions and nanostructure morphology have been major barriers to realizing higher PCE. To this end, we propose a computational microstructure design framework for designing the active layer of P3HT:PCBM based OPVCs conforming to the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) architecture. The framework pivots around the spectral density function (SDF), a frequency space microstructure characterization, and reconstruction methodology, for microstructure design representation. We validate the applicability of SDF for representing the active layer morphology in OPVCs using images of the nanostructure obtained by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (XSTM/S). SDF enables a low-dimensional microstructural representation that is crucial in formulating a parametric-based microstructure optimization scheme. A level-cut Gaussian random field (GRF, governed by SDF) technique is used to generate reconstructions that serve as representative volume elements (RVEs) for structure–performance simulations. A novel structure–performance (SP) simulation approach is developed using a physics-based performance metric, incident photon to converted electron (IPCE) ratio, to account for the impact of microstructural features on OPVC performance. Finally, a SDF-based computational IPCE optimization study incorporating only three design variables results in 36.75% increase in IPCE, underlining the efficacy of the proposed design framework.
Numerical Modeling and Mechanism Analysis of Hybrid Heating and Shock Process for Laser-Assisted Laser Peen Forming
Authors: Luo Mingsheng , Hu Yongxiang , Qian Dong , Yao Zhenqiang
Published: July 2018

Laser-assisted laser peen forming (LALPF) is proposed as a hybrid process to combine laser heating and laser peening to improve the bending capability of laser peen forming (LPF) effectively. To predict LALPF-induced bending deformation and mechanism of bending capability improvement, a sequentially coupled modeling approach is established by integrating three models, i.e., a thermoelastic-plastic model to predict the temperature, a dynamic model to obtain the eigenstrain of laser shock, and an eigenstrain model to predict the bending deformation. The effects of temperature, thermal stress, and thermal plastic strain of laser heating and the coupling effects on the bending deformation were investigated. The results show that the interaction of temperature and thermal stress are the dominant factors contributing to the improvement of bending capability.
Tool Wear of Advanced Coated Tools in Drilling of CFRP
Authors: Swan Sam , Bin Abdullah Mohammad Sayem , Kim Dave , Nguyen Dinh , Kwon Patrick
Published: July 2018

This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of super-hard ceramic coatings by evaluating tool wear when drilling carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) composite. The drilling experiments of CFRP are conducted with diamond-like carbon (DLC) coated, AlMgB14 (BAM) coated, AlCrN and Si3N4 and TiN (simply denoted as (AlCrSi/Ti)N) coated, and uncoated tungsten carbide drills. Each coating, dictated by its unique processing technique, provides unique thickness and morphology, and its physical properties, which makes the comparison among the coatings much difficult but enables to deduce the desirable attributes in the prospective coating ideally suited in drilling CFRP. To do so, after the drilling experiments, the tool wear was captured using the scanning electron and confocal laser scanning microscopes to construct the wear evolution that enables us to evaluate each coating qualitatively as well as quantitatively. Among the drills tested, the (AlCrSi/Ti)N-coated drills provided the best performance despite of the fact that (AlCrSi/Ti)N coating particularly are not harder than any other coating. The superior performance of the (AlCrSi/Ti)N coating can be explained by the comparable stiffness to the carbide substrate, 7.3 μm-thick coating consisting of the numerous nanoscale alternating layers between nanocomposite of AlCrN and Si3N4 and TiN coatings and the enhanced adhesion, which provide the effective cutting of carbon fibers. However, the thin DLC coating despite of its superior hardness and the BAM coating despite of its low friction did not perform at the level that the (AlCrSi/Ti)N coating was able to achieve.
Fuzzy Sensitivity Analysis in the Context of Dimensional Management
Authors: Oberleiter Thomas , Heling Björn , Schleich Benjamin , Willner Kai , Wartzack Sandro
Published: July 2018

Real components always deviate from their ideal dimensions. This makes every component, even a serial production, unique. Although they look the same, differences can always be observed due to different scattering factors and variations in the manufacturing process. All these factors inevitably lead to parts that deviate from their ideal shape and, therefore, have different properties than the ideal component. Changing properties can lead to major problems or even failure during operation. It is necessary to specify the permitted deviations to ensure that every single product nevertheless meets its technical requirements. Furthermore, it is necessary to estimate the consequences of the permitted deviations, which is done via tolerance analysis. During this process, components are assembled virtually and varied with the uncertainties specified by the tolerances. A variation simulation is one opportunity to calculate these effects for geometric deviations. Since tolerance analysis enables engineers to identify weak points in an early design stage, it is important to know the contribution that every single tolerance has on a certain quality-relevant characteristic, to restrict or increase the correct tolerances. In this paper, a fuzzy-based method to calculate the sensitivity is introduced and compared with the commonly used extended Fourier amplitude sensitivity test (EFAST) method. Special focus of this work is the differentiation of the sensitivity for the total system and the sensitivities for the subsystems defined by the α-cuts of the fuzzy numbers. It discusses the impact of the number of evaluations and nonlinearity on sensitivity for EFAST and the fuzzy-based method.
Microtubular Hard Carbon Derived From Willow Catkins as an Anode Material With Enhanced Performance for Sodium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Teng Yongqiang , Mo Maosong , Li Yuan
Published: July 2018

As a kind of common bio-waste, willow catkin is of no economic value. But it is surprising that it can be an ideal carbonaceous source and bio-template for electrode materials of lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. Herein, we demonstrate that microtubular hard carbon can be derived from willow catkins and used as an anode of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The sample obtained from carbonization at 1000 °C delivers a high reversible capacity of 210 mAh g−1, good rate capability, and excellent cycling stability (112 mAh g−1 at 1000 mA g−1 after 1600 cycles) due to its unique tubular structure and the N-doping characteristic. The present work affords a new candidate for the production of hard carbon materials with tubular microstructure using natural biomass, and develops a highly promising anode material for SIBs.
New Simulator for Gas–Hydrate Slurry Stratified Flow Based on the Hydrate Kinetic Growth Model
Authors: Shi Bohui , Liu Yang , Ding Lin , Lv Xiaofang , Gong Jing
Published: July 2018

A new simulator for gas–hydrate slurry stratified flow is presented, which can simulate the flow characteristics, including gas/liquid velocity, liquid holdup, and pressure drop. The simulator includes an inward and outward hydrate growth shell model and two-phase flow hydrodynamic model. The hydrate growth model systematically considers the kinetics and limitations of hydrate formation, namely, the mass– and heat–transfer. The two-phase flow hydrodynamic model is composed of mass and momentum equations for each phase as well as energy balance equations considering the heat generation related to hydrate formation. Thereafter, an inclined pipeline case is simulated using the simulator. The results demonstrate that, once the kinetic requirements for hydrate crystallization are satisfied, hydrates form rapidly during the initial stage and the hydrate formation rate then decreases owing to the limitation of the mass– and heat–transfer. Meanwhile, the hydrate states (formation onset time, formation rate, and volume fraction) as well as flow characteristics of a multiphase system are obtained, providing acceptable results for engineers in the field. Sensitivity analyses of the key hydrate growth shell model parameters are implemented, and the results indicate that the influences of diffusivity and initial water droplet size on the hydrate formation rate are greater than the of the porous parameter.
Geometric Error Compensation With a Six Degree-of–Freedom Rotary Magnetic Actuator
Authors: Yuen Alexander , Altintas Yusuf
Published: July 2018

This paper presents a methodology to compensate the tooltip position errors caused by the geometric errors of a three-axis gantry type micromill integrated with a six degree-of-freedom (6DOF) rotary magnetic table. A geometric error-free ideal forward kinematic model of the nine-axis machine has been developed using homogenous transformation matrices (HTMs). The geometric errors of each linear axis, which include one positioning, two straightness, pitch, roll, and yaw errors, are measured with a laser interferometer and fit to quintic polynomial functions in the working volume of the machine. The forward kinematic model is modified to include the geometric errors which, when subtracted from the ideal kinematic model, gives the deviation between the desired tooltip position with and without geometric errors. The position commands of the six degree-of-freedom rotary magnetic table are modified in real time to compensate for the tooltip deviation using a gradient descent algorithm. The algorithm is simulated and verified experimentally on the nine-axis micromill controlled by an in-house developed virtual/real-time open computer numerical controlled (CNC) system.
Cold Start Dead Sensor
Authors: Abedian Behrouz
Published: July 2018

This article explains how electrostatic discharge from oil can destroy sensitive and crucial engine components. All thermomechanical power systems contain a dielectric fluid – namely the circulating lubricant oil – where its circulation can create friction and cause a static electric charge to build up. The charge can induce voltage spikes in portions of the circulation manifold during the initial warm-up period. The spike can destroy a sensitive component such as a sensor or microprocessor, and if that component is critical to operation, the engine will shut down. Flow electrification of liquids has been a source of numerous industrial hazards, primarily in the petroleum and power industries. This effect occurs in improperly grounded systems carrying fuels, lubricating oils, and other hydrocarbon liquids. That’s why some commercial gasoline fuel hoses in the United States have an attached ground wire to dissipate electric charge accumulation during fueling operations and there exist regulations to shut off the engine when pumping fuel into a vehicle.
Robot-Aided Neuro-Recovery
Authors: Hogan Neville
Published: July 2018

This article explains how robots can help people recover after neurological injury. The most successful robot-administered therapy to aid neuro-recovery is based on several principles of learning. A visual display indicates a target location to which the patient should attempt to move. The robot sets up a virtual channel between the current location of the patient’s limb and the target location. If the patient moves along that channel, no forces are experienced. However, if the patient’s motion deviates to either side of that channel, those aiming errors are permitted but resisted by a programmable damped spring. If the patient moves too slowly (or does not initiate movement at all), the back wall of the channel (the end at the patient’s starting location) moves smoothly towards the target location, nudging the patient to the target. Repeating this process with high intensity provides the stimulus and statistics for the brain to reacquire movement control and coordination. Passively moving a patient’s limbs may help improve joint mobility.
Gems of Turbine Efficiency
Authors: Langston Lee S.
Published: July 2018

This article discusses the use of turbine single-crystal blades in gas turbines. Single-crystal turbine blades were first used in military engines on Pratt’s F100 engine, which powered the F16 and F15 fighter aircrafts. Their first commercial use was on P&WA’s JT9D-7R4 engine, which received FAA certification in 1982, powering Boeing’s 767 and the Airbus A310. In jet engines, single-crystal turbine airfoils have proven to have as much as nine times more relative life in terms of creep strength and thermal fatigue resistance and over three times more relative life for corrosion resistance, when compared to equiaxed crystal counterparts. Modern high turbine inlet temperature jet engines with long life would not be possible without the use of single-crystal turbine airfoils. By eliminating grain boundaries, single-crystal airfoils have longer thermal and fatigue life, are more corrosion resistant, can be cast with thinner walls, and have a higher melting temperature. These improvements all contribute to higher gas turbine thermal efficiencies.
Oil in Water Monitoring Using Advanced Light Scattering
Authors: Seebacher Gernot , Schmidt Axel A. , Offermann Jochen
Published: July 2018

The paper provides background on how bilge water has changed over the years and how technology has enabled manufacturers to stay ahead of the curve by borrowing technological breakthroughs from other areas to the measurement of oil content in the marine environment. Light scattering provides today a universal and reliable method, able to measure the wide range of oils present in a wildly variable and unpredictable bilge water mixture.

Bilge water regulations were put in place to reduce the potential of harm to the environment from oily bilge water discharges. Regulations require that instruments verify effluent quality continually during the discharge process, which precludes the adoption for shipboard use of standard laboratory style testing with the associated time delays to complete the analysis. Measuring oil content with the light scattering measuring instrument is a tried and tested means for compliant bilge water verification. State of the art instruments employ sophisticated light measuring systems and they use complex algorithms to convert the scattered light pattern values into oil content reading, thereby considering interference from other than oil suspended matter, they prevent harm to the environment from bilge water discharges.

Paper published with permission.
Ergonomic Notations for Ships and Offshore Structures
Authors: Baker Clifford , McSweeney Kevin , Pray Julie
Published: July 2018

In cooperation with industry partners, ABS supports a database of maritime accidents and close calls, as well as the associated causes. Analyses of these data are used, in part, to guide the research and development activities of the ABS Safety and Human Factors Department. With regard to occupational safety, a dominant theme in these data is the relationship of the design of structures for means of access to crew member injuries and deaths, with significant numbers of these occurring during the use of ladders, stairs, hatches, platforms, and other access aids. As a result, an ABS Guide has been prepared to evaluate the ergonomic design characteristics of access structures aboard ships and offshore facilities. Compliance with the requirements in the Guide can lead to the granting of up to four separate ABS ergonomic notations (ERGO notations).

Paper published with permission.
Experience in the Verification of Energy Efficiency Design Index
Authors: Menon Balji C.
Published: July 2018

The Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) that is part of a new Chapter 4 of MARPOL Annex 6 on Energy Efficiency Regulations is mandatory for new ships effective 1 January 2013. During the period from 2011 to the end of 2012, many of the major shipyards and shipping companies have voluntarily complied with the requirements of EEDI calculation and verification for their newbuilds. This paper outlines requirements of EEDI verification procedure and aspects of the verification method that are important to the calculation of EEDI reference speed from speed trials. This paper shows the outcome of the verification process that some new ships have gone through, the degree of compliance achieved and the experience gained in EEDI verification for three types of ships: tankers, bulk carriers and containerships. Sources of uncertainties associated with lack of complete information from sea trials are identified. Comparison of the attained and required EEDI for the three vessel types demonstrating the degree of compliance in Phases 0 and 1 are included.

Paper published with permission.
Ticks (Acari: Argasidae and Ixodidae) infesting amphibians and reptiles in Northeastern Brazil
Authors: Alcantara Edna Paulino , Silva Cristiana Ferreira , Ávila Robson Waldemar , Pacheco Richard Campos , Martins Thiago Fernandes , Muñoz-Leal Sebastián , Morais Drausio Honorio
Published: July 2018

Ticks collected on 21 different species of amphibians and reptiles captured during 2001 to 2017 in the northeast Brazil were identified. Overall, 227 individuals (185 larvae, 32 nymphs, 7 adults females and 3 males) identified as follow: Amblyomma dissimile, Amblyomma rotundatum, Amblyomma sp. larvae, Ornithodoros mimon, Ornithodoros rietcorreai, and an Ornithodoros sp. Herein, we present 25 new tick-host associations, thus contributing to the knowledge on tick-fauna associated to amphibians and reptiles from Brazilian northeast.
Molecularly selective nanoporous membrane-based wearable organic electrochemical device for noninvasive cortisol sensing
Authors: Parlak Onur , Keene Scott Tom , Marais Andrew , Curto Vincenzo F. , Salleo Alberto
Published: July 2018

A new wearable nanoporous organic electrochemical device used as a medical diagnostics tool for noninvasive hormone sensing.
Antimicrobial Resistance inListeriaSpecies
Authors: Luque-Sastre Laura , Arroyo Cristina , Fox Edward M. , McMahon Barry J. , Bai Li , Li Fengqin , Fanning Séamus
Published: July 2018

For nearly a century the use of antibiotics to treat infectious diseases has benefited human and animal health. In recent years there has been an increase in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, in part attributed to the overuse of compounds in clinical and farming settings. The genusListeriacurrently comprises 17 recognized species found throughout the environment.Listeria monocytogenesis the etiological agent of listeriosis in humans and many vertebrate species, including birds, whereasListeria ivanoviicauses infections mainly in ruminants.L. monocytogenesis the third-most-common cause of death from food poisoning in humans, and infection occurs in at-risk groups, including pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.
Factors that affect patient reported outcome after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction–a systematic review of the Scandinavian knee ligament registers
Authors: Hamrin Senorski Eric , Svantesson Eleonor , Baldari Angelo , Ayeni Olufemi R , Engebretsen Lars , Franceschi Francesco , Karlsson Jón , Samuelsson Kristian
Published: July 2018

Objective

To perform a systematic review of findings from the Scandinavian knee ligament registers with regard to factors that affect patient reported outcome after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Design

Systematic review.

Data sources

Four electronic databases: PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and AMED were searched, and 157 studies were identified. Two reviewers independently screened the titles, abstracts and full text articles for eligibility. A modified version of the Downs and Black checklist was applied for quality appraisal.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies

Studies published from the Scandinavian registers from their establishment in 2004 and onwards that documented patient reported outcome and provided information on concomitant injuries were eligible.

Results

A total of 35 studies were included. Younger age at ACL reconstruction, male sex, not smoking and receiving a hamstring tendon autograft positively influenced patient reported outcome. Patients with concomitant cartilage and meniscal injuries reported inferior subjective knee function compared with patients with an isolated ACL tear. One study reported that patients treated non-reconstructively reported inferior knee function compared with patients who had ACL reconstruction.

Conclusion

Younger age, male sex, not smoking, receiving a hamstring tendon autograft and the absence of concomitant injuries were associated with superior patient reported outcomes after ACL reconstruction.
Public subsidies and the recommendation of child vaccines among primary care physicians: a nationwide cross-sectional study in Japan
Authors: Sakanishi Yuta , Yamamoto Yosuke , Hara Megumi , Fukumori Norio , Goto Yoshihito , Kusaba Tesshu , Tanaka Keitaro , Sugioka Takashi , Vaccine Project Team Japan Primary Care Association , Fukuhara Shunichi
Published: July 2018

Objective

Although public subsidies and physician recommendations for vaccination play key roles in increasing childhood vaccination coverage, the association between them remains uncertain. This study aimed to identify the association between awareness of public subsidies and recommendations forHaemophilus influenzaetype b (Hib),Streptococcus pneumoniae(pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)) and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations among primary care physicians in Japan.

Design

This is a cross-sectional study.

Setting

In 2012, a questionnaire was distributed among 3000 randomly selected physicians who were members of the Japan Primary Care Association.

Participants

From the questionnaire, participants were limited to physicians who administered childhood vaccinations.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary measures were participants’ awareness of public subsidies and their recommendation levels for Hib, PCV and HPV vaccines. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between awareness and recommendation, with adjustment for possible confounders.

Results

The response rate was 25.8% (743/2880). Of 743 physician respondents, 434 were included as analysis subjects. The proportions of those who recommended vaccinations were 57.1% for Hib, 54.1% for PCV and 58.1% for HPV. For each vaccine, multivariable analyses showed physicians who were aware of the subsidy were more likely to recommend vaccination than those who were not aware: the adjusted ORs were 4.21 (95% CI 2.47 to 7.15) for Hib, 4.96 (95% CI 2.89 to 8.53) for PCV and 4.17 (95% CI 2.00 to 8.70) for HPV.

Conclusions

Primary care physicians’ awareness of public subsidies was found to be associated with their recommendations for the Hib, PCV and HPV vaccines. Provision of information about public subsidies to these physicians may increase their likelihood to recommend vaccination.
Prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications at admission and discharge among hospitalised elderly patients with acute medical illness at a single centre in Japan: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Komagamine Junpei
Published: July 2018

Objective

To determine the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) at admission and discharge among hospitalised elderly patients with acute medical illness in Japan.

Design

A retrospective single-centre cross-sectional study.

Participants

Hospitalised patients aged 65 years or older admitted for pneumonia, heart failure, ischaemic stroke, acute coronary syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, gastrointestinal bleeding, urinary tract infection or epilepsy from September 2014 to June 2016 who were still alive at discharge.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome was the proportion of patients taking at least one PIM at admission and discharge. PIMs were defined based on the 2015 American Geriatric Society Beers Criteria. Temporal changes in the proportion of patients taking at least one PIM from admission to discharge were also evaluated.

Results

During the study period, 689 eligible patients were identified. The median patient age was 82.0 years (IQR 76.0–88.0), 348 (50.5%) were men and the median number of medications at admission was 5.0 (IQR 3.0–8.0). The proportions of patients taking any PIMs at admission and discharge were 47.9% (95% CI 44.2% to 51.6%) and 25.1% (95% CI 21.9% to 28.4%), respectively. The proportion of patients taking any PIMs was significantly lower at discharge than at admission (reduction rate 0.48, 95%, CI 0.41 to 0.53).

Conclusions

A substantial proportion of hospitalised elderly patients with acute medical illness took PIMs at admission and discharge. These findings should be confirmed at other hospitals in Japan.
Sustainable Undernutrition Reduction in Ethiopia (SURE) evaluation study: a protocol to evaluate impact, process and context of a large-scale integrated health and agriculture programme to improve complementary feeding in Ethiopia
Authors: Moss Cami , Bekele Tesfaye Hailu , Salasibew Mihretab Melesse , Sturgess Joanna , Ayana Girmay , Kuche Desalegn , Eshetu Solomon , Abera Andinet , Allen Elizabeth , Dangour Alan D
Published: July 2018

Introduction

Improving complementary feeding in Ethiopia requires special focus on dietary diversity. The Sustainable Undernutrition Reduction in Ethiopia (SURE) programme is a government-led multisectoral intervention that aims to integrate the work of the health and agriculture sectors to deliver a complex multicomponent intervention to improve child feeding and reduce stunting. The Federal Ministries of Health and Agriculture and Natural Resources implement the intervention. The evaluation aims to assess a range of processes, outcomes and impacts.

Methods and analysis

The SURE evaluation study is a theory-based, mixed methods study comprising impact and process evaluations. We hypothesise that the package of SURE interventions, including integrated health and agriculture behaviour change communication for nutrition, systems strengthening and multisectoral coordination, will result in detectable differences in minimum acceptable diet in children 6–23 months and stunting in children 24–47 months between intervention and comparison groups. Repeated cross-sectional household surveys will be conducted at baseline and endline to assess impact. The process will be assessed using observations, key informant interviews and focus group discussions to investigate the fidelity and dose of programme implementation, behavioural pathways of impact and contextual factors interacting with the intervention. Pathways of impact will also be explored through statistical analyses.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has received ethics approval from the scientific and ethical review committees at the Ethiopian Public Health Institute and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The findings will be disseminated collaboratively with stakeholders at specified time points and through peer-reviewed publications and presentations.
Does providing a brief internet intervention for hazardous alcohol use to people seeking online help for depression reduce both alcohol use and depression symptoms among participants with these co-occurring disorders? Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Cunningham John A , Hendershot Christian S , Kay-Lambkin Frances , Neighbors Clayton , Griffiths Kathleen M , Bennett Kylie , Bennett Anthony , Godinho Alexandra , Schell Christina
Published: July 2018

Introduction

Hazardous alcohol consumption is common among people experiencing depression, often acting to exacerbate depressive symptoms. While many people with these co-occurring disorders do not seek face-to-face treatment, they do seek help online. There are effective internet interventions that target hazardous alcohol consumption or depression separately but none that combine these online interventions without the involvement of a therapist. In order to realise the potential of internet interventions, we need to develop an evidence base supporting the efficacy of internet interventions for co-occurring depression and hazardous alcohol use without any therapist involvement. This study aims to evaluate the effects on drinking, and on depressive symptoms, of combining an internet intervention targeting hazardous alcohol consumption with one for depression.

Methods and analysis

A double blinded, parallel group randomised controlled trial will be used. Participants with current depression who also drink in a hazardous fashion (n=986) will be recruited for a study to ‘help improve an online intervention for depression’. Participants will be randomised either to receive an established online intervention for depression (MoodGYM) or to receive MoodGYM plus a brief internet intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption (Check Your Drinking; CYD). Participants will be contacted 3 and 6 months after receiving the interventions to assess changes in drinking and depression symptoms. It is predicted that participants receiving the CYD intervention in addition to MoodGYM will report greater postintervention reductions in alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms compared with those who received MoodGYM only. Hypothesised mediation and moderation effects will also be investigated. Using an intention-to-treat basis for the analyses, the hypotheses will be tested using a generalised linear hypothesis framework, and longitudinal analyses will use either generalised linear mixed modelling or generalised estimating equation approach where appropriate.

Ethics and dissemination

This research comprises the crucial first steps in developing lower-cost and efficacious internet interventions for people suffering from depression who also drink in a hazardous fashion—promoting the widespread availability of care for those in need. This study has been approved by the standing ethics review committee of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and findings will be disseminated in the form of at least one peer-reviewed article and presentations at conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT03421080; Pre-results.
Results of the UK NEQAS for Molecular Genetics reference sample analysis
Authors: Richman Susan D , Fairley Jennifer , Hall Jacqueline A , Nataraj Nakul , Bhide Mrudul , Lau Aron , Norman Kara L , Deans Zandra C
Published: July 2018

Aims

In addition to providing external quality assessment (EQA) schemes, United Kingdom National External Quality Assessment service (UK NEQAS) for Molecular Genetics also supports the education of laboratories. As an enhancement to the Molecular Pathology EQA scheme, a human cell-line reference sample, manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific (AcroMetrix), was provided for analysis. This contained many variants, present at frequencies between 1% and 17.9%.

Methods

One hundred and one laboratories submitted results, with a total of 2889 test results on 53 genes being reported. Known polymorphisms, 46/2889 (1.59%) results, were excluded. Variants detected in the seven most commonly reported (and clinically relevant) genes,KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, EGFR, PIK3CA, KITandPDGFRA, are reported here, as these genes fall within the scope of UK NEQAS EQA schemes.

Results

Next generation sequencing (NGS) was the most commonly performed testing platform. There were between 5 and 27 validated variants in the seven genes reported here. Eight laboratories correctly reported all fiveNRASvariants, and two correctly reported all eightBRAFvariants. The validated mean variant frequency was lower than that determined by participating laboratories, with single-gene testing methodologies showing less variation in estimated frequencies than NGS platforms. Laboratories were more likely to correctly identify clinically relevant variants.

Conclusions

Over 100 laboratories took the opportunity to test the ‘educational reference sample’, showing a willingness to further validate their testing platforms. While it was encouraging to see that the most widely reported variants were those which should be included in routine testing panels, reporting of variants was potentially open to interpretation, thus clarity is still required on whether laboratories selectively reported variants, by either clinical relevance or variant frequency.
Are happy people healthier? An instrumental variable approach using data from Greece
Authors: Kyriopoulos Ilias , Athanasakis Kostas , Kyriopoulos John
Published: July 2018

Background

From a theoretical perspective, several studies indicate that happiness and health are—in some extent—interrelated. Despite the mechanisms explaining the relationship between happiness and health, there is still no consensus regarding this link. Using recently collected primary data, this study aims to examine the relationship between happiness and health, and identify potential heterogeneity in the association depending on socioeconomic status (SES).

Methods

This study draws on data from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey, conducted by the Greek National School of Public Health in 2015. We applied an instrumental variable (IV) approach to address the endogeneity, arising from the simultaneous determination of happiness and health. Controlling for several confounders (ie, socioeconomic, demographic, lifestyle, social capital variables) we employed several IV models, including two-stage least squares, IV probit and bivariate probit models.

Results

We report strong evidence of a relationship between happiness and health. This association remains strong after correcting for endogeneity, and is robust across different specifications. Further, we find a positive relationship between happiness and self-rated health (SRH) for low educated, but not for high educated. Similarly, we find a strong relationship between happiness and health for the lower socioeconomic strata, but not for the higher ones.

Conclusions

Overall, we show that happiness is positively associated with health. Further, happiness significantly influences SRH in low-SES individuals, but this association wanes for the higher socioeconomic strata. This finding has significant implications for health promotion, prevention and public health, and suggests that policymakers have a wider array of choices for improving health and tackling health inequalities.